BREAKING: Canadian wide receiver Damien Alford cut by New Orleans Saints Due To Injury Designation
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Saints have waived Canadian wide receiver Damien Alford with an injury designation, the team announced Wednesday, ending the 25-year-old’s brief tenure with the franchise just five months after signing him to a reserve/future contract .
Alford, who was selected first overall in the 2025 CFL Draft and spent his rookie professional season with the Calgary Stampeders, will now be subject to waivers. If he clears, he will revert to the Saints’ injured reserve list .
The move was part of a series of roster transactions as the Saints finalized their 90-man offseason roster ahead of minicamp. New Orleans signed kicker Tanner Brown, wide receiver Jalen Cropper, and quarterback Hunter Dekkers, while waiving defensive tackle Coziah Izzard, defensive back DaShawn Jones, kicker Mason Shipley, and Alford .
A CFL standout’s NFL opportunity cut short
Alford’s journey to the NFL was unconventional. The Montreal, Quebec native played five collegiate seasons between Syracuse (2020-23) and Utah (2024), appearing in 46 games with 29 starts and recording 67 receptions for 1,291 yards and seven touchdowns . His most productive season came in 2023 with the Orange, where he started all 13 games and recorded 33 catches for 610 yards with three touchdowns .
After going undrafted in the NFL, Alford was selected with the first overall pick in the 2025 CFL Draft by the Calgary Stampeders. He made an immediate impact north of the border, appearing in 15 games and recording 20 receptions for 407 yards and five touchdowns — a 20.4-yard average that demonstrated his big-play ability .
The Saints signed Alford to a reserve/future contract on January 7, 2026, hoping the 6-foot-6, 224-pound target could translate his CFL production to the NFL level . He attended the team’s rookie minicamp in May, where observers noted he “looked impressive for how he moves at his size” .
Injury derails progress
The nature of Alford’s injury has not been disclosed, but it was significant enough for the Saints to make the difficult decision to part ways with the young receiver . By using the waived/injured designation rather than simply releasing him, the Saints have preserved the ability to retain Alford’s rights if he clears waivers .
Under NFL rules, when a player is waived with an injury designation, he is first made available to other teams via the waiver wire. If no team claims him — which is common for players with unresolved injuries — he reverts to the injured reserve list of the team that waived him .
For Alford, this means his NFL journey may not be over, but he will need to recover from his injury before potentially rejoining the Saints or pursuing opportunities with other teams.
Roster crunch in New Orleans
The decision to waive Alford comes amid a crowded wide receiver room in New Orleans. The Saints have significantly reshaped their receiving corps, and the fringe players like Alford have found themselves “farther out on the fringe now” .
Alford was the only roster wide receiver to attend the team’s rookie camp, which observers interpreted as a sign he was “the bottom of the depth chart” and that the coaching staff wanted to see how he compared to other drafted and undrafted receivers .
The Saints have been active in adding talent at the position, signing Jalen Cropper on Wednesday and having previously added other receivers during the offseason .
What’s next for Alford?
For the Montreal native, the immediate focus will be on his recovery. The waived/injured designation is often used for players with injuries that are not season-ending but that preclude them from competing for a roster spot in the immediate future.
If Alford clears waivers and reverts to injured reserve, he would be ineligible to play during the 2026 season unless the Saints and Alford reach an injury settlement that would release him from IR and allow him to sign with another team once healthy.
The Saints’ decision to use the waived/injured designation rather than reaching an injury settlement suggests they remain interested in Alford’s long-term potential. At 6-foot-6 with sub-4.5 speed, the Canadian receiver possesses physical tools that are difficult to find. His production in the CFL — averaging over 20 yards per reception — further suggests there is a developmental player worth retaining.
A new chapter
For Alford, this represents an unexpected setback in what had been a promising professional career. After being the first overall pick in the CFL Draft and earning a legitimate NFL opportunity, the injury has temporarily halted his momentum.
The Saints, meanwhile, continue to shape their roster ahead of the 2026 season. The signing of Cropper, Dekkers, and Brown reflects a desire to add depth and competition across multiple positions as training camp approaches.
Alford’s tenure in New Orleans may have been brief, but his unique path from Canada to the NFL — and the possibility of a return once healthy — remains a story worth watching. For now, the talented Canadian receiver will need to focus on recovery and hope that his NFL opportunity is merely delayed, not lost.
