Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
This one always felt like a natural fit. According to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, the New Orleans Saints will host free agent tight end Noah Fant.
The Saints’ tight end room has gotten a bit less crowded as training camp opened. Veterans Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill started camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and second-year tight end Dallin Holker surprisingly announced his retirement the day before camp began.
Those moves create plenty of opportunities for another tight end to step up during camp, and with no clear timeline for Moreau and Hill’s return, those chances could extend well into the regular season.
Fant would provide the Saints a talented blocker and mismatch nightmare in the passing game. He would be a threat to pair with Juwan Johnson on passing downs and a versatile complement to Jack Stoll and eventually Moreau in early downs.
Noah Fant is scary with the ball in his hands pic.twitter.com/WIV6jomd9b
— Malik Wright (@Wrightreportt) March 4, 2024
However, New Orleans will need to prove that it can offer as much playing time and opportunity as other teams that may be in the market. Fant will be visiting New Orleans fresh off of a stay with the Cincinnati Bengals. For the Saints to have their best chance at signing him, should interest remain after the visit, it may come down to head coach Kellen Moore selling both a short and long-term vision.
Fant was selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, where he spent his first three seasons. He was then traded to the Seattle Seahawks as a part of the blockbuster trade for quarterback Russell Wilson. He has caught 300 passes in his career for 3,305 receiving yards and 15 touchdown receptions.
