3 are signed to reserve/future contracts by the New Orleans Saints
Mickey Loomis, general manager, made the announcements.
The New Orleans Saints, led by Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis, announced on Monday that the following players have signed reserve/future contracts: tight ends Tommy Hudson and Michael Jacobson, defensive tackle Jack Heflin, defensive back Faion Hicks, offensive lineman Mark Evans II, defensive tackle John Penisini, running back James Robinson, and linebacker Anfernee Orji.
Mark Evans II, Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s offensive lineman (6-2, 295): was a four-year letterman at left tackle for Arkansas-Pine Bluff and a three-time all-SWAC selection. He was first signed by New Orleans as a free agent following the NFL Draft. For the third straight season in 2022, the product of Houston, Texas, was named to the All-Conference team. He played for the Saints throughout the preseason and then ended up playing on their practice squad for the final three and a half months of the season.
Jack Heflin – defensive tackle, Iowa (6-3, 304): Heflin was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as free agent following the 2021 NFL Draft out of Iowa and has played in six games for the Packers (2021), New York Giants (2022) and Saints (2023), making two assisted tackles. In the spring of 2023, the Prophetstown, Ill. native was an All-XFL selection for the Houston Roughnecks, when he recorded 25 tackles, three stops for loss and one sack, followed by signing with the Saints. In New Orleans he spent the season on the practice squad, recording one assisted tackle in his only appearance vs. Carolina, Dec. 10. Heflin played his graduate season in 2020 at Iowa, where he started all eight games for the Hawkeyes and recorded 21 tackles, 3.5 stops for loss and one sack. He started his college career at Northern Illinois (2017-19), where in 2019, he started all 11 games and earned first-team All-Mid American Conference (Pro Football Focus) and second-team All-MAC from league coaches, posting 31 tackles (14 solo), leading the team with a career-high 8.5 stops for loss and three sacks, also adding three forced fumbles, ranked second in the conference.
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Faion Hicks – defensive back, Wisconsin (5-10, 192): Originally selected in the seventh round (232nd overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos out of Wisconsin. In 2022, the Pembroke Pines, Fla. native appeared in two games on special teams. In 2023, after spending the preseason with Denver, he spent the last 17 weeks of the season on the Saints practice squad. During his college career, he started 39-of-44 games for the Badgers and recorded 108 tackles (85 solo), one interception and 18 passes defensed. In 2021, he started all 11 games played and was named consensus All-Big Ten honorable mention for the second consecutive year after tallying 28 tackles (21 solo) and ten passes defensed.
