The New Orleans Saints have a long list of pressing matters on their offseason to-do list, so it may be a little surprising to learn their first order of business was re-signing the backup kicker. But NFL Ireland’s Michael McQuaid first reported that Charlie Smyth was the first of the team’s pending free agents to put pen to paper on a new deal. It’s a two-year contract.
As for the timing? Smyth spent his rookie year on the Saints practice squad, so his contract expired after their final regular season game. We’ll see a wave of reserve/future contracts signed by players who were on the practice squad over the next week or two as the Saints work to retain them. Remember, these are league-minimum deals that effectively promise nothing more than an extended tryout at training camp. It’s standard practice for every team.
Hopefully Smyth can beat those expectations. The young pro has a big leg and he’s been hard at work refining his craft. He held his own in the preseason last summer and is poised to push Blake Grupe again in 2025. Grupe improved his accuracy on field goals (going from 81.1%, which ranked 25th last year; to 87.1%, which ranks 13th this season) but whiffed on a pair of extra point tries while extending his career-long to 57 yards. Grupe has earned some more trust but he’s not yet known for having ice water in his veins. We can’t rule out a rally by Smyth later this year.
