Saints Notebook: Roster Moves, Injury Updates Along With Some Lagniappe

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The New Orleans Saints officially finalized their roster after Sunday’s roster deadline and Monday’s waiver wire deadline. They can now begin preparation for their road opener against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 13.

The Saints claimed two players off waivers and finalized their practice squad Monday. Head coach Kellen Moore offered insight into the roster decisions and provided injury report updates.

Here is a notebook on everything that happened today, including Moore’s comments and our analysis.

Saints Claim Two Off of Waiver Wires

Saints executive vice president and general manager Mickey Loomis announced Monday that the club claimed offensive tackle Mason Murphy (Chicago Bears) and defensive tackle Colby Wooden (Indianapolis Colts) off waivers. To make room on the roster, New Orleans waived wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. and tight end Treyton Welch.

Murphy was an undrafted free agent rookie who originally signed with the Chicago Bears following the 2026 NFL Draft. Murphy played in 51 career games with 34 starts throughout his college career at USC (2021-24) before finishing his career at Auburn. Murphy was picked up arguably due to his versatility as when he was at Auburn, he started the first nine games at right tackle before starting the last three at center. Given the lack of depth on the offensive line, this is a solid pickup through the waiver wire for the Saints.

Wooden played in 47 regular season games with 17 starts for the Packers (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 Indianapolis Colts in March 2026 and participated in the Colts' Training Camp.

Saints Bring Back 12 Players on Practice Squad

During Moore’s press conference, the Saints released its list of the 12 players who made the practice squad.

EDGE Fadil Diggs
RB CJ Donaldson
CB TJ Hall Jr.
OT Alan Herron
OT Easton Kilty
WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper
WR Trey Palmer
LB Jackson Sirmon
K Charlie Smyth
DL Jay’Viar Suggs
RB Zamir White
OT Alex Wollschlager

Daniel Carlson Needed Just Two Days to Win the Kicking Job

Veteran Daniel Carlson secured the starting kicker role on the initial 53-man roster following successful field goal conversions of 38 and 53 yards during the Saints’ last preseason exhibition against the Dallas Cowboys. He joined the team after inconsistent performances by initial competitors Tanner Brown and Charlie Smyth led the Saints to sign him as a free agent.

“We really only had two days with Daniel, and so obviously feel like he showed himself well,” Moore said of Carlson. “Obviously made a nice kick at Dallas. And, yeah, I think more time on task was beneficial for him.”

Smyth subsequently joined the practice squad. As an Irish national participating in the International Player Pathway (IPP) program, his inclusion provides the Saints with an extra practice squad exemption. So the Saints can have 17-members on the squad instead of the normal sixteen.

Versatility Matters in Roster Decisions

Versatility likely played a major role in recent roster decisions.

One of the primary surprises was Mike Reid Jr. making the roster. Moore noted Reid's ability to play multiple positions across the defensive backfield during his press conference.

"I would say for him, he played more cornerback, nickel, and we ended up playing him a lot more at safety, and I think he did a really, really good job there," Moore said. "So we know there's versatility there. He can play in a lot of spots, but he performed excellently when he went in the back end."

The same applies to Jayden Price, a standout performer during training camp. The third-year cornerback has also excelled inside as a nickelback.

Colby Wooden, whom the Saints claimed off waivers, also demonstrated positional flexibility on the defensive line during his time with Green Bay.

Kamara, Jordan Among Key Week 1 Injury Questions

Moore addressed the challenge of navigating upcoming 53-man roster decisions amidst multiple injuries, noting that discussions are ongoing. While the team expects to place several players on injured reserve for extended periods, staff members are managing roster balance and evaluating depth options.

According to Moore, safety Lorenzo Styles has not been placed on IR. The team is weighing options, leaving open the possibility he could return within four weeks.

Regarding running back Alvin Kamara and defensive end Cameron Jordan, their statuses for Week 1 remain undetermined. Neither is expected to practice this week, with final evaluations slated for late next week.

“We'll see how this week goes,” Moore said. “We'll probably have a better idea at the end of next week. We'll have a couple practices this week, and then next week should have a good idea, obviously, of what workload those guys are able to do. And that will project us into what Week 1 looks like.”

Moore also touched on running back Devin Neal, who is navigating a recurring hamstring injury. While the injury is not more severe than his previous one, it was significant enough to land him on the season-ending injured reserve list.

“He had a hamstring injury, obviously unfortunate,” Moore said of Neal’s injury. “He's had to navigate that a couple times. And so, bummer for him because I love Dev. He's an awesome kid. And he's done a lot of good things for us.”

Saints Begin Turning the Page to Week 1

While the coaching staff is balancing final roster decisions, they have started shifting their focus toward Detroit. According to Moore, practice sessions will remain centered on internal team development alongside preliminary Detroit prep before moving into full game-week preparation next week.

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