The Minnesota Vikings saw a void on their roster and reunited with fan favorite, Adam Thielen. It's time for the New Orleans Saints to do the same at punter and bring back Thomas Morstead. Morstead was a surprising cut by the San Francisco 49ers, and it's time to rectify a past mistake.
Drafted in the fifth round by the Saints back in 2009, Morstead is an icon in New Orleans. He is the franchise's longest-lasting punter and holds team records in total punt yards (32,190) and punt net yards (28,822). However, it's off the field where he's made a bigger impact.
In 2014, Morstead founded the What You Give Will Grow (WYGWG) foundation, a non-profit organization that focuses on improving the quality of life for children battling cancer, primarily in the New Orleans area. Ten years later, for the 2024 season, he launched the Punt for ALS campaign in partnership with the Team Gleason Foundation, committing to donate $1,000 for every punt he made inside the 20-yard line (By the end of the season, it would raise over $100,000).
Ever since Thomas Morstead was released, the Saints have had a revolving door at Punter
With Morstead's release following the 2020 season, the New Orleans Saints would name Blake Gillikin, who they signed as a UDFA the previous season, as their punter. He would play that role for two seasons, placing himself in front of Morstead in the team record books when it comes to net yards per punt (41.7). However, he would lose a punting battle to Lou Hedley in the ramp-up for the 2023 season.
Hedley would only last one year in the Crescent City, punting 75 times for 2,976 punt net yards with a 39.7 net yards per punt. Ahead of the 2024 season, he would lose a punter battle with rookie Matthew Hayball. Hayball wouldn't fare much better in the black and gold, only lasting a year himself before being cut earlier this offseason. In his one year with the Saints, he would have 75 punts for 3,030 net yards with 40.4 net yards per punt.
Currently, the Saints punter for the 2025 season is set to be Kai Kroeger, a UDFA from this year originally signed by the New York Jets. He spent five years in college with the South Carolina Gamecocks.
At this point, a reunion with Morstead couldn't hurt. What's the worst case scenario? Morstead struggles, and the Saints move on from him. They've been doing that for some years now. At least, Morstead is a proven commodity and a fan favorite.