Here’s an intriguing free agent trying out at New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp. While these minicamps are mainly focused on acclimating first-year pros to life in the NFL, they also work as extended tryouts for veterans looking for work. And one of those players auditioning for a roster spot with the Saints is former Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Peoples-Jones, 26, is a Detroit native who played college football at Michigan and was picked by Cleveland in the sixth round back in the 2020 NFL draft. He broke out in a big way in 2022, catching 61 passes for 839 yards and three touchdowns (all career-highs), but he fell off in the 2023 season. He caught just eight receptions in his first seven games before being traded to the Lions at midseason, and a change of scenery didn’t help. He had five catches for 58 yards through eight games and spent the 2024 season on Detroit’s practice squad. Lions coach Dan Campbell asked for more from him during the preseason, but Peoples-Jones didn’t do enough to win a roster spot.
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Now he’s hoping to earn a shot with the Saints. Peoples-Jones is a good athlete with some size the team lacks at receiver, weighing in 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds, but he needs to show he can consistently make catches and move the chains. He could be a better option to compete for a roster spot in training camp than someone like Mason Tipton. Let’s see how he does in this first look over the weekend.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints free agent tryouts: WR Donovan Peoples-Jones at rookie minicamp