Canal Street Chronicles
The hardest time of the NFL season is here. Roster sizes shrink from 90 players to 53, calling for teams to cut or waive 37 players. The New Orleans Saints had to make several tough decisions. The running back room was full of talent, plenty of linebackers stood out during the preseason, and, of course, the quarterback battle. Here are the most surprising decisions the Saints made on Tuesday.
Head coach Kellen Moore has emphasized that third-year quarterback Jake Haener was a contender to win the starting quarterback job in a battle with Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough. While Haener’s path to winning the job would be harder than the previously mentioned, Moore continued to include the former fourth-round pick in the battle.
The first indication that Haener would be a cut candidate was his lack of playtime in the preseason. The third-string quarterback only saw four drives in three preseason games and was never given the same chances to earn the starting quarterback job as Shough and Rattler. But when Haener did see the field, he didn’t do much to help his case. The former Fresno State quarterback ended the preseason going 10/17 for 78 yards and an interception.
New Orleans would be interested in bringing Haener back to the practice squad if he clears waivers, per ESPN’s Kat Terrell.
After the Saints terminated the contract of veteran running back Cam Akers, it felt as if Louisiana native Clyde Edwards-Helaire was a safe bet to make the roster. New Orleans signed Edwards-Helaire to a futures contract after the 2024 season, and he was a player that head coach Kellen Moore wanted to bring to the roster in 2025.
Despite what was seen as a talented running back room in New Orleans, it has been reported that the Saints were shopping for additional running back help. With New Orleans being unhappy with the current state of their running back room, they let Edwards-Helaire go to make room for a possible waiver wire addition. It’s also noteworthy that Moore had plenty of praise for sixth-round pick Devin Neal, who had his preseason debut against the Denver Broncos.
The Saints’ tight end room has been decimated by injuries. Veterans Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill suffered severe injuries during the 2024 NFL season, and it’s being reported that Hill and Moreau will start the season on the physically unable to perform list. With injuries to their veterans, it came as a surprise that New Orleans waived Treyton Welch, who has been the best-performing tight end for the Saints during the preseason.
Welch caught 6 passes for 65 yards during the preseason, leading all Saints tight ends. Welch wasn’t the only tight end waived by New Orleans either; the Saints also released Michael Jacobson. Seventh-round rookie Moliki Matavao had a strong showing in the team’s preseason finale, and it appears New Orleans will keep him on...
