Saints Place Delvin Breaux On IR
The Saints have placed cornerback Delvin Breaux on injured reserve, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The move has been expected for some time.
Breaux fractured his fibula in mid-August, but the hope is that he will be able to heal up by the middle of the season, allowing him to return from IR. If the Saints use one of their two IR-DTR slots on him, he’ll be eligible to return for Week 9. Players who return from IR must spend eight weeks on the list, but they can practice for the final two.
Last year, the former CFL standout had a dismal 39.1 score from Pro Football Focus and played in a full slate of games . In 2016, however, he had an 85 overall score which cast him as a top-15 type of cornerback.
The Saints were said to be shopping him because they were frustrated with how long it was taking him to recover from a minor injury. When it was discovered that he was misdiagnosed and actually had a broken fibula, the team promptly took him off the block and fired two team orthopedists.
Saints Add Max McCaffrey To Practice Squad
The Saints are signing wide receiver Max McCaffrey to the practice squad, a source tells Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). McCaffrey was one of the Packers’ more surprising cuts on Saturday.
McCaffrey spent time on the Packers’ taxi squad last season and also saw some time on the 53-man roster, but he did not appear in a regular season game. He impressed in practice, however, and it was expected that the Packers would work him back on to the p-squad. That didn’t come to fruition, however, as the Saints have plucked him away.
McCaffrey, of course, is the brother of Panthers rookie running back Christian McCaffrey and the two are now joined in the NFC South.
We’re keeping track of all practice squad signings in posts that are split up by division. You’ll find the Saints’ full practice squad roster in the NFC South post when it’s announced later today or tomorrow.
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC South
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Falcons, Panthers, Saints, and Buccaneers are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed to practice squad:
- DB Marcelis Branch
- OT Daniel Brunskill
- WR Deante Burton
- TE Alex Gray
- WR Marvin Hall
- DE J’Terius Jones
- TE Joshua Perkins
- RB Jhurell Pressley
- DT Taniela Tupou
- DT Joe Vellano
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed:
- DB Demetrious Cox
- QB Brad Kaaya (story)
- Waived:
- FB Alex Armah
- Placed on IR:
- CB Corn Elder
- Signed to practice squad:
- QB Garrett Gilbert
- WR Keyarris Garrett
- WR Mose Frazier
- OT Blaine Clausell
- DE Bryan Cox Jr.
- DE Zach Moore
- DE Efe Obada
- DT Eric Crume
- S Damian Parms
- S Dezmen Southward
New Orleans Saints
- Claimed:
- WR Austin Carr (story)
- QB Taysom Hill (story)
- Cut:
- FB John Kuhn (story)
- DE Darryl Tapp
- Signed to practice squad:
- DL Alex Jenkins
- OL Landon Turner
- WR Max McCaffrey
- OL Kristjan Sokoli
- TE Garrett Griffin
- LB Adam Bighill
- OL John Fullington
- CB Arthur Maulet
- C Cameron Tom
- WR Travin Dural
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to practice squad:
- DE Sterling Bailey
- LB Riley Bullough
- RB Russell Hansbrough
- FB Austin Johnson
- S Isaiah Johnson
- G Michael Liedtke
- T Marquis Lucas
- WR Freddie Martino
- CB Jonathan Moxey
- WR Bobo Wilson
Saints To Release FB John Kuhn
The Saints will release fullback John Kuhn, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
New Orleans had already parted ways with Zach Line earlier this weekend, so the club currently has no fullbacks on the roster and only three tight ends. That could be a temporary arrangement, as Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets, and the Saints could search for another fullback/tight end type in the coming days. Indeed, Josh Katzenstein of the Times Picayune reports (Twitter link) that Kuhn could soon be re-signed.
Last season, Kuhn played on roughly a quarter of the Saints’ defensive snaps and a quarter of the club’s special teams plays. In that time, Kuhn rushed 18 times for only 37 yards, but scored four touchdowns. He also added 16 receptions.
Saints Claim WR Austin Carr, QB Taysom Hill
The Saints have claimed wide receiver Austin Carr from the Patriots and quarterback Taysom Hill from the Packers, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com.
Both Carr (Northwestern) and Hill (BYU) went undrafted earlier this year. Carr, a preseason standout, will become the Saints’ fifth receiver after the club kept only Willie Snead, Ted Ginn Jr., Michael Thomas, and Brandon Coleman on Saturday. Hill, meanwhile, is now New Orleans’ third quarterback behind Drew Brees and Chase Daniel.
Saints OT Terron Armstead Avoids PUP List
Lost in the shuffle of Saturday’s roster cutdown madness was left tackle Terron Armstead‘s inclusion on the Saints’ initial 53-man roster. Armstead suffered a torn labrum in June and was facing a four-to-six month recovery timeline, but New Orleans didn’t place him on the physically unable to perform list, which would have required a minimum six-game absence to begin the season.
Armstead is still expected to miss several games, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, but he clearly won’t be sidelined for as many as six contests (or else New Orleans simply would have kept him on PUP). Head coach Sean Payton hinted last week that Armstead was ahead of schedule, and allowed that the veteran blindside protector might sneak onto the Saints’ active roster.
New Orleans will roll with first-round rookie Ryan Ramczyk at left tackle until Armstead is able to return to the field. Health has never been a strong point for Armstead, who’s missed 14 games over the the past three seasons. But when he’s right, Armstead has consistently ranked as a top-15 NFL left tackle per Pro Football Focus, which gave him an excellent 90.6 overall grade in 2015.
Saints Reach 53-Man Roster Limit
Every team had to get under the 53-man limit by Saturday’s deadline, but the Saints were the last to publicly announce their cuts. Here’s the full rundown of their moves:
Waived:
- LB Adam Bighill
- TE/LS Braedon Bowman
- CB Taveze Calhoun
- WR Travin Dural
- CB Malik Foreman
- OL John Fullington
- QB Garrett Grayson
- TE Garrett Griffin
- DE Obum Gwacham
- WR De’Quan Hampton
- DB Erik Harris
- DE Alex Jenkins
- WR Jake Lampman
- DT Ashaad Mabry
- CB Arthur Maulet
- CB Elijah Mitchell
- OL Kristjan Sokoli
- CB Damian Swann
- C Cameron Tom
- OL Landon Turner
- T Jerry Ugokwe
- RB Darius Victor
- LB Jonathan Walton
- DT Justin Zimmer
Released:
- T Khalif Barnes
- RB Travaris Cadet
- LB Audie Cole
- T Bryce Harris
- DT John Hughes III
- FB Zach Line
- LB Michael Mauti
- DT Tony McDaniel (story)
- QB Ryan Nassib
IR:
- OLB Bryan Braman
- WR Corey Fuller
- TE John Phillips
The Saints re-signed Cadet this offseason only to put him on the trade block in June. They didn’t find any takers then and they apparently couldn’t find any now. The Jets, who pursued him in free agency, could have interest in signing him.
Saints Release DT Tony McDaniel
The Saints are releasing defensive tackle Tony McDaniel, according to Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune (Twitter link).
New Orleans signed McDaniel earlier this year following the loss of Nick Fairley to a heart condition with the hope that the 32-year-old veteran could offer experience to a depleted defensive interior. McDaniel does boast 141 career appearances and 48 starts, after all, and has been a serviceable rotational option with Seattle and Tampa Bay over the past few seasons.
Instead, the Saints will go with a youthful defensive line that includes last year’s first-round pick in Sheldon Rankins, plus other youngsters such as Tyeler Davison and David Onyemata.
NFL Suspends Saints WR Willie Snead
The NFL has suspended Willie Snead for the first three games of the season, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Snead’s ban is for a personal conduct violation that stemmed from an off-season DUI, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. He was booked by police in Kenner. La., on June 11 after he struck another vehicle and registered a blood alcohol content level of .125, per Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com (on Twitter). Snead was initially suspended for four games, but he had it reduced to three games following a successful (and quiet) appeal. 
The suspension is a big blow for the Saints as Snead was being counted on as one of Drew Brees‘ top targets to open the season. The team will have to lean more on supporting receivers Ted Ginn and Brandon Coleman as well as tight end Coby Fleener until they get Snead back in October. Of course, the Saints no longer have the services of Brandin Cooks after trading him to New England earlier this year.
Snead and the Saints were said to be working on a long-term deal this summer, but he wound up signing his exclusive rights free agent tender in July instead. The DUI may or may not have had something to do with the talks breaking down.
Snead, a former undrafted free agent out of Ball State, has established himself as one of Drew Brees‘ top targets over the past two seasons. Between the last two campaigns, the 24-year-old has appeared in 30 games (12 starts) and compiled 141 receptions for 1,879 yards and seven touchdowns.
Royce LaFrance To CFL
- Former Saints defensive end Royce LaFrance signed with the CFL’s Roughriders, Nick Underhill of The Advocate tweets.