Rookie defensive back Isaiah Pryor landed on the New Orleans Saints’ injured reserve list with an undisclosed injury after their first preseason game, and he’s now been released from his contract after agreeing to an injury settlement with the team. He saw more snaps on special teams (16) than defense (10) in their preseason opener with the Houston Texans.
Listed as a linebacker, Pryor lined up all over the defense at Notre Dame before turning pro, including safety. He’ll have an opportunity to catch on elsewhere around the league once he’s healthy enough to pass a physical. That versatility will be an asset for the first-year player.
So why now? Pryor likely progressed in his recovery to a point where he doesn’t need regular treatment from the training staff, so the team agreed to pay however many weeks’ salary he’d earn while continuing to recover in one lump sum. That gets Pryor off the books and saves the team some salary cap space while making him a free agent and opening the door for him to play somewhere else this year.
It also frees up the medical staff to spend more time working with other players, including those who could return to play this year like rookie left tackle Trevor Penning and defensive tackle Malcolm Roach. The injury settlements aren’t perfect — teams often haggle with players and their agents over exactly how much they’re owed — but it’s maybe the closest we’ll get to seeing both sides made happy in the NFL. The team saves time and money, while the player gets a shot to play again.
