Deuce: LB Anfernee Orji has played his way into prime position to make Saints roster

Preseason football exists for players to make a name for themselves and, ideally, carve out a spot on an NFL team's 53-man roster.

For second-year linebacker Anfernee Orji, that's included leading the team in tackles for two consecutive weeks and, most likely, playing his way into a roster spot a year after missing out during final cuts, as WWL Radio's Deuce McAllister explained after the preseason finale.

"It’s definitely in pencil," Deuce said. "I think that you can see the growth that he’s had."

Listen to Deuce McAllister's full breakdown in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here .

Orji logged 8 total tackles, a TFL and a pass defensed in Week 2 against the 49ers, then picked up another 9 tackles on Sunday, taking reps in place of typical starters Demario Davis and Pete Werner. McAllister said being quicker to recognize run fakes will be a growth point, but otherwise there's a lot to like from the former Vanderbilt Commodore who first joined the Saints as a UDFA in 2023.

"It’s the full package. ... You definitely see the growth from here from him from last year to this year and some of the things that he’s been able to do," Deuce continued. "Obviously he can tackle and be able to play all three linebacker positions for you and I think he’s made his case to say hey, look, I deserve to be on this 53-man roster.”

The Saints have to have their roster cut down to 53 as of 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

MORE FROM DEUCE

On Trevor Penning

“It’s just more consistency. I think that’s the biggest thing. I mean, there’s too many plays where he’s either reaching or he’s grabbing or it’s an inside twist or stunt. That makes it tougher. I can help and hide a player offensively with some of the things that I do, but you limit me so much, you know, when I have to worry completely. You’ve got to still remember, I have a rookie left tackle, and so I just can’t hang him out to dry as well, and so you want Trevor to be a guy that I know I can depend on, not just on run downs, but, you know, on inside stunts or moves like that, pass offs and speed. He’s got to be able to hold his own.”

On Rattler vs Haener

“It’s what you’ve seen in practice. They’ve gone back and forth in practice. Both have made plays. You know, you had some situational football and they looked outstanding in running and doing. You would just have hoped that right there at the end Jake would’ve gotten a chance to really have the 2-minute drive, but he couldn’t execute down the stretch, but just what you’ve seen from those two young men throughout training camp.”

On the run game

“Kudos to those guys. You have over 124 as far as rushing yards and I think it’s the little things that you want to be able to improve on. I thought the patience was really, really good or at least better than what it’s been on a lot of those runs and you were able to get outside, you know, I think that they can even be better, not only from a run game standpoint, but getting involved a little bit more on chipping and not being in a hurry to be able to get out of the backfield, being able to help the offensive line a little bit more, then identifying and understanding the blitz a little bit better as well. There was a couple … times they were late getting to the blitz but they eventually picked it up.”