The New Orleans Saints hosted seven free agents for a round of tryouts on Tuesday, including five cornerbacks — and former Atlanta Falcons first-round pick Takkarist McKinley, a pass-rushing defensive end. With a third spot soon opening up on the 53-man roster once Payton Turner goes on injured reserve, as is expected, the Saints will have room for some new faces after elevating other players from the practice squad.
All of these players look like practice squad candidates, which isn’t unusual. The Saints churn the bottom of their depth chart often throughout the season looking for the right blend of young pros and experienced veterans. It’s interesting that there are so many defensive backs in the building but there haven’t been any major injuries to explain the interest, so maybe they’re just after improved depth or more help on special teams. Here’s what you need to know about each free agent who tried out Tuesday:
DE Takkarist McKinley
McKinley was picked at No. 26 overall out of UCLA by the dirty birds back in 2017, and he played for them up until the 2020 season — until he landed with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was briefly teammates with Derek Carr. Injuries were a problem early in his career and he bounced around the league in the years that followed, at times suiting up for the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, and Dallas Cowboys (who released him this summer). There’s room for another defensive end on the depth chart after a serious injury to Payton Turner, even if it’s more likely McKinley starts out on the practice squad than the game-day active roster.
TE Michael Jacobson
This is a curious move. The only other non-defensive back the Saints brought in Tuesday was tight end Michael Jacobson — a former basketball player at Nebraska and Iowa State who was signed by the Seattle Seahawks in 2021 as a tight end, continuing to pick up the position with the Indianapolis Colts the last two years. He weighs in at 6-foot-7 and 244 pounds and could be a long-term developmental prospect.
CB Michael Ojemudia
Ojemudia was rumored to be a Saints trade target back in 2021 before they cut a deal with the Houston Texans to acquire Bradley Roby; he later fell out of favor with the Denver Broncos’ coaching staff and missed half the 2022 season with an injury before being let go late in the year. The Chicago Bears picked him up but he didn’t make it through roster cuts this summer. He’d make sense as a cornerback with NFL experience to stash on the practice squad.
CB Rodarius Williams
A sixth-round pick by the New York Giants in 2021 (out of Oklahoma State), Williams lost most of his rookie year to an ACL injury but bounced back the next season (snagging his first interception from Dak Prescott). But improved depth in the Giants’ secondary led to him being released during the preseason, and he finished the summer with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He’s a Shreveport, La. native and the elder brother of former LSU Tigers standout Greedy Williams.
CB Faion Hicks
Another former Bronco, Hicks was selected in the seventh round of the 2022 draft out of Wisconsin, but he wasn’t drafted by Sean Payton, so he was let go during roster cuts this summer in favor of other players who showed more in preseason.
CB Cam Brown
Brown is one of two cornerbacks the Saints competed against in joint practices and preseason games this summer (we’ll get to the other one shortly). He played college football at Ohio State as one of Chris Olave’s teammates and signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent earlier this year. He didn’t make the team, but the Saints got a good look at him and they might see a role for him on their practice squad.
CB Cameron Dantzler
Dantzler is one to watch. He’s from Hammond, La. and played college ball at Mississippi State, going on to be picked in the third round of the 2020 draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He’s started 26 of his 35 games in the league with Minnesota before being waived earlier this year; he’s spent time with the Washington Commanders (from March 13 to May 30), Buffalo Bills (June 7 to July 27), and Houston Texans (Aug. 22 to 29), with whom he practiced against the Saints for two days prior to their final preseason game. He picked off Jake Haener in that matchup and played well, but not well enough to make the Texans’ roster. He could be a good player to stash on the practice squad if he’s willing to compete for a role on special teams.
