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Saints Add Barrett, Williams and 9 Others to Practice Squad

Posted at 11:32 PM, Sep 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-03 00:32:41-04

Press Release

The New Orleans Saints have agreed to terms on practice squad contracts with QB J.T. Barrett, LB Vince Biegel, TE Garrett Griffin, DT Woodrow Hamilton IV, DE Alex Jenkins, WR Keith Kirkwood, T Rick Leonard, RBs Dwayne Washington and Jonathan Williams, OL Nate Wozniak and TE Deon Yelder, it was announced by Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

  • Barrett, 6-2, 220, was signed by New Orleans as a free agent following the 2018 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. In the 2018 preseason, he completed 6-of-11 for 63 yards with one interception and added six carries for 11 yards with a 12-yard touchdown. The Wichita Falls, Texas native finished his career at Ohio State starting 44 games and setting a total of 39 Ohio State (34) and Big Ten Conference (five) records. In his senior season in 2017, he established career-highs by completing 240 passes for 3,053 yards and 35 TDs, while also rushing 165 times for 798 yards and 12 TDs.
  • Biegel, 6-3, 246, was a fourth round draft pick in 2017 by the Green Bay Packers out of the University of Wisconsin. In 2017, he played in nine games for Green Bay, recording 13 tackles (eight solo), including a tackle for a loss, three QB pressures and a QB hit on defense and six tackles on special teams, tied for second on the team. The Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. native played in 54 games (tied school record) at Wisconsin with 40 starts and finished No. 7 in school history with 21.5 sacks and No. 10 with 39.5 tackles for loss. He totaled 191 tackles (117 solo), five passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries
  • Griffin, 6-4, 242, signed with the Saints following the 2016 NFL Draft out of the Air Force Academy, where he finished with career totals of 41 receptions for 678 yards (16.5 avg.) and eight touchdowns. After spending the entire 2016 campaign and the first 12 weeks of the 2017 season on the practice squad, he played in three games in December and had one four-yard reception, while contributing on special teams.
  • Hamilton, 6-3, 315, originally signed with New England as an undrafted free agent in 2016, playing in two games with one start for New England and posting three tackles (one solo), also spending time on their practice squad. After spending the three months on the Saints practice squad in 2017, he posted three tackles in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Minnesota. In four seasons at the University of Mississippi, he played in 47 games with 25 starts at nose tackle and finished his college career with 83 tackles, three sacks and one pass defensed.
  • Jenkins, 6-6, 270, will serve as the club’s designated international practice squad player in 2018 for the second consecutive season. The Bath, England native has competed with New Orleans in the last two preseasons after spending the last four years at the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. As a senior in 2016, he registered 35 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two blocked kicks, two passes defensed and a forced fumble earning second-team All-Southland Conference honors.
  • Kirkwood, 6-3, 210 was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Temple in May. In three seasons at Temple and his freshman year at Hawaii, he played in 44 games with 30 starts and posted 103 receptions for 1,638 yards (15.9 avg.) and 16 touchdowns. In the 2018 preseason, he posted three receptions for 31 yards.
  • Leonard, 6-7, 311, was originally a fourth round draft pick by the Saints out of Florida State University in 2018. After converting to the offensive line from the defensive line where he played his first two seasons, Leonard transitioned to the offensive line as a junior and started 19 games at right tackle his last two seasons in Tallahassee.
  • Washington, 6-1, 223, was originally selected in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft (236th overall) by the Detroit Lions out of the University of Washington. In two seasons in Detroit, he played in 17 games with two starts, posting 110 carries for 309 yards and one touchdown, while catching 12 passes for 76 yards.
  • Williams, 6-0, 223, was originally selected in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft (156th overall) by the Buffalo Bills out of the University of Arkansas. In 2016, he carried 27 times for 94 yards with one touchdown in Buffalo. In 2017, after spending the first ten weeks of the regular season on the Denver practice squad, he was signed to the New Orleans 53-man roster for the final seven regular season games and both postseason contests. In the 2018 preseason, he carried 31 times for 124 yards (4.0 avg.) with two touchdowns.
  • Wozniak, 6-10, 280, signed with New Orleans as an undrafted free agent in May out of Minnesota, where he played tight end. He played in 43 games and finished his college career with 28 receptions for 314 yards.
  • Yelder, 6-4, 255, signed with New Orleans as an undrafted free agent out of Western Kentucky and spent the entire preseason with the club. He had no offensive statistics until his senior year in 2017, when he finished the season ranked second on the Hilltoppers in receiving with 52 catches for 688 yards, a team-leading seven receiving touchdowns, a one-yard rushing TD and a pair of two-point conversions.