The New Orleans Saints have signed defensive back Brian Allen, quarterback K.J. Costello and defensive back Jack Koerner, placed defensive back Bryce Thompson on Injured Reserve and terminated the contracts of running back Malcom Brown and defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson, it was announced today by Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.
Allen, 6-3, 215 pounds, was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round (173rd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Utah. The La Marque, Texas native has appeared in 19 career regular season games with one start for the Steelers (2017-18, San Francisco 49ers (2020) and Cleveland Browns (2021) and recorded three solo tackles and three special teams stops. In 2021, Allen appeared in two contests for the Browns, after initially being signed to their practice squad in mid-December. Allen played in 42 career games with 12 starts at Utah from 2012-16) and totaled 62 tackles, 14 passes defensed and five interceptions. His four picks in 2016, tied for fifth in the Pac 12 Conference.
Costello, 6-5, 225 pounds, spent two weeks with the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2021 preseason and participated on a tryout basis in the Saints' 2022 rookie minicamp. He played the final season of his college career at Mississippi State in 2020 after spending three seasons at Stanford. Over the course of his four-year career, Costello threw for 7,434 yards 55 touchdowns. The Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., native was a two-time team captain for the Cardinal and saw his most productive season as a sophomore in 2018, when he helped lead the team to a 9-4 record and a bowl victory. In 13 starts that season, Costello threw for 3,540 yards and 29 touchdowns for a conference-best 155.0 efficiency rating. On September 26, 2020, Costello set a Southeastern Conference record, throwing for 623 yards, to go with five touchdown passes in a 44-34 victory for the Bulldogs in Baton Rouge.
Koerner, 6-0, 204 pounds, was a four-year letterman (2018-21) and three-year starter at free safety for Iowa, where he totaled 217 career tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions, ten passes defensed, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and one blocked kick. As a senior in 2021, the Des Moines, Iowa native posted 89 tackles, 3.5 stops for loss, two interceptions and three passes defensed, as he earned honorable mention All-Big Ten by league coaches and media. He spent part of the offseason with New Orleans after signing with the club as a free agent after the NFL Draft.
