Saints Meeting With Ex-Broncos Tight End; Deal Coming?

The New Orleans Saints are interested in signing a valuable free agent tight end who was just released.

With the Cincinnati Bengals having already met with the player and other teams expressing interest, the Saints have set up a meeting, as reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz on Friday.

“Sources: Free agent TE Noah Fant is scheduled to visit the #Saints after meeting with the #Bengals yesterday,” Schultz wrote. “His visit in Cincinnati was described as “positive,” and both sides plan to stay in touch — but Fant is continuing to explore a multitude of options.”

Fant, 27, was selected at No. 20 overall out of Iowa in the 2019 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos. Fant was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2022 as part of the Russell Wilson deal. He signed a two-year, $21 million extension with Seattle in March 2024 but was released this week. Fant has tallied 300 receptions in his career to go along with 3,305 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Saints are currently thin at tight end, carrying only two healthy players at the position in Juwan Johnson and Jack Stoll as both Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau continue working their way back from injuries.

Fant’s release from the Seahawks wasn’t an indictment on his talent or potential to produce, but rather indicative of a logjam in Seattle between Fant and younger tight ends whom the Seahawks would prefer to play. Fant makes a ton of sense for the Saints right now, and it’ll be interesting to see how he weighs the different options at his disposal.

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