The New Orleans Saints hosted the Denver Broncos at Caesars Superdome on Saturday for their preseason finale, falling 28-19. Let’s take a look at three overreactions from this weekend’s matchup.
New Orleans will be looking for a new starting RG after the season.
After taking a significant leap in production in 2024, fifth-year guard and former first-round pick Cesar Ruiz has had a pretty underwhelming preseason. He finished Saturday’s game with a 47.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (49.3 RBK
and 45.8 PBK) and allowed a pressure in all three preseason games.
The Saints inked Ruiz to a four-year, $44 million contract extension in September of 2023, tying him to the franchise through the 2027 season. If Ruiz experiences a big drop-off in production in 2025, I could see New Orleans potentially moving on from the former Michigan Wolverine after the season.
That said, with the emergence of UDFA Torricelli Simpkins III out of South Carolina and last year’s UDFA standout from Boston College, Kyle Hergel, also continuing to impress, the Saints may already have his replacement in the building if his struggles continue. But I also wouldn’t rule out the Saints turning to the 2026 draft for their starting right guard in 2025.
Rookie DB Jonas Sanker will secure a starting role by the end of the season.
The Saints look to have found a diamond in the rough with 2025 third-round draft pick Jonas Sanker. After an impressive preseason showing, it’s safe to say the former Virginia Cavalier will have a prominent role in Brandon Staley’s defense.
On Saturday against the Broncos, Sanker recorded nine total tackles and four stops, earning an 85.8 tackling grade from PFF for the second consecutive week. He also came up with the game-tying interception against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.
Sanker’s final preseason stat line: 15 total tackles, six stops, one pass breakup and one interception.
In total, Sanker logged 179 snaps this preseason, broken down as follows: 83 at free safety, 48 in the box, 20 in the slot, seven on kick coverage, seven on kick return, four on punt coverage, two on punt return and eight on FG/XP block.
His versatility opens the door for multiple starting opportunities—whether due to injury or if he simply exceeds expectations in his development. Justin Reid and Julian Blackmon are locked in as the starters at safety, and Alontae Taylor is expected to remain in the slot. But injuries happen, and if one of the boundary corners goes down, Taylor would likely shift outside, paving the way for Sanker to step into the slot.
I’m excited to see Sanker’s role and how it changes throughout the season, and I expect a strong rookie campaign from the 22-year-old.
Kicker Blake Grupe will be named an All-Pro for the first time.
The third-year kicker out of Notre Dame followed up his outstanding training camp with an impressive preseason showing.
Grupe’s final preseason stat line: five-for-five on field-goal attempts (1-1 from 30–39 yards, 2-2 from 40–49 yards, and 2-2 from 50–59 yards), earning an 84.7 overall grade from PFF.
At just 26 years old, Grupe appears to have won his third straight kicking competition since entering the league. He finished his training camp battle against second-year Irishman Charlie Smyth, converting 25 of 26 attempts for a 96% field-goal percentage.
The growth in Grupe has been evident, and with the confidence he’s shown this offseason—both on the field and vocally—the sky is the limit. An All-Pro season wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.
