With roster cut-down day upon us, every NFL team will have to make the tough decisions of who to let go and who to retain for their respective 53-man rosters. With this, some players who were perceived as roster locks may end up in the fold of waivers or free agency, and the New Orleans Saints still have holes to fill at various positions. In this article, we will be listing some of the players who have been released or waived during this period that should be targets for the Saints, as well as a short argument for each as to why they would be valuable. Remember, the waiver wire order is the same as the 2024 draft, so the Saints are slotted at No. 14.

So without further ado, let's start with a wide receiver:

WR Noah Brown

Many will remember last season when Noah Brown grabbed a 34-yard reception against the Saints, covered by Marshon Lattimore, leading the Houston Texans to their first touchdown drive of the day. The veteran receiver had 33 receptions for 567 yards and 2 touchdowns last season, and would be a valuable addition to a Saints receivers room that has relatively minimal depth at the moment.

OG Matthew Jones

A rookie offensive guard from Ohio State who had an exceptional preseason, allowing no sacks or pressures in 73 pass blocking reps according to PFF charting. This shows an exceptional level of confidence for a rookie, and would make at minimum a good depth piece to develop long term.

S Kareem Jackson

If you can't get one former Denver Broncos safety, why not go for another in Kareem Jackson. The safety position has not had a clear starter next to Tyrann Mathieu defined yet, and Jackson, while not as amazing as he once was, is still a quality player at 36 years of age. Last season he ended up with 2 interceptions and 3 pass deflections, with a low missed tackle rate for him at 8.6% and 233 yards allowed in coverage on 25 targets.

WR Tim Patrick

How fun would it be to take a player who Sean Payton released and have him play well, nevermind in a game against his new team the Denver Broncos when they match up this season with the Saints. Injuries have unfortunately derailed the past few seasons for Patrick, however, he has come back and looked solid in the preseason. In his last season played he had 53 receptions for 734 yards and 5 touchdowns, and would be a fun veteran addition for a very young Saints wide receivers group.

DT Siaki Ika

With the recent news of Khalen Saunders potentially missing a few weeks with a calf injury, the Saints may want to take a look at another defensive tackle, and Siaki Ika could be an intriguing addition. The former third-round pick out of Baylor only played in four games in his rookie season before being cut this offseason, but has the physical frame to make an impact on the interior at 6-foot-3 and 335 pounds. As a player who looked exceptionally talented only two years ago in college, he could be someone who the defensive staff could turn around for the Saints.

RB Matt Breida

There are quite a few running backs on the open market right now, but Breida could be one that the Saints may look at in the event that Kendre Miller gets minimal run time with his injury. Breida has a career average of 4.6 yards per carry, and despite a disappointing 2023 season, would be a good addition for his utilization as a screen back. With an 81% catch rate on 21 targets last year and 80% on 25 targets the year prior, he has sure hands that could give Alvin Kamara more utilization wherever Klint Kubiak wants him. He was released and can sign anywhere as a free agent.

OL Jackson Carman

Former second-round pick Jackson Carman is currently available, and despite a somewhat tough start to his career, he has shown promise at times on the field. With 22 games started across three seasons at guard, he could be decent depth for the Saints who need offensive line backups with Kyle Hergel getting waived.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr.

If you notice a theme of wide receiver picks here, that is because there is one, the Saints do need wide receiver and the options available are definitely out there. Former LSU receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. was someone Saints fans had wanted pre-draft and ultimately fell one pick short of, as the Carolina Panthers took him at pick 59 before the Saints took Pete Werner at pick 60. While that did work out in the Saints favor, they have the option to have both now, and pick up a younger receiver with some upside from inside the division, which they love to do.

S Adrian Amos

Is this my personal bias towards liking Adrian Amos as a player? Maybe. The long time Green Bay Packers safety followed Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets last season, as well as playing for the Houston Texans. While his 2023 season was lackluster for his standards, his 2022 was exceptional, with a career high 102 tackles, as well as an interception, 5 pass deflections, and a very low missed tackle rate of only 3.8% (4 of 106 attempts). He could be a candidate for the other Saints safety spot, as could Kareem Jackson as previously mentioned.

S Lewis Cine

Lewis Cine may also be the solution to the Saints second safety dilemma, having a younger option as opposed Adrain Amos or Kareem Jackson would allow them to develop him rather than work off of potentially waning talent. Dennis Allen tends to develop DBs well and fit them into his scheme, maybe the injury situation on Cine resolves itself this season and allows him to show off what he’s got.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Waiver wire targets for the New Orleans Saints after roster cuts