With the final set of preseason games set to kick off on Thursday night, teams will begin to cut down their rosters from 90 to 53 players over the next several days, leading up to the cutdown day.
The Cleveland Browns will have to make a few tough cuts as their roster has a lot of competition at various positions. At the same time, several former Browns players are looking to earn a spot with their new teams on their respective 53-man rosters.
One of those players was veteran wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. Peoples-Jones spent the first 3.5 years of his career in Cleveland, but was traded to Detroit during the 2023 season. He joined the New Orleans Saints earlier this offseason.
The ex-Browns wide receiver signed with the Saints in May after a successful showing at the team’s rookie minicamp.
Given his experience and the depth at the wide receiver spot in New Orleans, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that Peoples-Jones could make the team. However, it appears that the former Browns wide receiver will not get that chance.
The Saints released Donovan Peoples-Jones to make room for WR Devaughn Vele.
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) August 21, 2025
Former Browns WR Donovan-Peoples Gets Sent Packing by New Orleans Saints
According to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, the New Orleans Saints parted ways with Peoples-Jones on Thursday. The writing was on the wall for the former Browns wideout after the Saints acquired Devaughn Vele in a trade from the Denver Broncos on Wednesday.
In the Saints’ preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, Peoples-Jones did not get a single target in the passing game. However, he saw some time on special teams, racking up 17 yards on two punt returns.
Then, in last week’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Peoples-Jones did not play, which likely didn’t help his cause to make the 53-man roster.
With Jones getting cut at this point in the preseason, it's unlikely that he will sign with a new team before cutdown day (Tuesday, August 26). However, now he has a chance to scout for a new team to get signed to the practice squad.
But if he doesn’t get picked up this upcoming week, the former Browns wide receiver might have to take the workout route during the regular season to put himself back on teams’ radars.