New Bengals LB Joe Bachie was a popular player on waivers, as the Broncos and Saints also tried to claim the former Michigan State standout.
Bachie signed with the Saints as a UDFA last year, who attempted to bring him back. Cincy had highest priority.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 27, 2021
It’s an open secret that the New Orleans Saints could use some help at linebacker, but they won’t be reuniting with Joe Bachie. The former Michigan State standout inked an impressive undrafted rookie deal with the black and gold in 2020 but spent most of the season on their practice squad; his position coach gave him a big vote of confidence for his abilities on defense, but a lack of upside on special teams kept him on the bench.
Then the Philadelphia Eagles poached Bachie from the Saints practice squad. He appeared in four games for the doomed birds to close out their season, logging 56 snaps in the kicking game against 18 reps on defense, but notching their only win over New Orleans, coincidentally (a matchup in which Bachie played six special teams snaps). Philadelphia recently waived the second-year pro, and ESPN’s Field Yates reports that the Saints submitted a waiver claim to bring him home, as did the Denver Broncos. But the Begnals had higher priority than both teams.
Bachie is the latest former Saints player to land in Cincinnati, where he’ll join defensive captain Vonn Bell and cornerback Eli Apple, plus defensive end Trey Hendrickson (who joined the Bengals on a lucrative free agent contract, which is expected to return a compensatory draft pick to New Orleans). The Saints aren’t scheduled to play the Bengals again until 2022, but it’s possible several familiar faces will be lining up against them when LSU icons Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase lead their teammates back to Louisiana.
