Saints add DT Colby Wooden, T Mason Murphy via waivers

The New Orleans Saints were active on the NFL waiver wire, claiming defensive tackle Colby Wooden from the Indianapolis Colts and adding tight end Mason Murphy after Murphy was waived by the Chicago Bears. The moves, reported as completed claims on the transactions wire, give the Saints additional options along the defensive front while also reshaping the depth chart in the passing game.

Wooden’s waiver claim places him back into a Saints defensive plan, where the emphasis for a defensive tackle is typically straightforward but demanding: hold up at the line, disrupt gaps, and help set the tone for the rest of the defense. For teams that expect to play multiple fronts and stunts throughout the season, mid-summer waiver acquisitions can serve as immediate depth, but also as a proving ground for role clarity.

Murphy’s arrival adds another body in the Saints’ tight end group. Tight ends in modern NFL offenses are used in multiple ways, from intermediate route running to space creation as blockers. A waiver claim here can be about more than talent alone. It can reflect a need for roster balance, practice-squad competition, and insurance for whatever the current personnel picture looks like.

Waiver activity late in the roster-building cycle usually carries a practical message. Teams do not just gamble on new players, they look for readiness, coaching fit, and whether a player can contribute quickly in practices and early game planning. Even when the claimed players are not expected to be starters on day one, they can become important for rotational snaps, special teams roles, or schematic packages.

The Saints’ defensive-tackle claim also intersects with how quickly teams must adjust when players depart or underperform during preseason evaluation. A player leaving one organization through waivers and landing with another can indicate that the second team sees a clearer path to playing time, a different matchup profile, or a better fit for how that player’s traits translate to the scheme.

For Wooden and Murphy, the next step is straightforward: win reps with the Saints’ coaches and earn the opportunity to contribute. That process will likely be measured in practice execution and how each player handles the specifics of the Saints’ assignments, particularly on defense for a tackle expected to be consistent in leverage and hand technique, and in offense for a tight end expected to run routes accurately and block with discipline.

This report is based on a transactions-style update and does not, on its own, provide additional details such as contract terms, roster designations, or any further league moves involving either player. The Saints’ official roster moves pages, team communications, or an NFL transactions report would be the appropriate place to confirm the full administrative outcome beyond the claim itself.