The Saints signed Matavao to the practice squad Tuesday.
Matavao was a seventh-round pick by the Saints back in April's NFL Draft and has bounced between the practice squad and active roster for much of the first five weeks of the season.
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Moliki Matavao: Cut by New Orleans
Rotowire
The Saints waived Matavao on Saturday.
New Orleans selected Matavao in the seventh round of the 2025 Draft, and he's appeared in three games this season. However, he's seen just 12 snaps on special teams.
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Saints' Moliki Matavao: Returning to New Orleans
Rotowire
The Saints signed Matavao to the active roster Tuesday, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.
The rookie seventh-rounder saw sparse playing time through the first two games of the regular season before being waived by the Saints on Saturday. Now that he's back in New Orleans, Matavao will serve as the TE3 behind Juwan Johnson and Jack Stoll.
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Moliki Matavao: Let go by Saints
Rotowire
Matavao was waived by the Saints on Saturday.
Matavao was selected by the Saints in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he was originally able to crack the team's roster. He played a few snaps on special teams in Weeks 1 and 2, but he'll now be seeking a new opportunity around the league.
The Saints selected Matavao in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 248th overall.
Matavao transferred out of Oregon after landing behind Terrance Ferguson, who was selected by the Rams in the second round of this year's draft. Matavao, a Nevada native, landed at UCLA and started the final two seasons, finishing as the team's top receiver in 2024. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound tight end ran a 4.81 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which is below average for tight ends but is respectable for his size. His run-blocking ability will likely get him on the field sooner than his receiving ability, but he's hard to take down with the ball in his hands.
