New Orleans Saints NFC South

Polk was forced to miss the entire 2025 season due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason, but it appears he's healthy again with offseason workouts now in progress. New Orleans added first-rounder Jordyn Tyson, fourth-rounder Bryce Lance and sixth-rounder Barion Brown in the 2026 NFL Draft back in April, so Polk's potential path to a spot on the final 53-man roster is a narrow one.

Rattler was inactive for New Orleans' season finale at Atlanta back in January due to a finger injury, but it doesn't seem to be an issue for him any longer. He'll be competing with Zach Wilson for the backup quarterback spot behind 2025 second-rounder Tyler Shough in 2026.

Rechsteiner earned a spot on the roster after impressing during his tryout at New Orleans' rookie minicamp. He spent his collegiate career at Jacksonville State, catching 53 passes for 629 yards and seven touchdowns across three seasons.

Shipley ended his final season with the Texas Longhorns 20-for-24 on field-goal attempts, with his longest make coming in at 53 yards. The kicker should provide Charlie Smyth with some competition in camp, as Smyth logged only six NFL starts with the Saints in 2025 after taking over for Blake Grupe.

Like seemingly all Hawkeyes cornerbacks, Hall (6-foot-1, 189 pounds) is a rugged player who is well-versed on the fundamentals. The unfortunate contrast to recent Iowa standouts Cooper DeJean and Riley Moss is that Hall is a below-average athlete by cornerback standards, logging just a 4.59-second 40-yard dash with short arms (30 inches) ill suited to press coverage. If Hall's lack of athletic traits don't hold him back, there's reason to think he has the skill set necessary to at least provide quality cornerback depth at the NFL level.

Styles didn't see much playing time over the first four years of his college career but emerged as a starter in Ohio State's secondary in 2025, when he posted 30 total tackles and three pass defenses across 12 games. He caught the attention of scouts at the 2026 NFL Combine, when he posted an impressive 4.27-second 40-yard dash time, the fastest among defensive backs. Styles struggled at times with his processing time in the secondary, but he does bring experience on special teams both in coverage and as a returner, which should help him see the field in his rookie season. On defense, his main competition for snaps will come from the likes of Jordan Howard and Jonas Sanker.

The 27-year-old from Utah is set to remain in New Orleans after spending 2025 with the team. Across 16 games and 319 total snaps (206 on special teams, 113 on defense) last season, Burgess tallied 22 tackles and three passes defensed. He's expected to remain a key special-teams contributor during the 2026 season.

Rumph appeared in all 17 regular-season games for New Orleans last season and recorded 47 tackles (24 solo), including 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one pass breakup as a part-time defensive player and special-teams stalwart. He should fill a similar role in 2026.

The league didn't mention the reason for the suspension in its announcement, but Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that it was for a violation of the NFL's substances of abuse policy. Bishop will still be able to participate in offseason activities and preseason contests. He had a significant role for the Steelers as a rookie in 2024 but didn't see any NFL action last year, splitting the campaign between the Steelers' and Saints' practice squads.

The former starting left guard for the Bills will likely occupy the same spot in New Orleans after agreeing to a hefty contract with the Saints, which can be finalized Wednesday at the start of the new league year. Edwards has 77 regular-season NFL starts under his belt, split between the Rams and Bills.

Stutsman was a core special-teams player as a rookie, lining up on over 60 percent of special-teams snaps in all but one game for the Saints. The Oklahoma product saw a gradual increase in playing time over the course of the season, and he played almost half of the team's defensive snaps in Week 17 and Week 18. Stutsman could take on a larger role in 2026 if the Saints move on from longtime starting inside linebacker Demario Davis, whose contract expired after the 2025 campaign.

Alford will get a chance to compete for a reserve role with the Saints this offseason. He racked up 20 catches for 407 yards and five touchdowns with the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL in 2025 after completing a rookie minicamp with the Chiefs last offseason.