The Saints are still shuffling pieces, and the latest moves came with a twist: New Orleans reached injury settlements with RB Devin Neal and EDGE Michael Heldman, then waived both players.
That kind of move lets the Saints clear out players who weren’t likely to factor into the roster while also saving cap space. The players are paid for the time they would have missed, and once the injury settlement period is over, plus three weeks, they become free agents. The Saints would be allowed to re-sign each player once that window closes.
For Neal, the decision stings a little. He was already on the outside of the running back battle because of injuries, but when he was on the field, he flashed real promise. The hamstring issue never healed, including what was seen in the game against the Los Angeles Rams, and that shut down what could have been a strong long-term option for New Orleans.
The Heldman move is the one that raises even more eyebrows. It points to him being unlikely to crack the roster, probably because of the Saints’ depth at EDGE, but he had clearly shown enough to get attention.
Throughout the preseason, he made plays and flashed the kind of pass-rush ability that can stick. Once he was injured and ruled out for the year, the Saints had the advantage of being able to keep him around without having to use a roster spot.
That’s why settling now carries some risk.
If New Orleans can circle back and bring both players back after the settlement process is complete, this could end up being a short detour. If not, it may be a move the Saints end up regretting.
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