New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President and General Manager Mickey Loomis announced that the club has signed free agent wide receiver Cedric Tillman and tight end Stone Smartt to the practice squad.
Tillman, 6-3, 215, was originally drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round, 74th overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Tennessee. The Las Vegas, Nev., native played in 38 games with 19 starts for the Browns from 2023 to 2025, recording 71 catches for 833 yards, an average of 11.7 yards per catch, with five touchdowns. In 2025, he played in 13 games with ten starts, catching 21 passes for 270 yards, an average of 12.9 yards per catch, with two touchdowns.
In five seasons at Tennessee from 2018 to 2022, Tillman appeared in 44 games with 21 starts, recording 109 receptions for 1,622 yards, an average of 14.9 yards per catch, and 17 touchdowns. His 17 receiving touchdowns tied for 10th in school history, while his six 100-yard receiving performances tied for eighth. He also set a Tennessee record with a touchdown reception in seven consecutive games.
Smartt, 6-4, 226, was originally signed by the Los Angeles Chargers following the 2022 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion. After entering the NFL as a quarterback and wide receiver, Smartt transitioned to tight end with Los Angeles. In four seasons with the Chargers from 2022 to 2024 and the New York Jets in 2025, the Sacramento, Calif., native played in 53 games with seven starts, catching 38 passes for 432 yards, an average of 11.4 yards per catch, with one touchdown, and recorded six special teams tackles. Smartt also appeared in the Chargers' 2024 Wild Card matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars and participated in 2026 Training Camp with the Philadelphia Eagles.
In 2025, Smartt played in 15 games for New York with one start, catching seven passes for 52 yards, an average of 7.4 yards per catch, and recorded three coverage tackles. In three seasons at Old Dominion from 2019 to 2021, Smartt appeared in 18 games, making seven starts at quarterback and five at wide receiver. At quarterback, he completed 101 of 177 passes for 1,006 yards, one touchdown and six interceptions while rushing for 181 yards and five touchdowns on 104 carries. After converting to wide receiver in 2021, he recorded 17 receptions for 167 yards and added 10 rushing yards on five carries. Prior to his time at Old Dominion, Smartt played the 2018 season at Riverside City College in Riverside, Calif., completing 177 of 277 passes for 2,754 yards and 31 touchdowns, all single-season school records, while rushing for 583 yards and nine touchdowns.
The article also includes a gallery of practice squad players for the 2026 NFL season, featuring Fadil Diggs at EDGE number 40, CJ Donaldson at running back number 43, Jalen Moreno-Cropper at wide receiver number 85, and Jackson Sirmon at linebacker number 47.
Source: www.neworleanssaints.com — Read the original article
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