Even though the New Orleans Saints had an incumbent punter, Lou Hedley, and even though Hedley was and will remain a "mate" – Matthew Hayball signed with the Saints as a free agent rookie hunting for an opportunity to punt in the NFL.
He bagged it Tuesday, when the West Adelaide, Australia, native was named to the 53-man roster, supplanting his friend Hedley, who grew up in Mandurah, Australia.
"Really, extremely grateful for the opportunity," Hayball said. "I want to start with credit to Lou and (kicker) Charlie (Smyth), the way I feel like we made each other better throughout this whole process and I can't thank those guys enough. I know they're both going to have a lot of success with whatever comes next."
What's next for Hayball, who averaged 50.3 gross yards and 36.4 on seven punts in preseason, is punting for New Orleans.
"We're good mates," he said of Hedley. "I know he's going to have a lot of success, we've both grown a lot. I'm looking forward to seeing where he ends up, and I know he's going to do really well.
"I knew I was going to learn and develop quickly here, regardless. So the opportunity to come and work with (assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi and assistant special teams coach Phil Galiano), they've been great about giving undrafted guys a real opportunity, so I just felt like this was a great spot to come in and if I could do the right things, then I was going to get a good opportunity here."
Saints Coach Dennis Allen said Hayball came on strong down the stretch in training camp.
"There were a couple of factors," Allen said. "Hayball is younger (27, while Hedley is 31), I think he's got a little bit more leg talent, and I think over the course of the last couple of weeks of practice, he was probably a little bit more consistent than Lou."
Hedley punted nine times in preseason games, averaging 43.7 yards gross and 35.4 yards net.
Hayball said he still is looking to improve and achieve consistency.
"I think just looking to flip the field, continuing to grow with my consistency there," he said. "There's still some things to clean up but just every day, just trying to get better and cleaning those things up."
Undrafted rookie receiver Mason Tipton , who dazzled in training camp practice before injuring his hamstring, didn't play in any of the three preseason games, but made the final roster. The speedster from Yale continually was able to beat the secondary deep in camp and was displaying an ability to make plays underneath before his injury.
"Obviously, with him not participating in preseason games, that's something that I wish we could have seen," Allen said. "But I felt like he did enough in the time that he was out there that warranted a spot on the 53."
There wasn't no doubt that backup quarterbacks Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler would be members of the 53. But Allen said the competition for the No. 2 slot behind Derek Carr is ongoing.
Haener completed 24 of 43 passes for 270 yards and no touchdowns, with no interceptions, in preseason. Rattler completed 20 of 38 for 202 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions, and ran seven times for 26 yards and a touchdown.
"They're still competing," Allen said. "And I really want that to be that way throughout the course of the season, that those guys are coming out here every day and they're competing. It's a healthy competition. I think both those guys have done well.
"I'm not in any way ready to make any sort of statement or comment or declaration or anything of that nature. We'll just let those guys keep coming out and working and practicing and getting better. And here's the deal with both of those players: Both of them, we've got to develop.
"We've got to find ways to get reps for these guys, whether it be on the 'show' team or whether it be extra sessions with some of the young skill guys. Things of that nature. They're going to have to continue to work to develop. I think that's probably the most unique thing and probably the bigger challenge of all of this, that we have two young guys that need work, that need to develop and there's only so many snaps you can get throughout the course of the week. That'll be our challenge."
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold.
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Paulson Adebo, CB #29
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Khristian Boyd, DT #97
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Bryan Bresee, DT #90
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Derek Carr, QB #4
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Demario Davis, LB #56
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who will take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Jaylan Ford, LB #53
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Isaiah Foskey, DE #55
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Taliese Fuaga, T #75
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Willie Gay, LB #6
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Carl Granderson, DE #96
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. J.T. Gray, DB #48
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Blake Grupe, K #19
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Jake Haener, QB #3
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Will Harris, DB #5
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Matthew Hayball, P #43
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Taysom Hill, QB #7
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who will take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Dallin Holker, TE #85
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Jordan Howden, DB #31
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. D'Marco Jackson, LB #52
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Juwan Johnson, TE #83
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Cameron Jordan, DE #94
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Alvin Kamara, RB #41
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Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Erik McCoy, C/G #78
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB #34
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Bub Means, WR #16
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who will take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Jordan Mims, RB #33
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Foster Moreau, TE #87
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Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Anfernee Orji, LB #58
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Lucas Patrick, OL #62
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who will take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Rico Payton, CB #36
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Trevor Penning, T #70
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. A.T. Perry, WR #17
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Adam Prentice, FB #46
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Spencer Rattler, QB #18.
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. John Ridgeway III, DT #95
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Cesar Ruiz, C/G #51
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Nick Saldiveri, OL #64
Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Khalen Saunders, DT #50
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Check out the faces of your New Orleans Saints players who take the field during the 2024 NFL season for the Black and Gold. Landon Young, T #67
