New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Saints rookie suspended six games for PED violation

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 9/6/23

One of the New Orleans Saints’ rookies has been suspended for the first six games of the season.

Jake Haener, who was a fourth-round pick by the Saints in April out of Fresno State, has been suspended for a violation of the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.

Jake Haener has been suspended the first six games of the season for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances

— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) September 6, 2023

Haener was competing with Jameis Winston for a spot behind starting quarterback Derek Carr. But both players moved to competing for the third-string job after the Saints made a recent move.

The Saints changed the position designation for Taysom Hill from tight end to quarterback. That change means Hill would have to serve as the No. 2 QB for the Saints in the case that Carr gets hurt in the game. The designation would allow the Saints to also have Winston or Haener as the emergency third quarterback.

Winston is on the 53-man roster and eligible to serve as the team’s emergency quarterback. Haener is now on the suspended list to begin the season, along with Alvin Kamara.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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