Saints Get Quiet Win With Kai Kroeger-Texans Trade

The New Orleans Saints made a splash in free agency on Monday by reportedly signing veteran punter Ryan Wright to a four-year, $14 million deal.

Well, you don't need two punters. New Orleans followed up on Tuesday and reportedly agreed to terms on a rare punter trade with the Houston Texans. The Saints will send Kai Kroeger to Houston and the two franchises will swap a sixth- and seventh-round pick in 2028, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

"Punter trade! The Texans are trading for Saints punter Kai Kroeger, sources say, with the teams swapping 6th and 7th rounders in 2028," Rapoport wrote.

What a surprise

Oct 5, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints punter Kai Kroeger (32) and New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe (19) celebrate after a made field goal against the New York Giants during the second quarter at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Punter trade! The #Texans are trading for #Saints punter Kai Kroeger, sources say, with the teams swapping 6th and 7th rounders in 2028. pic.twitter.com/Oe5r1maAAp
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2026

Kroeger was a rookie in 2025. He played in all 17 games for the Saints and finished the season with a 63.9 Pro Football Focus grade, good for 25th among 32 punters. For the Saints, they already reportedly agreed to terms on a deal with a punter on Monday, who ranked sixth with an 81.3 PFF grade in 2025. Now, they trade away their former punter and in the process, will eventually have a better pick in the 2028 NFL Draft. A quiet win, but a win in general for New Orleans.

Each offseason brings different things. There are always surprises. A punter trade the day after agreeing to hand out a $14 million deal to a different punter certainly couldn't have been predicted, but they are both good moves. By the time the 2026 season rolls around, this move will be better graded, but New Orleans certainly isn't messing around this offseason. The Saints have upgraded the position and got a better draft pick.

So far, the Saints have reportedly bolstered the running back room with Travis Etienne Jr., the offensive line with David Edwards and the tight end room with Noah Fant. Plus, of course, the Saints have also bolstered the punter position. Overall, Mickey Loomis and the entire Saints front office is cooking early in free agency and there are still months to go in the offseason. If the Saints keep up the movement, even on a small scale like this, they are going to be in good shape as the 2026 season approaches.