Saints Roster Cuts: 3 Surprising Players Left Off Final 53

Sign up for the daily Saints Newsletter by clicking here.

The New Orleans Saints trimmed their roster down to the final 53 players ahead of Sunday's 5 p.m. CT deadline mandated by the NFL.

It was an anxious day for many fringe players awaiting a phone call or an in-person meeting, unsure of whether they had secured a spot on the team.

General manager Mickey Loomis, head coach Kellen Moore, and the rest of the Saints' front office worked to fulfill the league's roster requirements. Although most decisions were expected, a few cuts came as a surprise.

Here are three players whose exclusion from the final 53-man roster was particularly surprising.

Offensive Lineman Easton Kilty

Saintss — May 10, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints tackle Easton Kilty (73) during rookie minicamp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Undrafted free agent offensive lineman Easton Kilty was the bubble player on offense we felt most confident would make the team. Given how high the Saints were on him, his exclusion from the final 53-man roster came as a major surprise.

Who were the Biggest Winners & Biggest Losers in the cut down to 53? See our story here.

PFF graded Kilty at 87.3, which paced the entire offense. His 91.3 run-blocking grade also led the offensive line. Stepping up to start for the second-team offense last week against the Rams, he logged an 80.2 overall offensive grade and an 86.2 run-blocking mark.

On the flip side, shaky pass protection across his last two preseason outings likely doomed his chances of securing a roster spot.

Even so, Kilty demonstrated his potential over three preseason games and should serve as a high-value practice squad asset, putting him first in line for a call-up if an offensive line injury occurs.

Safety Terrell Burgess

Nov 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints safety Terrell Burgess (26) reacts after a defensive play against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The release of safety Terrell Burgess stood out as the afternoon's most surprising move, catching many by surprise given that he appeared to be a lock for the final roster. Considering his solid performance throughout training camp and the preseason, alongside the extension he received earlier this spring, his cutting was a scenario few saw coming.

A Super Bowl champion and seasoned defensive back who joined New Orleans last year, Burgess recorded 22 total tackles along with three pass breakups across 16 games in a rotational role. Across three exhibition matchups, he emerged as the team's top-graded defender per Pro Football Focus, posting an impressive 83.6 overall defensive mark.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, New Orleans plans to sign Burgess to the practice squad. Burgess spent time on the practice squad last season before being brought up to the full 53-man roster and playing in 16 games.

Cornerback Isaac Yiadom

Another unexpected roster by the Saints was releasing veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom. Despite being considered a lock by beat writers and having $1.5 million of his 2026 salary guaranteed, the 30-year-old was let go to open a spot for younger defensive backs.

Last season, Yiadom contributed 23 tackles and special teams play over 14 games. If he remains unsigned elsewhere, he is a primary candidate to return via the practice squad or the active roster should an injured reserve slot open up.

A journeyman with 34 starts in 118 career games across six franchises, Yiadom previously played for New Orleans in 2022–2023. After a 2024 stint with the 49ers, he had just rejoined the Saints this past offseason.

Mailbag Submissions

Wednesdays, On SI Saints will answer your questions about what we see from our vantage point. To submit your thoughts or inquiries click here.

Add us as a preferred source on Google