Saints re-sign RB Devine Ozigbo among latest roster moves

The New Orleans Saints are churning their depth chart after last weekend’s rookie minicamp practices, in which a number of free agents and first-year players tried out at the team facility in Metairie. Some players are on their way out, but a couple of others are joining in time for training sessions during the summer — including one familiar name in Devine Ozigbo. Let’s dig into each roster move:

RB Devine Ozigbo re-signed

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Ozigbo initally signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Nebraska and made a strong impression during the 2019 preseason, but got squeezed off the roster in final cuts and has since spent a lot of time with the Jacksonville Jaguars in-between returns to New Orleans. He was most recently with the New England Patriots but was pushed out by several draft picks at running back, and now he’s back where his NFL career began.

LB Eric Wilson signed

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This is an interesting pickup. Wilson has taken a lot of snaps on special teams in his career (956) but started the 2020 season for the Minnesota Vikings before splitting time between Houston and Philadelphia in 2021, totaling 1,749 defensive snaps in the NFL. He’s bringing quality depth at a position flush with unproven draft picks.

OL Josh Andrews signed

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Here’s more good depth. Andrews has hung around the league as a backup for a long time, and he’s now entering his ninth season after seeing just 10 snaps on special teams with the Atlanta Falcons a year ago. The Saints opted not to re-sign Will Clapp in free agency and had a spot open for another experienced guard/center on the depth chart, so Andrews makes sense for that role. This pickup was announced by his agent.

WR Jalen McCleskey waived

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This is disappointing; McCleskey held his own in training camp last year before a hamstring injury ended his season before it could really get off the ground, and now he’s been let go again. The former Tulane standout has great speed but the Saints have added enough players with similar skills sets to where it’ll take more than that to win a spot on the roster or practice squad.

OL Cohl Cabral waived

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Cabral was one of a couple of players competing at rookie minicamps. He was signed earlier this offseason after turning pro last year out of Arizona State, and was likely in the mix for a spot on the practice squad.

LB Joe Dublanko waived

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Dublanko was a standout at Cincinnati and arrived in New Orleans with several other linebackers after the 2022 NFL draft as a rookie free agent; after competing alongside them and some other tryout players, the Saints opted to let him go and work with other options.

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