News broke Monday morning that the Saints would be without their kicker, Wil Lutz, as he undergoes surgery to repair a core injury. It didn't take them long to bring in his likely (short-term) replacement.
The team signed former Cowboys kicker Brett Maher after trying out kickers earlier in the day, according to a report from ESPN's Mike Triplett.
Maher played two seasons for the Cowboys before spending the 2020 season on multiple rosters, including the New York Jets, Washington Football Team, Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals. Maher was effective from short-range, knocking through a perfect 19 attempts within 30 yards over those seasons. But his distance kicking wavered in Year 2, missing on eight of 13 attempts from 40 yards and beyond on the 2019 season.
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But there's no question he's got plenty of range to be a weapon. He was successful on kicks of 62 yards or longer in each his seasons with the Cowboys. If he made a kick from 63 yards in a Saints uniform he'd tie Tom Dempsey's record set more than 50 years ago.
If Maher is the answer, the duration of time the Saints will need him is a question that loom. Saints coach Sean Payton said Lutz's core strain worsened throughout last week and they decided to handle it sooner rather than later. He said no timeline for a return has been established yet.