New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Saturday a number of transactions in order for the team to reach the league-mandated roster level of 53 players to begin the regular season.
The Saints have placed three players on injured reserve, waived sixteen players and terminated the contract of three players.
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The following players have been placed on Injured Reserve:
TE Billy Miller**, a 10-year veteran, first joined the Saints in 2006 and has played in 114 career games with 200 receptions for 2,248 yards and 10 touchdowns. In three seasons in New Orleans, the former USC Trojan has made 14 starts in 41 games and caught 86 passes for 1,036 yards and three touchdowns. He was among the team-leaders with 45 receptions for 579 yards with one touchdown catch in 2008. Having been slowed by a knee injury earlier in camp, Miller played in two games this preseason with two catches for 16 yards prior to his injury in the preseason finale against Miami Thursday night. He will undergo surgery later this week.
FB Olaniyi Sobomehin first signed with the Saints as a rookie free agent in the spring of 2008 and began the '08 season on the team's practice squad before being elevated to the active roster for one game and landing on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. This preseason, the 6-1, 230-pound fullback played in all four games and carried the ball four times for 10 yards as well as catching two passes for six yards. Sobomehin suffered a shoulder injury in the final preseason game against the Dolphins.
S Chip Vaughn was a fourth-round selection of the Saints out of Wake Forest in this spring's NFL Draft and was making solid progress in the defensive scheme before being knocked out with a torn meniscus in his left knee. The 6-2, 221-pound safety will miss his rookie season as he rehabs the knee while on injured reserve.
**The following players have been waived:
WR Adrian Arringtonwas a seventh-round draft choice in 2008 who spent the entire '08 campaign on injured reserve with a toe injury. While once again battling injuries this summer, the former University of Michigan wideout played in three games, catching three passes for 77 yards.
**G Nate Bennett
is a first-year player who signed with the Saints early in training camp. The 6-4, 315-pound offensive lineman out of Clemson played in all four of the team's preseason games.
T Michael Brown signed with the team this spring as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State. The 6-5, 300-pound lineman played in all four preseason games this summer, splitting time between right and left tackle.
C Digger Bujnoch signed with the Saints as a free agent in June after spending time on the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad in 2008. The 6-5, 300-pound first-year lineman played in three of the team's preseason games this summer.
RB Herb Donaldson, a 5-10, 226-pound undrafted rookie running back out of Western Illinois, played in all four of the Saints' preseason games, running for 64 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown along with catching five passes for 40 yards.
G Tim Duckworth is a first-year offensive lineman who has spent the past two seasons on the Saints' practice squad. The 6-4, 318-pound guard out of Auburn played in all four of the team's preseason contests at right guard.
CB Danny Gorrer signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M this spring. The 6-0, 185-pound cornerback played in all four of the team's preseason games and made seven tackles with a pass defense.
WR Lynell Hamiltonfirst signed with the Saints prior to the 2008 season and spent the majority of that campaign on the team's practice squad before making the jump to the active roster late in the year. In 11 career games, the 5-9, 190-pound former LSU wideout has caught three passes for 33 yards and averaged 27.4 yards on seven kickoff returns and 4.6 yards on 14 punt returns. Playing in all four preseason games, he caught one pass for an 11-yard touchdown and averaged 6.5 yards on six punt returns.
DT Earl Heyman signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Louisville this spring. The 6-1, 289-pound defensive tackle played in all four preseason games as a reserve lineman and made two tackles.
RB P.J. Hill, a 5-10, 218-pound running back from the University of Wisconsin signed with the Saints this spring as an undrafted free agent. In four games this preseason, he ran for 128 yards on 26 carries with three touchdowns along with two catches for nine yards.
TE Martrez Milner signed with the Saints early in the preseason. The second-year tight end out of the University of Georgia previously played with the Atlanta Falcons, catching nine passes for 50 yards in eight career games. This preseason, he played in three games and caught one pass for 10 yards.
T Jermey Parnell, a 6-6, 278-pound former college basketball player in his time at Ole Miss, signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent this spring and has been tried at three positions this summer, starting at defensive line prior to a stint as a tight end and lastly as an offensive tackle. He played in three games this preseason.
DT DeMario Pressley was a fifth-round pick of the Saints in the 2008 NFL Draft who spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve with a foot injury. The 6-3, 301-pound defensive tackle played in all four preseason games this summer, making nine tackles.
WR Courtney Roby signed with the Saints early in the 2008 season and served as the team's primary kickoff returner before landing on injured reserve. In 31 career games, the fourth-year wide receiver has caught 23 passes for 317 yards and a touchdown and averaged 23.2 yards on 46 kickoff returns. He played in three games this preseason and averaged 21.8 yards on six kickoff returns along with one reception for eight yards.
WR Matt Simon signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Illinois this spring. The 6-1, 199-pound wide receiver played in all four preseason games and caught one pass for 14 yards.
LB Anthony Waters signed with the Saints as a free agent this spring after being released by the San Diego Chargers, the team that drafted him out of Clemson in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. In seven career games, the 6-3, 238-pound linebacker has made three tackles on defense and three more on special teams. This preseason, he played in all four games and made three tackles with a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery along with another two tackles on special teams.
**The following players has been terminated:
G/T Anthony Davis**, a sixth-year veteran signed with the Saints this spring after spending his first five years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played in three games this preseason, splitting time between left guard and left tackle but was hampered by an elbow injury.
QB Joey Harrington.an eighth-year veteran quarterback first signed with the Saints early in the 2008 regular season, although he did not get into any games last season. In 81 career games, the former Oregon signal-caller has thrown for 14,693 yards with 79 touchdowns and 85 interceptions. He played in all four preseason games this summer and went 26-for-43 for 244 yards with 1 touchdown pass.
DE Paul Spicer is in his 10th NFL season and joined the Saints as a free agent in the spring after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 117 career games, the 34-year old has tallied 349 tackles (241 solo), 28.5 sacks, an interception, 19 pass defenses, seven forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. The 6-4, 295-pound defensive lineman played in all four games this preseason, making seven tackles and recovered a fumble.
