Saints release practice squad guard, sign new backup OL Yasir Durant

The Saints released practice squad guard Drew Desjarlais and signed a new backup lineman in Yasir Durant:

Good teams churn the bottom of their depth charts to make sure they’re giving opportunities to the players best suited for them, so it’s not too surprising to see the New Orleans Saints continuing to tweak their practice squad. They aren’t about to become complacent.

To that end, the team signed free agent guard Yasir Durant and released reserve guard Drew Desjarlais on Tuesday, per the daily NFL transactions wire. Durant, 24, had a solid career with the Missouri Tigers before turning pro but wasn’t selected in the 2020 NFL draft. He appeared in 11 games with the Kansas City Chiefs as a rookie and was traded to the New England Patriots in 2021, where he got into 7 games.

New England waived Durant during final roster cuts earlier this summer. He’s listed at 6-foot-7 and 330 pounds, and could help reinforce depth at a weak position group — guards on the roster include Andrus Peat, Cesar Ruiz, Calvin Throckmorton, and Wyatt Davis.

Here are the players that Durant is joining on the Saints practice squad:

  • QB Jake Luton
  • RB Latavius Murray
  • TE Lucas Krull
  • TE J.P. Holtz
  • C Josh Andrews
  • WR Kirk Merritt
  • WR Rashid Shaheed
  • DT Christian Ringo
  • DT Jordan Jackson
  • DE Taco Charlton
  • LB Eric Wilson
  • LB Nephi Sewell
  • CB DaMarcus Fields
  • CB Vincent Gray
  • CB Tre Swilling

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Patriots sign former CFL OL Drew Desjarlais to futures contract

The Patriots agreed to a deal with lineman Drew Desjarlais on Thursday.

The New England Patriots signed former CFL offensive lineman Drew Desjarlais to a futures contract on Thursday. The signing comes after Desjarlais visited the organization on Wednesday. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers released him in order to allow him to sign with New England.

The offensive lineman was an accomplished player in the CFL. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2019 CFL draft, and he appeared in 32 games in two seasons of play. He started 14 games at left guard in 2021, and was honored as a CFL Western All-Star.

He does have a little bit of experience with the NFL, as he attended minicamps with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants prior to finding a home in the CFL.

In what is sure to be a busy offseason, the New England Patriots have added depth to an already-strong position.

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Top CFL players the Browns should check out

An interesting look by @joshkeatley16. Some top CFL players the Browns should check out #CFL #Browns

The Canadian Football League season ended on December 12th when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won in overtime against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and as is tradition every season there is always a few CFL studs that will get a shot in the NFL.

It is not unheard of for former players that shined north of the border earning starting gigs in the NFL. Everyone knows the obvious stars like Warren Moon, Doug Flutie and Joe Theismann and that may not be an option, but it is completely within reason that the Cleveland Browns can snag a guy like Delvin Breaux, Jon Ryan or Alex Singleton. The following are five CFL players that can play in the NFL.

Seahawks worked out fullback, offensive lineman from the CFL

Yesterday. the team worked out a pair of players from the CFL, including offensive lineman Drew Desjarlais and fullback Nikola Kalinic.

No days off is not just a catchphrase in this business. NFL teams ply their trade 365 days a year and the Seattle Seahawks got to work retooling their roster 48 hours after their season ended.

Yesterday. the team worked out a pair of players from the CFL, including offensive lineman Drew Desjarlais and fullback Nikola Kalinic.

Desjarlais (6-foot-2, 313 pounds) has gotten several workouts around the league lately, including the Patriots and the 49ers.

Kalinic (6-foot-5, 256 pounds) also plays tight end and has scored two touchdowns in the last three seasons.

The Seahawks should be happy with what they got from Nick Bellore this season. He was a critical special teams piece and put in snaps at fullback and linebacker, so it’s hard to see any other fullback beating him out at this point.

Seattle’s offensive line could use some improvement, though. So Desjarlais may have a legitimate shot to be signed.

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