New Orleans Saints Officially Sign DT Kendal Vickers

Saints add more competition at the defensive tackle spot

Credit:© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Saints have signed defensive tackle Kendal Vickers on Monday. Vickers was added after participating in the team's weekend tryouts for invited rookies and veterans. To make room for him, the Saints have released defensive tackle John Penisini.

Vickers, now 28, played collegiately at Tennessee, where he was a teammate of RB Alvin Kamara and former Saints DT Shy Tuttle. He was signed as an undrafted rookie by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018.

After being released in training camp, he was added to the practice squad of the Tennessee Titans, where he'd remain until that offseason. Vickers then played for a year in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos in 2019.

Raiders defensive tackle Kendal Vickers (91) applies pressure on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert / Credit:© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The following season, he'd earn a job on the active roster of the Las Vegas Raiders. He'd be with the Raiders for the next three seasons, recording two sacks and three tackles for loss in 25 games of action.

After his release from the Raiders late in 2022, Vickers finished the year on the Buffalo Bills practice squad. He'd see two games of action for the Bills last season before being released and finishing the year as a member of the Arizona Cardinals practice squad.

The 6'3" and 295-Lb. Vickers will attempt to earn a spot in the New Orleans defensive tackle rotation. Bryan Bresee, Nathan Shepherd, and Khalen Saunders are returning defensive tackles from last year's squad. New Orleans also added DT Khristian Boyd with a sixth-round draft pick, along with veteran Jack Heflin and undrafted rookie Kyler Baugh.