New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced today that the club has signed CB Beanie Bishop Jr. to the practice squad and terminated the practice squad contract of RB Ian Wheeler. In addition, the club also waived WR Kevin Austin Jr. and T Barry Wesley.

Bishop, 5'10, 184, originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers following the 2024 NFL Draft out of West Virginia. As a rookie in 2024, he played in 17 games with six starts, recording 39 tackles (25 solo), two stops for a loss, a half-sack, seven pass breakups, and four interceptions, earning 2024 Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team honors.

In October of 2024, the Louisville, Ky. native was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month after registering 16 tackles (13 solo), two tackles for loss and an NFL-tying best three interceptions. His four interceptions as a rookie were tied for the most by an undrafted rookie in 2024, were the most by a Steelers undrafted rookie in franchise history, and tied for the ninth-most by an undrafted rookie since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

In six collegiate seasons with Western Kentucky (2018-21), Minnesota (2022) and West Virginia (2023), Bishop played in 62 games and posted 172 tackles (133 solo), one sack, one forced fumble, 30 pass breakups and seven interceptions. With the Mountaineers in his final collegiate season, he started all 13 games at cornerback and put together one of the nation's most impressive defensive seasons, leading the country with 24 pass breakups, ranked second in the FBS with 17 forced incompletions, and tied for 19th nationally with four interceptions. A Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist and All-Big 12 first-team selection, he recorded 67 tackles (54 solo), posted seven or more tackles in five games, and logged two or more pass breakups in five contests. He also contributed on special teams, returning two punts (41.0 avg.), highlighted by a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown against North Carolina.