The New Orleans Saints reported tryouts with five free agents following Monday’s training camp practice session, per the NFL transactions wire. And two of those names might be familiar to Saints fans.
Most notable is wide receiver Jake Lampman, who first entered the NFL on an undrafted free agent deal with the Saints back in 2016. The Ferris State alum began his rookie year on the practice squad but logged just 89 snaps on special teams before being released. He was quickly snatched up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the 6-foot-0, 205 pound wideout hung around for a few years.
Another former member of the Saints called in for the tryout was tight end A.J. Derby, originally a sixth-round draft pick by the New England Patriots. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, he joined the Saints late in the 2019 preseason but wasn’t able to crack the roster. Before that, he was traded several times, taking the field with the Patriots (4 games), Denver Broncos (15 games) and Miami Dolphins (6 games).
The other three tryouts were all new to New Orleans, and all play tight end. The group was rounded out by Ethan Wolf, Donnie Ernsberger, and Ryan O’Malley. They have combined for four regular season game appearances between the three of them.
So why all the interest in tight ends? The Saints have been without Josh Hill for much of training camp due to an unspecific injury, and he’s a valuable co-starter in the Saints offense. With two backups having opted out due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rookie quarterback Tommy Stevens transitioning to the position, the Saints probably wanted to see if they could add someone more experienced to pad out the practice rotation. They haven’t signed anyone yet, but stay tuned.
