Here's another New Orleans Saints roster cut who won't be returning to the black and gold. The Athletic's Joe Person reports that second-year offensive lineman Torricelli Simpkins has signed with the Carolina Panthers practice squad. It's a homecoming for Simpkins, a Charlotte native who played college football at South Carolina and NC Central.
Simpkins signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent last offseason and started two games in a pinch, mostly holding his own in a couple of difficult situations. Then he began working full-time at center this summer but lost the competition to back up Erik McCoy, the team's Pro Bowl starter. With William Sherman in place as a reliable backup at both guard and center, the Saints chose to move on.
You can't begrudge him for signing with his hometown team, but it's always disappointing to see a former Saints player land in the NFC South. We'll see if Simpkins ends up dressing out when New Orleans and Carolina meet up for their home-and-home series this season.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Former Saints UDFA lands with division rival in NFL homecoming
