Roman Harper could be returning to the Saints in a new role

In 2006, the New Orleans Saints used a second-round pick on a talented safety out of Alabama named Roman Harper. Harper went on to become a pillar of the franchise, playing 124 games for the Saints. He made two Pro Bowls while in New Orleans, and helped the franchise win its only Super Bowl.

While Harper did switch sides once, spending two years with the Carolina Panthers, he made his way back to the Saints for his final season, ultimately spending nine years in New Orleans. He was also inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2021.

Retiring after 11 total seasons in the league, Harper has since been a consistent presence on television as an analyst. He’s a fixture on SEC Network’s football programming, which makes sense since he was a star at Alabama. It was actually at the 2024 SEC media week where Harper revealed he could be returning to the Saints soon.

Speaking with other media members, Harper announced that he could possibly be spending some time with the Saints’ staff during training camp.

Roman Harper could join Saints staff during training camp

Harper admitted that it’s not official yet, but he has been speaking with head coach Dennis Allen about working with the Saints for a week and helping them prepare for the 2024 season. Harper said that Allen is one of his favorite coaches he’s ever had, and that both Allen and general manager Mickey Loomis have always left the door open for Harper to help the franchise.

Harper has existed in the media space since retiring, but this experience could be a way for him to dip into the coaching world, or as a team analyst— he didn’t really explicitly outline the possible role. Whatever it is, though, Harper is more than qualified. His wealth of experience should certainly help the Saints, especially the talented defensive backs on the roster.

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