It’s officially the offseason for the New Orleans Saints, who announced that eight players re-signed from their 2025 practice squad. These are called reserve/future deals, which are unguaranteed contracts that promise guys little more than an invitation to the team’s 2026 training camp. It’s nothing earth-shaking but it is a first step in the months ahead.
Here’s who was announced on Monday:
CB Dalys BeanumCB Beanie Bishop Jr.WR Elijah CooksS Elliott DavisonDT Coziah IzzardOT Easton KiltyCB Jayden PriceOT Barry Wesley
What’s more interesting is which practice squad players did not immediately return. Reserve/future deals are typically handled in batches so we could see a second wave or even a series of individual signings, but for now, the other four players who ended the year on the Saints practice squad don’t have a team. That group includes quarterbacks Jake Haener and Hunter Dekkers, running back Nyheim Miller-Hines, and linebacker Nephi Sewell.
But what makes this more complicated is that the Saints listed two of those players (Haener and Miller-Hines) on their active roster on the team website. Sewell is still listed under the practice squad, which no longer exists since the 2025 regular season is over, and Dekkers remains on the practice squad-injury list. KPRC2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson reported on Dec. 31 that Dekkers had been restored to the practice squad from that injury list, which the Saints reported on the daily NFL transactions wire, but the team website doesn’t reflect that change.
This is a type of free agency for players who ended the year on a practice squad so it’s possible those guys are weighing their options. They could sign a reserve/future deal with another team. That was the case a few years back with former Saints wide receiver Shaquan Davis, so keep an eye out for confirmation on what’s next for Haener, Dekkers, Miller-Hines, and Sewell.