The New Orleans Saints added depth at wide receiver Saturday, elevating Kevin Austin Jr. and Jalen Moreno-Cropper from the practice squad for Sunday’s Week 3 game against the Las Vegas Raiders at the Caesars Superdome, via the NFL transaction wire.
General manager Mickey Loomis announced the pair as standard game-day elevations.
The moves fill a hole created by rookie Barion Brown’s hamstring injury and give New Orleans five active wideouts: Chris Olave, Devaughn Vele, Bryce Lance, Austin and Moreno-Cropper. Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. CT.
Austin, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound former Notre Dame receiver, has become a familiar emergency option. Originally signed by Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent in 2022, he has spent the past three seasons bouncing between New Orleans’ active roster and practice squad.
He has appeared in 18 games with three starts, totaling 25 catches for 298 yards and one touchdown. This season he has already played in both Saints games, catching his only target last week at Baltimore for seven yards.
Week 3 uses his final standard elevation of 2026; any later appearance would require a promotion to the 53-man roster.
Moreno-Cropper, listed at 6-foot, 172 pounds, offers a different skill set. The Fresno State product signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent in 2023, spent his rookie year on the Cowboys’ practice squad, and later appeared in four games across 2024 and 2025.
In 2025, he returned three punts for 27 yards and two kickoffs for 38 yards. After a spring with the UFL’s Houston Gamblers — 22 catches for 291 yards and a 93-yard kickoff return touchdown — he joined the Saints late in the offseason. Sunday will be his first regular-season action of 2026.
He also gives New Orleans another return option alongside cornerback Jayden Price.
The timing is practical more than flashy. New Orleans has carried a thin receiver group on the 53 while rookies recover. Cedric Tillman returned to practice this week and could become a later elevation candidate.
Rookie Jordyn Tyson’s practice window can open after next week’s home game against Atlanta. Until then, Austin and Moreno-Cropper give the offense extra bodies and special-teams flexibility against a 2-0 Raiders team.
Neither elevation guarantees snaps. Austin has been used sparingly on offense and special teams.
Moreno-Cropper’s path is more likely through returns and spot duty.
Still, the Saints used both of their weekly elevations at the same position, a clear sign that receiver depth — not a late-week surprise elsewhere — was the priority heading into Sunday.
