Zxavian Harris may get to play in the NFL after all. The Ringer's Tom Pelissero reports that Harris received word from the NFL Management Council that he can sign with a new team after trying to return to college and transfer to join Lane Kiffin on the LSU Tigers. Harris played for Kiffin at Ole Miss and signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent earlier this spring.
But that was just the first step in what became a tortuous process. Harris underwent foot surgery back in March and never practiced with the Saints, having started his career on the non-football injury list (NFI). The Saints released him from his contract during training camp so he could join a group of former college athletes filing a lawsuit to receive another year of eligibility,
but pushback from the SEC and other major conferences squashed those ambitions. In the end, LSU declined to roster him. That left Harris in a gray zone; unable to return to college, but ineligible to play in the NFL, either.
The NFL Management Council informed DT Zxavian Harris — one of the players who attempted and failed to return to college at LSU — that it has established he never practiced and therefore he is now a free agent, eligible to visit and sign with any NFL team, sources tell @ringer… pic.twitter.com/LVO9oR9KzG
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 12, 2026
Now that's changed. He'll have to find a new team but he does have the green light to do so. That's because he never actually practiced with the Saints. Harris was an observer, not a participant, and he never got into a preseason game or even wore a helmet. We'll see where he lands. He was seen as a top-100 prospect before he needed foot surgery, which combined with character concerns from a couple of arrests earlier in his college career to push him out of the draft altogether. The Saints obviously signed him once already. He's also worked out for the Green Bay Packers before the NFL told teams they couldn't sign him. Don't be shocked if he lands somewhere soon.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL: Former Saints rookie can return after failed back-to-college bid
