Charlie Smyth has been elevated from the New Orleans Saints practice squad for the third and final time — because NFL rules cap the number of games he can play while on the practice squad, the Saints will have to sign Smyth to the 53-man roster if they want him to keep kicking after Week 15’s game with the Carolina Panthers.
The young kicker from Ireland has been solid, nailing a 56-yarder on his first try and a chip-shot 30-yarder, while going 3-for-3 on extra point attempts. But he missed a 48-yard try against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week which muted some of the confidence behind him. He’s got to tighten it up as he gets more opportunities. A big day on Sunday will go a long way.
But this wasn’t the only roster move the Saints made on Saturday. They also elevated wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. from the practice squad for this week’s Panthers game, adding a veteran backup behind Chris Olave, Devaughn Vele, Mason Tipton, and returns specialist Dante Pettis. This is the second game Austin has been called up for from the practice squad so he has one more game of eligibility left for 2025.