New Orleans Saints: Slew Of Roster Moves Priority For Payton And Loomis This Week

New Orleans continues to find ways to win all be it at the expense of player injury. Over the last several weeks the Saints have been bitten by the injury bug, specifically in the secondary, and now appears that bug has caught up with the line backing core.

Starting SLB Scott Fujita has already missed playing time with a calf injury and now has come down with staff infection in his knee that required slight surgery to remove fluid and expedite the recovery process.

In last weeks game against the Redskins Fujita’s replacement, Jo-Lonn Dunbar, went down early in the game with a hamstring injury and did not return.

It turns out that Dunbar’s injury was season ending landing the third year backup on injured reserve which once again put the Saints down a few healthy linebackers, just like corner backs, once more.

So to offset the injured players and to fill the roster spot of Dunbar the Saints have gone and re-signed line backer Anthony Waters, a former Charger and Saint, to the active roster.

Waters was drafted by the Chargers in the third of round of the 2007 draft but was waived by the team this off-season before eventually landing in New Orleans.

It was thought Waters would earn a roster spot after solid pre-season play with the Saints but to every one’s surprise was cut in the final roster trim right before the start of the season.

Waters was picked up by the Buffalo Bills where he has spent the last eight weeks on the practice squad.

New Orleans also looked to the UFL and signed former California Redwood linebacker Prince Kwateng to the practice squad and once again waived quarterback Chase Daniel to make room for Prince.

Apparently the Saints have had their eye on the young linebacker for some time but because of UFL rules were not able to sign him until now.

Kwateng went undrafted out of Northwestern University after managing to be second on the team in total tackles in 2008, he then found his way into the new UFL while awaiting the call from an NFL franchise.

In light of recent short yardage problems, evident on several attempts during the Washington game, the franchise has released FB Kyle Eckel whom they signed to take the place of injured FB Heath Evans who was placed on injured reserve after an ACL injury suffered against the Miami Dolphins.

To take Eckel’s place the Saints have signed Eagles practice squad player FB Marcus Mailei who went undrafted out of Weber State and since spent the entire season on Philly’s practice squad.

Corner back Chris McAlister, the former Raven and multi-time Pro Bowler, was also given the heave-ho after only playing in two games for New Orleans after the team signed him on the heel of injuries to starters Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer.

McAlister was responsible for one of the biggest plays against the Redskins forcing a fumble, followed by the recovery, in the overtime period that allowed the Saints to take possession and win the game.

McAlister has been replaced by Marcus McCauley, a former third round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2007 out of Fresno State.

McCauley played in ten games for the Vikings recording 70 tackles and eight pass deflections before being released in final cuts this September, but since then spent time with the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before coming to the Saints.

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