NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 23 : Kai Kroeger #32 of the New Orleans Saints looks on from the field during an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons at Caesars Superdome on November 23, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesNic JenningsThu, March 12, 2026 at 1:58 AM UTC·1 min readAfter New Orleans recently signed former Minnesota Vikings punter and Tulane alum Ryan Wright to a lucrative four-year $14 million deal with $8 million guaranteed, the team has now traded former undrafted free agent punter Kai Kroeger to the Houston Texans, with the teams swapping 2028 sixth and seventh-round draft picks.
Now that the Saints have finally invested in special teams, this will mark the fourth consecutive season New Orleans is entering with a new punter. It also ends a three-year streak of undrafted free agent rookies, as the team has gone from Lou Hedley, Matthew Hayball and Kroeger over the past three seasons.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPunting was a major issue for the Saints in 2025. Kroeger’s 63.9 punting grade ranked 25th out of 32 qualifying punters, according to Pro Football Focus. On 56 punts, his 38.64-yard net average ranked 28th at the position, while his long of 61 yards also ranked 28th, and his 18 punts inside the 20-yard line ranked 29th.
For the Saints, getting any compensation for Kroeger is a win. They originally signed him as an undrafted free agent during training camp, and now they’ve ended up receiving a draft pick in return.
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