NFL Free Agency: Saints Free Agent TE Reportedly Signing With Texans

The Saints just lost an offensive depth piece

Dec 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau (87) makes a catch during the second half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints made a splash on the first day of the NFL's legal negotiating window by reportedly agreeing to terms on a two-year contract with former Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant.

Fant, 28, is set to play alongside Juwan Johnson in the second year of a Kellen Moore-run offense. The signing paved the way for New Orleans to let free agent tight end Foster Moreau join another team: the Houston Texans, as first reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

"The Texans are signing former Saints TE Foster Moreau, source said, adding depth to the TE room," Rapoport said. "He leaves New Orleans after three seasons."

The Saints lose a depth piece

NFL New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau | Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The #Texans are signing former #Saints TE Foster Moreau, source said, adding depth to the TE room. He leaves New Orleans after three seasons. pic.twitter.com/2f7dA6nB2C

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2026

Moreau, who will turn 29 in May, signed a three-year deal worth more than $12 million with New Orleans in the 2023 offseason. The signing came two months after a free agent visit in New Orleans that diagnosed Moreau with Hodgkin lymphoma, forcing him to step away from football temporarily. He recovered and announced that his cancer was in remission before the 2023 NFL season.

The 2019 fourth-round pick caught 60 passes for 754 yards in his three seasons with the Saints. He caught a career-high five touchdowns in the 2024 season. Moreau spent the first four seasons of his career with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Texans' addition of Moreau will be considered a depth signing as he's expected to be behind both Dalton Schultz and Cade Stover. Schultz reportedly was rewarded with a lucrative, one-year extension just a few days ago, and Stover was drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

For the Saints, Fant's arrival is a direct replacement of Moreau. The former Bengals tight end played in 15 games last season, catching 34 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns. By pairing Fant with Johnson, quarterback Tyler Shough now has two explosive tight ends who can operate in the middle of the field to alleviate pressure on the Saints' wide receiving corps.

NFL free agency continues to deliver. Players are getting their well-deserved money, and while the Saints would've liked to bring Moreau back, it's a bittersweet moment to see him get an opportunity with the Texans.