The Saints have reduced their quarterback roster. On Friday, the team announced the release of veteran Nathan Peterman.
Peterman, in the NFL since 2017, has only appeared in 15 games. Most of his starts came during his first two years with the Bills, and he has since been on and off the practice squads for the Raiders and Bears.
The 30-year-old joined the Saints in March to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster. New Orleans already has Derek Carr as the starter, with 2023 fourth-rounder Jake Haener and fifth-round rookie Spencer Rattler vying for the QB2 role. This competition will continue through training camp and the preseason. As a vested veteran, Peterman will not go through waivers.
Peterman can now join another team or potentially return to New Orleans as a candidate for the practice squad, given the new rule allowing unlimited emergency quarterback elevations in 2024. The loser of the Haener-Rattler competition will likely fill that role.
To replace Peterman, the Saints signed wide receiver Samson Nacua. The brother of Puka Nacua, Samson entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Colts in 2022 but didn’t make the team. He spent the last two seasons playing in the USFL and UFL and will now aim for a depth spot in New Orleans’ receiving corps. Peterman’s release results in an $80K dead money charge from his guaranteed veteran minimum contract.