Well, that’s a quick conclusion for the two punter experiment. The New Orleans Saints lost rookie punter Blake Gillikin to injured reserve on the Wednesday NFL transactions wire, having previously listed him as not participating in practice due to a back injury.
Gillikin, signed out of Penn State and guaranteed nothing but a $5,000 signing bonus, initially made the 53-man roster after punting well in training camp. He was the designated backup for Thomas Morstead, who has been with the Saints since 2009 and embraced his role as a mentor for the rookie.
The Saints could theoretically reactivate Gillikin after three weeks due to adjusted COVID-19 rules, but it’s tough to see a way for him to get back on the roster.