Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS, La. — While the moves haven’t been for players the caliber of other available free agents like wide receiver Keenan Allen and cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., the New Orleans Saints have done some roster tinkering over the last week.
On Thursday afternoon, the team announced its latest pair of roster moves.
New Orleans has released undrafted free agent rookie quarterback Hunter Dekkers and signed former South Carolina punter Kai Kroeger. The moves were reported earlier in the day by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill.
Saints released Hunter Dekkers and signed P Kai Kroeger, per sources
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) July 31, 2025
Dekkers latched on with the team after impressing during a rookie minicamp tryout, but didn’t see many opportunities for reps during training camp. Over the first eight days of practices, the battle at quarterback has been consistently between the top three options Spencer Rattler, rookie Tyler Shough and Jake Haener.
While Rattler has commanded the lead early, the battle for the top three spots has held steady, not leaving much opportunity for Dekkers to break in for a competition for even the third role on the roster. This likely led to his release and a chance to pursue another opportunity.
As for Kroeger, Rattler’s former teammate, he joins a crowded punter room as the newest member of a three-man group. Incumbent starter Matthew Hayball has excellent chemistry with kicker Blake Grupe, and is even the roommate of backup kicker Charlie Smyth. And undrafted rookie James Burnip has impressed with a big leg in camp.
It’s possible that the signing says more about Kroeger than it does about the other two punters that have been on the roster.
The former Gamecock has four career punts of 70 or more yards and has seen 100 of his 265 career college punts downed inside the 20 yard-line. He earned both All-American and All-SEC honors in 2022 and 2024 and was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy award last year before entering the NFL with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent.
Kai Kroeger (2020-2024) 🐔🤙 pic.twitter.com/KRGnhDxuKY
— 1801 Media (@1801MediaCo) July 28, 2025
The 6-foot-3, 213-pound punter also has a pretty impressive arm having completed seven of his 10 career passing attempts for a trio of passing touchdowns.
Kroeger tried out with the team, along with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers punter Jake Camarda and six other players from varied positions. He impressed enough to land his spot and join the punter competition.
