Former New Orleans Saints safety Chris Banjo signed a free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Banjo was released by the Saints during roster cuts early in September and initially visited with the Philadelphia Eagles before agreeing to join the Cardinals.
The Saints signed Banjo to a three-year contract extension earlier this year, but were unimpressed by his performance during training camp and the preseason games. A career special teams ace, Banjo may have been a poor fit with new coordinator Darren Rizzi, who was hired after the Saints inked Banjo’s extension. Cutting him just months into a new contract cost New Orleans additional salary cap space, leaving $1.5 million in dead money on the books for 2019.
Banjo played only a handful of defensive snaps in his time with the Saints, often listed as the third or fourth safety on the depth chart and primarily suiting up for the punt and kickoff coverage units. That said, he did flash some playmaking ability with three interceptions (including two off of Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz in a single game last year) while wearing black and gold. Now, he’ll join one of the NFL’s thinnest rosters and have a shot at earning significant playing time.
