One name instantly stood apart from the rest when the New Orleans Saints announced their list of undrafted free agent signings: Blake Gillikin, a rookie punter out of Penn State. With spots on the 90-man roster running at a premium this offseason, many Saints fans were left wondering why the team would choose to add a second specialist with longtime punter Thomas Morstead so well-entrenched.
It’s a valid question. The Saints haven’t carried multiple punters on the roster since 2015, when Morstead missed two games with a quadriceps injury (former Miami Dolphins punter Brandon Fields stood in during his absence).