Here’s an addition to the New Orleans Saints receiving corps: SI.com’s John Hendrix reports that the Saints have re-signed free agent wide receiver Keith Kirkwood to a one-year extension, adding him to their 90-man roster for the upcoming offseason. He’ll have an opportunity to compete for a spot on the opening-day lineup during training camp later this summer.
Kirkwood, 28, appeared in five games last season while bouncing between the practice squad and the active roster, though his most notable moments were a couple of gaffes late in the season when the Saints drew up some shot plays that fell incomplete. He struggled to separate against opposing defensive backs when his number was called and only caught two passes for 18 yards, converting a single first down. Kirkwood has spent most of his NFL career with the Saints after they signed him as an undrafted rookie out of Temple back in 2018, though he appeared in a couple of games for his old college coach Matt Rhule on the Carolina Panthers.
But the Saints simply need to fill out their offseason roster right now, and signing players like Kirkwood to the veteran minimum is a budget-friendly way of doing it. That’s also why they’re addressing a minor roster need now rather than re-upping some of their higher-priced pending free agents right away. It’s easy to accomplish and they have the means of getting it done more simply than big-budget, multiyear extensions.
The Saints can always swap him out for another player after signing undrafted free agents in May. For now, Kirkwood is one of seven wide receivers under contract for 2023:
- Michael Thomas (pending release)
- Chris Olave
- Rashid Shaheed
- Tre’Quan Smith
- Kirk Merritt
- Kawaan Baker
- Keith Kirkwood