Predicting Today's Roster Cuts

by Dave Cariello on Aug 31, 2009 6:00 AM CDT

According to the list of key off-season dates on the left sidebar of CSC, the NFL mandates that all team rosters be cut down to 75 players by tomorrow. Payton mentioned during yesterday's press conference that those cuts would actually come this morning. By my calculations the Saints roster currently sits at 79 players, meaning four players would need to be accounted for in some way, whether released or placed on IR.

Here is a quick look at a few players I thought might have a bad day today and who we may not be seeing around anymore this season. Feel free to discuss my choices and add your own players to the list.

Matt Simon and D'Juan Woods

Even if Payton decides to carry six receivers on the roster there is simply too much talent at the position this season for either of these guys to make the team. Releasing one or both of these players still leaves Harper, Arrington, Roby and Green to battle it out in the last pre-season game of the year this Thursday. My guess would be Woods before Simon.

Martrez Milner and Jermey Parnell

The depth chart at tight end is pretty much set with Shockey, Miller and Dinkins. Buck Ortega is probably the favorite for the fourth spot, leaving Milner and Parnell on the outside looking in. Dinkins and Ortega should get a bulk of the reps during the game against Miami with maybe enough to go around for one other player. That means at least one of these guys is probably expendable now rather than later. For Parnell, formerly a defensive end, it was a fun experiment.

Chip Vaughn

Payton said yesterday that he wouldn't rule out the possibility of placing Vaughn on injured reserve. The rookie has sat out almost all of training camp and missed valuable reps. Rather than have to release someone it may just be easier to call it a year with Vaughn and free up the valuable roster spot.

Earl Heyman

I haven't heard much about Heyman during training camp and he is probably the odd man out at the defensive tackle position. Depending on how much depth Payton wants at tackle this Thursday, Heyman could be a goner.

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Sounds about right

though, Lechey or Bujnoch wouldn’t surprise me, based on the current logjam at center. None of these guys are elite, including Goodwin, Kyle and Bennett. That being said, at least the latter three bring a little versatility to the table. If you can’t play guard and/or long snap, odds are you’re not going to make the final roster. I can see keeping one of these guys around another week, just in case someone gets injured, but both? Seems like little more than postponing the inevitable.

"It feels like a tiny prick " -Reggie Bush

by coldpizza on Aug 31, 2009 9:01 AM CDT reply actions

Chip Vaughn...

won’t be put on IR just yet, although everyday seems a little more likely. I agree that Bunjoch might be getting the dreaded slip. He only played a few snaps this entire preason and while he didn’t look terrible and I didn’t hear his name being flagged, he didn’t exactly impress either.

"For us, there is no spring... only the smell of fresh wind before the storm."
-Conan of Cimeria

by tlsk1066 on Aug 31, 2009 9:34 AM CDT up reply actions

Seems like they want very badly to keep Parnell

I think he’ll get past this small cut. Otherwise, sounds like a reasonable list.

by FuSoYa on Aug 31, 2009 10:22 AM CDT reply actions

I agree. I think they value his versatility and apparent athleticism too much to cut him just yet. He may end up out of luck when its time to go to only 53, but I think he makes it past today.

by FriarBob on Aug 31, 2009 10:43 AM CDT up reply actions

i'm thinking

that Vaughn won’t get put on IR just yet unless they really plan on him being out for a long time. There are plenty of other players that could be cut besides him that we don’t need. Just cut Woods, Simon, and Green and that’s three already. Roby hasn’t impressed me really but he’s been better than Green and they’ll def keep Harper and Arrington through this cut. Before today, i hadn’t heard of Earl Hayman so idk why keep him. Milner, i haven’t heard anything about him since he got signed. Lots of guys that can go so why put Vaughn on IR just yet.

Superbowl bound!!!...I hope? Go Saints! :D

by skinnykinney on Aug 31, 2009 1:37 PM CDT reply actions

Also, that CB they brought in when they released David(who I think ended up getting hurt on Saturday anyway), or Gorrer(the only time I noticed him so far was getting beat bad on Saturday). The back end of the CB group looks very expendable to me right now. When are we gonna get the news on this cut?

by FuSoYa on Aug 31, 2009 2:32 PM CDT reply actions

it seems to me...

I think I remember Gorrer playing well in the Texans game, better than Torrence in fact…. I’m going to have to rewatch it

"For us, there is no spring... only the smell of fresh wind before the storm."
-Conan of Cimeria

by tlsk1066 on Aug 31, 2009 5:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Gorrer got torched twice in the Raiders game that I saw. Fassitt is the guy you’re referring to and yes, he got hurt. And torched. Weakest links, say buh bye.

"It feels like a tiny prick " -Reggie Bush

by coldpizza on Aug 31, 2009 5:23 PM CDT up reply actions