Cleveland Browns fans have seen players come and go over the years just like every other franchise. With the amount of roster turnover that is seen across the league each season, this is just the way business is done in the NFL.
After being shipped out of town in a trade with the Detroit Lions in October of 2023, Donovan Peoples-Jones is back on the NFL radar after popping up on the New Orleans Saints' rookie minicamp roster.
Peoples-Jones is one of 16 players attending the minicamp on a tryout basis as the wide receiver will also be joined on the field by New Orleans' nine selections from the 2025 NFL Draft, a handful of players from their 2024 roster, and 11 undrafted free agents.
#Saints Rookie Minicamp Roster pic.twitter.com/WdYGGoY4vU
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) May 9, 2025
Donovan Peoples-Jones Trying Out for Saints
After being traded by Cleveland, Peoples-Jones struggled to find his fit in Detroit as he made just five receptions for 58 total yards in his eight games with the Lions. This past season, Peoples-Jones was a member of Detroit's practice squad and did not see the field for any regular season contests.
For his career, the former Michigan Wolverines standout has put up more impressive numbers than he did during his stint with the Lions. As a Brown, Peoples-Jones reeled in 117 catches for 1,837 yards and eight touchdowns in 50 appearances, including 30 starts.
Should Peoples-Jones make a positive impression on the Saints front office, he would likely be looked at as a depth piece behind Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Brandin Cooks. With an offensive mind in Kellen Moore now calling the shots in New Orleans, providing whoever ultimately winds up as the team's starting quarterback with as many weapons as possible would make sense.
Peoples-Jones has a track record of production from his tenure with the Browns and could be the type of low-risk, high-reward type of signing that the Saints, or another NFL team, would be interested in adding to their receiver room.