The Saints have signed kicker Tanner Brown to a two-year, $1.97 million contract that includes $36,000 guaranteed, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
Brown will replace Mason Shipley, who was signed earlier this offseason as an undrafted free agent.
Brown brings experience as a versatile specialist. Early in his collegiate career, he spent the COVID-shortened 2020 season as a punter for
UNLV. Following that season, he transferred to Oklahoma State, where he served as the Cowboys’ kicker for two seasons. During his time at Oklahoma State, Brown was perfect on extra-point attempts and missed just one field goal during his final season, finishing 22-of-23 (95.7%) on field-goal attempts.
Despite going undrafted in 2023, Brown received opportunities with both the Falcons and Rams but was unable to make an NFL roster or appear in a regular-season game.
After two seasons of trying to break into the NFL, Brown joined the UFL’s Louisville Kings in 2025. He earned UFL Special Teams Player of the Year honors after converting 25 of 28 field-goal attempts (89.3%).
Even more impressive was his leg strength. Brown converted two field goals of 60-plus yards in the same game and went a perfect 4-for-4 on field-goal attempts during Louisville’s two playoff games. He also connected on 7 of 9 field-goal attempts from 50 yards or longer during the season.
Brown now joins Charlie Smyth in the Saints’ kicking room, creating an intriguing competition heading into training camp.
The Saints have a lot of promise heading into the 2026 season, and they have added even more talent to their special teams unit with the signing of Brown. It will be worth watching to see if his UFL success can translate into a long-term opportunity at the NFL level.
