The New Orleans Saints made a surprising roster move on Monday, releasing running back Jacob Kibodi from their practice squad. The news, first reported by Nick Underhill of *NewOrleans.Football*, marks the end of Kibodi’s latest stint with the team. In his place, the Saints have re-signed wide receiver and kick return specialist Jermaine Jackson to the practice squad, as confirmed by John Hendrix of the *Saints News Network*.
Jermaine Jackson, an undrafted rookie from Idaho, brings speed and versatility to the Saints’ special teams unit. Standing at 5’7″ and weighing 170 pounds, Jackson excelled as a return specialist during his college career. Over his final two seasons at Idaho, he caught 101 passes for 1,644 yards and five touchdowns. His best year came in 2022, when he posted 53 receptions for 1,041 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson’s explosiveness on special teams made him a dangerous player at the FCS level. He returned three punts for touchdowns over two seasons, averaging more than 16.4 yards per punt return, and was equally effective as a kickoff returner. Now, the Saints are banking on his return abilities to provide a spark to their special teams.
Jacob Kibodi, meanwhile, had yet to play in a regular season game for the Saints this year. After a solid preseason showing, the undrafted running back was initially cut on August 27 but was quickly re-added to the practice squad. Kibodi’s background includes playing high school football at Christian Life Academy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, before joining Texas A&M in 2017. During his time with the Aggies, he rushed for 270 yards and two touchdowns over three seasons, averaging six yards per carry. In 2021, Kibodi transferred to Louisiana, where he spent three more years playing for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Although he spent the first two years as a backup, Kibodi had a breakout season in 2023, leading his team with 729 rushing yards and scoring eight touchdowns.
In the 2023 preseason with the Saints, Kibodi impressed with 19 rushes for 71 yards and four receptions for 30 yards over three games. His best performance came in the preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans, where he rushed for 59 yards, added 13 receiving yards, and scored two touchdowns. Despite his strong showing, the Saints’ backfield is loaded with talent, and Kibodi ultimately couldn’t secure a spot.
As the Saints prepare for Week 5, they hold a 2-2 record after losing their last two games in the final minutes to the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons. Their next game will be a tough challenge as they face the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Monday Night Football. With these recent roster changes, the Saints hope to address areas of concern as they look to get back on track.
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