Saints Projected Roster: Getting to 53

After three preseason games, the Saints don’t appear to have many roster spots open. A few battles still remain, but barring injury, this list probably won’t look much different than the official one on Aug. 31.

Stock rising: RB Travaris Cadet. The Saints keep showcasing him in preseason games, and he keeps delivering as a receiver out of the backfield. Another strong performance against Houston on Saturday would make the Saints think hard before waiving him.

Stock falling: WR Andy Tanner. Coming off a tremendous training camp, he sprained an ankle last Friday against Jacksonville and likely will not play again this preseason. The unfortunate injury will make it very difficult for him to make the roster.

QB -- In: (2) Drew Brees, Chase Daniel. Out: Luke McCown, Sean Canfield. Analysis: Nothing to see here. Brees is the starter. Daniel is the backup. There will be no third spot. McCown, whom the Saints brought in as insurance this summer while Brees remained unsigned, has barely played in the preseason. Canfield, the Saints' seventh-round pick in 2010, has shown little in three training camps.

RB -- In: (4) Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram, Chris Ivory. Out: Cadet, Joe Banyard. Analysis: It's still hard to see the Saints letting Ivory go in favor of Cadet unless Ivory has a horrible night on Saturday. He’s a proven physical runner, but he would be wise to not fumble, a periodic concern for him. The other three RBs are locks. Unlike last week, the fullbacks are grouped with the tight ends because the Saints see those positions as closer than fullback and running back.

WR -- In: (6) Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, Courtney Roby, Adrian Arrington, Joe Morgan. Out: Tanner, Greg Camarillo, Marques Clark, Derek Moye, Kevin Hardy, Nick Toon (injured reserve). Analysis: The first four are locks, and Arrington is pretty close despite his recent meniscus surgery. Interim coach Joe Vitt said he thought Arrington would be ready for the regular-season opener this week, clearing the final hurdle. Morgan is raw, but his deep-threat ability will make it hard for the Saints to bypass him for Camarillo, whom they signed this week, or the injured Tanner, a possession receiver. If Toon, the Saints’ fourth-round draft pick, recovers from a foot injury soon, Morgan could be out of a job.

TE/FB -- In: (5) Jimmy Graham, David Thomas, Daniel Graham, Jed Collins, Korey Hall. Out: Michael Higgins, Jake Byrne, Derek Schouman. Analysis: Graham and Thomas are locks at TE, and so is Collins at FB. If the Saints keep two FBs, which is highly likely, Hall is the guy. The third tight end spot is a tougher call between the unproven Higgins and Graham, an 11-year veteran with 224 career catches whom the Saints signed Aug. 12. If Graham has anything left, he should make the roster.

OL -- In: (8) Jermon Bushrod, Jahri Evans, Brian de la Puente, Ben Grubbs, Zach Strief, Charles Brown, Matt Tennant, Eric Olsen. Out: Marcel Jones, Brian Folkerts, Aderious Simmons, Fenuki Tupou, Hutch Eckerson, DeOn’tae Pannell, Paul Fenaroli. Analysis: The first six are locks. Tennant and Olsen, who both can play guard and center, would give the Saints the most options. If they want a fourth tackle, Marcel Jones is the frontrunner.

DL -- In: (9) Sedrick Ellis, Brodrick Bunkley, Remi Ayodele, Akiem Hicks, Junior Galette, Cam Jordan, Turk McBride, Martez Wilson, Tom Johnson. Out: Braylon Broughton, Tyrunn Walker, Alex Daniels, Swanson Miller, Donovan Robinson. Analysis: DE Will Smith is suspended for the first four games and will not count against the 53-man roster in those weeks. The first four players on this list are locks at tackle, while Galette, Jordan and Wilson are roster certainties at end. McBride should make the team, too, particularly with Smith absent early. That leaves one spot if the Saints keep nine. Johnson, a DT, is the most proven. If the Saints want a fifth end while Smith sits out, they’ll have to keep a project.

LB -- In: (7) Curtis Lofton, David Hawthorne, Scott Shanle, Jonathan Casillas, Will Herring, Barrett Ruud, Ramon Humber. Out: Lawrence Wilson, Kadarron Anderson, Aaron Tevis, Ezra Butler. Analysis: Chris Chamberlain is gone for the year due to a torn ACL, but the Saints traded for Barrett Ruud to replace him. If the Saints keep a seventh LB, they’ll have to choose between Humber, who is out with a hamstring issue and will miss the first three games for a violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, or Wilson, who also is suspended for the opener. The coaches like Humber. Wilson will get his shot on Saturday with extended playing time against Houston.

DB -- In: (9) Patrick Robinson, Jabari Greer, Johnny Patrick, Corey White, Marquis Johnson, Malcolm Jenkins, Roman Harper, Isa Abdul-Quddus, Jonathon Amaya. Out: Jose Gumbs, Kamaal McIlwain, Nick Hixson, Cord Parks, Jerico Nelson, Johnny Thomas, Elbert Mack. Analysis: The five corners are pretty much set. The fourth safety isn’t, and the Saints could even keep five. The primary competition is between Amaya, a third-year pro, and Gumbs, an undrafted rookie from Monmouth. Aside from the starters, New Orleans has a cast of unknowns in the secondary.

Special teams -- In: (3) Garrett Hartley, Thomas Morstead, Justin Drescher. Out: John Kasay. Analysis: Hartley and Kasay will continue their kicking battle on Saturday night. Conventional wisdom is Hartley would have to really mess up to lose his job. Kasay was terrific when Hartley got hurt last year, but he is too old (42) to be the long-term answer.

Follow Saints reporter Guerry Smith on twitter @CBSSportsNFLNO.