The roster upgrade from practice squad to active roster won't be much of an upgrade at all for New Orleans Saints rookie receiver Seantavius Jones.
"I always took it every day as if I was on the active roster, so it's really no difference," he said Thursday. "I guess it's just a pay increase or something, but I always work hard and felt like I was on the active roster."
With the waiving of receiver Joe Morgan earlier this week, Jones' feeling became a reality.
Morgan, who played in five games this season (with two starts), caught four passes for 92 yards and also had one carry for 67 yards. However, he was inactive four games and missed two games due to a team-issued suspension.
After joining the Saints in 2011, Morgan played in 19 games, with seven starts. He caught 14 passes for 471 yards and three touchdowns, and missed two seasons (2011 and '13) with knee injuries.
"Ultimately, it was a team decision, something that we felt was best for us," Coach Sean Payton said Thursday of parting ways with Morgan.
Elevating the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Jones to the active roster was made easy by Jones' work since joining the Saints as an undrafted rookie in May.
"He's been real impressive in practices," Payton said. "His size, his speed, those are a couple of things. He's picked things up very quickly. It's every Wednesday and Thursday, you're watching him out here just be productive and that's typically what happens with a practice squad player. When it just keeps repeating itself each week, you can't help but notice it.
"He can run, he's got size. I would also say that the way he works and prepares is pretty impressive."
Jones, who caught 149 passes for 2,374 yards and 33 touchdowns in 45 games at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Ga., said he got word of his new status while getting a waffle at Waffle House.
"After I got the news, I just couldn't stop smiling," he said. "Still smiling. Smiling all day."
He said being on the practice squad was beneficial.
"I've grown a lot," Jones said. "Practice squad actually helped me a whole lot, to sit back and learn and get used to the game speed and everything like that.
"I actually copied some of the tendencies from (Saints receivers) Robert Meachem, Marques Colston and Kenny Stills. I've just got to work hard."
While Jones said he felt "no pressure," veteran running back Pierre Thomas said a message was received in the locker room by the waiving of Morgan. Morgan was expected to contribute significantly this season, after missing last year with a torn ACL, but he never consistently was impactful enough to earn regular snaps.
"It's (Payton's) decision on making the moves but as a player, it's, you'd better get your mind right," Thomas said. "That's how I look at it. Get your mind right."
