Tag: Niko Lalos

Saints make a couple of roster moves amid blockbuster Marshon Lattimore trade

The Saints made a couple of roster moves amid their blockbuster Marshon Lattimore trade, including the return of a rookie who was injured at training camp:

After an eventful day with the New Orleans Saints shipping their Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders, they made a couple of low-level transactions along the offensive and defensive lines.

The Saints re-signed guard Kyle Hergel to their practice squad while also releasing defensive end Niko Lalos and rookie defensive end Trajan Jeffcoat. Jeffcoat suffered a dislocated elbow at the start of Saints training camp so he’s back for another look.

The undrafted free agent Hergel has been active in five games this season, serving as a young depth piece along the interior offensive line. With an impressive training camp it isn’t surprising that the Saints want to continue to develop him if they can.

Lalos on the other hand, has been a guy the Saints have viewed highly of the last few seasons, as they’ve continued to add him back to the roster when  available. He has shown many flashes in the preseason over the years, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the team decided to bring him back at some point. Jeffcoat needs to practice hard and prove he’s a better option.

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Countdown to Kickoff: Niko Lalos is the Saints Player of Day 57

Countdown to Kickoff: Niko Lalos is the New Orleans Saints Player of Day 57. Time on the practice squad has prepared him for this opportunity

Time is flying by. There are just 57 days left until the tart of the New Orleans Saints’ 2024 regular season, which makes the current owner of the No. 57 jersey our Saints Player of the Day: Niko Lalos.

Another year on the practice squad has been good for his development. Lalos has higher goals in 2024, but what road brought him here? Let’s break it down.

  • Name (Age): Niko Lalos (27)
  • Position: Defensive end
  • Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 269 pounds
  • Relative Athletic Score: N/A
  • 2024 salary cap hit: $915,000
  • College: Dartmouth
  • Drafted: Undrafted in 2020 (New York Giants)
  • NFL experience: 2 years

Lalos spent the first couple years of his pro career with the Giants, appearing in a handful of games with Big Blue before they waived him during their 2022 training camp. He joined the Saints for the rest of the preseason that summer and spent most of the year on their practice squad, returning to New Orleans in 2023. He played well for the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons in 2022 before re-signing with the Saints and held his own throughout the preseason but ultimately wound up on the practice squad again. They saw enough to warrant bringing him back for 2024.

Now he’s looking to make the team outright. If Tanoh Kpassagnon misses most of the season with his Achilles injury, as is expected, that opens up a slot for someone like Lalos to climb the depth chart. But he’ll have to prove he’s a better option than rookie free agent Trajan Jeffcoat or maybe even Payton Turner. Lalos has the size the Saints covet at the position and more pro experience than other players in the competition. He just needs to put it all together with a strong summer.

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Payton Turner, Isaiah Foskey join Cameron Jordan at Von Miller’s Sack Summit

Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey joined Cameron Jordan at the Sack Summit in Las Vegas, an event he co-hosts with Von Miller and Maxx Crosby:

The NFL is on summer break, but that doesn’t mean everyone is taking it easy. Cameron Jordan was joined by several of his New Orleans Saints teammates at the annual Sack Summit in Las Vegas, an event he now co-hosts along with its founder Von Miller and Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby.

Payton Turner, Isaiah Foskey, and Niko Lalos (who spent the 2023 season on the Saints’ practice squad) spent two days on the practice field and in the film room learning from the best sack artists around the league. Jordan shared photos and video from the event on his official Instagram account highlighting the event.

It’s good to see these young players taking initiative to get better. While the Saints added Chase Young to their defensive ends rotation along with Jordan and breakout starter Carl Granderson, the team is counting on bigger contributions from Turner and Foskey in 2024. An injury limited Foskey to just 10 games in his rookie season, totaling 9 tackles and a pass deflection. Turner missed most of the year with his own injury though he tallied two quarterback hits and a fumble recovery when he returned in Week 18.

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Saints sign all but three practice squad players to reserve/future deals

The Saints signed all but three practice squad players to reserve/future deals, bringing them back for 2024:

This may look unusual, but it isn’t uncommon. The New Orleans Saints signed reserve/future deals with all but three players from their 2023 practice squad — essentially inviting those 13 players who are returning to their 2024 training camp. Everyone who was on the practice squad except for offensive lineman Colby Gossett, wide receiver Marquez Callaway, and rookie receiver Shaquan Davis are inked to return in 2024.

But this doesn’t shut the door on anyone. Teams often issue reserve/future contracts (which are just minimum-salary deals that guarantee players a spot on the 90-man offseason roster) in batches, and they’ll likely circle back to Davis and Co. after handling other business. They’re able to work out other players who didn’t sign reserve/future deals around the league after their practice squad contracts expired.

Davis specifically endeared himself to Saints fans during the 2023 preseason by catching 7 passes for 101 yards, largely from the slot. The former undrafted rookie from South Carolina State has rare size at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, but a midseason injury sidelined him. Hopefully he can return for 2024 and compete for more snaps.

Here’s a quick look back at the 13 players who did sign reserve/future contracts with New Orleans:

Report: Dolphins poaching Jason Pierre-Paul off of the Saints practice squad

Report: Dolphins poaching Jason Pierre-Paul off of the Saints practice squad

Jason Pierre-Paul hardly had time to get his photo taken in a New Orleans Saints uniform before leaving town for a new opportunity. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Miami Dolphins are expected to sign Pierre-Paul from the Saints practice squad, having lost a key starter (Jaelan Phillips) to a season-ending injury.

Pierre-Paul played 17 snaps in the Saints’ Week 12 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, totaling two tackles without registering a quarterback pressure. He wasn’t going to get many reps in New Orleans with Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson on top of the rotation while Tanoh Kpassagnon is playing heavy minutes as their top backup. And youngsters Isaiah Foskey and Payton Turner are working their way back from injuries, too.

Still, it’s disappointing. The Saints badly need more help rushing the passer. They’ve only bagged 18 sacks in 11 games this season which ties the Carolina Panthers for the second-fewest in the league. They’re getting gashed by mobile quarterbacks and struggling to get home when they do send pressure. With Pierre-Paul out of the picture, someone else may need to step up. The Saints could give preseason standout Niko Lalos an opportunity to come up from the practice squad, but we’ll have to wait and see what their next move is.

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Saints promote practice squad DE Kyle Phillips to their 53-man roster

The Saints made a move to account for Payton Turner’s injury, promoting practice squad DE Kyle Phillips to their 53-man roster. It doesn’t bode well for Isaiah Foskey:

The New Orleans Saints made a couple of moves to account for Payton Turner’s injury including the promotion of practice squad defensive end Kyle Phillips to their 53-man roster, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. They also reportedly signed veteran free agent Terrell Lewis to take Phillips’ spot on the practice squad.

It doesn’t bode well for Isaiah Foskey, the team’s rookie second-round pick out of Notre Dame. The young defensive end progressed each week in preseason but was still playing behind more-experienced teammates, and he was a healthy scratch in Week 1’s win over the Tennessee Titans (along with most of the team’s draft class). Foskey may still be a ways off from being thrown into a game even in a reserve role behind Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson, and Tanoh Kpassagnon.

As for Phillips: the 6-foot-4, 277 pounder has appeared in 29 games in his pro career and memorably helped seal a win for the Saints in their first preseason game with a very clutch interception against the Kansas City Chiefs. But he continued to make plays in run defense while generating a couple of pressures throughout the exhibition series, so they must feel he’s a better option to roster than Niko Lalos, who remains on the practice squad with the recently-signed Lewis.

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Saints bring fan-favorite DE Niko Lalos back to practice squad

The Saints brought fan-favorite defensive end Niko Lalos back to their practice squad, where he can continue developing his craft | @DillySanders

The New Orleans Saints are bringing fan favorite defensive end Niko Lalos to the practice squad, according to Saints News Network’s John Hendrix.

Lalos had about as good of a preseason as you could possibly expect someone to have. When he was on the field it felt like it was harder for him to not impact a player rather than the opposite. He finished tied for a preseason leading four sacks with Tennessee Titans linebacker Caleb Murphy.

He signed as a free agent after the 2020 NFL draft with the New York Giants. He was a member of the Saints practice squad last year as well. When he was cut fans started to freak out given his preseason explosion, but the Saints acting quickly to bring him back once he cleared the waivers.

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Saints waive preseason standout DE Niko Lalos, a top practice squad candidate

Saints waive preseason standout DE Niko Lalos, a top practice squad candidate

A season in the XFL was good for Niko Lalos. He used the opportunity to develop his craft and pick up some new tricks, which he used to bag a couple of sacks in the New Orleans Saints’ preseason. But it wasn’t enough for him to make it through roster cuts. NewOrleans.Football’s Brooke Kirchhofer reports that the Saints have waived Lalos, making him a top candidate to return on their practice squad. That’s where he was for much of last season.

Assuming he clears waivers, anyway. It’s possible another team may pick him up. The Saints had too many established players and young draft picks on their depth chart at defensive end to make room for Lalos; with Cameron Jordan starting on one side while Carl Granderson and Payton Turner split reps on the other, there aren’t many snaps to go around for Tanoh Kpassagnon and Isaiah Foskey.

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Saints stock watch: Who’s rising, who’s falling after Week 2 Chargers win

Jaylon Smith popped off the screen while Bryan Edwards had some costly penalties. 3 risers and 3 fallers from our Saints preseason stock watch | @southexclusives

The New Orleans Saints have one more week of preseason action remaining and are looking to end with a perfect 3-0 record. Before moving forward, let’s take a look back on Sunday’s game versus the Los Angeles Chargers. The Saints came out of the matchup victorious. Within the matchup, there were some standout players for good and bad reasons.

Let’s break down the players who rose their stock and the players who dropped their stock with their performance in Week 2 versus the Los Angeles Chargers.

Saints backups Niko Lalos, Jack Heflin benefiting from XFL experience

Saints backup defensive linemen Niko Lalos and Jack Heflin are using the benefits of XFL experience in pursuit of coveted roster spots:

The rejuvenated XFL has sold itself as a spring league where players on the fringe of NFL rosters can hone their craft and develop themselves for future pro opportunities, and it’s tough to argue with the results that New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Niko Lalos and Jack Heflin have found.

Both young players had starring roles in the XFL last season — Lalos with the Seattle Sea Dragons, Heflin on the Houston Roughnecks — and now they’re making compelling cases as the Saints look ahead to roster cuts on Aug. 29. Saints head coach Dennis Allen was very complimentary of the growth he’s seen from Lalos in particular when asked about his progress.

“He’s a guy that’s worked extremely hard, he was on the practice squad last year,” Allen recounted. “He went and played in the XFL this year. I think that was good experience for him to get out there and play. He’s been putting some good stuff on tape. It’s a position that we’re pretty deep at so there’s a lot of competition there. We’ll evaluate where that tape was, but he did do some good things tonight.”

Lalos just bagged 3 sacks and a few other pressures against the Los Angeles Chargers. Heflin has consistently generated pressure in both of their preseason games. Their arrows are trending up. So how can they make the roster?

It’s going to be very difficult for Lalos to unseat anyone at defensive end, but he’s done everything possible to try it. Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson, Payton Turner, and Isaiah Foskey are locks for the roster, barring an unforeseen injury or trade. Tanoh Kpassagnon signed an extension earlier this offseason. He may have some trade value but it’s not likely any of the top five players will be moved. The Saints typically keep five defensive ends on the active roster and often one of them is a healthy scratch on game days. Lalos needs to make Kpassagnon look expendable. It’s too soon to say whether he’s accomplished that.

What about Heflin? His chief competition is Malcolm Roach, a longtime Saints backup who has steadily developed and climbed the depth chart. Nathan Shepherd, Khalen Saunders, and Bryan Bresee are roster locks. The team rarely keeps more than four of them on the 53-man lineup at a time with another interior lineman or two stashed on the practice squad. Roach has had a productive summer too, so Heflin needs to keep it up while pushing him.

Odds are good that both guys will end up on the practice squad. We tend to overrate players we watch every day and each week compared to others around the league, and all 32 teams have players like Lalos and Heflin they’re hoping to sneak through the waiver wire so they can return to the practice squad. It’s always possible one or both of them gets claimed. At the same time, one or both of them could clear waivers and stay in New Orleans.

But it would be easier if they won roster spots outright. Continuing to fight off competition like Kyle Phillips, Prince Emili, and Jerron Cage while pressuring Roach and Kpassagnon will do a lot of good. Iron sharpens iron, and the Saints have a nice competition brewing at the bottom of their depth chart. Maybe that energy can continue to rise to the top.

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