Saints' Cutdown Highlights Cornerback Jayden Price as Key Winner
Cornerback Jayden Price, who previously bounced through the NFL, CFL, and UFL, earned a spot on the Saints' 53-man roster after a strong preseason. The team also made several other surprising decisions during Sunday's cutdown. Price's journey from practice squads to the active roster stands out as a major positive.
Price's path to the active roster was circuitous, spanning three professional leagues before landing in New Orleans. After going undrafted in 2024, he spent time on Atlanta's practice squad, then moved to the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats before stints with Birmingham and Arlington in the UFL. The Saints initially signed him in June 2025, released him a year ago on this date, and brought him back to the practice squad.
His preseason performance, highlighted by an interception against Jacksonville that earned a 95.3 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, helped secure his roster spot. Fellow cornerback Martin Emerson Jr., a 2022 third-round pick who missed 2025 with a knee injury, also impressed with strong coverage grades, while the team's IR rules allow up to eight designated returns during the regular season.
This roster decision could resonate beyond New Orleans, as Price's journey from practice squads through multiple leagues illustrates the precarious reality facing fringe NFL players each August. His success may encourage teams to give more looks to UFL and CFL talent, potentially widening the pipeline for overlooked athletes. For fans, such underdog stories can deepen engagement with the sport, though the constant churn of roster cuts also highlights the instability players endure in pursuit of a career.