NFC Divisional Round: Derek Carr throws 5 interceptions as the Saints lose to the Rams in the divisional round for the second straight season. Taysom Hill and Cameron Jordan stay on the field for an extended period of time before joining the team in the locker room.
NFC Championship Round: The Saints organization holds their end of season press conference where they commit to doing a deep dive on quarterbacks to find someone they believe can take them all the way. The only quarterback referenced by name is Derek Carr, noting he have a chance to stay and start again. New Orleans also announces the firing of special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi who had survived from the Sean Payton era to the Dennis Allen era to the first two years of the JC era.
Super Bowl Week: The Saints sign 12 players to reserve/future contracts. They are HB Eric Stork, LB Ty’Ron Hopper, DB Christian Matthew, HB Miyan Williams, WR Kayshon Boutte, DL Tunmise Adeleye, DB Josh Proctor, DB Josh Thompson, OL Ja’Tyre Carter, EDGE Isaiah Thomas, TE Nick Muse, OL Javon Foster.
Re-Sign Period: Taysom Hill and Cameron Jordan officially retire. New Orleans has a press conference introducing Hill in a new never before seen role, utility/fullbacks coach with the goal of replacing Hill’s production and instilling the utility he brought. Cameron Jordan was offered a defensive analyst role but chose to enjoy retirement. SS Caden Sterns, FS Tyrann Mathieu, LB Pete Werner, TE Juwan Johnson, RG Cesar Ruiz are re-signed. HB Alvin Kamara and P Lou Hedley are cut. WR Michael Thomas, DL Payton Turner, OL Landon Young, OL James Hurst, LB Nephi Sewell walk into Free Agency.
Early Free Agency: QB Max Duggan is signed to compete with Derek Carr. OL Quinn Meinerz is signed to boost the interior offensive line. DL Khalen Saunders, DB JT Gray, and QB Jake Haener are released. Jamaal Williams saves his job by converting to fullback per Taysom Hill’s advice.
Mid Free Agency: Matthew Judon is signed to help the edge group. Matthew Ioannidis is signed to be a nose tackle. Jeff Driskel is signed per Taysom Hill’s request to compete at fullback. The Saints finally hire a replacement at special teams coordinator, LeVar Woods who had been the special teams coordinator at Iowa since 2018.
Late Free Agency: Raheem Mostert is signed to mentor the young running back room. Jarvis Landry is signed to mentor the young receiver room. Geoff Swaim is signed to mentor the tight ends. Ryan Wright is signed as the new punter per Woods’ request. Christian Kirksey is signed to mentor the young linebacker core. Bobby Hart is signed to mentor RT Graham Barton coming off of a decent rookie season. Brevin Jordan is signed as a depth tight end.
The Draft: The Saints make no trades despite discussions with both the Steelers and 49ers. At pick 1.28 they took quarterback Maalik Murphy out of North Carolina. They inform Derek Carr and he promptly asks to be released. New Orleans obliges and Carr is cut mid draft. At pick 3.28 they take S Yamarus Banks out of Georgia. Tyrann Mathieu is the one that calls Banks telling him he’ll have the best mentor in the league. At pick 4.28 they take IOL Cole Hutson out of Texas as Hutson was part of back to back national championship teams. At pick 5.28 they take EDGE Kenyatta Jackson out of Ohio State. At pick 6.28 they take TE/FB Tyler Savage as the FB position grows to 3 with Taysom Hill weighing all options.
OTAs/Training Camps: New Orleans sign veterans WR Terrace Marshall Jr, WR Dyami Brown, EDGE Dayo Odeyingbo, OL Donovan Smith, WR Andrei Iosivas, EDGE Carter Coughlin to one year deals. New Orleans also signs UDFAs K Trey Smack, DT Ricky Correia, DL Gabe Jacas, HB Ollie Gordon, HB Kaleb Johnson, OL Cam’Ron Johnson, OL Xavier Chaplin, DB Maxen Hook to one year deals. To make room for these signings, DT Nathan Shepherd, OL Tommy Kraemer, OL Wyatt Davis, WR Ben Skowronek, TE Nick Muse, OL Javon Foster, EDGE Isaiah Thomas, and QB/FB Jeff Driskel are cut to make room for the UDFAs and vets.
Preseason Week 1: Position battles for QB1, HB3, FB, WR4, WR5, TE1, TE3, RT, EDGE4, DT3, LB4, FS, and K begin with close competition across the board. The Saints announce that WR Chris Olave and DL John Franklin-Myers will not play preseason and Isaiah Foskey and Tyrann Mathieu will be limited.
Preseason Week 2: DB Josh Thompson and OL Bobby Hart are released. LB Malik Harrison and DB Isaiah Oliver are signed. Position battles continue.
Preseason Week 3: Position battles continue as players start to seperate from the pack. WR Andrei Iosivas tears his labrum and is put on season-ending IR. Khalil Herbert is signed as the roster spot opens.
Cut Week: The Saints cut their roster from 75 down to 53 by placing 12 players on the practice squad and waiving 10 others into free agency. Those cut outright are HB Raheem Mostert, HB/FB Jamaal Williams, WR Jarvis Landry, WR Kayshon Boutte, TE Geoff Swaim, TE Foster Moreau, EDGE Carter Coughlin, LB Christian Kirksey, CB Christian Matthew, DB Josh Proctor. Those retained on the practice squad are HB Miyan Williams, HB Ollie Gordon, HB Kaleb Johnson, OL Xavier Chaplin, OL Cam’Ron Johnson, DL Gabe Jacas, EDGE Kenyatta Jackson, DT Tunmise Adeleye, LB Anfernee Orji, DB/KR Andru Phillips, DB Maxen Hook, K Trey Smack.
Cut Week Fallout: Position Battles are determined with the release of the first official depth chart.
Offense
QB: Maalik Murphy, Max Duggan, Jalon Daniels
HB: Kendre Miller, Eric Stork, Khalil Herbert
3DRB: Eric Stork, Tyler Savage, Kendre Miller
PWHB: Khalil Herbert, Eric Stork, Kendre Miller
FB: Tyler Savage
WR: Chris Olave, AT Perry, Rashid Shaheed
WR: Johnny Wilson, Terrace Marshall Jr, Dyami Brown
SLWR: Chris Olave, Terrace Marshall Jr, Rashid Shaheed
TE: Jatavion Sanders, Juwan Johnson, Brevin Jordan
LT: Trevor Penning, Donovan Smith, Cole Hutson
LG: Quinn Meinerz, Nick Saldiveri, Cole Hutson
C: Erik McCoy, Nick Saldiveri, Robert Jones
RG: Cesar Ruiz, Cole Hutson, Nick Saldiveri
RT: Graham Barton, Cole Hutson, Ja’Tyre Carter
4-3 Defense
LE: Alfred Collins, Josh Paschal, Dayo Odeyingbo
RE: Isaiah Foskey, Josh Paschal, Matthew Judon
DT: John Franklin-Myers, Alfred Collins, Ricky Correia
DT: Bryan Bresee, Matthew Ioannidis
LOLB: Junior Colson, Buddy Johnson, Ty’Ron Hopper
MLB: Smael Mondon Jr, Malik Harrison, Buddy Johnson
ROLB: Pete Werner, Ty’Ron Hopper, Buddy Johnson
CB: Paulson Adebo, Jaylon Carlies, Isaiah Dunn
CB: Alontae Taylor, Isaiah Oliver
FS: Yamarus Banks, Tyrann Mathieu, Jaylon Carlies
SS: Caden Sterns, Jordan Howden, Jaylon Carlies
Nickel/Dime Defense
EDGE: Isaiah Foskey, Alfred Collins, Matthew Judon
EDGE: Josh Paschal, Alfred Collins, Dayo Odeyingbo
DL: John Franklin-Myers, Bryan Bresee, Ricky Correia
DL: Alfred Collins, Matthew Ioannidis
SUBLB: Smael Mondon Jr, Junior Colson
SUBLB: Pete Werner, Malik Harrison
CB: Paulson Adebo, Jaylon Carlies, Isaiah Dunn
CB: Alontae Taylor, Isaiah Oliver
SLCB: Jaylon Carlies, Isaiah Oliver, Jordan Howden
FS: Yamarus Banks, Tyrann Mathieu, Jaylon Carlies
SS: Caden Sterns, Jordan Howden, Jaylon Carlies
Special Teams
K: Brian Johnson
P: Ryan Wright
KR/PR: Rashid Shaheed
ST: Grant Stuard
Surprises:
5th round pick EDGE Kenyatta Jackson wasn’t able to show enough in camps and preseason becoming the only 2025 draft pick to not make the 53 man roster.
UDFA DT Ricky Correia made the roster thanks to his size and skill where he can develop nose tackle skills behind Matthew Ioannidis and be a rotational piece.
Grant Stuard made the roster as a designated special teamer as he doesn’t appear on the depth chart outside special teams.
HB Khalil Herbert was signed after the preseason week 3 game and made the final roster over 4 running backs who spent all of camp and preseason in New Orleans.
WR Kayshon Boutte and DB Josh Proctor were both practice squad eligible, but were outright cut instead of retained on the practice squad.
WR Rashid Shaheed and QB Jalon Daniels made the final 53 roster but are both actively seeking trades as WR5 and QB3 of the Saints is not the playing opportunity they feel they deserve.
