New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Monday, Jan. 24 that the club has signed running back Josh Adams and wide receiver Kirk Merritt to reserve/future contracts.

Adams, 6 feet 2, 225 pounds, was originally signed by the Philadelphia Eagles following the 2018 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. He has appeared in 26 games with five starts for the Eagles (2018) and New York Jets (2019-21), carrying 157 times for 680 yards (4.3 avg.) and five touchdowns, adding 13 catches for 87 yards. Adams enjoyed his most productive season as a rookie in 2018, when he led Philadelphia in rushing, playing in 14 games with five starts and carrying 120 times for 511 yards (4.3 avg.) and five touchdowns. After spending the first month of the 2021 season with the Jets, Adams spent most of the last two months of the campaign on the Saints practice squad.

Merritt, 6-1, 214, prepped at Destrehan High School, where he played running back and receiver and also ran track, finishing as the runner-up in the 100 and 200 meters in the state championships. He played his final two college seasons at Arkansas State, where he played in all 26 games with 24 starts and recorded 153 receptions for 1,811 yards (11.8 avg.) and 19 touchdowns and had 26 kickoff returns for 654 yards (25.2 avg.) and one touchdown. He signed with the Miami Dolphins in 2020 following the NFL Draft and spent the bulk of the last two seasons on their practice squad, appearing in three regular-season games and posting a 13-yard reception. In the 2021 preseason, Merritt posted six receptions for 106 yards (17.7 avg.) with a club-best two touchdowns.