The NFL roster cuts deadline has come and gone, and now teams are busy working the phones recruiting players for their practice squads. So who could be a good fit for the New Orleans Saints?
Odds are strong that the Saints will focus on reuniting with many of the players they let go during roster cuts, but they always seem to add one or two players from other teams. Here are six candidates who could fit what they’re looking for:
1
DB Trill Willaims, Miami Dolphins
Williams signed with the Saints as a priority free agent last year out of Syracuse, but the team lost him when they got too cute and tried to stash him on injured reserve with a minor injury. The Miami Dolphins claimed him on waivers and he was in line for a niche role until a preseason knee injury ended his year. The long recovery from that and offseason additions pushed him off their depth chart.
He’s exactly the sort of player the Saints have claimed off waivers before: one of their former players who would address an area of need. The Saints secondary is deep, sure, but the qualities they valued Williams for haven’t changed. He’s still very athletic, plays well on special teams, and has experience at both corner and safety. He’d be a better reserve on the practice squad than someone like Smoke Monday or Adrian Frye.
2
DE Trevis Gipson, Chicago Bears
Niko Lalos won over a lot of fans in preseason, but Gipson is arguably a better fit in the Saints’ system and he definitely has more NFL production. The Chicago Bears waived him after granting his request to seek a trade, which was unsuccessful. Gipson is a perfect fit for what the Saints look for athletically at the right defensive end spot, weighing in at 6-foot-4 and 263 pounds.
There’s been some buzz about Gipson seeking to return to a 3-4 defense after Chicago switched to a 4-3, which makes sense; it’s where he’s done his best work with 7 sacks and 5 forced fumbles in 2021. The Saints can accommodate that. They’ve played a lot of three-man fronts as of late and Gipson could get into games in specific passing situations using those alignments. Payton Turner has had a strong summer but his durability concerns and the slow development of Isaiah Foskey make this a need, even if Gipson is on the practice squad rather than the active roster.
3
OL Zack Bailey, Los Angeles Chargers
The Saints practiced against Bailey and the Chargers for several days in Los Angeles, and they should have a good idea of what he can do. He only yielded two pressures on 86 snaps in pass protection during the preseason, though improved depth along the Chargers offensive line made him a casualty. He was penalized just once on 156 reps this preseason, too.
The 27-year-old has played 571 snaps in the NFL during his five-year career, seeing snaps at every line spot but center. He’s done most of his work at right tackle and played right guard for L.A. in the preseason. Any team could use experienced backups with that kind of versatility.
4
LT Tyler Beach
Beach is another player the Saints practiced against this summer. The rookie left tackle from Wisconsin held his own in his first NFL preseason, yielding just 3 pressures on 30 snaps in pass protection without drawing a penalty. He probably would have made the team had the Texans now made a buy-low trade to get Josh Jones from the Arizona Cardinals. With little depth behind Trevor Penning, the Saints could use another left tackle to round out the depth chart.
5
DE Al-Quadin Muhammad, Indianapolis Colts
Another former Saints player, Muhammad has started a lot of games for the Colts and Chicago Bears but was squeezed out of Indy’s roster this summer. He’d be a great addition to the practice squad, if he’s up for it, in case Payton Turner misses more time or if Isaiah Foskey doesn’t look ready to play early on this season.
6
RB Tony Jones Jr., Denver Broncos
Jones ran hard for the Broncos this summer, but they have a lot of running backs and he didn’t make the cut for a roster spot. The former Saints backup could have a home in New Orleans. He knows the playbook, they know his skill set, and he could be a better option than Ellis Merriweather on the practice squad. Merriweather averaged just 3.2 yards per carry in preseason. Jones tallied 6.6.
7
OW Ty Montgomery, New England Patriots
Montgomery played both running back and wide receiver for the Patriots, just like he did in New Orleans, also doing well on special teams — but they elected to go with younger options in each role. Right now the Saints have just three running backs available for Week 1: Jamaal Williams, Kendre Miller, and Kirk Merritt. Montgomery is another former Saints player who knows the system, what’s expected of him, and how he can contribute. He checks a couple boxes.
