The Saints haven’t had much luck at linebacker yet this year.
Good evidence of that can be found on the list of roster moves the team made to get down to the 75-man limit. Will Smith and Chris Chamberlain have been placed on injured reserve with torn ACLs, ending their seasons and leaving the Saints skeletally thin at linebacker.
Perhaps that’s why the team is holding out hope that Victor Butler can return from his own torn ACL at some point this season. Butler tore the ACL in June and the Saints placed him on the regular season PUP list rather than injured reserve in case he makes a rapid enough recovery to help them at some point in the second half of the season.
Those moves got the ball rolling toward the limit and the Saints got the rest of the way there by placing wide receiver Joe Morgan on injured reserve with yet another torn ACL and releasing linebacker Eric Martin, wide receiver Tim Toone and safety Akwasi Owusu-Ansah.
The Saints also formally announced the acquisition of linebacker Parys Hamilton in a trade with the 49ers and claimed defensive back Jumal Rolle off waivers from the Bills.