The New Orleans Saints announced today that they have signed LS Chris Highland and released WR Hakeem Nicks. The announcements were made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

Highland, 6-2, 230, returns to New Orleans after previously spending a portion of the 2016 offseason with the club. The Bloomington, Ill. native also participated in Saints training camp prior to the 2015 season, appearing as the long snapper in the team's preseason opener at Baltimore. Highland played in 41 career games over his four-year collegiate career at Illinois State. A first-team All-America selection by the Associated Press and The Sports Network as a senior in 2014, Highland played in all 15 games and was not credited with a bad snap all season. Following his senior campaign, the former Redbirds standout was a first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection and a MVFC All-Academic honorable-mention.

Coach Sean Payton said following practice Monday that left tackle Terron Amstead has been activated from the PUP list.