Saints Place Zach Wood on IR, Make Multiple Roster Moves

New Orleans placed longtime long snapper Zach Wood on injured reserve, promoted rookie running back CJ Donaldson and added veteran Scott Daly ahead of Week 2 against Baltimore.

Aug 28, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints running back CJ Donaldson (43) runs with the ball during the game between the Cowboys and the Saints at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New Orleans Saints announced several roster moves today, placing long snapper Zach Wood on injured reserve with a Grade II calf strain, signing running back CJ Donaldson to the active roster from the practice squad, and adding long snapper Scott Daly to the practice squad.

Wood is expected to miss four to six weeks. Prior to the injury, he had played in 150 consecutive games since joining New Orleans in 2017. Daly will serve as the Saints' primary long snapper during Wood's absence.

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Donaldson made his NFL debut in Week 1 at Detroit, recording 4 rushing yards and one reception. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound running back signed with New Orleans as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 NFL draft out of Ohio State.

Daly, a 6-foot-2, 245-pound long snapper, spent the first week of the season on the Green Bay Packers practice squad after competing for a roster spot with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2026 preseason.

Check out the Friday Injury Report for both the Saints and Ravens.

The nine-year veteran has appeared in 76 regular-season games and two postseason contests over his career, playing for the Detroit Lions from 2021 to 2023 and the Chicago Bears from 2024 to 2025.

He played in all 17 games for Chicago in 2025, recording three special teams tackles while handling snapping duties in both playoff games. Originally an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2018, the Downers Grove, Illinois, native played three seasons for the Fighting Irish from 2013 to 2015, appearing in 39 games.

New Orleans Saints 2026 Schedule

Preseason

Sat. Aug. 15 – vs. Jacksonville –L 24-20
Sat. Aug. 22 – at LA Rams – L 34-0
Fri., Aug. 28 – at Dallas – W 27-24

Regular Season

Sun. Sept. 13 at Detroit – L 31-30 (OT)
Sun. Sept. 20 at Baltimore – Noon (CBS)
Sun. Sept. 27 vs. Las Vegas – 3:25 pm (CBS)
Mon. Oct. 5 vs. Atlanta – 7:15 pm (ESPN)
Sun. Oct. 11 vs. Minnesota – Noon (FOX)
Sun. Oct. 18 at NY Giants – Noon (FOX)
Sun. Oct. 25 vs. Pittsburgh (Paris) – 8:30 am (NFL Network)
Sun. Nov. 1 – BYE WEEK
Sun. Nov. 8 vs. Cleveland – Noon (CBS)
Sun. Nov. 15 vs. Carolina – Noon (FOX)
Sun. Nov. 22 at Chicago – Noon (FOX)
Sun. Nov. 29 at Cincinnati – Noon (CBS)
Sun. Dec. 6 vs. Green Bay – Noon (FOX)
Sun. Dec. 13 at Carolina – Noon (CBS)
Sun. Dec. 20 at Tampa Bay – Noon (FOX)
Sun. Dec. 27 vs. Arizona – Noon (FOX)
Sun. Jan. 3 at Atlanta – Noon (FOX)
Jan. 9 or 10 vs. Tampa Bay – TBD (TBD)

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