Saints Release WR Rishard Matthews After He Apparently Left Camp

Drew Brees has had a knack for making all manner of wide receivers look like stars over the course of his NFL career, but that's not strictly true for every last pass-catcher who's ever lined up with him.

Rishard Matthews, who signed with the Saints in June after splitting 2018 with the Titans and Jets, is out of the picture. New Orleans has reportedly cut him with a left squad designation.

Matthews, age 29, was a seventh-round pick by the Dolphins in the 2012 NFL Draft. His best year came in 2016, his first with Tennessee, in which he grabbed 65 passes for 945 yards and 9 scores.

What is a Left Squad Designation in the NFL?

Under league rules, a player can be waived or placed on a team's reserve list with a "left squad designation" if he fails to report to training camp or leaves camp before he is officially granted his release. Essentially, it means a guy walked away from his team without full permission to do so.

Matthews now stands at a crossroads. He clearly must have seen the writing on the wall in New Orleans, but with the regular season now so close, he and his agent will have their work cut out for them in search of a new team in time for Week 1.