Deven Johnson is back alongside Jeff Nowak for our latest mailbag episode, a long-time coming as he hit the pre-minicamp break. We've got some Blake Grupe card-collecting tidbits, Juwan Johnson and Kendre Miller takes, some potential surprise cuts and a lot more. 

SEGMENT 1 - Where should the Saints have the sights set for Kendre Miller?

Topics: 

- Blake Grupe side quest

- What are realistic expectations for Kendre Miller

- How much do you hate the black helmets?

- Should Saints stay committed to Chris Olave? How about Guardian caps?

SEGMENT 2: If the Saints don't feature Juwan Johnson this year, they never will

Topics: 

- Brandin Cooks expectations ... less is more

- Will Juwan Johnson finally be a featured TE

- Alontae Taylor's attitude is a major selling point; how much should they pay him?

- Surprise cuts???

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The New Orleans Saints have a host of questions to answer in the 2025 season, but which players have the most on the line? In the latest edition of the WWL Radio original Inside Black & Gold podcast, Saints sideline reporter Jeff Nowak is rejoined by guest host Deven Johnson to break down the top names on both sides of the ball – can Spencer Rattler own the moment? We’ll also get great insight from former Saints linebacker Scott Shanle, who talks Alontae Taylor, Kendre Miller, what Kellen Moore needs to do to win the offseason and more. 

SEGMENT 1: Saints with Most on the Line, Defense: Can Alontae Taylor Take Control?

… The New Orleans Saints have a brand new defense, but who fits best and who steps us as the team leader? Deven Johnson gives us his list of the top three players with the most to prove, starting with a former first round pick. 

SEGMENT 2: Saints with Most on the Line, Offense: Can Spencer Rattler Own the Moment?

… Who’s the quarterback? That’s a good question, and that’s where we’ll start on the offensive side of the ball with the player facing the highest stakes this season. Spencer Rattler, your time is now, don’t blow it. 

SEGMENT 3: 1-on-1 with Scott Shanle: On Kendre Miller, Alontae Taylor & an old young guy in Kellen Moore

… What does former Saints linebacker and Super Bowl champ Scott Shanle think of the Saints offseason so far? He’ll give us insight on one of his favorite plays in Alontae Taylor – show him the money? – what Kendre Miller has to prove, why he’s ready to take the over on wins and a lot more. 

The New Orleans Saints know they have a star WR in Chris Olave, but they need to find out whether he can stay on the field. On the latest edition of the WWL Radio original podcast Inside Black & Gold, Saints sideline reporter Jeff Nowak dives in on the latest RB news, we hear from Chris Olave on how he’s worked back from his concussion issues, then Jeff chats with WRs coach Keith Williams to hear what he’s seen from his two star wideouts, how he landed on Kellen Moore’s staff this season and a lot more. 

SEGMENT 1: The Rundown: Saints Sign Cam Akers. Are they Done Making Moves?

… The New Orleans Saints have a suddenly packed RB room, but what should the expectations be for Cam Akers? We dive in on that subject and look at the rest of the RB depth chart before hearing about Alvin Kamara’s relocated offseason program (ahem, random Twitter trolls).

SEGMENT 2: Chris Olave vs Concussions is the Story of the Season

… When it comes to Chris Olave the conversation is rarely about talent, it’s about whether health will allow him to actually take advantage of it. We hear what the star WR had to say during minicamp and how Jeff sees the WR room shaping out (what you see is what you get). 

SEGMENT 3: Interview: Saints WRs Coach Talks Olave, Shaheed & Why He Stuck With Kellen Moore

… What does Saints WRs coach Keith Williams think of his WR room? We’ll get his insight on Chris Olave – and an elite nickname – what Rashid Shaheed’s biggest area of growth will be this season, and why 

The New Orleans Saints finished up their minicamp, and they did it a bit earlier than expected. On the latest episode of the Audacy original podcast Inside Black & Gold, Saints sideline reporter Jeff Nowak and Steve Geller break down their biggest takeaways from the week of practices, why head coach Kellen Moore decided to call off the final day and plan a trip to California, who stood out and who saw their stock rise as we get ready for the full camp in July. 

SEGMENT 1: Saints Minicamp Takeaways: The QB Battle is For Real

… What stood out at Saints minicamp? For one thing, Kellen Moore is well on his way to the title of “players coach.” Case in point: He cancelled the final day of practice and took the team on a golf outing. He’s also bringing them out to California for 10 days during camp. We’ll break that down, and also what stood out during the actual practices – and one of those things is a QB battle that’s very much legit. 

SEGMENT 2: Stock Up Players from Saints Minicamp: A Monster Year for Rashid Shaheed?

… There are limited opportunities to make an impact this time of year, but which Saints players helped their stock climb during this week’s practices? Two WRs definitely impressed, as did a young DB and a pair of depth players who could be in line for bigger roles. Let’s break it down.

The New Orleans Saints are finally set to kick off mandatory minicamp, but which position battles should we be watching most closely? In the latest edition of the Audacy original Inside Black & Gold podcast, Saints sideline reporter Jeff Nowak breaks down the top battles we’ll be keeping an eye on for both offense and defense. We’ll also dive in on some free agent visits and who could be a good fit, then ask a big question: Should the Saints pay Alontae Taylor before a contract year?

SEGMENT 1: The Rundown: Should Saints Still Be Bringing in Free Agents?

… The New Orleans Saints have had several free agent visits, the latest being Gabe Davis. But should they really be interested? We’ll dive in on who has come to town and what that means, then talk about Alontae Taylor, a player who is getting high praise from Kellen Moore and could be in line for an extension this offseason. But should he be?

22:47 - SEGMENT 2: Position Battles, Offense: QBs Can Make Mistakes + Who Steps Up at RB?

… There’s the big obvious position battle at the quarterback position, but what comes after? We’ll dive in on RB, a big-bodied wide receiver, Trevor Penning or bust at left guard and a lot more. 

40:40 - SEGMENT 3: Position Battles, Defense & Special Teams: The DL is One Massive Question Mark

… There’s not much settled along the New Orleans Saints defensive line right now, and that makes even figuring out a true competition difficult. But where do things stand? We’ll dive in on that subject, a CB2 question and another year of dueling specialists. Strap in. 

The New Orleans Saints are mostly running it back in the tight end room. Is that a sign that Kellen Moore has high hopes for the veterans in the room? On this SportsTalk-fueled edition of Inside Black & Gold, Saints sideline reporter Jeff Nowak and WWL Sports Director Steve Geller hear from TEs Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau and lay out expectations, we’ll also dive in on the QB battle and who really has the edge, and hear from Trevor Penning on how the former first-round pick is embracing – and even encouraging – his move to guard. 

SEGMENT 1: SportsTalk Special: Kellen Moore Appears Bought In on Foster Moreau & Juwan Johnson

… The New Orleans Saints didn’t make any earth-shattering moves at tight end, and that looks to be because head coach Kellen Moore is bought in on both the veterans in Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau. In this segment we’ll hear from both players and the head coach, dive in on expectations for Juwan (consistency!) and what Foster Moreau had to say on Derek Carr’s retirement.

SEGMENT 2:  If Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler Tie in QB Battle, Who Wins?

… Jeff and Steve close out the episode by going in on the QB battle with an assist from a caller (Jimmy!). Who really has the edge in the QB battle? We’ll also dive in on the Saints’ checkered QB history of the past half-decade, how Trevor Penning is embracing his move to guard and why the Saints suddenly have names on their practice jerseys.

The New Orleans Saints have been busy over the last month and new head coach Kellen Moore has been front and center for all of it, but what does that mean? In this SportsTalk fueled edition of Inside Black & Gold, Saints sideline reporter Jeff Nowak calls in to chat with cohost and WWL Sports Director Steve Geller about expectations for the final OTA session and minicamp, how the culture is building in the new Saints era, and we’ll also lay out some important changes coming for the pod this year. 

SEGMENT 1: Time To Share Some IB&G Updates: We’re Not ******* Leaving

… Inside Black & Gold isn’t going anywhere, but there will be some important changes as we head into Year 4 of the podcast. Jeff Nowak breaks down what listeners should know, what changes you could see coming soon and how you can continue to help us grow the pod. 

5:36 - SEGMENT 2: SportsTalk Special: What Saints Position Battles Should We Be Watching? 

… We’re ready to dive into the final OTA session and minicamp, so what position battles will we be watching? Believe it or not, specialists might be the most interesting – and obviously quarterbacks. Jeff chats with Steve Geller and Charlie Long about practice, Derek Carr’s retirement now official (and Kool-Aid McKinstry taking full advantage), how Kellen Moore’s offseason messaging seems to be landing and a lot more. 

The New Orleans Saints have four intriguing, young signal-callers in the QB room right now, but how will it all shake out as the offseason rolls on? In the latest episode of the Audacy original Inside Black & Gold podcast, Saints sideline reporter Jeff Nowak and WWL Sports Director Steve Geller dive in on the latest buzz (or non-buzz) surrounding Aaron Rodgers, takeaways from the first OTA session, first impressions of Hunter Dekkers, early returns in the QB battle between Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler and a lot more.  SEGMENT 1: The Rundown: Aaron Rodgers Says No to Saints (eyeroll) & First OTA Takeaways … The New Orleans Saints have one of the younger QB rooms in NFL history, but there will be no Aaron Rodgers coming to save the day. That’s mostly because the Saints weren’t interested, but also because he made sure to say he wasn’t, either. Jeff and Steve kick off today’s episode by diving into that subject, some takeaways from the first session of OTAs and thoughts on the OL shuffle. Can Trevor Penning really hack it at guard? We’re going to find out.  SEGMENT 2: All-in on Saints 4 QBs: Here’s Where Things Stand & Dekkers’ First Impression … The New Orleans Saints QB room has four intriguing, young names – but how will it all shake out? We break down the injury to Jake Haener and hear from UDFA Hunter Dekkers for the first time. What’s the first impression? We’ll also dive into our takes on the early returns in the QB battle between Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler, as well as why we don’t see a veteran QB coming into the picture any time soon. SEGMENT 3: 4 Big Questions to Answer at Saints OTAs: Can Kendre Miller Get it Right This Time? … We’ve got two more sets of OTAs and a mandatory minicamp to go in this stage of the offseason, but what are the biggest questions we’re looking to get answered? We’ll start off with probably the biggest and most frustrating: Can Kendre Miller FINALLY get this thing right, and where does he stand in the RB pecking order? We’ll hit on that and a host of other topics to close out the show.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The New Orleans Saints QB room has four intriguing, young names – but how will it all shake out? We break down the injury to Jake Haener and hear from UDFA Hunter Dekkers for the first time. What’s the first impression? We’ll also dive into our takes on the early returns in the QB battle between Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler, as well as why we don’t see a veteran QB coming into the picture any time soon. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices