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Saints To Host Justin Tucker, Cade York

By | at November 24, 2025 11:01 am

With Blake Grupe struggling, the Saints are l0oking into a number of free agent kickers. Visits are being lined up today, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

The total number of kickers being auditioned is unclear at this point, but one notable name is included in the list. As Underhill reports, Justin Tucker is among the free agents who will work out for the Saints. Cade York will also receive a look.

Tucker’s illustrious Ravens tenure came to an end in May. The move came as little surprise at the time with Baltimore having used a sixth-round pick on his replacement, Tyler Loop. Performance was named by the team as the reason for the release, but Tucker’s departure came about in the wake of alleged sexual misconduct dating back several years. The 36-year-old has denied any wrongdoing, but in June he accepted a 10-game suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Tucker has now served that ban, and as of October it was known he was on the radar of interested teams. The five-time All-Pro would represent a notable addition down the stretch for any number of suitors, although his off-field situation will no doubt be a central talking point in the event a deal is worked out. Tucker struggled through the middle of last season, leading to by far his least accurate campaign; issues from long range continued to be an issue, extending a trend in that regard from recent years. This will be his first known workout of 2025.

Even with Tucker having shown a decline in 2024, his career accuracy rate on field goals sits at 89.1%. The 2010s All-Decade Team member’s showing last season was his first with a FG success rate under 82.5%, and he has missed no more than two extra points in a single season. Expectations will be high in terms of performance in the event Tucker lands a contract for 2025.

York’s resume is far different from Tucker’s, but he will also try out for New Orleans. The former Browns draftee struggled during his rookie season and did not see any regular season game action the following year. In 2024, York made one appearance with the Commanders and five with the Bengals. Overall, he has connected on 33 of 45 field goal tries and 51 of 54 extra point attempts.

Grupe has been operating as the Saints’ kicker since 2023. The team’s Wil Lutz successor improved on his field goal accuracy last season compared to his debut campaign, but things have taken a turn for the worse in 2025. Grupe, 27, has missed eight field goals this year, including two during yesterday’s loss against the Falcons.

The Saints have Grupe on their active roster along with Charlie Smyth on the practice squad. The latter has yet to make a regular season NFL appearance and it appears that will continue with a number of veterans being auditioned. It will be interesting to see if these workouts produce an agreement.

14 comments New Orleans Saints

2025 Injured Reserve Return Tracker

By | at November 22, 2025 9:00 pm

The 2024 offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.

In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 26 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. Teams will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.

All players designated for return on August 26 became eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Playoff teams will receive two additional injury activations once the postseason begins.

Here is how the 32 teams’ activation puzzles look for Week 18:

Arizona Cardinals

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Atlanta Falcons

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Baltimore Ravens

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Buffalo Bills

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Carolina Panthers

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Chicago Bears

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 1

Cincinnati Bengals

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 1

Cleveland Browns

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 1

Denver Broncos

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Detroit Lions

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Green Bay Packers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Houston Texans

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Indianapolis Colts

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Jacksonville Jaguars

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Kansas City Chiefs

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Las Vegas Raiders

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Los Angeles Chargers

Eligible for activation in wild-card round:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 0

Los Angeles Rams

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 6

Miami Dolphins

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Minnesota Vikings

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

New England Patriots

Designated for return: 

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 7

New Orleans Saints

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New York Giants

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

New York Jets

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Philadelphia Eagles

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Pittsburgh Steelers

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

San Francisco 49ers

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 3

Seattle Seahawks

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Tennessee Titans

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Washington Commanders

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

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Minor NFL Transactions: 11/22/25

By | at November 22, 2025 6:43 pm

Here are Week 12’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Sunday slate tomorrow:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

There hasn’t been much of an update since it was reported that rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel was going through the league’s concussion protocol. He was able to get some limited practice time in yesterday, but he hasn’t yet been cleared. With Gabriel’s status up in the air, Zappe is getting called up in case he’s needed to back up the new starting rookie, Shedeur Sanders.

O’Connell and Sheriff are getting called up with linebackers Tyrice Knight out with a concussion and Ernest Jones questionable with a knee injury. This will be O’Connell’s third and final practice squad elevation, so if the Seahawks wants to see him play again this year, they will need to sign him to the active roster.

0 comments Arizona Cardinals Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Green Bay Packers Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Rams New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Transactions

Saints Plan To Waive WR Brandin Cooks

By | at November 20, 2025 8:20 pm

NOVEMBER 20: While the Saints/Cooks divorce still appears to be happening, there is a slight holdup. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the move still hasn’t gone through as the two sides work through “contractual technicalities.” The wideout is still destined for the waiver wire before potentially hitting free agency.

NOVEMBER 19: Well-traveled wide receiver Brandin Cooks could land with another team in the coming days. The Saints and Cooks mutually agreed to part ways on Wednesday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports. Cooks will be free to sign anywhere if he goes through waivers unclaimed.

The move to cut Cooks came after he renegotiated his contract down, according to Underhill. He had a little over $2MM in guarantees left, including a 2026 salary of approximately $1.7MM, NewOrleans.Football colleague Mike Triplett notes.

Now 32 years old, Cooks entered the NFL as a first-round pick of the Saints in 2014. After spending his first three years in New Orleans, he divided the next eight among the Patriots, Rams, Texans, and Cowboys. Cooks returned to the Saints on a two-year, $13MM pact last March.

With the Saints well out of contention, Cooks’ name came up in the rumor mill ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. A trade involving Cooks would have been his fifth. That would have set a new NFL record, but the Saints didn’t find a taker. However, one could emerge now that adding Cooks won’t require surrendering draft compensation.

The Bills, Broncos, and Steelers are among contenders that were looking for receivers before the deadline. None of those teams acquired one, which could make any of them logical landing spots for Cooks. It’s worth pointing out that Cooks began his career under Broncos head coach Sean Payton, then with the Saints.

Whether it’s Denver or another club, Cooks’ next employer will be picking up someone who has recorded 729 catches, 9,697 yards, and 60 touchdowns in 168 career regular-season games. While that’s excellent production, Cooks’ output has experienced a dramatic decline over the past couple of years.

Cooks caught 26 of 54 targets for 259 yards and three TDs in 10 games with the Cowboys last season. In his reunion with the Saints this year, Cooks grabbed 19 of 25 targets for just 165 yards and no scores. Cooks played 34 offensive snaps in a win over Carolina in Week 10, which proved to be his final game with the Saints, but rookie quarterback Tyler Shough didn’t target him.

Now that he’s leaving New Orleans, there’s a good chance Cooks will enter into a better QB situation than he had with the Saints this year or the Cowboys in 2024. Before working with the inexperienced duo of Shough and Spencer Rattler in New Orleans, Cooks mostly teamed with Cowboys backup Cooper Rush last season. He hasn’t paired with an above-average QB since Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in Week 9 of 2024.

For their part, the Saints have now subtracted a pair of notable veteran receivers this month. Cooks is following Rashid Shaheed, whom the Saints traded to the Seahawks, out the door. Chris Olave, Devaughn Vele, and Mason Tipton are the only WRs left on the Saints’ active roster.

47 comments New Orleans Saints

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/19/25

By | at November 19, 2025 7:13 pm

Here are today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

0 comments Arizona Cardinals Carolina Panthers Dallas Cowboys Houston Texans Los Angeles Rams New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants San Francisco 49ers Transactions

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/19/25

By | at November 19, 2025 6:45 pm

Wednesday’s minor moves:

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Designated for return from reserve/PUP: RB Eric Gray

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

21 days have gone by since the Steelers opened Trice’s practice window. They’ve made the decision not to activate him from injured reserve, so he will remain on IR without the possibility of being activated.

Gray has been on New York’s physically unable to perform list since they set their initial 53-man roster. With rookie running back Cam Skattebo hitting IR earlier in the season, Gray’s return could add some needed depth at the position.

1 comment Dallas Cowboys Houston Texans Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins New Orleans Saints New York Giants Pittsburgh Steelers Transactions

NFL’s Paris Debut Expected To Include Saints, Could Take Place In 2026

By | at November 19, 2025 3:57 pm

Europe remains a key target for the NFL’s ongoing international expansion. One of the cities yet to host a regular season game is Paris, but that could change soon.

France has been on the league’s radar since at least 2022. A number of new European markets have been explored in recent years, including debut regular games in Ireland and Spain taking place in 2025. Dublin and Madrid could very well continue to serve as host cities moving forward, and Paris could join them as early as next year.

“You might hear in the next couple weeks that we might be having a game internationally, and that game may be in Paris,” Saints president Dennis Lauscha said (via NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan). “We have the rights to the country of France and Monaco, so that makes so much sense, we think. We’re really excited about that [possibility].”

The Saints are currently the only NFL team with international marketing rights in France. As such, it would come as no surprise if they were to be the designated home team for the league’s first ever Paris contest. Lauscha added a game there could take place as early as next season. That timing would align with the NFL’s process in terms of evaluating venues and logistical matters relative to other new host cities.

The league hopes to stage eight international games in 2026. Broadly speaking, one of the league’s goals for continued growth outside the United States is to eventually have each team play one game overseas per year. That setup could very well include Paris on a regular basis. France’s largest venue is the Stade de France, and it would presumably play host to any games held in the country.

Divisional matchups have taken place in international games, but they are rare. As such, New Orleans’ opponent for any 2026 game to be held in Paris would likely come from the team’s remaining slate of home game. That leaves the Browns, Steelers, Packers and Vikings among the potential candidates to play in the league’s first France contest.

15 comments City of Paris New Orleans Saints

Saints GM Mickey Loomis Not On Hot Seat

By | at November 14, 2025 9:02 am

The Saints entered 2025 with little in the way of external expectations. The organization also sees the season as a rebuilding one, and as such no major changes are being considered.

By this time one year ago, head coach Dennis Allen had been fired. Longtime general manager Mickey Loomis preferred to avoid such a decision, but owner Gayle Benson acted alone in bringing about a change on the sidelines. In the wake of the Allen dismissal, it was reported Loomis was safe. That remains the case today.

“It may not be what the fans want to hear, but as far as firing Mickey Loomis, that’s ridiculous,” Benson said (via NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan). “When I am asked to hold Mickey Loomis accountable, I do. Not every decision works out, they never do… I hold him in high esteem, and I am very pleased with what he has accomplished, acquired and is building.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Bengals owner Mike Brown have also held the general manager titles with their respective franchises since 1989 and 1991. In terms of pure GMs, Loomis is the league’s longest-tenured, having been in place since 2002. That period includes 12 winning seasons and nine playoff appearances. It was under Loomis in 2009 that the Saints won their lone Super Bowl title.

The post-Drew Brees era has been short on success, however, and Derek Carr‘s retirement helped begin a transition phase many had been calling for well before 2025. The quarterback situation is unclear with Spencer Rattler having been benched after making eight starts this year (and 14 in total). Second-round rookie Tyler Shough is auditioning for the starter’s role, a process which will last through the end of the season.

Regardless of how things play out on that front, a number of key financial decisions are pending. Keeping with tradition, the Saints are once again among the teams projected to be over the cap in 2026. Developing into a contending team will require not only the members of Loomis’ recent draft classes reaching their potential but also an improved situation in terms of veteran contracts and their impact on the organization’s flexibility.

New Orleans sits at 2-8 on the year and attention over the coming weeks will turn to the team’s draft position. As Loomis prepares for an important offseason, he will do so without the threat of being replaced.

15 comments New Orleans Saints

Bears Pursued CB Alontae Taylor Trade

By | at November 8, 2025 8:16 pm

Shortly before the trade deadline, the Bears were mentioned as a team to watch. A blockbuster deal was not expected, and indeed the team’s only move was the acquisition of Browns pass rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.

During his post-deadline media availability, general manager Ryan Poles spoke further about his actions on the trade front. He noted (via Adam Jahns of CHGO Sports) calls were made to a number of other teams regarding additions along the edge. Several high-profile options in that regard were mentioned as candidates to be dealt, and a trio of players (Keion White, Dre’Mont Jones and, most notably, Jaelan Phillips) wound up changing teams.

Poles said conversations took place with a wide array of potential sellers, adding some of the prices seen in the league’s blockbuster deals were “stunning” in his view. In the end, it comes as little surprise Chicago was not among the suitors which made a massive move. Poles, head coach Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen “kept the big picture in mind” when evaluating trades. The Bears are currently 5-3 on the year, but that assures them of little in terms of playoff positioning given the state of the NFC North.

As such, a more expensive acquisition like Phillips – who was dealt for a third-round pick – or Trey Hendrickson – who was available for a second-rounder – was not pursued at the deadline. Chicago will move forward with only Tryon-Shoyinka in place as a new depth option. The Bears did, on the other hand, work toward a notable move elsewhere on defense.

Chicago was “deep in talks” with the Saints about a trade for Alontae Taylor, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports. The fourth-year cornerback was also a target of the Colts prior to their Sauce Gardner blockbuster. The Bears would have represented a logical landing spot for Taylor. He and Allen worked together during the latter’s time as New Orleans’ head coach. Taylor, 26, would have provided the Bears with a welcomed starting option in the secondary during a year in which cornerback injuries have been an issue.

A trade on that front would have been a rental since Taylor’s rookie contract will expire at the end of the campaign. A lucrative new pact is likely in store in his case this spring, and the Saints’ decision to retain him means an extended stay in New Orleans could be worked out. Failing that, the Bears could be among the teams showing interest on the open market given their pursuit of a trade acquisition.

In the meantime, Chicago will look for other moves to provide depth in the secondary. The Bears are one of several teams scheduled to host Asante Samuel Jr., who recently received full medical clearance. With roughly $6.64MM in cap space, a modest free agent pact would be feasible for Chicago if the team manages to work out a deal with Samuel or another corner currently available.

2 comments Chicago Bears New Orleans Saints

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/8/25

By | at November 8, 2025 5:55 pm

Several teams around the NFL made tweaks to their rosters on Saturday in preparation for Sunday’s slate of games. Here are all the latest moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Week 10 will mark the debut for both players the Chargers gave the IR-designated for return label during roster cutdowns in August. Their activations had already been accounted for, but Hand’s had not. With those three now back in the fold, the Bolts have three IR activations remaining on the season.

0 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Detroit Lions Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks Transactions Washington Commanders
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