As expected the New Orleans Saints were busy on the waiver wire, adding two players that had been cut elsewhere, including a familiar name.
The Saints opted to claim former Buccaneers WR Trey Palmer and former Broncos G Xavier Truss. Palmer's name should be familiar as a Louisiana native and short-time LSU receiver before he transferred to Nebraska to finish out his college career. The Bucs took Palmer in the 6th round of the 2023 draft.
In three career games against the Saints Palmer has 6 catches for 90 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Palmer offers elite speed (4.33 40-yard dash) and decent size (6-0, 192 pounds). The addition will create a bit of a numbers crunch in the WR room, which now has seven players. The most likely cut candidate would appear to be Cedrick Wilson, who is a veteran player and not subject to waivers. A willing and effective blocker with strong connections to head coach Kellen Moore, Wilson has shown inconsistent hands and had a drop in the preseason finale against the Broncos.
Truss, meanwhile, was an undrafted free agent out of Georgia this season. He's a player that spent the preseason with Sean Payton's Broncos, the second addition from that squad after a trade for WR Devaughn Vele last week. The Saints will also have to make a corresponding move to make space for the Truss addition.
New Orleans also saw a pair of cuts depart on the waiver wire, with CB Rico Payton landing with the Broncos and LB D'Marco Jackson heading to the Bears. The Jackson claim isn't a surprise, considering he's rejoining former Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who was the head coach in 2022 when Jackson was drafted.
With waivers now cleared the Saints will be free to sign their 16-man practice squad, which can balloon to 17 if they choose to retain kicker Charlie Smyth as an IPP player.
