After the NFL Draft, teams scour their prospect lists to find players that did not receive a selection phone call during the seven rounds of picks. The New Orleans Saints are no different. They highly value the undrafted free agent process, taking advantage of prospects who were overlooked on day three.
On an annual basis, at least one UDFA has a legitimate impact for New Orleans. There are plenty of candidates for that in 2024, too.
The New Orleans Saints' UDFA signings
- TE Dallin Holker — $235K
- WR Jermaine Jackson — $160K
- FS Millard Bradford — $60K
- CB Rico Payton — $45K
- P Matthew Hayball — $35K
- DT Kyler Baugh — $25K
- DB Lawrence Jackson — $25K
- OL Sincere Haynesworth — $16K
- RB Jacob Kibodi — $16K
- OL Nouredin Nouli — $5K
- DE Trajan Jeffcoat — $3K
- DE Nathan Latu — $3K
Holker's deal should surprise no one. He was expected to get drafted by most folks around the draft process and was going as high as round three in some mock drafts. I predict that he will make the team, especially with his price tag leading the pack.
Jackson is an exciting athlete that dominated on special teams in college. Deploying him and Rashid Shaheed in the return game could make a lot of sense for the Saints in 2024.
Hayball will compete for the starting punter job, and don't overlook him to win it, either. He was the top punter in the SEC in 2023.
All of these young players are trying to prove that they deserve to stick around on the Saints' active roster or practice squad to begin the season.
