The New Orleans Saints got busier on Tuesday, adding three players to the mix while the injury picture around the roster stayed unsettled during their first closed practice of the regular season.
The most notable move was a waiver claim. New Orleans brought in Louisiana native cornerback Decamerion Richardson after the Las Vegas Raiders let him go, and the Saints added him straight to the 53-man roster.
The team also officially signed wide receiver Cedric Tillman and tight end Stone Smartt to the practice squad. On top of that, defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr. was placed on Injured Reserve.
Practice itself brought a little of everything. Quincy Riley, Cesar Ruiz, Chris Rumph and John Ridgeway were back after missing time, which gave the Saints some needed positive news. But running back Kendre Miller exited early with a trainer, leaving more questions hanging over a backfield already dealing with absences.
Richardson is the kind of addition that jumps off the page because of both his profile and his path. The 25-year-old was born in Cullen and raised in Bossier City, then entered the league as a fourth-round pick by the Raiders in the 2024 NFL Draft.
At 6-foot-2 and 192 pounds, he has the size and speed teams want on the outside. He clocked a 4.34-second 40-yard dash before the draft, started seven games as a rookie and finished with 46 tackles and three passes defensed.
His role shrank the next season, but he stayed active on special teams with 204 snaps, which could give him a real shot to carve out a role in New Orleans while he develops behind Kool-Aid McKinstry, Quincy Riley and Martin Emerson Jr.
Tillman brings a different kind of value. The Saints added the 6-foot-3, 215-pound receiver to the practice squad after his time with the Cleveland Browns, where he was a third-round pick in 2023 out of Tennessee.
Over 38 games and 19 starts in Cleveland, he posted 71 catches for 833 yards and five touchdowns. In 2025, he had 21 receptions for 270 yards and two scores in 13 games.
For New Orleans, he adds size on the perimeter and gives the team another option if they need a game-day elevation.
Smartt is another depth piece with some real versatility attached. The 6-foot-4, 226-pound tight end entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022 after earlier playing quarterback and wide receiver before making the switch to tight end.
He has played in 53 NFL games with seven starts and has 38 catches for 432 yards and one touchdown. In 2025 with the New York Jets, he appeared in 15 games, caught seven passes for 52 yards and added three coverage tackles on special teams.
That mix of experience and flexibility makes him a useful developmental option behind the Saints’ active tight ends.
The concern, though, is Miller. He left practice early with a trainer, and the team has not said what happened or how serious it might be.
That matters because Miller had already missed time in camp with a back injury. The Saints are also without Alvin Kamara, who is still recovering from a knee injury, and Audric Estime remained out as well.
Cam Jordan, Oscar Delp and practice-squad receiver Trey Palmer also did not participate.
There were some roster updates beyond the new additions. The Saints announced jersey numbers for several recent moves: Zach Wilson will wear No.
11, Anfernee Jennings No. 33, Daniel Carlson No. 10 and Trey Palmer No.
For New Orleans, Tuesday was about adding depth at cornerback, receiver and tight end while getting a few bodies back on the field. But the biggest storyline may still be the one that started when Miller walked off early.
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