The official NFL transactions wire for Friday, Dec. 6 listed two roster moves for the New Orleans Saints: the loss of backup tight end Jason Vander Laan to injured reserve with a vague head issue, and the re-signing of veteran left tackle Michael Ola. ESPN’s Field Yates first reported the news of both changes to the Saints’ active roster.
Vander Laan only played a handful of snaps in two games for the Saints after being called up from the practice squad, standing out as a blocker on running downs. He injured his head in Thursday’s practice and did not participate in Friday’s session before his season ended.
New Orleans waived third-year tight end Dan Arnold on Wednesday to make room on the roster for free agent linebacker Manti Te’o, and he was claimed off of waivers by the Arizona Cardinals, removing him as an option for the Saints. They’re running thin at the position with just two healthy tight ends on the active roster (starter Jared Cook and backup Josh HIll) and a defensive lineman-turned-tight end on the practice squad (Mitchell Loewen).
Ola logged 32 snaps with the Saints last season as a backup to Terron Armstead at left tackle, but a late-season high-ankle sprain ended his year. He recovered and competed for a spot on the depth chart throughout the summer on New Orleans’ 90-man offseason roster, but was released during roster cuts in August. This is his sixth season in the NFL and his eighth playing football professionally, having started out with the Arena League’s Jacksonville Sharks and CFL’s Montreal Alouettes back in 2012.
Armstead is battling his own high-ankle sprain and is officially questionable to suit up for Sunday’s game with the San Francisco 49ers, so Ola’s return gives the Saints some experienced depth at the position. Last week, they started journeyman guard Patrick Omameh in Armstead’s spot, with undrafted rookie Ethan Greenidge as an emergency option behind him.
