Saints Cut 6 Players as Waivers Put Means, Smyth in Play

Q: Will the Saints' crowded receiver room end up gifting a top-tier developmental weapon to a desperate competitor?

Yes—if New Orleans gifts anyone from this receiver room to another team, Bub Means is the clearest candidate. Means has the profile teams gamble on at cutdown time: he was a 2024 fifth-round pick, has legitimate size-speed traits, ran in the 4.4s, and has already shown some NFL production with 9 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown in limited action. The Saints’ depth chart worked against him more than a total lack of talent. Reports out of camp said he started strong, and his earlier preseason flashes reinforced that he can function as a vertical, developmental piece. For receiver-needy teams low on upside, that is exactly the type of waiver claim worth making. Ronnie Bell is a more immediate depth option than a true “top-tier developmental weapon.” His 6-catch, 65-yard preseason finale helped, and his prior NFL experience gives him appeal, but the league is more likely to view him as practice-squad or back-end roster help than as a high-ceiling asset. New Orleans could still lose him, but the upside case is stronger with Means. The key variable is waiver priority. Claimed players must go straight to a 53-man roster, so a desperate team has to believe Means is worth carrying immediately. Given the number of clubs still thin at wide receiver after cutdowns, that is plausible. If he clears, the Saints would likely try to stash him on the practice squad, but he may be the exact kind of athletic, unfinished receiver another franchise sees as a low-cost bet with starter traits.

Q: Which promising rookie cut by the Saints will become a breakout star for a rival NFL team this season?

Bub Means is the best bet to become a breakout player for another team this season. He has the strongest mix of draft pedigree, measurable upside and actual NFL production among the Saints’ cuts. Means was a 2024 fifth-round pick, has prototypical size at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, and has already shown he can make plays when healthy, posting 9 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown in limited action. Reports from camp also noted his big-play ability and a strong preseason showing, including a 4-catch, 77-yard outing. In a league where receiver depth is always in demand, that profile gives him the clearest path to contributing quickly elsewhere. Jay’Viar Suggs is the most intriguing dark-horse candidate. The undrafted rookie defensive lineman put good preseason tape together, especially against double teams in the third exhibition game, and interior line depth is valuable. But breakout seasons for developmental defensive tackles are less common than for receivers who can immediately fill rotational roles. Ronnie Bell has a chance to stick because of his strong preseason finale and prior regular-season experience, while Xavier Truss and Torricelli Simpkins III could carve out useful roles for teams needing offensive line help. Charlie Smyth remains more of a long-term project unless a kicking-needy team takes a flier. If the question is who has the best chance to hurt the Saints fastest and most visibly for a rival, Means stands out.

Q: Could a simple position change turn one of New Orleans' discarded linemen into a hidden gem for another franchise?

Yes. Torricelli Simpkins III looks like the clearest example of a Saints cut whose value could rise quickly with a simple move back to his natural spot. The key issue is fit, not just talent. Simpkins showed enough as an undrafted rookie to make New Orleans’ roster last year and logged regular-season snaps at guard, where he was viewed as more comfortable and effective. This summer, though, the Saints worked him almost exclusively at center, and that experiment appeared to hurt his stock. Reports from camp and preseason pointed to struggles with the transition, including some uneven play that made him expendable in a crowded offensive line room. That is why another team could see him differently. A guard-needy club may view the Saints’ evaluation as distorted by position usage rather than by a lack of NFL ability. Simpkins has already shown he can hold up physically, and his prior regular-season experience gives him more credibility than a typical end-of-roster lineman. If a team claims him and puts him back at guard, it could uncover a functional depth piece with developmental upside. Xavier Truss is a similar, though slightly less obvious, candidate in reverse. He improved after moving from tackle to guard and could interest teams needing interior help. But with Simpkins, the hidden-gem argument is stronger because the evidence suggests the Saints may have reduced his effectiveness by moving him away from his best position.

3 articles · Updated · Saints Wire · Aug 30

Six New Orleans Saints cuts now head to waivers or free agency after the roster deadline, with receiver Bub Means and kicker Charlie Smyth among the most notable names.
Means could draw interest because injuries limited him to seven games, yet he still posted 9 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown in a thin leaguewide receiver market.
Smyth lost the kicking job after camp inconsistency prompted New Orleans to add two-time All-Pro Daniel Carlson; because he was released rather than waived, he can sign directly elsewhere.
Jay'Viar Suggs, Ronnie Bell, Xavier Truss and Torricelli Simpkins III also flashed enough in preseason or prior depth roles to attract claims, even if the Saints hope some clear waivers and return to the practice squad.