Tag: mark evans ii

Saints sign a former Titans player to their practice squad

The Saints signed a former Titans player to their practice squad on Monday — former Arizona State TE Tommy Hudson, who just spent training camp with the Broncos:

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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Undrafted rookies Shaquan Davis, Mark Evans II hope to do their schools proud with the Saints

South Carolina State WR Shaquan Davis and Arkansas-Pine Bluff OL Mark Evans II are two must-watch Saints undrafted rookies from HBCU programs, via @southexclusives:

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The New Orleans Saints have never been afraid to dip their toe into the undrafted free agent pool. Sometimes, they’ll even dive head first into it. As of recent, their fondness of undrafted free agents can most easily be seen, but not limited, to defensive tackle. The most prominent undrafted free agents from last year were wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, offensive lineman Lewis Kidd, and defensive back Smoke Monday.

Two undrafted players to watch this year come from the HBCU ranks: South Carolina State wide receiver Shaquan Davis and Arkansas-Pine Bluff offensive lineman Mark Evans. They both stand a chance to make the roster like Shaheed. Let’s look at what they bring to the table.

Both players bring heavy contract guarantees to the table. Davis comes in tied with Vanderbilt linebacker Anfernee Orji for the second-most guaranteed money given out to Saints undrafted free agents. This just shows the level of investment put into these players early. Davis was the lead receiver for the Bulldogs for the past two seasons. Everybody knew where the ball was going in important moments and still couldn’t stop him.

Davis was a dominant force in the MEAC, leading the conference in yards. Standing at 6-foot-5, you’d be surprised at how well he stretches the field vertically. He averaged 20 yards per catch in each of the last two seasons. He has also showcased the ability to rise to the occasion. In the 2021 Celebration Bowl, Davis had his national breakout game against Jackson State while scoring 3 touchdowns and winning MVP recognition in the bowl game.

Evans is the highest-paid undrafted free agent in this year’s class. He was arguably the most dominant offensive lineman in the SWAC for the last two seasons. He went undrafted likely because of poor size (by NFL standards) and athletic testing. Don’t worry, his film with pads on was more impressive than his drills in just shorts.

He spent his collegiate career as a left tackle but will likely move inside to left guard because of size limitations. He played guard at the East-West Shrine Bowl and looked like he possessed good mobility and an ability to get to the second level of the defense. He might need a year to develop into his new position. That’s expected and not an issue because he likely wouldn’t play until next year anyway. With Doug Marrone’s coaching, Evans could turn into one of the players vying to replace Andrus Peat in 2024 or a valuable utility lineman at another spot.

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Saints announce undrafted free agent class of 13 players

Having previously agreed to terms, the New Orleans Saints announced their undrafted free agent class of 13 rookie players:

The New Orleans Saints made moves to select seven first-year players in the 2023 NFL draft, but that’s only part of their rookie class. The team announced contracts with 13 undrafted players on Saturday ahead of rookie minicamp practices next week — with some of them ranking among league leaders in lucrative contract guarantees.

First-round defensive tackle Bryan Bresee and second-round defensive end Isaiah Foskey have drawn a lot of attention, but it’s important to keep up with the young talent who will be competing for roster spots over the summer.

Here’s a look at the Saints’ confirmed undrafted free agent signings from Saturday’s announcement:

7 Saints undrafted rookies with the best chances of making the team

Between the strength of different position groups and their own skills, these seven Saints undrafted rookies may have the best shot at making the team:

The New Orleans Saints have signed a dozen rookie free agents in the wake of the 2023 NFL draft, and more of them are on the horizon with mass tryouts awaiting in rookie minicamps. But only a few of them will have a real shot at making the team — of the 17 undrafted free agents from the 2022 class, just two of them (wide receiver Rashid Shaheed and offensive lineman Lewis Kidd) were dressing out on many game days.

It’s impossible to say for sure until they hit the practice field, but here are some early favorites to compete for roster spots in Saints training camp:

Several New Orleans Saints rookies among NFL’s highest-paid undrafted free agents

Several New Orleans Saints rookies rank among the NFL’s highest-paid undrafted free agents. Expectations are high for them with rookie minicamp on the horizon:

There’s a lot to be said for hearing your name called in the NFL draft, but in some cases it pays to be patient and reach undrafted free agency. Those seas are turbulent, but there’s big profits to be won from sailing them. Several New Orleans Saints rookies have certainly cashed in this year after hammering out undrafted free agent contracts in the hours and days after the draft.

Once you get into the later rounds, some players may prefer to not be picked at all because of the unique contract quirks that comes with that status. For drafted players, contract guarantees are tied to their draft slot — so a sixth-round pick may only receive a signing bonus valued between $218,000 and $133,000, for example. Seventh-rounders receive even less in guarantees: former South Alabama wide receiver Kawaan Baker, the Saints’ seventh-round selection in 2021, only received $80,076 in guarantees as the No. 255 overall pick.

Not only do undrafted rookies get more guaranteed money, they also may have the luxury of choosing their team if there are competing offers on the table. Last year, the Saints signed returns ace Rashid Shaheed out of Weber State to an undrafted free agent contract carrying $222,000 in guarantees. He was the only undrafted rookie to get more than $200,000 in guarantees from New Orleans last season. At least three players have earned that in this cycle. Here’s why the Saints valued them so highly: