Here’s a big addition to the New Orleans Saints defense: starting free safety Marcus Maye has been reinstated after serving his three-game suspension stemming from a 2021 DUI charge in Florida. The legal proceedings for his case were not concluded until the 2023 preseason, and the NFL has an established precedent of waiting for the legal process to wrap up before issuing its own discipline, so Maye had to wait two years and change teams before being sidelined.
But he’s back now. And he could help a unit that’s already playing at a high level reach even greater heights. Maye is one of seven Saints defenders with an interception this season, having plucked a deflected pass out of the air after cornerback Isaac Yiadom broke it up in the season opener. His return should strengthen an already-stout New Orleans secondary.
Expect the various responsibilities for players around him to revert to what they were prior to his suspension; rookie draft pick Jordan Howden will step back into his role as the team’s dime defensive back, with Johnathan Abram remaining on the practice squad after exhausting his three game-day activations. If the Saints want to continue playing Abram, they’ll have to sign him to the 53-man roster. Odds are strong that they’ll wait until they need him to do that with Maye back in the fold.
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