CSC Mailbag: Who are the starting wide receivers? Cornerbacks? That and more.

The NFL season might not yet be officially upon us, but the New Orleans Saints are getting ready for the fast-approaching Week 1. With that in mind, there are plenty of questions about what the Saints will do and look like in the 2021 season. There might be more questions than answers right now, so we took a few of your pressing questions off Twitter in this week’s CSC Mailbag:

The hope is that Tre’Quan Smith was withheld from the preseason in order to help ensure his ability for Week 1 against the Packers. Sean Payton is notoriously tight-lipped about the injury status of his players, so it’s equally possible Tre’Quan is ready for Week 1 as it is Tre’Quan is done for the season.

In a world were Tre’Quan is not ready for the Packers Week 1, then I would expect the aforementioned Marquez Callaway, Deonte Harris, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey (or Ty Montgomery) are the starters in Jacksonville absent the Saints making a major move in the coming days.

We won’t know an exact number unless or until the organization announces something officially, which will likely only happen once the Saints reach 100% vaccination, if ever.

Probably Deonte Harris with his 4.35 speed.

I think Latavius Murray opens the season as the primary backup behind Alvin Kamara. If Murray were to struggle out of the gate with inefficiencies or - heaven forbid - turnovers, then Sean Payton probably pulls the trigger on Tony Jones, Jr. sooner rather than later.

With the same caveat regarding an additional wide receiver, absent another move in the coming days, Ken Crawley would have been the second corner across from Marshon Lattimore before Crawley’s injury. Now, instead it will likely be rookie Paulson Adebo who will be thrown to the wolves right away. If Adebo struggles to hold his own at the NFL level, Crawley will likely take over once he’s healthy. Best case? Adebo shines under the spotlight and never looks back, with Crawley never getting the chance to win his spot back.

We’ll need a strong showing from the defense against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, and hopefully the Saints can limit the turnovers from the offense we saw in the preseason. If they play a clean game on offense and exceptionally well on defense (both of which are possible), then an upset against the Packers isn’t out of the question.

Make sure you follow Canal Street Chronicles on Twitter at @SaintsCSC , “Like” us on Facebook at Canal Street Chronicles, and make sure you’re subscribed to our new YouTube channel.