Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
With 15 players already on the team’s practice squad, the New Orleans Saints have two open spots to fill with talent. Typically, a team would have just 16 total spots available, but with second-year kicker Charlie Smyth on the International Player Pathway program, New Orleans receives a roster exemption.
#Saints practice squad: pic.twitter.com/evZXnko5AH
— Ross Jackson (@RossJacksonNOLA) August 27, 2025
Of the 15 players currently on the practice squad, the Saints have no running backs. That’s where we’ll start this list of three players that could find their way back to the team ahead of Week One’s matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.
RB Marcus Yarns
Yarns is a very unique running back. He can catch out of the backfield and win around the edge, and he put some impressive pass protection on tape during the preseason. New Orleans has four running backs on its roster (none of which are fullbacks). That means it is possible that the team feels it may have enough in the reserves to handle attrition for now. But if the Saints decide that they want to add another option, Yarns did enough in camp as a rusher and in the preseason as a blocker to earn consideration.
OL Shane Lemieux
While New Orleans does have one tackle, Easton Kilty, on its practice squad, adding another interior offensive lineman could be beneficial. While the team currently has 10 offensive linemen on the active roster, it could look to keep another reserve around for the early portion of the season while starting left guard Trevor Penning manages his toe injury. Lemieux allowed just three pressures on 73 pass blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus, none of which were sacks or hits on the quarterback. Lemieux was a part of the Saints’ active roster last year.
EDGE Jasheen Davis
With rookie Fadil Diggs on the practice squad and four edge rushers still on the active roster, Davis may be seen as a redundancy for now. But his potential and opportunity for development could be too much to pass up. Davis was only available, due to injury, for the final preseason game. Over his 15 pass rushing snaps against the Broncos, he gathered a trio of pressures including one sack. That’s a high rate of pressure. He also added a stop in the run game. Davis is a promising talent and bringing him back to develop under defensive coordinator Brandon Staley could pay off.
