The Saints are set for an extended break after the final practice of a three-day mandatory minicamp, but not without a flurry of roster moves.
A pair of tryout wide receivers have been officially added to the roster in Keke Coutee and Lynn Bowden Jr., as has a veteran center in Billy Price, whom the Bengals selected with the No. 21 overall pick in 2018.
To make room the Saints have waived two UDFAs in running back SaRodorick Thompson, WR Malik Flowers and G Yasir Durant.
The cut of Flowers was a bit of a surprise, but it could've been forecast by the usage of both Bowden and Coutee in the return game. Flowers came out of Montana as a return ace, having tied Rashid Shaheed's record for kick return touchdowns.
Both wide receivers will also add depth in a crowded wide receiver room, but could be candidates in a backup return role. That position is something of a need with Marquez Callaway signing with the Denver Broncos in the offseason. Bowden was a third round pick of the Raiders in 2020 and has familiarity with Derek Carr. In 11 career games he's logged nine carries for 32 yards and 28 receptions for 211 yards.
Coutee was a fourth round pick of the Texans in 2018 and has appeared in 33 games, catching 85 passes for 966 yards and four touchdowns, while also carrying the ball five time for 14 yards and a touchdown. Coutee spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Colts.
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Price comes in with the most experience and offers depth behind starter Erik McCoy. He also adds yet another Ohio State Buckeye to a Saints roster overflowing with them. Price has played in 69 games in his NFL career, starting 45 of them and spending time at all three interior line positions. Price is another a player with at least some familiarity with Carr, having spent time on the Roaders practice squad in 2022 before being signed by the Raiders.
The Saints will now have more than a month off before they return for the full training camp in late July. Dennis Allen said only player on the roster would be deemed questionable to be ready for the upcoming camp, though he would not disclose the name, and expressed confidence that the other 89 would be ready.
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