Report: Saints Sign Safety From Practice Squad

With Marcus Maye managing a shoulder injury, the New Orleans Saints add to their arsenal of defensive backs.

It has been a rough couple of weeks for the New Orleans Saints from an injury perspective. Top-flight talents like wide receivers Michael Thomas and Rashid Shaheed along with cornerback Marshon Lattimore are all sure to or expected to miss time. Another big name was added to that list on Wednesday: safety Marcus Maye.

After playing 100% of snaps on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, Maye did not practice on Wednesday with a shoulder injury. To prepare themselves in case Maye will need to miss time, the Saints signed safety Johnathan Abram to the active roster, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. 

New Orleans Saints safety Johnathan Abram works on drills during training camp / Aug 11, 2023; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints safety Johnathan Abram (24) works on defensive back drills during training camp at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Abram has already appeared in three games so far this season, playing 79 snaps on defense and 36 on special teams totaling 8 combined tackles in the process. He is in his fifth NFL season after starting with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders, overlapping with the Saints' starting quarterback Derek Carr.

Abram would likely assume a special teams and depth role at the position with rookie safety Jordan Howden and veteran defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. ahead of him. But any potential depth order should not diminish the importance of the move. Should Maye not be able to go on Sunday against the Detroit Lions (and considering the team's recent wave of injuries) it is imperative that they are ready to go to the "next man up" if necessary. Especially at the defense's most effective group of the year so far: the defensive backs.

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New Orleans will now have an open spot on their practice squad. Earlier in the week the team lost defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul to the Miami Dolphins, signed kicker Austin Seibert and now vacate a slot with Abram moving to the active roster. With edge defender Cameron Jordan currently managing injury as well, it would not be a surprise to see that spot filled with another defensive end.