Saints place Michael Thomas on injured reserve, announce roster moves

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President and General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Tuesday that the club has signed defensive back Cameron Dantzler Sr. to the active roster from the practice squad, signed wide receiver Marquez Callaway to the practice squad and placed wide receiver Michael Thomas on Injured Reserve.

Dantzler, 6-2, 190, was originally selected as a third round draft pick (89^th overall) in 2020 by the Minnesota Vikings out of Mississippi State. A former standout at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Hammond, La., Dantzler has played in 37 career games with 26 starts, posting career totals of 148 tackles (125 solo), three interceptions, 17 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one special teams tackle. In 2022, Dantzler appeared in ten games with nine starts and totaled 50 tackles, three stops for loss and five passes defensed, in addition to a game-winning forced fumble and fumble recovery on the same play vs. Chicago (10/9/22). During his rookie season in 2020, Dantzler was the first Vikings cornerback to be named to the PFWA All-Rookie team since 1994, when he finished with 46 tackles, three stops for loss, two interceptions, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Dantzler split the 2023 offseason and preseason between the Washington Commanders and Houston Texans before joining the Saints practice squad, with him contributing on special teams in two contests.

Callaway, 6-2, 204, was originally signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2020 out of Tennessee and in 42 regular season games with 17 starts for New Orleans (2020-22), he has recorded career totals of 83 receptions for 1,069 yards with seven touchdowns, returned 14 punts for 149 yards (10.6 avg.) and returned four kickoffs for 94 yards (23.5 avg.).

Callaway earned a roster spot as a rookie and caught 21 passes for 213 yards, returned 11 punts for 122 yards (11.1 avg.) and returned four kickoffs for 94 yards in 11 games with three starts. In 2021, he led New Orleans in receiving yards and touchdown grabs, when he posted 46 receptions for 698 yards (15.2 avg.) with six touchdowns. In 2023, after going to training camp with the Denver Broncos, the Warner Robins, Ga. native spent the first six weeks of the season on the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad.

Callaway completed his college career as one of the Volunteers’ most prolific punt returners of all-time and as a productive pass-catcher with 92 receptions for 1,646 yards and 13 touchdowns. He departed Knoxville with a 13.6 punt return average ranked fourth in school history and his three punt return touchdowns rank second all-time. As a senior in 2019, he collected All-SEC second-team return specialist honors after totaling 154 yards and a 65-yard touchdown on 11 punt returns (14.0 avg.), while grabbing 30 passes for 635 yards and six scores.

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