New Orleans Saints make roster changes days before opener

Just a couple of days before the Saints are going to open up their 2020 season, they make two roster moves that will impact Sunday.

The New Orleans Saints are getting ready to kick off their season on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There has been media swirling around the fact that the team has a huge shot to win their second Super Bowl this year.

That is a task that every team strives for, but only one team each year accomplishes that goal. This year, the Saints have structured their team to be in a win-now mentality. With the uncertainty of Drew Brees’ career, New Orleans needs to put everything forward.

This week New Orleans signed defensive end Marcus Willoughby to their practice squad, and they also placed punter Blake Gillikin on injured reserve. Gillikin was one of the most surprising additions to the 53-man roster for the team — keeping two punters.

With things rapidly changing in our world due to the pandemic, the NFL has put forth their adjusted rules and regulations as to how this season will go. One of those adjusted rules in a total revamp of how the injured reserve system works.

For this season, each NFL team has unlimited chances to bring players back from injured reserve to the team. In past years, they have only been allotted two slots to bring players back. Also, IR only lasts for three weeks this year; last season it lasted six weeks.

Marcus Willoughby is a defensive end who played his college ball at Elon University. He was an undrafted rookie before being signed by the Baltimore Ravens. After spending his training camp in Baltimore, he was a part of their cut down to 53.

Willoughby is the 16th and last member of the Saints practice squad. As the Saints get set to face off against the Buccaneers this weekend, their roster is complete and they are looking to make the most out of a great year ahead of them.