RSS Saints Team Notes

[New Orleans Saints]

Saints reveal new alternate helmet for 2025 season

x.com/Saints

The new helmets will make their debut with the team’s color rush uniforms later this year.

The New Orleans Saints have announced a new look for their alternative helmet for the 2025 season and it’s all white with the traditional team fleur-de-lis, which is something that many fans have been asking to come to fruition for years.

New alternative helmet being added to the arsenal. ️ pic.twitter.com/u1JiOrAt0t

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) July 9, 2025​

The new alternative helmet will definitely compliment the Saints color rush uniforms, which are white with gold numbers and a gold and black stripe pattern and first introduced during the 2016 season. The team last unveiled a new, all-black helmet back in 2022, after the league amended their rules to allow alternate helmets.

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Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...te-helmet-for-2025-season-color-rush-uniforms

 

[New Orleans Saints]

NFL Divisions ranked by position groups - CB

Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Time to look at the corners.

On our next edition of the position groups, the cornerbacks are here. This position group is one of the most hit-or-miss in the league, but once a team finds its star, the whole defense is upgraded. Some teams have found their star, some value depth, and some have massive questions, so let’s see the rankings.

1. AFC North​

Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

Going into the offseason, the Ravens had a decent group of corners with rookie Nate Wiggins having a good rookie season and slot corner Marlon Humphrey staying elite, but Baltimore made another addition that was a massive upgrade. When the Packers cut Jaire Alexander, the Ravens were out in front for the top corner, and they won the race for his signature.

Out of all the teams in the AFC North, the Bengals are the one without a great cornerback room. Last season, they struggled and were a major reason for the devastating losses. Upgrades were needed, and although the Bengals made additions to rebuild the room, it is still a worry.

Even though the Browns have numerous issues throughout their roster and have struggled to win games in recent years, their cornerback group has consistently been a strength of the team. Denzel Ward, when healthy, is the main reason this group succeeds, but besides him, it gets bleak. The one other bright spot among the cornerbacks is Greg Newsome.

Like with the Ravens, the Steelers made a massive move this offseason to upgrade their cornerback room, except Pittsburgh did it through a trade. The Steelers traded safety Minkah Fitzpatrick for star cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Adding Ramsey to a room that was already decent is a massive boost to this defense.

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2. AFC West​

Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers​

The Broncos defense did wonders for their success last season, and one of the main players attributed to that success was cornerback Patrick Surtain. Even with Surtain, the Broncos defensive back room is really good with Riley Moss on the opposite side, and now rookie first round pick DB Jahdae Barron added to this defense.

Last offseason, the Chiefs made a big move by trading their star corner, L’Jarius Sneed, to the Titans. The pass defense in Kansas City could have a big issue throughout the season, but CB Trent McDuffie took over and never looked back.

Very similar to the AFC North, there is one team in this division that is not like the others. The Raiders have had pass defense struggles for a while, and things may not change next season. As of now, Las Vegas is projected to have their third-round pick Darien Porter start right away. Starting a rookie cornerback is always a massive risk and could go wrong very quick.

There was a real possibility the Chargers would also have a struggling pass defense going into last season, but after hitting on some late round cornerback selections, Los Angeles felt much better entering the offseason. Now, after making even more upgrades in free agency, the Chargers have a pretty good group of corners.

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3. AFC East​

Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets​

One team that has done really well at finding cornerback talent has been the Bills. Two years ago in the 6th round, Buffalo drafted Christian Benford. Since then, Benford has been excellent and is currently the number one corner on the roster. Most of last season, Benford had to really carry this group due to other issues in that corner room. The Bills knew this and attacked that position early in the draft by selecting Maxwell Hairston at the 30th pick.

I mentioned earlier that the Dolphins traded away Jalen Ramsey in a deal with the Steelers. This was a massive hit to their cornerback room and this will be a problem throughout the season.

The Patriots hit on their top first round pick in 2023 by selecting cornerback Christian Gonzalez at 17th overall, but more moves needed to be made around him this offseason. New England was aware of this issue and made a big move by signing Carlton Davis III in free agency.

Another player that could be considered the top cornerback in the NFL is Jets young star Sauce Gardner. With New York hiring former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as head coach, there is a chance Gardner can perform at an even higher rate next season, but the issue is the other corners around him.

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4. AFC South​

Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans​

Since 2022, the Texans have utilized the draft to build a defense filled with talent. The main piece that started this rebuild in 2022 was Derek Stingley Jr. out of LSU. He has been a dominate player in this defense, and this offseason, became the highest paid defensive back in NFL history. As I mentioned, the Texans have done a great job at building this defense, and they have even more talent besides Stingley in their cornerback room.

In free agency, the Colts made a big move by signing former 49ers DB Charvarius Ward to a 3-year $60 million contract. In their eyes, Ward was the last piece needed in their cornerback group, with Kenny Moore securing the slot and third year corner Jaylon Jones playing on the outside.

The Jaguars are a team that could either been in trouble this season in pass defense or actually be decent. Not many moves were made before the draft to upgrade this cornerback group, but in the draft, Jacksonville made the massive move of trading up for CB/WR Travis Hunter. Immediately, Hunter is the best corner on this roster, but as I mentioned before, starting a rookie CB is scary. Still, if there was one player that should be expected to overcome this worry, it is Travis Hunter.

When I talked about the Chiefs, I mentioned that the Titans traded for L’Jarius Sneed in 2024. In hindsight, this trade was not worth it, and Snead struggled throughout the season with an injury. In addition, when he was on the field, it still was not great.

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5. NFC North​

Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings​

Even when struggling, one player continued to shine one a Bears team that has been all over the place for the past two season. This was outside corner Jaylan Johnson, who has been amazing since being drafted in 2023. With Dennis Allen at defensive coordinator, pass defense should be a strength of this defense, and Johnson could shine next season.

Before Dan Campbell took over the Lions, the defensive backs on the roster were near the worst in the NFL. Since then, Campbell and Aaron Glenn completely rebuilt this defense and the corners were much improved. With Glenn now gone, the DB room could take a step back, but with the addition of DJ Reed to a group led by corner Terrion Arnold, the Lions defense could continue their success.

Another corner that I already mentioned left their team was Jaire Alexander, and the Packers have not had much time to replace this loss. If things go wrong for the Packers this season, it will be because of the pass defense.

The Vikings are also in a tough position entering this season. Byron Murphy was really good last season, but if he regresses in any way, the Vikings are going to struggle against the pass.

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6. NFC West​

Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks​

The Cardinals continued focusing on improving their defensive line this offseason but may have forgot about the cornerback position. 2nd year slot corner Garrett Williams had an excellent bounce back season in 2024, but besides him, the Cardinals are relying on 2nd round pick rookie Will Johnson to be their franchise corner.

Since trading away Jalen Ramsey to the Dolphins in 2023, the Rams have been unable to replace that production but got some great performances by some unproven players. Last season, the pass defense was an issue and benefited from a much-improved defensive line. The Rams are going into next season with a similar group, and although they are not a bad corner group, they are also not a great one.

Another team with solid cornerback group is the 49ers. It would not be a surprise if this group took a bit of a step back after Charvarius Ward left in free agency, but with an upgraded pass rush to take some pressure away, the San Francisco should still be good against the pass.

Last, but certainly not least, we have the Seahawks. The combination of Tariq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon is formidable and is a great combo against any defense.

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7. NFC East​

Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders​

The Cowboys have a really promising duo of Trevon Diggs and Daron Bland leading their cornerback room, but Diggs in particular plays a style of football that can be very hit or miss. Yes, he can get interceptions, but he is also very prone to getting beat in coverage. When it works, this tandem can be great, but when it doesn’t, it can get really ugly. This type of play mixed with injuries form both these players has really hurt the Cowboys defense.

Looking at last season, the Giants secondary struggled, but Andru Phillips was a bright spot at cornerback. Still, New York needed to make upgrades this offseason, and they made a massive move by signing former Saints DB Paulson Adebo. The young cornerback is coming off of a devastating injury, but all signs point to him bouncing back this season.

When looking at the Eagles roster, many places can be considered the strength of the team. Cornerback may not be one of them, but this group is still very good. Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean should be considered as some of the best selections in the 2024 draft class. This tandem should only get better going into year 2.

Although the Commanders had a really successful season in 2024, the pass defense was their downfall in the end. Midseason, they made a big move to acquire Marshon Lattimore from the Saints, but injuries plagued his season, and on the field, it was not pretty. Washington was able to add Trey Amos in the draft and Jonathan Jones through free agency, but the pass defense will still be a worry going into the season.

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8. NFC South​

Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers​

A.J. Terrell has been the Falcons top cornerback since being drafted in 2020, but besides him, the room is looking bleak. Atlanta needed to upgrade the peices around Terell to really keep this pass defense stay consistent, but going into the season, it seems they are relying on the players that were already on the roster.

Just before Derek Stingley Jr. became the highest paid cornerback in football, the Panthers extended Jaycee Horn, and he was the highest paid corner for that small time. Carolina clearly values Horn as the top corner for this team, but besides him, this corner group is missing talent.

I have mentioned that two former New Orleans Saints players, Adebo and Lattimore, are no longer on the team. This has put them in a bit of a worrisome situation going into the season, and they must rely on second-year corner Kool-Aid McKinstry to take over that top outside CB spot. Alontae Taylor is also coming off of a disappointing season, but the hope is he can bounce back in Brandon Staley’s defense.

The Buccaneers have had a solid defense for many of the recent years now, and the defensive backs have been the main reason. Jamal Dean is still the top corner on the roster, and should continue to play well, but with departures of the years, the Bucs needed to make moves this offseason to keep this room afloat. Selected Benjamin Morrison should upgrade the secondary, but the overall cornerback room is still lacking some talent.

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Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/2025/7/10/24464497/nfl-divisions-ranked-by-position-groups-cb

 

[New Orleans Saints]

SB Nation Reacts Results: Should the Saints sign CB Asante Samuel Jr.?

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images

89% of voters said...

Earlier this week, we asked our readers to give us their thoughts if whether the New Orleans Saints should sign free agent CB Asante Samuel Jr.

An overwhelming 89% of voters said yes, they want Samuel in the Black and Gold. Unfortunately, there have not been any updates yet on whether he received medical clearance from the neck surgery he had in April. But Samuel already visited with the team in May so if the interest is still there and he can play this season, the start of training camp is just a week and half away, so we should know something pretty soon.

Check out all the odds for the upcoming NFL season from our friends at FanDuel at https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nfl

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Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...he-saints-sign-free-agent-cb-asante-samuel-jr

 

[New Orleans Saints]

Fleur-de-Links, July 12: La’el Collins teases an NFL return... to the Saints?

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Here are your daily New Orleans Saints links.

Louisiana native La’el Collins teases an NFL return to the Saints?​

Collins said of the Saints, “We’ve been talking a little bit. Hopefully… You never know what could happen.”

Possible Saints offensive changes under Kellen Moore​

What personnel group changes could we see this season under the New Orleans Saints new head coach?

Reacts survey results: Should the Saints sign CB Asante Samuel?​

What did our voters say in this week's reacts poll?

Grateful to grow the game!

We visited @USEmbassyFrance and came together, building the connection between our homes through the power of football@SaintsinComm | @NFLFrance pic.twitter.com/Yhn7piuFgo

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) July 11, 2025​

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...el-collins-teases-an-nfl-return-to-the-saints

 

[New Orleans Saints]

The most intriguing Saints game of the 2025 season

Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images

Here are the games I’m most interested in for the 2025 season.

The New Orleans Saints kick off the 2025 season in just a couple months now. There aren’t a whole lot of expectations for the Saints, who have a brand-new coaching staff, a new quarterback and an aging roster, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some intriguing storylines heading into the season.

Outside of the obvious big ones against Buffalo, Tampa, Atlanta, etc., here are some of the matchups on the Saints schedule that I think are the most intriguing.

Week 7 at Chicago​

The Saints’ week seven matchup at the Chicago Bears is one of the more intriguing matchups they’ll have all season for a few reasons.

The first is, I think the Bears offense will be pretty good with Ben Johnson calling plays and all their weapons. As long as the offensive line is decent, they should be one of the better offenses in the league, especially through the air. I want to see how the Saints’ secondary can hold up against Caleb Williams, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden.

In my opinion, outside of Buffalo, this will be their first real test against an offense that has a very good quarterbacks and receiving core (You can argue a few other teams, but this will be their biggest challenge outside of Josh Allen early on). I want to see how Alontae Taylor, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Ugo Amadi and Quicey Riley can hold up against these receivers. Can Taylor turn things around after a couple tough seasons? Is Kool-Aid the player we think he can be? Can Riley become a starter in the future? This game will tell us a lot.

The second and most obvious reason is Dennis Allen’s revenge game. The former Saints head coach is the defensive coordinator in Chicago and won’t have to wait long to face his former team. I still think he’s an excellent defensive coordinator, and with some of the pieces Chicago has on defense, especially in the secondary, they could and probably will give the Saints’ offense some fits.

Week 17 at Tennessee​

Week 17 at Tennessee probably won’t be the most anticipated game on the schedule, but it’s going to be really fun to potentially see two of the three highest drafted quarterbacks go head-to-head.

Cam Ward is going to be the Titans’ day one starter, and I believe Tyler Shough will be the Saints’ starter (if he isn’t, it will still be intriguing to see Ward and Rattler go head-to-head). Both guys will have virtually an entire season under their belt by week 17 and neither team has a top-tier defense, so we should see some fireworks from the two youngsters.

The same could be said about the Giants game, but I think Cam Ward vs Tyler Shough is more interesting than Jaxson Dart vs Tyler Shough. Both games will be fun from a quarterback perspective.

Week 2 vs San Francisco​

The Saints’ week two matchup against the 49ers will be their first real test of the season. This is no knock-on Arizona, but I don’t think they’re going to be all that great and openers are weird, so I view the 49ers as this team’s first real test.

San Fran comes to New Orleans, led by Brock Purdy, and while they may not be the same team that went to the Super Bowl two years ago, they still have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball and will test the offense and defense.

Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler and the receivers will go up against a secondary that’s probably the weakest unit on the 49ers team. The Saints’ new offensive line will get a good test against the likes of Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams while also trying to open holes in the run game with guys like Fred Warner at linebacker.

Defensively, the secondary will be challenged with facing Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall and George Kittle while the front seven will have to stop a Christian McCaffrey-led rushing attack. The 49ers offensive line isn’t what it used to be, but Trent Williams and Co. will give the Saints’ pass rushers, who have been a tad disappointing the past two years, an early test as well.

If the Saints get blown out in this game, we’re probably looking at a five-ish win team. If they can hang around or maybe even win, then there’s hope that maybe they can get to that eight-win territory.

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Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...ost-intriguing-saints-game-of-the-2025-season

 

[New Orleans Saints]

Jennings: This Saints free agent signing is flying under the radar

Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The return of this veteran WR hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves.

In late March, the New Orleans Saints reunited with their first-round pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, veteran WR Brandin Cooks, inking him to a two-year, $13 million deal. This move hasn’t been talked about nearly as much as I believe it should, and when it does come up, some have labeled it a whiff—pointing to the fact that New Orleans has yet to add a true contested-catch threat over the middle.

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

The 31-year-old did miss seven games for the Dallas Cowboys last season, suffering a knee injury in Week 4 against the New York Giants that required a procedure, which led to an infection that had to be cleaned out, along with a meniscus issue that had troubled him all offseason.

However, Cooks appeared in all 17 games for Dallas in 2023, including the Wild Card loss to the Green Bay Packers. That season he hauled in 60 of his 89 targets for 704 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

If he can put up anything remotely close to those numbers for New Orleans, it could really ease the burden off the shoulders of WRs Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed—and given their injury history, it would also provide some much-needed insurance for the Saints.

I also feel like New Orleans snagged Cooks on a steal of a contract for a player of his stature. To put that into perspective, consider veteran WR Stefon Diggs, who signed a massive three-year, $63.5 million deal ($22.6 million guaranteed) with the New England Patriots this offseason:

• Both players are 31 years old and coming off career lows in production after dealing with injuries.
• Both have exactly six 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
• One signed for $23 million per year—the other for just $6.5 million.

I’d call that a great bargain for New Orleans and incredible value for a pass catcher as consistent as Cooks has been throughout his career, no matter the uniform.

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

As I’ve previously mentioned, when it comes to size concerns in the Saints’ WR room, HC Kellen Moore has actually pointed to a selection of guys already in the building—Cedrick Wilson Jr. (who had a career year in the slot under Moore in 2021 with the Cowboys), second-year breakout candidate Bub Means, and Donovan Peoples-Jones, who did not see the field in 2024 but had several productive years with the Cleveland Browns—as potential big-bodied, over-the-middle threats who could grow into that role for New Orleans. So, I don’t necessarily view the addition of another undersized speedster as a negative.

Additionally, it’s also worth noting that during OTAs, Kellen Moore emphasized speed and versatility with this WR group:

“I feel like our receiving corps has great energy, great juice.”​

Given Moore’s track record during his time as an offensive coordinator, I’d say that’s proven to be true—which is why I believe Brandin Cooks will have a prominent role in the New Orleans offense in 2025 under Moore’s play calling.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Along with his projected contributions on the field, Cooks is already making an impact off it with his leadership. He flew to Arizona a couple of weeks ago to get some work in with second-year QB Spencer Rattler, and the two are planning another throwing session there with more of the Saints’ wideouts ahead of training camp.

Cooks also organized a workout with second-round rookie QB Tyler Shough—joined by Olave and Shaheed—and is planning another session later in Dallas.

Cooks on the two quarterbacks and the competition for the starting job:

”Tyler has got some stuff to him, got a little swag. He’s made every throw out here. Spence is letting it fly. You’re watching the competition—they’re bringing the best out of each other. It’s been cool to be able to see these guys battle in a healthy way.”​

His veteran presence and experience are already benefiting the Saints’ team chemistry and the development of their young signal-callers—which may come as a surprise to some, considering how his first stint in New Orleans ended.

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

In my opinion, this is a homerun signing for New Orleans. What were your initial thoughts on the reunion—and how do you see Cooks’ 12th NFL campaign panning out?

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...-free-agent-signing-is-flying-under-the-radar

 

[New Orleans Saints]

SB Nation Reacts Survey: Do you feel more confident in the Saints than you did a few months ago?

Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images

Vote in this week’s poll and let us know!

The New Orleans Saints will hit the practice field in just a little over a week, kicking off their 2025 training camp which marks the unofficial start of a new season. Plenty of changes have occurred since the Saints played their last game back on January 5, ending the 2024 season 5-12. New coaches and several new players for a new beginning and hopefully brighter future for the black and gold.

So, in this week’s reacts survey, we’re asking our readers, now that the offseason is almost over, do you feel more confident in the Saints than you did a few months ago?

Vote in this week’s reacts poll and let us know your thoughts!

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in New Orleans Saints fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...t-in-the-saints-than-you-did-a-few-months-ago

 

[New Orleans Saints]

Saints tease new uniforms, announce release date

Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images

New Orleans just dropped new helmets, now it looks like a new jersey is coming.

The New Orleans Saints just unveiled their new whiteout helmets last week, and now they’re teasing a new uniform to go along with it.

On Tuesday morning, the Saints posted this video on social media, teasing the new uniform while also providing a release date for the new jersey:

First, the white helmet...

What's next? #Saints | @CaesarsEnt pic.twitter.com/NsRNT4y5Na

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) July 15, 2025​

We didn’t actually get to see any part of the uniform, but considering the bag is gold and with Cam Jordan, who’s been advocating for a gold jersey, the star of the video, I think it’s pretty safe to assume these will be gold jerseys.

The new uniform will be unveiled on Tuesday, July 22, just one week from today.

It feels like the fanbase has been waiting for white helmets and gold jerseys for a while now. If they deliver both in the same offseason, this new era of Saints football will already be off to a great start.

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Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...ints-tease-new-uniforms-announce-release-date

 

[New Orleans Saints]

NFL Divisions ranked by position groups - P & K

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The last individual position rankings.

With the offensive and defensive position rankings complete, the kicker and punter edition is the last one left. For this, I will first be focusing on the kicker rankings, then I will do the punter rankings right after.

For the kickers, I will be presenting the stats for why these teams/players/divisions are in their respective positions. The player rankings will be done by focusing first on total field goals made (FGM), and if there is a tie, field goal percentage (FG%) and total 50+ yard field goals will be considered. After that, the numbers for those rankings will be combined, and the divisions will be ranked. The lower the number, the better.

I will explain how I am ranking the punters before that section starts.

Let’s start!

- # = overall player ranking

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Kicker Rankings​

1. AFC West ​

Combined Ranking Number - 43

Denver Broncos: Will Lutz - 7

31 FGM, 31/34 (91.2%), 5 (50+)

Kansas City Chiefs: Harrison Butker - 27

21 FGM, 21/25 (84.0%), 2 (50+)

Las Vegas Raiders: Daniel Carlson - 6

34 FGM, 34/40 (85.0%), 7 (50+)

Los Angeles Chargers: Cameron Dicker - 3

39 FGM, 39/42 (92.9%), 9 (50+)

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2. AFC South ​

Combined Ranking Number - 51

Houston Texans: Ka’imi Fairbairn - 5

36 FGM, 36/42 (85.7%), 13 (50+)

Indianapolis Colts: Matt Gay - 8

31 FGM, 31/37 (83.1%), 3 (50+)

Jacksonville Jaguars: Cam Little - 13

27 FGM, 27/29 (93.1%), 5 (50+)

Tennessee Titans: Nick Folk - 25

21 FGM, 21/22 (95.5%), 6 (50+)

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3. NFC East ​

Combined Ranking Number - 59

Philadelphia Eagles: Jake Elliot - 12

28 FGM, 28/36 (77.8%), 1 (50+)

Washington Commanders: Austin Seibert - 14

27 FGM, 27/30 (90.0%), 2 (50+)

Dallas Cowboys: Brandon Aubrey - 2

40 FGM, 40/47 (85.1%), 14 (50+)

New York Giants: Graham Gano - 31

9 FGM, 9/11 (81.8%), 2 (50+)

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4. NFC West ​

Combined Ranking Number - 61

Arizona Cardinals: Chad Ryland - 11

28 FGM, 28/32 (85.3%), 6 (50+)

Los Angeles Rams: Joshua Karty - 10

21 FGM, 21/22 (87.5%), 4 (50+)

San Francisco 49ers: Jake Moody - 22

24 FGM, 24/34 (87.5%), 4 (50+)

Seattle Seahawks: Jason Myers - 17

26 FGM, 26/30 (86.7%), 9 (50+)

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5. NFC South​

Combined Ranking Number - 67

Atlanta Falcons: Yunghoe Koo - 19

25 FGM, 25/34 (73.5%), 6 (50+)

Carolina Panthers: Eddy Pinero - 24

22 FGM, 22/26 (84.6%), 1 (50+)

New Orleans Saints: Blake Grupe - 15

27 FGM, 27/31 (87.1%), 6 (50+)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chase McLaughlin - 9

30 FGM, 30/32 (93.8%), 8 (50+)

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6. AFC East​

Combined Ranking Number - 74

Buffalo Bills: Tyler Bass - 20

24 FGM, 24/29 (82.8%), 4 (50+)

Miami Dolphins: Jason Sanders - 4

37 FGM, 37/41 (90.2%), 12 (50+)

New York Jets: Caden Davis - 32 (Rookie)

N/A

New England Patriots: Joey Slye - 18

26 FGM, 26/33 (78.8%), 6 (50+)

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7. AFC North​

Combined Ranking Number - 83

Baltimore Ravens: Justin Tucker - 23

22 FGM, 22/30 (93.2%), 6 (50+)

Pittsburgh Steelers: Chris Boswell - 1

41 FGM, 41/44 (72.7%), 13 (50+)

Cincinnati Bengals: Evan McPherson - 30

16 FGM, 16/22 (72.7%), 3 (50+)

Cleveland Browns: Dustin Hopkins - 29

18 FGM, 18/27 (72.7%), 3 (50+)

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8. NFC North​

Combined Ranking Number -

Chicago Bears: Cairo Santos - 26

21 FGM, 21/25 (84.0%), 8 (50+)

Detroit Lions: Jake Bates - 16

26 FGM, 26/29 (89.7%), 6 (50+)

Green Bay Packers: Brandon McManus - 28

20 FGM, 20/21 (94.2%), 3 (50+)

Minnesota Vikings Will Reichard - 21

24 FGM, 24/30 (80.0%), 8 (50+)

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Now onto the punter rankings. This will be done by looking at yards per punt average last season, and if there is a tie, it will be broken by number of punts inside the 20.

Punter Rankings​

1. AFC South ​

Combined Ranking Number - 28

Houston Texans: Tommy Townsend - 13

48.0 yards & 39 (In20)

Indianapolis Colts: Rigoberto Sanchez - 5

49.7 yards & 27 (In20)

Jacksonville Jaguars: Logan Cooke - 13

49.4 yards & 34 (In20)

Tennessee Titans: Ryan Stonehouse - 3

50.6 yards & 22 (In20)

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2. AFC East ​

Combined Ranking Number - 55

Buffalo Bills: Sam Martin - 22

46.7 yards & 25 (In20)

Miami Dolphins: Jake Bailey - 16

47.1 yards & 22 (In20)

New York Jets: Thomas Morstead - 15

47.2 yards & 19 (In20)

New England Patriots: Bryce Baringer - 4

49.8 yards & 31 (In20)

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3. AFC West ​

Combined Ranking Number - 57

Denver Broncos: Riley Dixon - 20

46.7 yards & 33 (In20)

Kansas City Chiefs: Matt Araiza - 10

48.8 yards & 25 (In20)

Las Vegas Raiders: AJ Cole - 2

50.8 yards & 27 (In20)

Los Angeles Chargers: JK Scott - 21

46.7 yards & 28 (In20)

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4. NFC East ​

Combined Ranking Number - 60

Philadelphia Eagles: Braden Mann - 11

48.8 yards & 20 (In20)

Washington Commanders: Tress Way - 19

46.9 yards & 22 (In20)

Dallas Cowboys: Bryan Anger - 12

48.5 yards & 24 (In20)

New York Giants: Matt Haack - 18

47.0 yards & 9 (In20)

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5. NFC North​

Combined Ranking Number - 64

Chicago Bears: Tory Taylor - 14

47.7 yards & 34 (In20)

Detroit Lions: Jake Fox - 1

51.0 yards & 22 (In20)

Green Bay Packers: Daniel Whelan - 26

46.1 yards & 22 (In20)

Minnesota Vikings Ryan Wright - 23

46.5 yards & 27 (In20)

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6. AFC North ​

Combined Ranking Number - 66

Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Stout - 25

46.4 yards & 22 (In20)

Pittsburgh Steelers: Corliss Waitman - 24

46.4 yards & 27 (In20)

Cincinatti Bengals: Ryan Rehkow - 9

49.1 yards & 25 (In20)

Cleveland Browns: Corey Bojorquez - 8

49.3 yards & 36 (In20)

---

7. NFC West ​

Combined Ranking Number - 94

Arizona Cardinals: Michael Palardy - 32

43.0 yards & 1 (In20)

Los Angeles Rams: Ethan Evans - 30

46.0 yards & 30 (In20)

San Francisco 49ers: Pat O’Donnell - 29

45.1 yards & 8 (In20)

Seattle Seahawks: Michael Dickson - 7

49.4 yards & 31 (In20)

---

9. NFC South​

Combined Ranking Number - 107

Atlanta Falcons: Bradley Pinion - 17

47.0 yards & 14 (In20)

Carolina Panthers: Johnny Hekker - 28

45.7 yards & 24 (In20)

New Orleans Saints: Matthew Hayball - 30

44.0 yards & 41 (In20)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trenton Gill - 31

43.3 yards & 9 (In20)

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/2025/7/15/24465915/nfl-divisions-ranked-by-position-groups-p-k

 

[New Orleans Saints]

Ranking NFL Divisions from Strongest to Weakest

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A final power rating of the positional series.

Throughout the past few weeks, Caleb Yaccarino and I have compiled a group of articles dedicated to listing the NFL’s divisions by how strong they appear at each position on the gridiron heading into the 2025 regular season. If you’ve been following along, you’d know that we have reached the end of our series. However, we are now going to finalize our rankings of who we believe to be the strongest and weakest in the league while summarizing areas where teams excel or where they fall short.

Teams were ranked 1-8 at 11 different positions by the strength of that particular unit, with 1 being strongest and 8 being weakest.

1. NFC North​

Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings​

[QB- 6, RB- 1, TE- 2, WR- 3, OL- 1, LB- 1, DL- 5, CB- 5, S- 1, K- 8, P- 5]​

The NFC North is undeniably the strongest division in professional football right now. They secured the top ranking in four of 11 categories. The major weak spot for this division is the kicking situation. The only kicker in the division to convert more than 90% of his field goal attempts in 2024 was Brandon McManus of Green Bay. However, he also did so on the fourth fewest made FGs with 20.

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2. NFC East​

Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders​

[QB- 2, RB- 5, TE- 6, WR- 1, OL- 5, LB- 2, DL- 2, CB- 7, S- 6, K- 3, P- 4]​

High marks at the quarterback and wide receiver spots offensively, along with the front seven defensively, were enough to give the NFC East our second-place ranking. The division’s worst rating was seventh at the cornerback position. Two of the four teams made the NFC Championship a season ago so more success will be on the way in 2025.

---

3. AFC West​

Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers​

[QB-1, RB- 8, TE- 3, WR- 8, OL- 3, LB- 5, DL- 6, CB- 2, S- 7, K- 1, P-3]​

QB and K are the two bright spots for the AFC West ahead of 2025, while skill positions at wide receiver and running back leaves a lot to be desired. Your gunslinger is a vital part of the offense, but they can’t catch and run on every play too. Still, the talent is enough to be a top three division.

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4. AFC North​

Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers​

[QB- 3, RB- 7, TE- 4, WR- 2, OL- 8, LB- 4, DL- 1, CB- 1, S-5, K-7, P-6]​

Rounding out the top half of the NFL’s divisions is the AFC North. Stout defensive play makes up for below average run games as well as struggles with special teams. Offensive line being ranked last in the league does not help their case, but the division is still pegged middle of the pack.

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5. NFC West​

Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks​

[QB- 4, RB- 3, TE- 1, WR- 4, OL- 4, LB- 7, DL- 7, CB- 6, S-2, K-4, P-7]​

On offense, the NFC West is ranked in the top half of the league divisions in every category, with TE being at the top, but defense is another story. Even when each team has talent, most of the defensive line groups in the division are lacking what is needed to be consistently successful in the NFL. This also rings true with the linebacker and the cornerback.

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6. AFC South​

Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans​

[QB- 8, RB- 4, TE- 7, WR- 5, OL- 6, LB- 8, DL- 4, CB- 4, S-4, K-2, P-1]​

The AFC West is the top division in the rankings, with two teams at the bottom of the NFL. With the importance of QBs in the league, ranking last is always a bad thing, but with CJ Stroud in the division, it says something about the other teams. When examining the position rankings, this division generally ranks middle of the pack, and when it doesn’t, it ranks in the bottom half of the league (except for special teams).

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7. AFC East​

Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets​

[QB- 5, RB- 6, TE- 5, WR- 7, OL- 7, LB- 3, DL- 3, CB- 3, S-8, K-6, P-2]​

Besides the LB, DL, CB, and P, the AFC East is lacking in all other areas. Even when one of the teams may have a star in their respective position, the other teams in the division are just nowhere near as good in that same position. This was the main reason why many of these numbers are so low. For example, the Bills have Josh Allen, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but that only put the AFC East at 5th in the rankings.

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8. NFC South​

Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers​

[QB- 7, RB- 2, TE- 8, WR- 6, OL- 2, LB- 6, DL- 8, CB- 8, S-3, K-5, P-8]​

Last, and least, is the NFC South. This division is the only one in our rankings with more than two position groups ranked last, and most of their other ranked positions were in the bottom half of the league. Even being ranked second in RB and OL could not keep these teams from avoiding last place.

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Make sure you follow Canal Street Chronicles on Twitter at @SaintsCSC, “Like” us on Facebook at Canal Street Chronicles, and make sure you’re subscribed to our YouTube channel. Follow our personal pages @JWatsonJr__ and @CalebYac for more!

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...nking-nfl-divisions-from-strongest-to-weakest

 

[New Orleans Saints]

New Orleans Saints 2025 Practice Squad Tracker

The New Orleans Saints cutdown their roster to 53 players yesterday, but as you know, the roster is ever changing due to injuries and needs which is where the practice squad comes into play.

Starting at 11:00 a.m. CT today, NFL teams can add up to 16 players on their practice squad as well as one international player. They can claim unvested players that have been waived and vested veterans (players with a minimum of 4 accrued seasons) will become free agents immediately and are able to sign with any team.

Which means the Saints can soon start to sign players that are eligible for their 2025 practice squad, and we will have all the updates here.

2025 SAINTS PRACTICE SQUAD SIGNINGS:

Saints to sign DT Jonah Williams

DT Jonah Williams is signing to the Saints practice squad, per source.

— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) August 27, 2025

Who are some of the players that were waived yesterday that you would like the Saints sign to practice squad? Let us know in the comments below and make sure to stay tuned to Canal Street Chronicles as keep you updated on all the news and roster moves as they occur.

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...ew-orleans-saints-2025-practice-squad-tracker

 

[New Orleans Saints]

What are the odds? 2025 NFC South division winner

Our friends at FanDuel have posted all the latest division winner odds for every NFC and AFC team.

So, let’s take a look at their thoughts on how the NFC South will shape up this season:

NFC South Winner 2025-26:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers +100
• Atlanta Falcons +210
• Carolina Panthers +410
• New Orleans Saints +1300

These odds make some sense as the Bucs have been the most consistent team over the past few seasons, finishing 10-7 last season, to win the NFCS for the 4th consecutive year. The Falcons, who finished 8-9 last season will look to improve with Michael Penix at the helm and the NFL’s most expensive backup, Kirk Cousins on the bench, for now. However, I do disagree with the Panthers and Saints odds. They both finished with a 5-12 record last season but the Saints went through a lot during those 17 weeks, including a plague of injuries and the firing of their head coach. I think the Saints have the stronger team when healthy but given that their starting quarterback is still unknown at the moment, I can understand the odds placement.

What do you think about the Saints odds on winning the NFCS? Do you agree or disagree and who do you think with take the South this year? Check out all the odds at https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nfl


FanDuel Sportsbook is conducting FanDuel Futures Day on Tuesday, August 26 where you can get profit boost tokens around various futures markets throughout the day. The markets will be split up throughout the day, but they will include odds to win the Super Bowl and hypothetical Super Bowl matchups, odds to make or miss the playoffs, win totals, division winners, and player milestones. Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook on Tuesday to take advantage of FanDuel Futures Day.

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...t-are-the-odds-2025-nfc-south-division-winner

 

[New Orleans Saints]

Saints waive QB Jake Haener

With the roster cut deadline at 3 p.m. looming, the New Orleans Saints have been making cuts to get down to their final 53 and according to multiple reports, they have waived QB Jake Haener.

The #Saints are waiving QB Jake Haener, sources tell The Insiders. The 2023 fourth-rounder, who appeared in eight games for New Orleans last year, is expected to get a fresh start elsewhere. pic.twitter.com/Zf9oXdcmWb

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 26, 2025

Haener was drafted by the Saints in the fourth round (127th overall) of the 2023 NFL draft. He was suspended for the first six weeks of his rookie season after testing positive for a banned performance enhancing substance.

In 2024, he played in 8 games and started in Week 14 for the Saints against the Washington Commanders after Derek Carr suffered a hand injury. He finished the year 18/39 for 226 yards, with 1 TD and 1 INT.

The Saints have been in the middle of a quarterback competition with Haener seemly the odd man out behind 2nd year QB Spencer Rattler and this year’s 2nd round draft pick Tyler Shough as both have worked with the first team during training camp and have alternated starting in the Saints 3 preseason games.

Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier said of Haener while speaking with local media today, “It’s the tough part of this business. Jake’s a really good player and sometimes when you get in a situation with numbers and rosters. As we know, yesterday and today, it’s very fluid in this league; there’s a lot of stuff moving around and going on. Jake did a great job and had a great camp, unfortunately he had the injury early on in the offseason, but he did a really nice job for us.”

Haener’s time in New Orleans may not be completely over as he has been offered a place on the Saints’ practice squad, if he clears waivers.

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/new-orleans-saints-news/98509/saints-waive-qb-jake-haener

 

[New Orleans Saints]

Saints make yet another trade before the 53-man roster deadline

The New Orleans Saints have been highly active in the trade market, which makes sense with depth issues around the roster and impending cuts ahead of the 53-man roster deadline. In the past two weeks, the Saints traded DT Khalen Saunders to the Jacksonville Jaguars for center Luke Fortner, and sent a 4th-round pick to the Denver Broncos for WR Devaughn Vele. Giving up draft capital is always daunting when the future of a team is extremely volatile, but the Saints clearly believe in this team, and going into the season with a strong roster is a priority. One of the areas the team needed to upgrade was offensive line depth, particularly at the tackle position. With injuries piling up, the Saints were always going to bring in some players to attempt to alleviate that growing issue, and today, just hours before the 53-man roster deadline, New Orleans did just that via the trade market. Per Adam Schefter, the Saints have traded a 2028 6th-round pick for offensive tackle Asim Richards and a 2028 7th-round pick from the Dallas Cowboys.

Trade: Cowboys are sending OL Asim Richards to New Orleans Saints, per sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 26, 2025

Trade terms update:

Saints get OL Asim Richards and a 2028 seventh-round pick.

Cowboys get a 2028 6th-round pick. https://t.co/wcPOTlXheO

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 26, 2025

Starting with the player, Asim Richards is a 24-year-old former 5th-round offensive tackle. His spot on the Dallas Cowboys roster was in doubt, but the Saints made this move before he could hit waivers and get claimed by another team, which was probably the expectation. In 2024, per PFF, Asim Richards had a 69.5 pass-blocking grade. This ranked 52nd amongst other tackles around the league, which is great for a backup, but his run blocking is where some issues arise. Richards had a 44.5 run blocking grade in 2024, but in 2023 (his rookie year), he had a 63.0 grade.

Being only 24, on a cheap contract until the end of the 2026 season, and already showing good blocking skills against starters, Asim Richards is the perfect player to potentially fix the Saints’ issue at tackle depth.

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...other-trade-before-the-53-man-roster-deadline

 

[New Orleans Saints]

Spencer Rattler named the Saints starting quarterback

After several weeks of training camp practices and 3 preseason games, the quarterback competition in New Orleans has come to an end as Kellen Moore has announced that Spencer Rattler will be the starting quarterback this season for the Saints.

Moore has said since day one that this would be an open competition, with Rattler and Tyler Shough equally vying for the starting spot. We have seen them both rotate take reps with the first team in practices, with Rattler starting the first and final preseason games and Shough starting in Week 2.

Last week, when asked about how he felt the competition was going, Moore said, “it was really close” between the two and that no decisions would be made until after the Saints last preseason game against the Broncos.

Drafted by Saints in the 5th round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Rattler has been vocal that wanted the starting job and was working as hard as he could to earn it. Rattler told local media after practice last week that he just goes out and does the best he can and tries not to think too far ahead. “I’m just controlling what I can.”

Rattler will now be in control at quarterback for the Saints starting next Sunday as they open the 2025 regular season at home in Caesars Superdome against the Arizona Cardinals.

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...aints-starting-qb-for-week-1-vs-the-cardinals

 

[New Orleans Saints]

SB Nation Reacts Survey: How confident are you in the 2025 Saints now compared to earlier in the offseason?

For the New Orleans Saints today was a big day, not only did they finalize the 53-man roster, but their quarterback competition finally came to a conclusion as head coach Kellen Moore named Spencer Rattler the team’s starting quarterback.

As the preseason has come to an end and their biggest decisions have been made, the Saints can start planning for their Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in the Caesars Superdome and fans can also look ahead to the regular season, which officially starts in just 9 days. So, in this week’s reacts poll, we are asking our readers how confident are you in the 2025 Saints now compared to earlier in the offseason?

Vote in this week’s poll and let us know your thoughts!



Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Saints fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...ints-now-compared-to-earlier-in-the-offseason

 

[New Orleans Saints]

Most surprising cuts for Saints on cut down day

The hardest time of the NFL season is here. Roster sizes shrink from 90 players to 53, calling for teams to cut or waive 37 players. The New Orleans Saints had to make several tough decisions. The running back room was full of talent, plenty of linebackers stood out during the preseason, and, of course, the quarterback battle. Here are the most surprising decisions the Saints made on Tuesday.

Saints waive QB Jake Haener​

Head coach Kellen Moore has emphasized that third-year quarterback Jake Haener was a contender to win the starting quarterback job in a battle with Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough. While Haener’s path to winning the job would be harder than the previously mentioned, Moore continued to include the former fourth-round pick in the battle.

The first indication that Haener would be a cut candidate was his lack of playtime in the preseason. The third-string quarterback only saw four drives in three preseason games and was never given the same chances to earn the starting quarterback job as Shough and Rattler. But when Haener did see the field, he didn’t do much to help his case. The former Fresno State quarterback ended the preseason going 10/17 for 78 yards and an interception.

New Orleans would be interested in bringing Haener back to the practice squad if he clears waivers, per ESPN’s Kat Terrell.

Saints release RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire​

After the Saints terminated the contract of veteran running back Cam Akers, it felt as if Louisiana native Clyde Edwards-Helaire was a safe bet to make the roster. New Orleans signed Edwards-Helaire to a futures contract after the 2024 season, and he was a player that head coach Kellen Moore wanted to bring to the roster in 2025.

Despite what was seen as a talented running back room in New Orleans, it has been reported that the Saints were shopping for additional running back help. With New Orleans being unhappy with the current state of their running back room, they let Edwards-Helaire go to make room for a possible waiver wire addition. It’s also noteworthy that Moore had plenty of praise for sixth-round pick Devin Neal, who had his preseason debut against the Denver Broncos.

Saints waive TE Treyton Welch​

The Saints’ tight end room has been decimated by injuries. Veterans Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill suffered severe injuries during the 2024 NFL season, and it’s being reported that Hill and Moreau will start the season on the physically unable to perform list. With injuries to their veterans, it came as a surprise that New Orleans waived Treyton Welch, who has been the best-performing tight end for the Saints during the preseason.

Welch caught 6 passes for 65 yards during the preseason, leading all Saints tight ends. Welch wasn’t the only tight end waived by New Orleans either; the Saints also released Michael Jacobson. Seventh-round rookie Moliki Matavao had a strong showing in the team’s preseason finale, and it appears New Orleans will keep him on the roster.

Saints waive cornerback Rico Payton​

Cornerback Rico Payton had a strong preseason and training camp with the Saints in 2024. His impressive preseason showing kept him on the roster, where he showed plenty of promise as a special teamer during the regular season. Disappointingly, Payton wasn’t able to find that same success during the 2025 preseason. The Saints waived Payton, but he is a practice squad candidate. Third-year defensive back Rejzohn Wright has been one of the best players on the field during the preseason and likely filled Payton’s role.

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...st-surprising-cuts-for-saints-on-cut-down-day

 

[New Orleans Saints]

Fleur-de-Links, August 27: A starting QB has finally been named

Spencer Rattler named the Saints starting quarterback​

Time will tell if Rattler can be the franchise QB, but for now, the Saints have their starter for week 1.

New Orleans Saints announce roster moves​

Final moves are made to reduce the roster down to 53 players.

Cowboys trade Asim Richards to Saints​

An important perspective from the other side of the deal

Tyler Shough's agent: https://t.co/WeMtR4PYQw

— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) August 26, 2025

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...ugust-27-a-starting-qb-has-finally-been-named

 

[New Orleans Saints]

Starting Spencer Rattler may have just set up the perfect 2-year plan

The New Orleans Saints have finally named Spencer Rattler as the starting quarterback. Head coach Kellen Moore and the staff took their time to make this decision, but in the end, they went with the second-year player. Most of the focus will be on the decision to start Rattler over rookie Tyler Shough, but this could also hint at a potential two-year plan.

Given the uncertainty surrounding the future at QB, regardless of who the Saints name as their starter, covering all outcomes and still coming out with positives would be excellent for New Orleans. This is what could happen in a potential 2-year plan, so let me explain what it might look like.

The Plan​

Starting with the first outcome, Spencer Rattler could very well take this job and become the franchise QB. If that happens, the Saints will be ecstatic; if it doesn’t, New Orleans can go with option 2.

Tyler Shough will be on the bench, waiting for his opportunity to come in and start. We will know quickly if Spencer Rattler is not the right fit and a new starter needs to be named, so Shough will likely come in during the 2025 season if Rattler needs to be benched. This allows Shough to get some gametime this season, while also not having all the pressure on him right away. Then, regardless of what happened in the 2025 season, the Saints would enter 2026/27 with Shough as the starter, having had a full offseason of development. Just like with starting Rattler in 2025, if Shough proves he is the franchise QB in the 2026/27 season, great; if he isn’t, then the Saints can go with the third and final option.

The 2027 NFL Draft is one that scouts are already watching extremely closely, with quarterback being one of the top positions. Currently, Texas QB Arch Manning and South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers are names to watch in the 2026 draft, but they could end up declaring for the 2027 draft instead. Both QBs would make the 2027 QB class strong, but without them, it was already a strength of the draft. Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola, Florida’s DJ Lagway, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin could all be top picks, but adding Manning and/or Sellers to that group could make it an all-time great class. Scouts are aware of this, including those on the Saints.

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With this 2-year plan, the New Orleans Saints will be able to determine if either Rattler or Shough can be the franchise quarterback, while also having the ability to pivot in 2027 and draft a top quarterback prospect. Regardless of the outcome, the Saints are now set up to find their future at quarterback.

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...-may-have-just-set-up-the-perfect-2-year-plan

 

[New Orleans Saints]

Saints claim two players off of waivers, including a former LSU Tiger

With the 53-man roster deadline passed, now is the time for teams to put in claims for waived players. With holes still throughout the roster, making additions should be a top task for the New Orleans Saints. Following the 2025 draft order, the Saints are 9th in the waiver order, so they have a chance at some decent players. Expect more moves to be made, but as of now, the Saints have claimed two players from waivers: WR Trey Palmer and OT/G Xavier Truss.

Saints claimed former Buccaneers WR Trey Palmer and former Broncos G Xavier Truss on waivers.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 27, 2025

Starting with the former LSU Tiger Trey Palmer, the Bucaneers drafted the wide receiver in the 6th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. In his rookie year, Palmer did pretty well for a 6th-rounder and finished with 385 yards and 3 touchdowns. In 2024, his production dropped, which may have led to the Bucs waiving the third-year WR. Palmer is a highly speedy WR, and he fits the mold of many other pass catchers on the roster, but he has also shown the ability to win in contested situations. Now with Palmer on the Saints’ roster, New Orleans has seven WRs, but there may be a corresponding move to get that number back down to six. Out of all the other WRs on the roster, the only option for someone to potentially get released is veteran Cedrick Wilson.

The next player the Saints claimed off waivers was offensive lineman Xavier Truss. After the 2025 NFL Draft, Truss signed with the Denver Broncos on a UDFA deal, and they viewed him as a guard. In college, Truss primarily played at tackle for the Georgia Bulldogs so the rookie lineman may bring some flexibility to the Saints’ offensive line. New Orleans’ depth has depleted throughout the preseason, and adding Truss, in combination with prior moves, has nearly resolved the issue.

Source: https://www.canalstreetchronicles.c...s-off-of-waivers-including-a-former-lsu-tiger