After a long, grueling summer of training camp, the cuts have arrived -- and a little earlier than in year's past.
NFL teams were required to trim the roster down from 90 (or in the Saints' case 91) to 53 by Sunday at 5 p.m. That included a host of cuts and injured reserve placements.
The initial 53-man roster is now set, but expect more changes to come over the next few days. Scroll below for the full list of moves.
Brought to you by TRANESOUTH: It's hard to stop a Tranewww.audacy.comHere is the full 53-man roster, followed by the cuts and breakdowns below:
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK (3)
- Tyler Shough
- Spencer Rattler
- Zach Wilson
RUNNING BACK (4)
- Travis Etienne
- Alvin Kamara
- Kendre Miller
- Audric Estime
TIGHT END (4)
- Juwan Johnson
- Noah Fant
- Oscar Delp
- Treyton Welch
WIDE RECEIVER (5)
- Chris Olave
- Devaughn Vele
- Bryce Lance
- Barion Brown
- Kevin Austin Jr.
IR-return: Jordyn Tyson
OFFENSIVE LINE (8)
- LT: Kelvin Banks
- LG: David Edwards
- C: Erik McCoy
- RG: Cesar Ruiz
- RT: Taliese Fuaga
- Jeremiah Wright
- Will Sherman
- Asim Richards
DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE (11)
- DT: Nathan Shepherd
- DT: Davon Godchaux
- DT: Vernon Broughton
- DT: Christen Miller
- DT: Khristian Boyd
- DT: John Ridgeway
- DE: Chase Young
- DE: Carl Granderson
- DE: Cam Jordan
- DE: Tyree Wilson
- DE: Anfernee Jennings
LINEBACKER (5)
- Kaden Elliss
- Pete Werner
- Danny Stutsman
- Isaiah Stalbird
- Chris Rumph
- IR-return: Jaylan Ford
DEFENSIVE BACK (10)
- CB: Kool-Aid McKinstry
- CB: Quincy Riley
- CB: Martin Emerson Jr.
- CB: Jayden Price
- CB: Mike Reid
- S: Justin Reid
- S: Jonas Sanker
- S: Julian Blackmon
- S: Lorenzo Styles Jr.
- S: Jordan Howden
SPECIALISTS (3)
- K: Daniel Carlson
- LS: Zach Wood
- P: Ryan Wright
ROSTER MOVES
To PUP: WR Mason Tipton (report)
Notes: This was pretty easy to see coming by about midway through camp when Tipton wasn't back to practice. Head coach Kellen Moore said he underwent offseason tibia surgery. Players on PUP are out at least the first month of the season, but it means some potential depth for the Saints if and when they need it. Tipton was on the roster throughout 2025, so he knows the offense. If the Saints find themselves in a similar situation to last year late in the season, he's a guy that could arrive and make an impact.
TO IR (season-ending): CB Dalys Beanum; DE Mike Heldman; CB David Long Jr.; RB Devin Neal; OT Barry Wesley
TO IR (return): WR Jordyn Tyson; LB Jaylan Ford
CUT TOTAL: 29 (officially announced by team)
- K Tanner Brown
Notes: Tanner had a solid showing in the Saints kicking competition, but his inconsistency from short range (four misses inside of 40 yards) made it unlikely for him to be handed the job. The Saints brought in Daniel Carlson, who made 10 of 11 kicks and a go-ahead 53-yarder against the Cowboys. Brown wasn't on the initial list of cuts sent out by the team but was added not long after. I think he's got a future as an NFL kicker, but it won't be happening with the Saints this season.
- DT Myles Cole
Notes: Made some clear impacts throughout the preseason. Solid depth piece, just a difficult position to crack into this year.
- DE Fadil Diggs
Notes: Mark it down as a second straight offseason the 7th round pick was cut. Saints opted to keep him around last year. This could be the same thing.
- WR Trey Palmer
Notes: Trey has been hampered by injuries throughout camp and never really delivered on the promising start in the offseason workouts.
- G/C Torricelli Simpkins III
Notes: Simpkins looked to be the first choice at backup center but suffered a concussion in the loss to the Rams and never got back. A frustrating scenario for the young linemen, but I think the Saints opt to continue developing him if they can.
- LB Jackson Sirmon
Notes: A late addition to the roster and the son of LBs coach Peter Sirmon. He was very productive in the preseason.
- RB CJ Donaldson
Notes: I didn't feel like I saw a ton to write home about in camp practices from Donaldson, but he really delivered in the final two preseason games. This is a deep RB room but has questions due to injuries. I think Zamir White would be the priority for the practice squad. Donaldson might land there either way, but if White moves on, he becomes a priority.
- CB Isaac Yiadom
Notes: I can't say this is completely a surprise due to Yiadom's performance in camp this year. He started out as the CB3 but was quickly leapfrogged by Martin Emerson Jr. He's a physical defender, but that only works when you can stay in contact and he was beaten clean far too often. That said, I still felt he'd make the roster considering his special teams output and the lack of any proven options behind him. My hope is that this is an indicator that Quincy Riley is recovering well from his groin injury. If not, the depth here could become a problem very quickly. It could also be a sign that the Saints have designs on a trade or waiver claim (or both) at the position.
- CB Michael Davis
Notes: There's late additions, and then there's Michael Davis, who joined the team in time for one practice before the preseason finale. Still, he's a player with familiarity in the defense who can be an asset on special teams. Wouldn't be surprised to see him back again down the line.
- CB TJ Hall Jr.
Notes: Hall is the lone 2026 draft pick who was in any real danger of being cut, and that's what happened. He was selected in the 7th round with the pick the Saints got back in the trade for Tyree Wilson. They sent out a 5th rounder in that deal. As far as the player, I think he showed reasonably well. He's got a lot of development ahead, but he competed in camp and moved up to the backup line after the injury to Quincy Riley (Martin Emerson climbed up with the 1s). I'd expect Hall to be back with the practice squad ... but there's a lot of guys I've said that about.
- OT Alan Herron
Notes: Herron was a raw player when he arrived but he's an intriguing developmental piece. Definitely built for the role. He's another player that would make sense to try to keep around on the practice squad.
- OL Easton Kilty
Notes: I get the impression that this team appreciates Kilty and his versatility. He drew a lot of reps at guard and also worked in at center. Seems like a clear practice squad candidate.
- RB Zamir White
- Zamir was a late addition in camp via trade and he only had two practices and a preseason game to make his case prior to cuts. I felt like he delivered about as well as you could hope, but the most likely path to the roster was the practice squad. White is a vested veteran and is not subject to waivers. I expect he'll draw some outside interest.
- WR Brock Rechsteiner
- Rechsteiner was a media favorite after being added to the roster following a minicamp tryout, but he just never really showed much throughout camp. He's also still got a 6-game suspension looming over him, which will be complicating for him to land anywhere else.
- DT Jay'Viar Suggs
Notes: As I'll mention a lot in this list, this was always going to be a tough year for UDFAs to crack into the defensive line group on the 53-man roster. That said, Suggs was definitely one of the players who stood out on the interior, particularly in the finale against the Cowboys. Wouldn't be surprised to see him back with the practice squad.
- TE Cody Hardy
Notes: The coaching staff likes Hardy and he could be a practice squad candidate due to injuries. That said, he just wasn't productive enough in his rookie camp to really push for the roster. The only question remaining is whether the Saints keep three or four tight ends.
- S Terrell Burgess
Notes: Burgess is one of those players that understands how this works by now. He's very likely to land on the practice squad if he doesn't find a better situation elsewhere, and I fully expect him to impact the team and either be called up or added to the active at some point this season.
- K Charlie Smyth
Notes: Smyth came into this camp with a strong chance to win the kicking job, but he just proved too inconsistent (11 misses). He had fallen behind Tanner Brown in the competition and once Daniel Carlson was added, it seemed like the only reason he was sticking around is that as the IPP player, he gets a free roster spot. That will still be true on the practice squad this year as well, so I expect him to land there. He'll provide some depth should the selected starter struggle, and he can keep working to hopefully get another shot at a competition next offseason.
- WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper
Notes: Moreno-Cropper was a late addition in camp but proved to be consistently productive throughout the preseason. The depth at WR made a roster spot unlikely to find, but there's some good film out there that could entice teams to take a look.
- OT Alex Wollschlaeger
Notes: Wollschlaeger was always fighting more for a practice squad spot than a roster spot, and I felt like he showed well enough to get a long look from the Saints if he clears waivers.
The following cuts were officially announced by the team Saturday evening.
- DT Kahlil Saunders
Notes: Saunders was an addition late into camp and didn't have much opportunity to move up a crowded depth chart. There will be some difficult decisions to make at this position down the line.
- QB Hunter Dekkers
Notes: Hunter Dekkers remains one of the most enigmatic pieces on this team, but we did at least get to see him take the field in the preseason opener. That's a step forward from last season when I'm not sure I ever saw him throw a pass with a full team around him. He could certainly stick around on the practice squad, but that might depend on what happens with Zach Wilson. Most teams don't carry four QBs.
- WR Bub Means
Notes: Bub is a former 5th round pick, though notably a pick that was made prior to the current head coaching regime. He's a solid player with NFL traits but has struggled to stay healthy. Means had a strong start to camp, particularly in the preseason opener when he led the team in receiving yards. He faded in the matchup with the Rams -- as did much of the offense -- and was dealing with a hamstring injury prior to the finale and did not suit up. He seems like a candidate to potentially stick around, but getting cut this early in the process wouldn't typically indicate a tough roster decision.
- TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden
Notes: I thought there was a chance Mitchell-Paden made the roster just for blocking purposes and especially with Moliki Matavao on IR and done for the season. It felt like Friday was his chance to make an impact and there just wasn't much there. We'll see just how many TEs the Saints end up keeping.
- WR Ronnie Bell
Notes: Ronnie is a player the coaches like and I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if he ends up landing on the practice squad. That said, it was pretty clear from the beginning that there just wasn't going to be much opportunity for depth WRs, even with the injury to Jordyn Tyson. Ronnie had a lot of production with Zach Wilson, including multiple catches on the go-ahead drive against the Cowboys.
- DE Malakai Williams
Notes: Another player who arrived midway into camp. I'll write this a few times as we go, but this was the wrong year to try to crack the Saints roster as a defensive lineman. The group at the top has some questions, but it's pretty stable and loaded with veterans.
- DL Brien Taylor
Notes: Another player who arrived midway into camp. I'll write this a few times as we go, but this was the wrong year to try to crack the Saints roster as a defensive lineman. The group at the top has some questions, but it's pretty stable and loaded with veterans.
- OT/G Xavier Truss
Notes: Truss was claimed off of waivers from the Broncos ahead of last season. It seemed early on in camp that he might have a chance at the roster. He was listed as a second-string tackle on the initial depth chart, but just seemed to fall from there. He's still built for the role (6-7, 320) so we'll see if the Saints try to keep him around for development.
- S Elliott Davison
Notes: A player going on Year 2 with the Saints but just never seemed to carve out a role.
- EDGE Garrett Nelson
Notes: Another player who arrived midway into camp. I'll write this a few times as we go, but this was the wrong year to try to crack the Saints roster as a defensive lineman. The group at the top has some questions, but it's pretty stable and loaded with veterans.
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