Five Saints Players Stock To Watch Against Texans On Sunday

Wide Receiver Willie Snead

Photo courtesy of Richard Crank, New Orleans Saints

Snead is slowly becoming a favorite not just among the fans but with several members of the local media covering the Saints.

He has been the dark horse of training camp to us, but to the wide receiving corps he has become somewhat of a pleasant surprise.

Surprise in the aspect that Snead was almost looked at as a camp body when he was signed in December 2014 after previously bouncing around from the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers in the same year.

Brandon Coleman and Seantavius Jones were considered the favorites to take the #3 and #4 wide receiver spots behind Marques Colston and Brandin Cooks coming into camp.

But Snead has slowly and surely chipped away at his camp body image and become someone who Sean Payton said is “right there in the thick of it” in the battle for a roster spot.

Previously Big Easy Believer editor Barry Hirstius wrote how he felt Snead could get the #5 receiver spot and I went even further a few days ago saying he could possibly snag the #3 position, as the next one of the Saints’ UDFA “gems” in recent years.

Snead has shown the ability to make difficult catches and has displayed the one thing that is most important…consistency.

His performance in training camp has translated to the actual game which Coleman and Jones have lacked in that department.

Josh and Joe Morgan will give Snead a run for his money but they too have been up and down when it comes to camp vs. game time.

Snead has said that he wants to “be better” than former Saints receiver Lance Moore, who he has gotten plenty of comparisons to.

If that’s the goal of Snead, then fans should rub their hands in anticipation of what he could become as he continues to develop.

Payton has given Snead plenty of praise throughout camp and preseason which as we know, doesn’t come lightly.

During the past two preseason games, Snead has averaged 20 snaps on offense but it wouldn’t be a shocker to see those reps increase against the Texans.

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