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Saints to sign long snapper Thomas Gafford, release Jesse Schmitt: sources

The New Orleans Saints tweaked the long snapper position ahead of training camp.

The Saints will sign veteran Thomas Gafford and released Jesse Schmitt, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The 6-foot-2, 252-pound Gafford, who attended the recently-concluded mandatory minicamp on a tryout basis, has 12 years of NFL experience and spent seven seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs (2008-14).

The signing of Gafford reunites with him with Saints assistant special teams coach Kevin O'Dea, who served on the Chiefs special teams staff in 2013.

Gafford, who entered the league in 2006 as an undrafted free agent out of Houston with the Green Bay Packers, split the 2015 season with the Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders, and played for the Denver Broncos in 2016.