By Ross Jackson
There has been an active and ongoing roster battle on the New Orleans Saints defense at safety this offseason.
With starter Tyrann Mathieu solidified, the spot next to him was up for grabs throughout training camp. Veteran defensive backs Johnathan Abram and Will Harris along with second-year safety Jordan Howden all got their chances to prove the role was theirs, head coach Dennis Allen often said in press conferences.
Tuesday afternoon, as roster cuts roll along across the league, the first indication of a winner at the position was given. Or at least, that is the implication for now. Per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, the team has released Abram.
The move initially came as a surprise as many expected he would be the starter next to Mathieu. The two lined up side-by-side for the final two games last season and performed very well together. However, things may not have panned out that way throughout camp. Perhaps Harris, who comes from a Detroit Lions defensive system that is very similar to Allen’s in New Orleans, showed that he and his versatility could take on the role with greater success.
Howden could also have shown that he deserves a more expanded role in 2024 after spending a lot of time with the starters last year due to injuries at the position.
Or perhaps, it is all just a part of the Saints’ roster construction plan. As NOLA.com’s Luke Johnson highlighted, Abram is not subject to waivers as a veteran. That could have allowed the Saints to work with Abram ahead of time to promise his spot to him despite the transaction with an intent on bringing him back after further roster jostling takes place.
Typically, the initial 53-man roster will include some players the team wants to place on short-term Injured Reserve (IR). The NFL now allows teams to place two such players on IR during roster cuts, but the Saints may have more that will need to start the season there with a chance to return.
Running back Kendre Miller has already claimed one of those spots. Meanwhile, offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri and linebacker D’Marco Jackson could also be short-term IR candidates. With the recent news that defensive tackle Khalen Saunders will also miss some time with a calf injury, there is a chance he could as well.
Releasing Abram could buy the Saints a roster spot to carry someone through cuts that will eventually be placed on the injury list. That would then open up a spot for Abram.
New Orleans is known to be crafty with its salary cap, but they have been crafty with their roster decisions in the past as well. Another move could be on the way that brings Abram back.
But if not, having him back on the practice squad would be of massive benefit for the team. He has experience in their system, displays veteran leadership and could easily be called up as a standard gameday elevation if needed. Meanwhile either Harris or Howden could then get their run for the starting job.
This will be an interesting one to monitor as the roster continues to change over the next few days.
