Team news: New Orleans Saints | Page 29

The New Orleans Saints will be without TE Nick Vannett (knee) for 2-4 weeks, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. He joins Adam Trautman on the sidelines for the immediate future.

Related Player: Juwan Johnson

Bad news for Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill. Trautman was/is expected to be the main catching tight end, while Vannett the main blocking tight end. Word out of camp has Juwan Johnson as a wild card following an impressive showing the past few weeks and could be the starting tight end to open 2021. The converted wide receiver saw a snap increase during New Orleans's Week 2 preseason game following injuries to Trautman and Vannett.

Ian Rapoport is reporting Jameis Winston is the "leader in the clubhouse" for the Saints starting quarterback spot.

Related players: Taysom Hill

Rapoport said it wasn't just about piling up stats in the game against Jags recently. Rapoport showed a video with throws Winston made, claiming "Drew Brees hasn't been able to make in years." Winston also made the kind of big plays HC Sean Payton "has been dying see," according to Rapoport. Rapoport added if Winston starts, Hill would do similar "gadget stuff" like he's done in the past, which could certainly limit Winston's upside, much like it did with Brees at times last year.

Lions running back D'Andre Swift has been struggling with a groin injury, and it’s unclear how soon he’ll be back to 100 percent.

Detroit head coach Dan Campbell told reporters today that he’s concerned about Swift’s ability to get himself in football shape by Week 1.

Related players: Jamaal Williams

The story went on to say Campbell has said he’d love to see the Lions’ offense use Swift and Williams the way the Saints used Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram when they were teammates and Campbell was an assistant coach in New Orleans. But if Swift isn’t ready to go Week 1, Williams would be the bell cow. Williams could have had stand alone value even with Swift in the lineup, so he's worth targeting in upcoming drafts.

ESPN's MNF broadcasters said Sean Payton raved about RB Tony Jones Jr. in pre-game production meetings and even said "If you’re asking me today, my No. 2 RB is Tony Jones." Payton used Jones a lot with the 1s to evaluate whether he'll move him ahead of vets Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman.

Related players: Alvin Kamara

Kamara owners take note. While the first thought is this could be coach-speak, we had a recent news story that Murray and Freeman have both looked unimpressive at times, especially in preseason Week 1. One beat writer speculated Freeman may end up passing Murray on the depth chart, but at this point it looks like Jones has a shot to blow by them all. The Saints RB2 can have stand alone value, but could have RB1 value should Kamara miss time. This battle is worth monitoring, especially Kamara owners.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Adam Trautman injured his foot, and while he received good news initially from on-site X-rays he will receive an MRI on Tuesday to identify what’s causing him “mild pain.”

Related players: Juwan Johnson

The fact that Trautman was able to move around under his own power — until the trainers gave him a lift on the cart to the locker room — suggests he avoided major injury, the story said. But the piece added this isn’t something we’ll really know much more about until the results from his MRI come in on Tuesday. Johnson would be next up on the depth chart at TE for the Saints.

It’s still too soon to say who wins the New Orleans Saints quarterbacks competition, but Sean Payton hopes to have his answer sooner rather than later. NBC Sports’ Peter King reports that a lot is riding on Jameis Winston’s opportunity to run the starting offense on Monday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars, following Taysom Hill’s time with the starters a week ago in Baltimore. King wrote:

“Payton told me he hopes to name his starter before the final preseason game Saturday against Arizona, so Winston’s performance with the first team for multiple series will be the most important game he’s played since he lost his job in 2019 in Tampa Bay.”

The story went on to say: Unlike Hill, Winston should get full exposure with the strongest members of his supporting cast — Payton said last week that the team plans to dress several starters who sat out the preseason opener like Alvin Kamara and bookend tackles Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk. The Times-Picayune Advocate’s Jeff Duncan adds that the Saints are approaching this as “their big preseason tuneup” with most starters expected to rest in the preseason finale with Arizona. At this point, it looks like it could be Winston's job to lose.

According to the Athletic, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow continues to operate as Derek Carr's most trusted wide receiver.

While his teammates have received more of the buzz this offseason, Hunter Renfrow remains his quarterback's top wide receiver target. The offense will continue to feature Darren Waller, but the rapport Renfrow has continued to develop with Derek Carr may finally translate into consistent production for the underrated wideout. Bryan Edwards, Henry Ruggs, John Brown, and Renfrow all figure to rotate snaps this season, but if he can play at the level he has this summer once the regular season begins, Renfrow may lead the receiving corps in receptions. Currently 93rd in our wide receiver rankings, the third-year wideout may prove to be an exceptional draft day value for those in deeper leagues.

Rob Demovsky of ESPN noted on Twitter Wednesday that Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling is easily having his best camp as a Packer. Demovsky later tweeted that QB Aaron Rodgers hit MVS for a 33-yard touchdown during their two-minute drill in a joint practice against the New York Jets.

For all his faults, MVS has remained within arm's reach of Aaron Rodgers's trust circle and appears to have cemented a coveted spot inside it. The Packers have a gaping hole at WR2 behind Davante Adams, and the field-stretching wideout looks to be the favorite to secure a large portion of receiver snaps.

The Detroit Lions spent a lot of their offseason trying to build a viable running game. Now with training camp headed for the home stretch, they’re finally about to get a look at it.

Starting running back D’Andre Swift is expected to return to practice on Tuesday evening, according to head coach Dan Campbell.

Related players: Jamaal Williams

Swift has been slowed by a sore groin that has held him out of the majority of team drills during camp, the story said. Williams, the former Packers running back who signed a two-year deal with Detroit this offseason, has repped as the No. 1 running back for the majority of camp. He’s looked good doing it too, the story sent on to say. Williams should still have a significant role this year.

It was a rough night for veteran running backs Latavius Murray and Devonta Freeman.

The duo combined for only 12 yards on 11 carries. Murray missed a block on a blitz pickup in the first quarter. Both players lost a fumble. Murray and Freeman could be battling each other for a roster spot, even though I assume Murray will make the team.

Related players: Alvin Kamara, Tony Jones Jr.

It's hard to believe Murray wouldn't be the team's RB2, at least based off last year's production. Whoever wins the job, it's worth noting especially for those wanting to handcuff Kamara. But, the team's RB2 could also have stand-alone value in certain leagues as well. Meanwhile, Jones Jr. stole the show among the running backs, according to the story, with 82 rushing yards on seven carries, including an 18-yard touchdown. The story added, at worst, Jones should be a practice squad player for the Saints.