The New Orleans Saints announced today that they have re-signed RB Dwayne Washington, signed G Drew Desjarlais to the practice squad and placed T Trevor Penning and DL Malcolm Roach on Injured Reserve. The announcements were made by Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.
Washington, 6-1, 223, was originally a seventh round choice (236th overall) of the Detroit Lions in the 2016 NFL Draft out of the University of Washington, originally joining the Saints in 2018. The seventh-year pro has played in 71 regular season games with two starts and four postseason contests over his career, carrying 157 times for 554 yards and one touchdown while catching 15 passes for 94 yards and posting 19 special teams tackles. Since coming to New Orleans, the Lakewood, Calif. native has become an impact player on special teams, recording 15 coverage stops, deflecting one punt and recovering one blocked punt and when called upon, rushing for 245 yards on 47 carries (5.2 avg.). In 2021, he appeared in 14 games, making a career-high seven coverage stops and returning three kickoffs for 56 yards on special teams, while rushing four times for 16 yards (4.0 avg.) and catching two passes for 12 yards on offense.
Desjarlais, 6-2, 213, spent this past offseason and preseason with the New England Patriots after playing for the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2019 and 2021 (2020 CFL season cancelled), playing in 18 games with ten starts. Drafted by the Blue Bombers in the first round (fourth overall in the 2019 CFL Draft out of Windsor (Canada), Desjarlais played in all 14 games during a shorted 2021 season and earned a West Division All-Star selection after helping the Blue Bombers win the Grey Cup.
