Here are the roster moves for today, leading into gameday tomorrow. Reminder that gameday elevations will revert to the practice squad after this weekend’s games:
Malcolm Brown‘s stint with the Saints ultimately lasted less than a month. The veteran running back was released today, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). The Saints also signed quarterback K.J. Costello (via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football on Twitter) and safety Jack Koerner (per Sean Fazende of FOX8 in New Orleans on Twitter), and they waived/injured defensive back Bryce Thompson (via Wilson).
Brown spent the first six years of his career with the Rams, spending most of his tenure as the number-two running back behind Todd Gurley. A rookie Cam Akers and second-year Darrell Henderson led the Rams in carries in 2020, but Brown still saw the most work of his career. He finished that campaign with 581 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns on 124 touches. He joined the Dolphins last offseason and started three of his seven appearances, collecting 135 yards and one score. He landed on IR in late October and didn’t see the field again that season.
Costello, who split his collegiate career between Stanford and Mississippi State, went undrafted in 2021. He had a brief offseason stint with the Raiders last year before joining the USFL back in May. Koerner, an undrafted rookie out of Iowa, joined the Saints earlier this offseason but was waived in May. Thompson spent much of the 2021 campaign on New Orleans’ practice squad, although he did get into two games with the Saints. A lower leg injury will likely keep him sidelined for a bit, and assuming he goes unclaimed, he’ll land on the Saints injured reserve.
Jarren Williamshas already been a member of two NFL teams and spent plenty of time on and off of practice squads during his brief career. He will be facing a new challenge in 2022, but it could help him land a 53-man roster spot in the fall.
The Giants are converting the former UDFA from cornerback to safety, as detailed by Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Williams had been a corner throughout his college and professional tenure, but this new position will give him a better opportunity to avoid reverting back to the practice squad. New York is set at the top of the safety depth chart with Xavier McKinneyand Julian Love, but lacking in experienced backups behind them. Williams could slot in as a special teamer and rotational defender (to a greater degree than he did in his eight appearances at CB) if all goes well.
“It’s a great opportunity” the 24-year-old said. “I’m really excited, gonna keep learning the position, take the teaching, take the coaching and I think it’s gonna be good for me.”
Here a some other secondary-related notes from the NFC:
The Saints have a number of new faces on the backend of their defense, such as Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye, but another potential difference-maker could be a player who was already on the roster when the offseason began. In a breakdown of players who stood out in the spring, ESPN’s Mike Triplett names Bryce Thompsonas a candidate for a significant role in 2022. The former UDFA saw limited time on special teams as a rookie last year, but has been taking snaps with both the first- and second-team units this offseason. His positional versatility, Triplett contends, could land Thompson a notable role somewhere within the secondary.
In that same piece, John Keim notes that the Commanders are using 2021 third round corner Benjamin St-Justein the slot in practices. That’s a notable decision, given his size at six-foot-three, but the Canadian has “looked good” so far when lining up against receivers in that position, including 2022 first-rounder Jahan Dotson. St-Juste had a troubling issue with concussions in particular as a rookie, limiting him to nine games. With better health in his second campaign, he could be in line for a step forward in his new role.
