The Saints are a premier undrafted rookie free agent destination Moments after Mr. Irrelevant is picked with the 256th or so pick in the NFL draft Alex Okafor Jersey , all 32 teams begin the race to land each year’s most desirable undrafted free agents (UDFAs). Within hours, most of the promising talent has already been scooped up onto an NFL roster.All the pre-draft research on every prospect comes into play as teams scramble to be the first to call those they think can actually make an impact on their team. Saints UDFA wide receiver, Keith Kirkwood, had his current team on his radar since before the combine.Saints wide receivers coach, Curtis Johnson, called Kirkwood before the combine in an attempt to lure him to New Orleans in the event he wasn’t drafted. “Just from hearing his voice I just knew he was determined to get me here to be a New Orleans Saint,” Kirkwood said. “I knew I wasn’t going to be drafted, so I had my mind set that when things all boiled down I wanted to be a New Orleans Saint.”Even though Kirkwood is having a great training camp, the Saints crowded receiver corps may be tough to crack. But his presence and willingness to sign with the Saints is a reflection on the growing history of UDFAs becoming quality contributors for the Black and Gold.Back in 2005, the Saints signed a wide receiver to their practice squad. He had been released by the Cleveland Browns after initially going undrafted. The following season, he was allocated to NFL Europe where he played for the Berlin Thunder before being activated to the Saints roster for the final six games. He was then cut and resigned to the practice squad the next day.In 2007, Lance Moore finally made his first start for the New Orleans Saints. He then had a career year in 2008. With Marques Colston out most of the season, Moore amassed 79 receptions for 928 yards and 10 touchdowns. His two point conversion in the Saints’ Super Bowl win cemented his name forever in Saints lore. Last month, he was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame.Yet the Saints had another franchise Hall of Famer emerge from the undrafted abyss in 2007. Running back Pierre Thomas beat out fourth round pick Antonio Pittman for the final running back spot and never looked back. He scored 41 touchdowns for the Saints over seven seasons, including a very crucial score in their Super Bowl win.Thomas and Moore may be the most beloved and longest tenured of any undrafted players to make a Saints roster Larry Warford Jersey Salute to Service , but they are only a couple names on an even longer list of quality players that have come after them. In 2008, it was Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Lynell Hamilton. Dunbar played eight years in the league to Hamilton’s four. In 2009, it was Jonathan Casillas. He’s still in the league playing with the Giants and has two Super Bowl rings, one with the Saints and one with the Patriots.In 2009, it was Junior Galette. He spent four seasons with the Saints, earned a contract extension, and even after two consecutive Achilles tears and numerous off the field issues, still made the Washington roster for three more years before finally waning out of the league.In 2011, it was Isa Abdul-Quddus and Joe Morgan. In 2012, it was Travaris Cadet and Tyrunn Walker. In 2013, four UDFA’s made the Saints roster. Tim Lelito, Ryan Griffin, Glenn Foster, and current Saints tight end Josh Hill all earned a spot.In 2014, Brandon Coleman and Kasim Edebali each earned crucial time on the field. And even though it took them another year to realize their potential Ted Ginn Jr Jersey Salute to Service , in 2016 Ken Crawley and Tommylee Lewis began their journeys towards trusted and valued contributors. Arthur Maulet has taken his chance from last year’s signing and made the most of it. He’s having a terrific camp and is only making the coaches’ job of cutting the roster down even harder. But perhaps no one is turning heads more than last year’s UDFA quarterback claimed off of waivers after being cut by the Packers. Taysom Hill has Saints fans excited, whether he’s lighting it up on special teams or showing off his wheels by escaping the pocket. It’s true. Sean Payton gives UDFAs a fighting chance to make an NFL roster. If college players on the fringe of getting drafted don’t see it, they could be missing out on one of the more promising opportunities in the NFL to leap from unknown and under-appreciated to recognized and maybe even, one day, beloved. [Saints fans: Take our weekly Saints survey, 3 quick questions a week]Last week I called the New Orleans Saints a “big, gigantic fraud” after the miserable defensive effort they displayed in the season opener in a 48-40 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This afternoon in the Mercedes Benz Superdome, the Saints had a chance to redeem themselves against an underdog as big as the Bucs in week one, the Cleveland Browns. They did none of that and they now look like quite an overrated team in this young 2018 season.1st HALFIn the first half, it was the offense’s turn to look like a shelf of itself, scoring only three points and fumbling the ball twice, one each by Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr.Drew Brees was not without fault, overthrowing a wide open Benjamin Watson in the red zone, forcing the Saints tho settle for a field goal, their only points of the half. The defense on the other hand would look much better than it did last week against Tampa Authentic Garrett Grayson Jersey , holding the Browns to six points. At halftime, the Saints trailed 6-3 and looked alarmingly lethargic. One could only hope that halftime adjustments would ignite the offense and lead it to a better showing in the second half.2nd HALFThe Saints received the ball to start the second half and proceeded to go scoreless in the entire third quarter. The defense finally caved in some and allowed the Browns to take a 12-3 lead into the fourth quarter. After a Cleveland missed field goal, Brees and the offense would finally take advantage of good field position to score their first touchdown of the day and narrow the lead to 12-10. And interception by Marcus Williams would breathe life into the Saints in the late stages of the fourth quarter, as Brees would subsequently find Michael Thomas for a touchdown giving the Saints a 16-12 lead, their first lead since they led 3-0 in the first quarter. The Saints would make the two-point conversion with Alvin Kamara to extend their lead to 18-12.The defense would inexplicably allow Tyrod Taylor to throw a bomb of a touchdown to Antonio Callaway with just over a minute left. The Browns would miss the extra point, allowing the Saints to be tied at 18 with about a minute and 25 seconds left. Brees and the offense would drive down the field and kick a field goal to take a 21-18 lead with 25 seconds left.The Browns would have a shot, missing a long field goal as time expired. New Orleans escapes with a 21-18 win, but it was not pretty and this is a team that has a lot of work to do if it wants to be a contender for anything this season. But a win is a win yes? We’ll take it.***Here is a timeline of the game:1st QuarterSaints win the toss and defer to the second halfSaints force the Browns into a three-and-outMichael Thomas catches a third down ball and fumbles it, Browns recoverBrowns take over near midfield into Saints territorySaints stop the Browns who settle for a 39-yard field goalNO: 0 - CLE: 3Saints get into Browns red zone but stall. Wil Lutz kicks a 30-yard field goalNO: 3 - CLE: 3Browns run the ball as the quarter endsSheldon Rankins sacks Tyrod Taylor on 3rd and 5, forces the Browns to puntThis was the first sack of the Saints’ 2018 season2nd QuarterSaints get into Browns territory and Ted Ginn Jr. fumbles the ball to the BrownsBrowns go for it on 4th and 2 and are stopped at the Saints 38-yard lineSaints get into the Browns’ red zone but Brees gets sacked on 3rd downWil Lutz misses a 44-yard field goalBrowns get into Saints territory in a hurrySaints defense steps up and stop the Browns on 3rd down at the 2-minute warningZane Gonzalez makes a 39-yard field goalNO: 3 - CLE: 6Saints get the ball with 1:55 left in the half and go three-and-outThomas Morstead booms a punt, penalty pins the Browns at their 9-yard lineBrowns run out the clock as the half hits3rd QuarterSaints start with the ball after deferring the coin toss to the second halfSaints stall and punt to the BrownsCleveland gets deep into Saints territoryPatrick Robinson is called on a Pass Interference in the end zoneCarlos Hyde reaches the end zone for a touchdownZane Gonzalez misses the extra pointNO: 3 - CLE: 12Taysom Hill returns the kickoff to the 40-yard lineSaints get into Browns territoryBrees gets sacked on 3rd and 1 near midfield and Saints puntBrowns easily move into Saints territory as the quarter ends4th QuarterBrowns stall and Zane Gonzalez misses a 44-yard field goalAlvin Kamara runs the Saints into Cleveland territorySaints get into Cleveland’s red zoneBrees finds Michael Thomas for a touchdownNO: 10 - CLE: 12Browns take over at their 25-yard line and go three-and-out and puntSaints take over near their 30-yard lineBrees gets sacked on third down and Saints have to puntMarcus Williams picks off Tyrod Taylor and returns it to Cleveland’s 20-yard lineThis is the first takeaway by the Saints in 2018. Fitting that it’s by WilliamsSaints get into the red zoneBrees finds Michael Thomas for a touchdownAlvin Kamara rushes into the end zone for the two-point conversionNO: 18 - CLE: 12After a touchback, Browns take over at their 25-yard lineBrowns get into Saints territoryOn 4th and 5, Tyrod Taylor finds Antonio Callaway for a touchdown!Zane Gonzalez misses the extra point!!!NO: 18 - CLE: 18Saints take over at their 25-yard lineBrees finds Ted Ginn Jr. for a 42 yards passSaints stall and Wil Lutz kicks a 44-yard field goalNO: 21 - CLE: 18Browns take over at their 25-yard line and drive to the Saints 34-yard line with easeZane Gonzalez misses a 51-yard field goalThe Saints escape with a 21-18 win www.nflshopoutlet.com/jacksonville-jaguars