After looking ahead at the New Orleans Saints’ offensive matchup for its preseason opener versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, let’s shift the focus now to the defensive side of the football. With both head coaches announcing there will be little to no action for starters this weekend, it will be crucial to see how the depth of the roster can perform in a real game scenario.
Between injuries and the No. 1’s sitting out this game, both coaching staffs will get the chance to see role players, potential starters, and roster bubble athletes hit the field in competition. As many questions linger for New Orleans within their defensive back room, seeing backup players who’ve made plays in practice will be key in truly determining the level they’re currently at.
New Saints RB Travis Etienne Jr. last played for Jacksonville so there will no doubt be some familiarity with the opponent in the exhibition contest. While he is unlikely to garner many reps, he could still serve as a factor in working out schemes across the line of scrimmage.
Even after finishing last season as a top ten defense in the league, New Orleans lost a couple of veteran leaders in CB Alontae Taylor and LB Demario Davis. This year, the Saints will need to find a voice in the huddle to step up and be a sort of head honcho for the team under Brandon Staley in the defensive coordinator’s second season.
As for Jacksonville, they finished 2025 with one of the top offenses in the league. Although starting QB Trevor Lawrence will not be at the helm during this week’s game, Jags’ offensive coordinator Grant Udinski should still put out a formidable gameplan against the black and gold.