Saints add a new kicker after high-profile free agent tryouts

Here's that competition at placekicker we were looking for. The New Orleans Saints are signing Cade York to their practice squad after "a strong workout" on Tuesday, per NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill. The Times-Picayune's Matthew Paras confirmed that York reached an agreement with the Saints. Struggling starter Blake Grupe will be released, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports.

York will be added to the mix with second-year practice squad kicker Charlie Smyth. That suggests controversial former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker won't be joining them. Grupe missed two field goals in Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons and ranks among the NFL's worst kickers in field goal percentage. Change was needed.

So we'll see if York can prove to be a better option. He's only made 73.3% of his field goals in his career (compared to Grupe's 69.2% rate this season) but he seemed to get in a groove with the Cincinnati Bengals last year. It was just five games but York hit 81.8% of his kicks, including a 59-yarder. He played college football at LSU and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2022 but was let go after posting a 75.0% hit rate as a rookie. Now he gets a fresh start closer to home.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints sign former LSU, Bengals kicker Cade York, not Justin Tucker