Saints work out seven free agents, including Elijah Mitchell, as injuries pile up
Seven free agents worked out Wednesday at the Saints' facility, including former 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell, as injuries to Travis Etienne Jr., Anfernee Jennings and Pete Werner thin the depth chart.
NEW ORLEANS: The Saints worked out seven free agents on Wednesday, auditioning three running backs, three defensive ends and one linebacker as a wave of injuries thins the roster at both spots.
The headliner among the running backs was Elijah Mitchell, the 28-year-old former San Francisco 49er. Mitchell was a sixth-round pick, No. 194 overall, in the 2021 draft out of Louisiana, and he rushed for 963 yards and five touchdowns on 207 carries as a rookie, adding 169 yards in the postseason. Across 28 regular-season games for San Francisco he totaled 1,523 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 327 attempts, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Injuries derailed him after that: a torn MCL in 2022, then a season-ending hamstring injury in 2024. He signed with Kansas City as a free agent in 2025 but appeared in one regular-season game before his release in December, landed on New England’s practice squad, signed a futures contract in February 2026 and was released April 28, then earned a contract from Philadelphia after a rookie-minicamp tryout in June, only to be placed on injured reserve Aug. 10 and released the next day. As of Wednesday night, New Orleans had not announced a deal, and no signing had surfaced on the team's transaction log.
The other two backs were Hassan Haskins, 26, a fourth-round pick of Tennessee in 2022 out of Michigan who spent two seasons with the Titans and two with the Chargers before a stint on New England's practice squad this year, and Ulysses Bentley IV, 25, an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss who signed with Indianapolis in 2025 and spent time on and off its practice squad. Haskins has 76 rush attempts for 229 yards and two touchdowns in 44 career games, with 18 receptions for 119 yards and a score. Bentley spent six years in college, three at SMU and three at Ole Miss, and his best season was 2020: 170 attempts for 913 yards and 11 touchdowns.
On the defensive line, the Saints looked at Vincent Anthony Jr., a 22-year-old undrafted free agent out of Duke who signed with Kansas City and spent time on San Francisco's practice squad before being cut Tuesday; David Ojabo, 26, the former Michigan second-rounder whose development with Baltimore was stunted by a torn Achilles at his pro day and an ACL injury in 2023; and Julian Okwara, 28, a third-round pick of Detroit in 2020 out of Notre Dame who has spent time with four teams. Anthony posted 6.5 sacks, 31 tackles and 12 tackles for loss at Duke in 2025. Ojabo had 4.5 sacks and two tackles for loss in four years with the Ravens, then landed on Miami's practice squad this year before final cutdowns. Okwara has 10 sacks, 15 tackles for loss and 72 tackles in 51 career games. The lone linebacker was Jesse Luketa, 27, a 2022 seventh-round pick of Arizona out of Penn State who played 31 games over three seasons with the Cardinals, starting three and recording three sacks in 2024, and has since spent time on the practice squads of the Rams and Patriots.
The auditions are the second wave of the week. Ten free agents worked out Tuesday, split between the offensive line and the defensive backfield, after the Saints lost starting left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. to ankle surgery and moved on from veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom. Wednesday’s group reflects the latest injury toll: running back Travis Etienne Jr., Anfernee Jennings and linebacker Pete Werner were all hurt in the past week. The Saints have not signed anyone from either workout yet.
The search for depth comes with the Saints at 1-2 after a 35-27 Week 3 loss to Las Vegas at the Dome. New Orleans led 27-16 in the third quarter before giving up 19 unanswered points, with four turnovers, three fumbles and an interception, on its final four possessions. "There was a lot of good," coach Kellen Moore said after reviewing the video. "Ultimately, we didn’t get it done."
None to date. The Tribune corrects errors promptly and transparently. Read our corrections policy.
