The Saints have lost Marcus Davenport for the season, and they may have lost Sheldon Rankins for the year as well. In an effort to bolster their thinning front seven, the team has signed Noah Spence, per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (via Twitter).
The Buccaneers selected Spence in the second round of the 2016 draft, but he did not live up to his draft status. He did put up 5.5 sacks in his rookie campaign, but his sophomore season was largely lost to injury and he didn’t really produce in 12 games in 2018. Tellingly, Tampa Bay waived him prior to the start of the 2019 regular season.
Spence worked out for the Bears and Redskins after being cut by the Bucs, and he ultimately signed with Washington in September. However, he lasted just two months on the Redskins’ roster before being waived again. He picked up one sack in a limited role for Washington.
But with Davenport gone, New Orleans could use some pass rushing depth. Spence still provides some upside in that regard, so it’s a logical move for the Saints.