New Orleans Saints: WR Robert Meachem Out With Toe Injury, Two Undrafted Rookies Make Roster

Saints wide receiver Robert Meachem will undergo surgery on the second toe of his left foot to repair torn cartilage stemming from an injury he sustained late last season.

The team opted to take the wait and see approach on his recovery but Meachem started to experience some pain during the start of the teams off-season program so the decision was made to go ahead with the procedure.

He is not expected to miss the regular season opener and by all accounts should be ready to go by the time the team starts full-time training camp in late July.

Meachem is coming off a breakout season in 2009 recording 45 catches for 722 yards and nine touchdowns.

This after being drafted with the teams number one pick in 2007 but due to injury and an inability to learn the Saints offense was relegated to a backup role even running with the scout team.

The Saints have decided to sign two undrafted rookies to the roster after their tryouts at last weeks rookie camp, linebacker Sam Maxwell and wide receiver Montez Billings.

Maxwell is a strongside outside linebacker who played collegiately at the University of Kentucky starting all twelve games his senior season totaling 80 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks, two fumbles, seven pass deflections and six interceptions.

His six interceptions set a new school record for the most ever recorded by a linebacker in a single season garnering second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors in 2009.

Maxwell will have a shot to compete for playing time and possibly the starting strong side linebacker spot the Saints are currently trying to fill after former starter Scott Fujita left for the Cleveland Browns in free agency.

Billings, a skinny lanky receiver, played at Auburn but left the team prior the start of the 2009 season for what he described as personal reasons.

He finished his career with 55 catches for 645 yards and one touchdown in 34 career games as a Tiger.

Head coach Sean Payton liked what he saw from Billings and at 6-1 181 pounds was more than impressed with his speed comparing him favorably to wide receiver Todd Pinkston.

It seems unlikely that Billings will crack the final 53 man roster as the Saints have one of the deepest and best receiving cores in the league currently in place.