The New Orleans Saints practice squad just lost a valuable member.
Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Cleveland Browns have signed linebacker Khaleke Hudson from the Saints’ practice squad. He will now join the Browns’ active roster.
Two Browns linebackers, Tony Fields II and Mohamoud Diabate, are considered “week-to-week” with injuries. Hudson should be able to step into an active role with Cleveland’s special teams unit right off the bat. Both Fields II and Diabate saw more than 20 snaps on various special teams units for the Browns Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.
Similarly, Hudson, who was a standard elevation for the Saints in Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, saw 19 special teams snaps. Pro Football Focus has him listed with a pair of missed tackles, but that does not tell the entire story of the value of a player like Hudson.
The impact on the Saints could be lessened by getting healthier at the position. New Orleans went into their Week 1 matchup without linebackers D’Marco Jackson and Jaylan Ford. Jackson has been a key special teams contributor for the team since being drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft. He also just wrapped up his best camp yet both on the special teams and defensive units. Ford, the rookie second-level player from Texas, is a fifth-round pick looking to prove his place after dealing with a pair of hamstring injuries that impacted his availability through the majority of camp.
They are further aided by the stellar performance of linebacker Anfernee Orji on special teams. Orji contributed five total special teams tackles (4 solo and 1 assisted) and among the team’s highest-graded players for that unit.
Starting linebacker Willie Gay Jr. has also been managing a back injury and played just 9 defensive snaps for the team in the season opener. If even one of those players gets back to a clean bill of health, that should further assist in covering the loss of Hudson when it comes to the position’s depth.
This now opens up a spot on the Saints’ practice squad as well. With the only linebacker now on that 16-man roster being rookie Isaiah Stalbird, the team could add another player at the same position. Or could look to bring back still-available familiar faces like wide receiver Samson Nacua, defensive tackle Jack Heflin or cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles who was excellent in the preseason and could help the Saints’ maintain depth with starting corner Marshon Lattimore managing a hamstring injury. Jean-Charles would bring valuable special teams experience as well.
