The Saints are bringing Jonah Williams back into the fold, and this time he’s landing on the practice squad.
New Orleans announced Monday that the veteran defensive end has re-signed less than a week after the team brought him in and then cut him because of what head coach Kellen Moore called "a medical thing." Moore said at the time, "He'll be fine, just wasn't ready yet".
The timing matters for a Saints defense that could use another body up front. Cameron Jordan, the franchise sacks leader, has been out since early August with a hamstring injury. He returned to limited practice late last week, but that still doesn’t guarantee he’ll be available Sunday against Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and the Baltimore Ravens.
New Orleans got some moments from Chase Young and Carl Granderson in the Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions, but the pass rush never really showed up as a unit. Tyree Wilson and Anfernee Jennings also didn’t generate enough pressure when their chances came.
Williams isn’t being brought in as a cure-all. He joins second-year pro Fadil Diggs on the practice squad, and if he’s elevated for a game, he looks more like a depth option than a front-line answer. Still, he knows Brandon Staley’s system well from his time in Staley’s Los Angeles Rams defense, which gives him a head start.
Williams spent training camp with the Arizona Cardinals before returning to New Orleans, where he played the 2025 season. In 15 games, he was credited with 18 tackles, including 5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks.
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