The New Orleans Saints were busy on Tuesday ahead of a Week 5 showdown with the Patriots, executing a flurry of roster moves.
The biggest news was the addition of veteran CB Michael Davis, who adds depth to a secondary battling injuries. CB Isaac Yiadom missed Week 4 with a hamstring injury, and safety Justin Reid is in the concussion protocol.
The team waived RB Velus Jones Jr. to create a roster spot, though he could potentially return on the practice squad if he clears waivers. The Saints also terminated the contracts of DE Garrett Nelson, OT Sataoa Laumea and WR Tommy Mellott, while signing WR Ronnie Bell and rookie TE Moliki Matavao to that group. Matavao was waived over the weekend to clear space for the return of TE Foster Moreau and QB Taysom Hill from the PUP list.
The Saints had initially intended to sign Davis to the practice squad, according to a report from the NFL Network, but competing interest from the Detroit Lions forced their hand to add him to the active roster.
Davis, 30, was a UDFA out of BYU in 2017 and has appeared in 122 NFL games, 76 starts, split between the Commanders and Chargers. The signing reunited the player with defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who was Davis' head coach in LA from 2021-'23.
The Saints are coming off their first win of the season, and the first of the Kellen Moore head coaching era. They'll face another team coming off a big win on Sunday, with the Patriots beating the Bills on Sunday Night Football in Buffalo. That game will kick off at noon, Sunday inside the Caesars Superdome. Catch all the action on WWL and Audacy.