The New Orleans Saints released veteran wide receiver Keke Coutee to open a roster spot for linebacker Jaylon Smith, head coach Dennis Allen said Friday. Smith had a successful tryout with the team and signed with them on Thursday, practicing for the first time on Friday at the Caesars Superdome — though Allen cautioned he doesn’t expect Smith to play in Sunday’s preseason game with the Kansas city Chiefs after arriving in town so soon.
No position group had more players rostered for training camp than wide receiver. Coutee, formerly of the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts, was one of many experienced pros on the depth chart along with Lynn Bowden, Bryan Edwards, James Washington, Keith Kirkwood, and Kawaan Baker (plus rookies A.T. Perry and Shaquan Davis).
None of them had made much noise to unseat Tre’Quan Smith as the team’s fourth wideout behind Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed, so it made sense to thin out the group and open more practice reps.
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