The New Orleans Saints dropped their first game of the preseason to the Jacksonville Jagaurs in a 24-20 loss. Despite dropping a 20-6 lead, the loss wasn’t all bad for New Orleans. As depth pieces begin to make more plays, the Saints roster will begin to fill out closer to the regular season. These are the players who bettered their chances to be on the final 53, while other stock fell in the loss.
Up: QB Zach Wilson
Quarterback Zach Wilson was the team’s best passer in their Week 1 preseason loss. Wilson finished the day
completing 11-of-16 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. The former second-overall pick finished the game without a turnover and taking just one sack.
Wilson’s passing efficiency is what stands out, averaging 9.1 yards an attempt. In his 16 attempts, Wilson passed for more yards than Spencer Rattler and Hunter Dekkers combined, and was the only quarterback to end with day with a passing touchdown.
Wilson’s passes were quick and put into spots where only his receivers could get them. Some throws really stood out, with Wilson putting some heat on it, drilling it to his target in tightly contested coverage. If there wasn’t a QB2 competition before, Wilson’s strong day definitely opened the door.
Up: EDGE Michael Heldman
EDGE rusher Michael Heldman was the game MVP, racking up an astonishing 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, and 3 QB hits in his limited snaps. Heldman and Garret Nelson were a handful for the Jaguars tackles, and Heldman came out the day with a stat line that guarantees him consideration for the final roster.
Heldman went undrafted despite an impressive 9.88 RAS score combined with a 10.5 sack season in 2025. Many wondered why the former Central Michigan pass rusher wasn’t drafted, but it appears the Saints got a gem on the theird hands after his impressive NFL debut.
Up: CB Martin Emerson Jr.
Entering the season, cornerback was a huge question, but it appears the Saints have their picks for starters going into Week 1 as Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley each didn’t play. McKinstry is the team’s surefire CB1, but there are major concerns at CB2.
After New Orleans signed Martin Emerson Jr, many questioned if Riley would remain the starter after earning that role last season. Despite what appears to be a safety net for the second-year cornerback, Emerson had a strong day on Saturday, logging 3 pass deflections and almost came away with an interception.
Emerson offers experience to the Saints secondary while still just 25-years-old. With some more strong preseason performances, the former Cleveland Browns cornerback could see more playtime in the regular season.
Down: K Charlie Smyth
The kicking competition through camp has been bumpy. Each kicker has had their good and bad days, and consistency remains a concern. On saturday, Tanner Brown went 2/2 on field goal attempts, with a long of 49. Charlie Smyth wasn’t as fortunate, missing his lone attempt from 52 yards.
A 52-yard field goal isn’t an easy feat, but missing after bumpy training camp showings puts Smyth’s position on the team in question.
Down: QB Spencer Rattler
Rattler’s biggest issues that led to his benching was his lack of big play ability. Saturday’s loss only emphasized this, with the third-year quarterback logging 42 passing yards on the day. Rattler’s 3.8 yards per attempt was the lowest among the Saints’ three passers.
With Wilson’s strong performance, Rattler’s QB2 chances took a significant hit. He hasn’t shown the ability to create plays, and the touchdown drive he took part of was thanks to a 82-yard kick off return and a 9-yard run from Audric Estime just one play after.
Rattler’s name has come up quite a bit recently as a trade candidate for the Saints. Many question the team’s reasoning for a possible trade, with Ratler being a solid back up otpion at quarterback. But more strong performances from Wilson and a lack to prove himself by Rattler could result in him being part of another team in the near future.
