Tuesday’s NFL roster cuts deadline is just half of the week’s business — the New Orleans Saints and every other team will have the opportunity to claim many of the players who were just let go around the league when the waiver wire updates on Wednesday. You can find the full list of waiver claim priority here.
This year’s change to go down to just one day of roster cuts means more than one thousand names will be on the list. But the Saints are in a good spot to find some help. The order for waiver claims is the same as the initial 2023 NFL draft order, without any trades; which means New Orleans is slotted in at No. 10 out of the 32 teams.
But teams rarely find big contributors on the waiver wire. It makes sense, seeing as all of the players available are inexperienced pros who were just let go by their previous team. Sometimes, though, they’ll find a diamond in the rough. Taysom Hill is the Saints’ most notable waiver claim in recent years, with fullback Adam Prentice in second-place, though they’ve also added players like wide receiver Austin Carr and linebacker Michael Mauti.
The Saints have also used the waiver wire as an opportunity to bring back their former players, plugging holes on the roster and quickly addressing needs. Some of the reunions over the years include defensive end Kasim Edebali, plus offensive tackles Bryce Harris and Derrick Kelly.
So will they claim anyone on Wednesday? We’ll just have to wait and see. It’s worth remembering that any pickups will need a corresponding roster move to open a spot, so that could lessen the appeal if the Saints are content with their depth chart as it stands. Additionally, only players with fewer than four years’ experience in the NFL will hit waivers. Everyone with four or more seasons behind them will become a free agent upon their release. Keep that in mind as roster moves roll in over the next few days.
