It isn’t too uncommon to see NFL teams signing practice squad players who used to suit up for their next opponent, but that hasn’t been a common tactic for the New Orleans Saints over the years. So we probably shouldn’t take that angle with the team signing tight end Tommy Hudson on Monday, but it does add an element of intrigue to the move. Hudson’s signing was reported by the Saints on the daily NFL transactions wire, as the corresponding move of releasing rookie offensive lineman Mark Evans II to open a spot on the practice squad.
Hudson got his NFL start with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona State back in 2020; the 6-foot-5, 255 pounder primarily worked as a blocker in their offense, and he signed with the Denver Broncos this summer for an extended tryout at training camp. The Broncos’ pillaging of the Saints tight ends room landed them Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull, though, so there wasn’t a spot left for Hudson.
He replaces Evans, a former left tackle at Arkansas-Pine Bluff who the Saints auditioned at both guard spots in preseason. Evans was one of the team’s highest-paid undrafted rookie pickups and there’s a good chance he could return after some other roster moves are completed.
As for Hudson? The Saints could have brought back veteran blocking tight end J.P. Holtz after they released him during roster cuts, but they chose to try and get younger at that spot instead. Snaps could be hard to come by for Hudson with Juwan Johnson, Foster Moreau, Jimmy Graham, and part-time quarterback Taysom Hill ahead of him on the depth chart.
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