The New Orleans Saints made a pair of moves Tuesday that will likely be well received within the fanbase.
The team announced it has cut struggling kicker Daniel Carlson and has claimed RB Audric Estime off waivers. Carlson was a player added to the Saints roster late in camp as the two kickers embroiled in a competition, Charlie Smyth and Tanner Brown, were both struggling. He won that competition with a strong finish to camp that included a game-winner in the preseason finale, but had an uneven start to the season.
Carlson was 8 of 12 on the season with all four misses coming from outside of 50. He also missed a pair of PATs, one of which was blocked. The team opted to stick with him on its swing out to New York and Paris, but a missed 52-yarder in a critical moment appears to have pushed the team over the edge in that department.
The most likely option to fill that spot will be Charlie Smyth, who is currently on the practice squad and can be elevated up to three times before he'd need to be signed to the active roster. Smyth kicked in six games last year and went 12 for 16, including a game-winning kick against the Panthers. The Saints could also opt to have a kicker competition, though head coach Kellen Moore appeared to rule that out when speaking to the media on Monday.
Estime's return is interesting in its own right, with the former 5th round pick of the Broncos fighting his way onto the roster with a strong camp, only to land on IR at the start of the season due to a thigh issue. He was ultimately released from IR with an injury settlement, which meant the Saints had to wait the agreed-upon duration of the injury absence, plus three weeks. Estime initially landed on the Vikings practice squad before being signed by the Browns, the Saints upcoming opponent. He appeared in one game, a 13-10 win over the Ravens, and rushed for 19 yards and a touchdown on 9 carries.
The 23-year-old bruising back adds an intriguing option back to a Saints RB room that has had its struggles a majority of the season and is still without star free agent acquisition Travis Etienne (hamstring). Estime flashed a versatile skillset after being signed midway through the 2025 season and ascended to lead back duties late in the year due to injuries. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry on his 46 attempts last season, rolling up 198 yards a touchdown.
The Saints are looking to bounce back in the run game following the bye week and after firing run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti on the heels of an 18-yard rushing effort during a 16-10 loss to the Steelers in Paris.
The Saints are next in action on Sunday when they host the Brown (5-3) at the Caesars Superdome for a noon kickoff. Catch all the action on WWL and Audacy.
