3 former Saints players who failed with their new team in 2023

Deonte Harty, Buffalo Bills

For a while there, it looked like Harty was coming on as a productive WR2 or WR3: he made the proverbial "third-year jump" in 2021, catching 36 balls for over 500 yards and three touchdowns.

Through the first three years of his career, he improved every season, and despite only starting four of the 40 games he played for the Saints, was a reliable deep threat at times. He was even named a first-team All-Pro punt returner, made the All-Rookie team, and appeared in the Pro Bowl as a rookie (!!).

It looked like the Saints had their next great special teams player.

Then, after a 2022 season that saw him miss all but four games due to a significant toe injury, the receiver signed a two-year, $9.5 million contract with the Buffalo Bills. His first year in upstate New York was rough: he only started one game, and barely made it onto the field, either on offense or special teams – his snap percentages for both (15% for offense, 17% for special teams) were the lowest since his rookie year, and was a healthy scratch at times.

He's now a free agent again after the Bills cut him earlier this week.