The New Orleans Saints training camp is underway, and the team starts its 2023 NFL preseason on Sunday, August 13, against the defending champions Kansas City Chiefs. As players fight and claw for Saints roster spots and starting positions, some players are rising to the top while others are struggling. Here are the three key players struggling early in New Orleans during NFL training camp, starting with quarterback Derek Carr.

QB Derek Carr

Since Saints training camp started, the team has practiced 11 times, with the 12th coming on Tuesday. And yes, new QB and potential franchise savior Derek Carr struggled early, but in less than two weeks is already turning things around for his new team.

In any NFL training camp, the defense is going to be ahead of the offense at the start. Offenses need timing, chemistry, and reps to flourish, while defenses just need athletes flying around the field. After a long offseason, it’s always easier to get the latter back than the former.

So, it’s no surprise that Carr struggled early in camp, missing receivers and even throwing a few head-scratching picks.

That said, to turn things around in under two weeks is actually an incredible feat for the QB.

Carr is running a new offense (although not entirely with Jon Gruden coming in to help) and throwing to new players (although not entirely with players like Bryan Edwards and Foster Moreau on the Saints now).

Still, developing chemistry as fast as he is with the most important players like Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Juwan Johnson is impressive.

Head coach Dennis Allen has already said that Carr and many of the starters will play in the first 2023 preseason game to get even more reps together. That’s a good move with a new QB and will likely pay dividends down the line.

Ultimately, Derek Carr will probably struggle again at times during camp, but after his early failures, the returns in Week 2 are incredibly good news for Saints fans.

WR Bryan Edwards

One former Las Vegas Raiders player who is still struggling for real is wide receiver, Bryan Edwards. The 2020 third-round pick didn’t pan out in Vegas and spent last season with the Atlanta Falcons, where he only played seven games and made three catches for 15 yards.

Edwards rejoined Derek Carr this offseason hoping to get back to and build on his 2021 campaign where he and Carr combined for 34 catches, 571 yards, and three touchdowns.

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Early in Saints training camp, though, Edwards has looked more like the WR who played for the Falcons than the Raiders.

Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Rashid Shaheed are the team’s unquestioned starters, and Edwards is looking to get in the mix for the WR4 or WR5 spot on the Saints’ roster. However, players like rookie AT Perry and veteran James Washington are coming for those roles and looking better than the former South Carolina Gamecock.

Edwards has struggled with drops at times, and despite their familiarity, he and Carr haven’t always been on the same page. With Tre'Quan Smith, Lynn Bowden Jr., and Keke Coutee also in the mix for WR work, Edwards could find himself looking for a new home if he doesn’t pick it up soon.

LB Zack Baun

Linebacker Zack Baun is another Class of 2018 player on the Saints that is struggling a bit in training camp. The former Wisconsin Badger is expected to step into a starting role with Kaden Elliss leaving in free agency.

Up until this season, Baun had appeared in 45 games but only started eight. He also hasn’t produced all that much, racking up just 58 tackles, two for a loss, and four QB hits in 359 career snaps.

Now, the team is looking for him to produce as a starting LB in the 2023 NFL season, and things aren’t off to a great start, especially in one area of his game.

Baun is a solid run defender. He plays downhill, hits the hole hard, and is a solid tackler. When the Saints need a thumper to step up and stop the run, Baun will be their man. That said, Baun isn’t great in coverage, and that weakness has shown up in the Saints' practices. And in the modern NFL, linebackers need to be able to stay with backs and tight ends, or they become liabilities on the field.

The Saints LB hasn’t done well in coverage at all in camp, which has to make the coaching staff worry about his ability to be on the field when the live rounds start firing. And if Baun gets burned in the Saints NFL preseason games, it will be a major issue.