Grading the New Orleans Saints: Here's how each position stacks up in 2024 | Inside Black & Gold

New Orleans Saints training camp is less than two weeks away, so what better time to set the deck with position-by-position grades?

That's exactly what we did on the latest episode of the Audacy original podcast Inside Black & Gold, with a custom rubric, six weighted categories and composite grades for 10 positions -- excluding specialists.

Listen to the full episode in the player above for the extended breakdown and full grades. Can't see the embed? Click here .

So how were the grades calculated? We went through each position and gave grades along six different weighted categories. Here's the breakdown:
- Starter quality: 1-30
- Depth: 1-20
- Dependability: 1-15 (health/availability … consistency)
- Track record: 1-15 (statistically & in big moments)
- Playoff experience: 1-10
- Upside: 1-10

So how does it all break down? Here we go:

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THE BOTTOM THREE ( click here to listen to full segment )

TIGHT END
- Grade : 43
- Key names : Juwan Johnson, Foster Moreau, Trevor Penning
- Why : It's not a particularly deep group to begin with and the projected starter is already dealing with a significant injury. The 2023 season was question at best for Juwan Johnson in terms of productivity, and the upside is limited with zero investment in the draft the past few seasons. There's moderate upside in the form of UDFA Dallin Holker, but if the Saints are relying on an undrafted rookie for a significant role this season, that's a problem.

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OFFENSIVE LINE
- Grade : 59
- Key names : Taliese Fuaga, Nick Saldiveri, Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Trevor Penning
- Why : The starter quality has potential to be better than expected, but there are just too many unknowns to get lost in optimism right now. I see Erik McCoy as one of the NFL's top centers and Cesar Ruiz as a solid starting guard, with those two helping to buoy this score in several categories. From there it's a rookie in Taliese Fuaga playing a new position at left tackle, a young player in Trevor Penning trying to get a fresh start at right tackle, and another young player or unproven veteran at left guard. There are no backup options with significant upside to get excited about. This might not have the lowest grade, but it's easily the most concerning position in terms of what might sabotage the Saints' hopes to make a playoff return in 2024.

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QUARTERBACK
- Grade : 63
- Key names : Derek Carr, Jake Haener, Trevor Penning
- Why : I'm hopeful that when we revisit these grades next year I'mm be forced to apologize for an unnecessarily low grade. Derek Carr finished his first season in New Orleans in impressive fashion, and if that's the DC we get a majority of the time while running Klint Kubiak's scheme, we'll have something to get excited about. For now it's fair to be cautiously optimistic. The depth here has some upside, but it's difficult to know what to expect with either Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler if they're forced into action. It's a scenario we haven't seen in a long time, with the Saints looking to veterans like Andy Dalton, Jameis Winston and Teddy Bridgewater. That's dropping this grade for now. Again, I'd like nothing more than to be proved wrong here.

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THE MIDDLE FOUR ( click here to listen to full segment )

WIDE RECEIVER
- Grade : 72
- Key names : Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Cedrick Wilson, A.T. Perry, Bub Mean, Equanimeous St. Brown
- Why : I expect many will see this grade as too low, and they could be right. I just see too many question marks and not enough quality depth to put it much higher. The Saints are relying on Chris Olave taking a star turn and Rashid Shaheed continuing to be the elite big-play threat we saw last year. I think that's certainly possible, but what happens if you have to turn to the names behind them? It's too many unknowns right now. Much like QB, no one would be happier than me if we get to these grades next year and I look like an idiot for handing out a low grade

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SAFETY
- Grade : 72
- Key names : Tyrann Mathieu, Johnathan Abram, Jordan Howden, J.T. Gray, Will Harris
- Why : This group gets the same grade as the wide receivers and for similar reasons. I have no questions about what Tyrann Mathieu can do, though you have to anticipate his productivity will start to dip at some point. It's what happens if and when you have to turn to players behind him that gives me a bit more pause. Either way, both of these groups are solid enough to win with and could certainly exceed my expectations.

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DEFENSIVE END
- Grade : 74
- Key names : Cam Jordan, Carl Granderson, Chase Young, Payton Turner, Isaiah Foskey
- Why : I see this group as having possibly the biggest upside of any on the roster, but that will require better health than we've seen in the past. Still, when is the last time the Saints went five deep with pass rushers that we actually wanted to see on the field? I expect a bounce back season from Cam Jordan and continued growth from Carl Granderson. If you can get healthy and productive seasons from at least two of Chase Young, Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey, this group has a chance to be very, very good. Unfortunately, based on recent history that's a very big if.

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RUNNING BACK
- Grade : 78
- Key names : Alvin Kamara, Jamaal Williams, Kendre Miller
- Why : It would be easy to use the last couple years of statistics to argue that both Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams have reached a productivity cliff. At least for Alvin, I'm willing to go out on a limb and say the offense was a far bigger issue than ability. We'll see. But in these grades I'm expecting a bounce-back year from Alvin, and if that happens you feel pretty good about the depth as well as the upside of Kendre Miller going into Year 2. It's not the best RB room out there, but it's certainly a quality one if all three guys are healthy and producing.

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THE TOP THREE ( click here to listen to full segment )

DEFENSIVE TACKLE
- Grade : 79
- Key names : Khalen Saunders, Nathan Shepherd, Bryan Bresee, Khristian Boyd
Why : This grade might be a bit high, but I just really like this group's build. A pair of reliable veterans will work in with a former first round pick in Bryan Bresee who the Saints will hope continues to develop from his primarily pass rush role in 2023. You can make changes at the spot behind him, but that three-man rotation can be really solid in the run game and get after the passer at a high level when all three guys are available.

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LINEBACKER
- Grade : 84
- Key names : Demario Davis, Pete Werner, Willie Gay, Khaleke Hudson, Jaylan Ford, D'Marco Jackson
- Why : Any group with a player as consistent and productive as Demario Davis is going to get a high grade, and the depth here is pretty impressive, too. The only real question is whether Pete Werner can get back to the form with which he started 2022. If he can do that, this grade will climb quickly. I also see Willie Gay as a versatile option who can push Werner for that spot if he stumbles, and if not will gave the Saints defense options with its linebacker group deployment that it hasn't had in a while.

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CORNERBACK
- Grade : 90
- Key names : Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, Alontae Taylor, Kool-Aid McKinstry
- Why : I probably don't need to spend much time explaining why cornerback is the highest rated position on the Saints. The real question is whether it's the deepest CB room in the NFL. The team looks poised to keep Marshon Lattimore, who when healthy is unquestionably a top 10 player at his position. Then you have a high-end starter in Paulson Adebo and I'd challenge you to find a team with better third and fourth options than Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry. The issue will be getting them all on the field, but having too many good players is a problem that any defensive coordinator is happy to try to solve.

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