By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS — The past 48 hours for the New Orleans Saints have been bombastic and dramatic. On Monday, they fired their head coach. On Tuesday afternoon, they traded away top cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Now, Tuesday evening, they still found time for their usual day-to-day transactions.
The Saints announced two additional roster moves, welcoming undrafted rookie offensive lineman Kyle Hergel back to the practice squad and terminating the practice squad contract of defensive end Niko Lalos.
Hergel, A Boston College alum, joined the Saints this offseason and impressed throughout training camp. He was eventually promoted to the active roster amidst a slew of interior line injuries. As the unit got healthier, Hergel was waived, though it was always clear that the team would want him back.
Before Hergel was waived, he did get 46 snaps at left guard in the Saints’ Week 7 loss against the Denver Broncos. During his 35 pass blocking snaps, he allowed 2 pressures, no sacks and was flagged for one penalty, per Pro Football Focus. In the preseason, Hergel caught eyes with his aggressive and physical play style, especially when put on display in the run game.
With all of the recent changes in New Orleans, young talent is important. The Saints get a young player that they have been consistently impressed by back on their practice squad ahead of what will be an important evaluation period over the final eight games of the season.
