New Orleans Saints training camp preview: Recapping every newcomer

New Orleans Saints

training camp will be here before you know it. Weeks of practices will see new faces competing with familiar playmakers, with the goal of fielding a better team in 2026 than what we saw in 2025. It's been a busy offseason for the Saints, so here's a refresher on all of their veteran free agent signings, rookie picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, and other offseason acquisitions. Let's get up to speed.

Veteran free agents signed before the draft

• OL David Edwards, No. 76. Edwards, 29, signed a four-year, $61 million contract with $40 million guaranteed at signing, locking him in through 2026, 2027, and likely 2028 as the team's new starting left guard. He was an important part of the Buffalo Bills' success in keeping Josh Allen clean, and is expected to do the same for Tyler Shough.
• RB Travis Etienne Jr, No. 3. Etienne, 27, signed a four-year deal valued at $47 million, with $28 million guaranteed. He's going to take point at running back and try to elevate the NFL's least-explosive run game. He's had more rushes of 15 or more yards over the last four years (41 of them) than every Saints running back put together (35).
• TE Noah Fant, No. 87. Fant, 29, signed for two years and $8.75 million, with $4.5 million guaranteed at signing. So it's really structured like a one-year deal with a team option in 2027. He's a good athlete known for his blocking, and who the Saints tried to get last year. He'll be important to the revamped tight ends room.
• P Ryan Wright, No. 17. Wright, 26, was signed to a four-year contract worth $14 million and guaranteeing $7 million. The hope is for his arrival to stabilize a position that's had a new starter almost every year. He's coming off a career year with 44.5 net yards per punt a big improvement over Kai Kroeger's 37.3.
• LB Kaden Elliss, No. 55. Elliss, 31, returned in a homecoming on a three-year deal worth $33 million, including $23 million in guarantees. He's going to do his part to replace Demario Davis in the middle of the defense, but he's also going to see real pass-rushing snaps off the edge. His 30 quarterback pressures last season would have tied Bryan Bresee for fourth-most in New Orleans.
• QB Zach Wilson, No. 4. Wilson, 27, signed for the veteran minimum ($1,215,000) that guaranteed a third of his base salary plus a small signing bonus ($598,800 altogether). He must outplay Spencer Rattler to earn a roster spot as the backup, but if spring practices are any indication Rattler has a strong head start on the former second overall draft pick.
• RB Ty Chandler, No. 32. Chandler, 28, also signed at the minimum ($1,215,000) but wasn't guaranteed anything, which qualified for the veteran salary benefit. That means his salary cap hit is just $1,075,000. Chandler is returning from a season-ending knee injury with the Minnesota Vikings and while he only has one season of 100-plus carries (in 2023), he did average a respectable 4.5 yards per attempt. His experience returning kickoffs could be a difference-maker.

Rookies picked in the 2026 NFL Draft

• WR Jordyn Tyson, No. 0. Tyson, 21, was drafted in the first round and is expected to handle a feature role in the Saints passing game, though a lingering hamstring injury limited him at OTAs and minicamps. Staying healthy through the daily grind of training camp will be the first challenge he must overcome.
• DT Christen Miller, No. 52. Miller, 21, was a second-round pick and might be the team's new starting nose tackle after Davon Godchaux was benched in Week 18. He just needs to show that the hamstring issue which limited him earlier this spring is behind him.
• TE Oscar Delp, No. 88. Delp, 22, is a favorite of fantasy football analysts who see a ton of untapped potential in the third-round pick. While he wasn't asked to catch many passes at Georgia, Delp's high-end athleticism and advanced stats point to a player who could dramatically outplay his draft position.
• OL Jeremiah Wright, No. 65. Wright, 24, won't be challenging Cesar Ruiz for the starting job at right guard just yet. But the fourth rounder is worth investing in and developing, and he could get his opportunity sooner than expected.
• WR Bryce Lance, No. 18. Lance, 23, was a big-time playmaker at North Dakota State and should have a role right away for New Orleans as someone who can clear out secondaries and win on catches down the sideline. It's early but he was already showing a more-complete route tree at minicamp than we anticipated.
• DB Lorenzo Styles Jr., No. 36. Styles, 23, is a great straight-line athlete who is well-versed in covering punts and kickoffs. With March shoulder surgery behind him, he's set up to earn a role for himself on special teams.
• WR Barion Brown, No. 19. Brown, 22, must outcompete guys like Ty Chandler and Jalen Moreno-Cropper to win the primary kick returner job. If he can do that, he'll position himself to get more touches on offense as a receiver and rusher on gadget plays.
• CB TJ Hall, No. 34. Hall, 22, is a technically-sound athlete with a lot of experience in the zone coverage Brandon Staley wants to run. His disciplined play style and eagerness in run defense could win him a roster spot as a seventh-round pick.

Undrafted free agents signed as rookies

• OL Alex Wollschlaeger, No. 79. Wollschlaeger, 24, received the most guarantees of any Saints rookie free agent ($277,500) after starting four college seasons at right tackle for Bowling Green and Kentucky. He has NFL size and speed and should be expected to at least make the practice squad.
• OL Alan Herron, No. 70. Herron, 23, was also guaranteed a big part of his rookie contract ($272,500) after picking the game up quickly at Maryland. He's been cross-training at left tackle (he guarded the right side in college) and is another practice squad candidate.
• EDGE Michael Heldman, No. 63. Heldman, 23, was guaranteed $267,500 to sign with the Saints (more than Hall, their seventh-round pick). He as a consistent starter at Central Michigan but didn't truly break out until his fifth-year senior season. Keep an eye on him for the practice squad.
• TE Cody Hardy, No. 86. Hardy, 22, may have been overlooked despite getting $170,000 in guarantees. He was a respected blocking tight end at Elon and NC State, doing so on 991 of his 1,322 career snaps, and he could surprise some people at Saints training camp.
• RB CJ Donaldson, No. 43. Donaldson, 23, signed with New Orleans and received $90,0000 in guarantees. He's more versatile than you'd expect a 230-pound running back to be, given his background as a high school wide receiver recruit. He was productive at West Virginia for three years before transferring to Ohio State in 2025 and leading the team in rushing touchdowns (10).
• DL Keeshawn Silver, No. 61. Silver, 24, transferred a couple of times before landing with the Saints, who guaranteed him $55,000 to see if his athletic traits could translate too the pro level. He's a big guy at 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds.
• DL Jay'Viar Suggs, No. 62. Suggs, 25, was guaranteed $30,000 after some modest production as a pass rusher for Wisconsin and LSU the last few years. He might be seen as a long shot but the Saints need more players who can push the pocket.
• DL Zxavian Harris, No. 67. Harris, 22, was graded as a third-round prospect by some outlets before the draft but wasn't picked due to an untimely injury and past legal troubles. He wasn't guaranteed anything to sign with New Orleans, so from the team's perspective this is a low-risk, high-reward pickup.
• WR Brock Rechsteiner, No. 89. Rechsteiner, 89, signed with the Saints after trying out at their rookie minicamp and also wasn't guaranteed a single dollar. He's an impressive athlete but his physicality helps, too. He had more snaps as a run blocker than routes run in all four years at Jacksonville State.

The Saints also signed undrafted cornerbacks DaShawn Jones (Alabama) and Jeremiah McLendon (Southern Illinois), plus kicker Mason Shipley (Texas) but waived them after trying out other players at minicamp.

Veteran free agents signed after the draft

• EDGE Anfernee Jennings, No. 54. Jennings, 29, is better known for his work against the run than getting to the quarterback but that's been a weakness for the Saints defense, too. He's fresh off a Super Bowl appearance with the New England Patriots and could round out the edge rotation behind Cameron Jordan, Chase Young, and Carl Granderson. He signed at the minimum ($1,215,000) and was guaranteed a $187,500 signing bonus.
• CB Martin Emerson Jr., No. 47. Emerson, 25, figures to back up Kool-Aid McKinstry and compete with Isaac Yiadom for snaps behind Quincy Riley, too. He had some good years as a starter with the Cleveland Browns before last summer's Achilles injury and could rapidly climb the depth chart if given an opening. While he also signed at the league minimum ($1,215,000), the Saints guaranteed him $650,000 between a $350,000 base salary guarantee and his $300,000 signing bonus.
• WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper, No. 85. Moreno-Cropper, 25, just missed Kellen Moore on the Dallas Cowboys (he signed as a rookie free agent out of Fresno State in 2023, a year after Moore left the team). Now he's in New Orleans after trying his hand in the UFL last season. He's another candidate to return punts and kickoffs. He signed for the league minimum ($1,005,000) without guarantees.
• K Tanner Brown, No. 46. Brown, 26, earned All-UFL recognition after helping his Louisville Kings win this year's spring-league championship. He's got a big leg and experience hitting field goals in clutch moments. He was guaranteed $36,000 through a signing bonus.
• QB Hunter Dekkers, No. TBD. Dekkers, 25, re-signed with the Saints after an injury-ravaged season with the UFL's Houston Gamblers. He was clearly the spring league team's best option at quarterback but couldn't get past a nagging shoulder injury in time to save their season. Dekkers was not guaranteed any money to sign.
• LB Jackson Sirmon, No. 45. Sirmon, 26, has some experience on special teams and familiarity with the coaching staff -- his father, Peter Sirmon, is the Saints' linebackers coach. He signed a non-guaranteed contract after a tryout earlier this summer.

He wasn't signed as a free agent, but the Saints did acquire fourth-year edge rusher Tyree Wilson in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders

during the 2026 draft. They swapped their fifth-round pick at No. 150 for Wilson and the Raiders' seventh rounder at No. 219.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: New Orleans Saints training camp preview: Recapping every newcomer