Every year, there are a handful of players who make a 53-man roster that hardly anyone could have seen coming before training camp began.

The odds were stacked against them. They began buried on the depth chart. They were an afterthought because of their draft status, if they were even lucky enough to be drafted at all. They were ignored.

But coaches love competition. And since taking over the New Orleans Saints, coach Kellen Moore emphasized he’d have no preconceived notions on the roster. Everyone, he said, would have a chance to earn their spot.

Moore meant it.

That mentality was not only reflected in his choice to start quarterback Spencer Rattler over rookie Tyler Shough, but it was also captured on the edges of the roster.

Five players, in particular, were long shots. Now, t

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