Saints Claim a Pair off Waivers, Waive Their Own TE and WR

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Looking for line help on both sides of the ball, the New Orleans Saints have claimed two big men off other teams' waver wire.

In order to make room, the team waived tight end Treyton Welch and wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr.

Check out the ones who made the practice squad and Kellen Moore's thoughts on that later this afternoon right here.

Help along the Offensive Line

Saints offensive tackle Mason Murph — Aug 22, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bears offensive tackle Mason Murphy (63) before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mason Murphy, 6' 5", 315, was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent. The Riverside, Calif., native played in 51 career games with 34 starts in college. He was at USC from 2021-24, then finished his career in 2025 at and Auburn. He started all 12-games for the Tigers, playing tackle for nine of those starts before moving to center for the final three games for Auburn.

D-Line Depth for the Saints

Saints defensive tackle Colby Woode — Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Colby Wooden (96) warms up during the team’s veteran minicamp Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Colby Wooden stands 6' 4" and weighs in at 273. He was selected originally in the fourth round by in2023. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native played in 47 regular season games with 17 starts for the Pack (2023-25), recording 87 tackles (45 solo), 0.5 sack, nine stops for a loss, and three pass breakups. He also appeared in four postseason contests for Green Bay with one start, recording seven tackles (two solo), 0.5 sack, and four quarterback hurries. Wooden was traded to the Colts in March 2026 and participated in their training camp this Fall.

Add Two, Subtract Two

With the addition of Murphy and Wooden, the Saints had to make corresponding moves to its 53-man roster.

Aug 28, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Treyton Welch (82) jumps over Dallas Cowboys linebacker Justin Barron (45) during the first half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tight end Treyton Welch had already made a name for himself when he leapt over a Dallas defender in Friday night's preseason finale.

Welch was in for 101-plays in those three preseason games. He scored adequately in the Pro Football Forum (PFF) metric, averaging a 66.3 over the contests. His biggest issue was his pass blocking, where, against the Cowpokes, he scored among the team's lowest at 28.9.

Saints receiver Kevin Austin J — Aug 08, 2026; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. (81) during training camp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kevin Austin Jr has been with the club since 2024, appearing on the practice squad, then bouncing onto the active roster when needed.

In his fourth year in the NFL, Austin Jr piled up 110-snaps in preseason. His scores were also in the decent range with a 60.7 score from PFF for his overall offensive abilities. His pass score, which accounts for routes, separation, etc. were only 62.0

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