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The Saints are once again going to have one of the more talented rosters in the NFL.

This year, the only difference is that the areas with questions are the spots where you typically do not want to be wondering and wishing this time of year.

With the first few waves of free agency and the draft now over, we reset the Saints’ depth chart, analyzed each position, and set our locks and near locks at each position to gauge how many jobs are truly up for grabs.***premium***

Using a conservative approach, I see 33 players who are locks or near locks to make the roster. That number is on the high side for this exercise this early in the process. I typically have somewhere around 25 players, though recent Saints teams have raised the bar.

The only problem is that some of the starting jobs at critical positions are still up for grabs.

Quarterbacks

Depth chart: Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill, Trevor Siemian, Ian Book

Until someone tells me otherwise, I’m going to keep Jameis Winston penciled in at the top of the depth chart. He has the highest upside, and it feels like it would take a significant letdown for him to lose the job. The Saints might feel differently, and I know Winston is preparing as if he will be battling for the job, but the team will be better if Winston is good enough to keep Taysom Hill at bay.

One of the more interesting things this offseason has been how Sean Payton has spoken about Trevor Siemian. He keeps calling the quarterback a young player, one who he thinks can still get developed. Perhaps there is some untapped upside that has gotten overlooked.

Locks and likely in: Winston, Hill, Book

Running backs

Depth chart: Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray, Alex Armah (fullback), Dwayne Washington, Tony Jones Jr., Ty Montgomery, Stevie Scott III, Sutton Smith (fullback)

This group looked like it was set this offseason when New Orleans decided to carry Latavius Murray instead of letting him go to save against the salary cap. Alvin Kamara should once again be among the best running backs in the league, but he’ll likely have to come about his yards in a slightly different manner. He’s unlikely to see the same number of checkdowns as he did a year ago playing alongside quarterbacks who are more capable of attacking down the field. Kamara could see an uptick in his usage out of the slot.

Tony Jones Jr. is someone the team was high on a year ago. With another year in the system, maybe he will be more ready to compete for snaps.

Locks and likely in: Kamara, Murray, Armah

Wide receivers

Depth chart: Michael Thomas, Tre’Quan Smith, Marquez Callaway, Deonte Harris, Juwan Johnson, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Kawaan Baker, Jake Lampman, Jalen McCleskey, Easop Winston

The Saints will need Michael Thomas to return to form after an injury-plagued and frustrating 2020 campaign. Assuming he gets back on track, this group of wide receivers should be good enough to get the job done on offense. Marquez Callaway should take the next step in his development, and Tre’Quan Smith could be better suited for an offense led by Hill and Winston.

Some of the other options on the roster are interesting. Jake Lampman had some impressive camps in New Orleans, but injuries led his career in another direction. He’s back to compete for a job this year. Jalen McCleskey and Kawaan Baker have things about their games to like.

One more guy would have put this group over the top, but they should be fine if they stay on the right side of the injury line this year.

Locks and likely in: Thomas, Smith, Callaway, Harris

Tight ends

Depth chart: Adam Trautman, Nick Vannett, Garrett Griffin, Ethan Wolf, Dylan Soehner

There is more uncertainty at this position than most others on the roster. Adam Trautman and Nick Vannett should be a solid duo, but there is nothing certain there. Trautman only had 171 receiving yards last season, and Vannett has been more of a blocking tight end throughout his career, though he feels he has more to offer as a receiver.

This spot should work out with what’s on the roster, but it is far from a given. Having someone else on the depth chart step up and push for snaps would help set a higher floor for this position group.

Locks and likely in: Trautman, Vannett

Offensive line

Tackles: Terron Armstead, Ryan Ramczyk, Landon Young, Ethan Greenidge, Calvin Throckmorton, Michael Brown, Alex Hoffman

Centers: Erik McCoy, Will Clapp, Christian Montano

Guards: Andrus Peat, Cesar Ruiz, James Hurst, Derrick Kelly

Note: Many of the reserve offensive linemen have position flexibility. Throckmorton and Kelly, for example, can play both guard and tackle.

The Saints quickly and quietly put together decent depth on the offensive line by bringing back James Hurst and drafting Landon Young to pair with Derrick Kelly. Hurst and Kelly have some flexibility, though this group will be at its best if Young develops quickly enough to serve as a reserve. Ethan Greenidge has also been around for a few years. He needs to show that he’s ready to contribute.

The real questions on the line are the same as last year: Where does Cesar Ruiz fit, and how will he perform? Last year, the team hoped Ruiz would play center, but injuries derailed those plans, and he slotted in at guard, where he struggled. It still seems like the best alignment would be to have Ruiz at center, but the team already invested a season in training him at guard, and there is merit to continuing down that path.

Locks and likely in: Armstead, Ramczyk, McCoy, Peat, Ruiz

Defensive line

Defensive tackles: David Onyemata, Malcolm Roach, Shy Tuttle, Jalen Dalton, Ryan Glasgow, Albert Huggins, Josiah Bronson

Defensive ends: Cameron Jordan, Marcus Davenport, Payton Turner, Carl Granderson, Tanoh Kpassagnon, Noah Spence, Christian Ringo

The Saints used a lot of three defensive linemen looks last season, and it’s fair to wonder if more of that is in store. There are some good players on the interior defensive line, and Jalen Dalton could be someone who makes a push this season, but there is a lack of depth there. Shy Tuttle stepping into a more significant role would help.

The depth chart at defensive end could be great, or it could be scary. New Orleans needs Cam Jordan to get his sack numbers back up and for Marcus Davenport to finally cash in on his potential. One of those things feels more likely than the other, but both are possible. Payton Turner should contribute early on, and Carl Granderson looks like he’s gearing up for a good season.

There is a little more uncertainty at these spots than one would like, especially considering how heavily invested New Orleans is at defensive end.

Locks and likely in: Onyemata, Jordan, Davenport, Turner, Granderson

Linebackers

Depth chart: Demario Davis, Pete Werner, Zack Baun, Chase Hansen, Andrew Dowell, Kaden Elliss, Wynton McManis, Marcus Willoughby, Shaq Smith

The Saints should have two good players at the top of the depth chart. Pete Werner looks like he should come in and contribute right away. After that, the picture gets a little murky. How does Zack Baun fit? Is he only playing a handful of snaps at strongside linebacker?

New Orleans liked what Chase Hansen and Andrew Dowell showed in camp last year. Both players should compete for roster spots this season, and Kaden Elliss is still someone with a little bit of potential.

If things work out at the top, the Saints should be fine if another player or two from this group distinguishes himself.

Locks and likely in: Davis, Werner, Baun

Cornerbacks

Depth chart: Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, Patrick Robinson, P.J. Williams, Keith Washington, Grant Haley, Bryce Thompson, Trill Williams, Lawrence Woods

The Saints still feel a little light here. Bringing back someone like Ken Crawley would add another layer of protection if Marshon Lattimore ends up getting suspended or Paulson Adebo isn’t ready to contribute early in the season. Patrick Robinson isn’t a bad option in either scenario, but his injury issues cause concern. P.J. Williams remains a solid depth player.

New Orleans does have some upside with Keith Washington. The second-year player had a standout camp last year and earned his way into a more extended audition. Undrafted rookie Trill Williams was expected to be a mid-round pick but fell out of the draft. There could be some decent developmental depth if things work out.

Locks and likely in: Lattimore, Adebo

Safeties

Depth chart: Marcus Williams, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Malcolm Jenkins, J.T. Gray, Eric Burrell, Deuce Wallace

This group is still pretty well stocked. The top three players are as good as anyone’s top three, and J.T. Gray is a superstar on special teams. The only thing missing is some depth at the back of the roster. Trill Williams and P.J. Williams both have some position flexibility, so perhaps they could help fill out the depth if they make the team.

Locks and likely in: Williams, Gardner-Johnson, Jenkins, Gray

Specialists

Depth chart: K Wil Lutz, LS Zach Wood, P Blake Gillikin, P Nolan Cooney

The only question here is which punter wins.

Locks and likely in: Lutz, Wood