The scuffling New Orleans Saints signed veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, NFL Network and ESPN reported Monday.
Valdes-Scantling, 30, joins a Saints squad that has lost five straight games since a 2-0 start. He was released by Buffalo last week after the Bills acquired receiver Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns.
Valdes-Scantling had two catches for 26 yards in six games (zero starts) with Buffalo this season, but he will likely play a larger role within New Orleans’ banged-up receiving corps.
“He’s a bigger receiver, got a good speed element to him and he’s somebody that can fit some of the things that we might be needing in particular with the loss of (Rashid) Shaheed,” Saints coach Dennis Allen said. “Another speed element is something I think we can consider.”
New Orleans will be without Shaheed for the rest of the season after the wideout and All-Pro return specialist underwent knee surgery last week. Chris Olave missed Thursday’s 33-10 home loss to the Denver Broncos with a concussion and remains in protocol as of Monday.
Valdes-Scantling spent his first four seasons with Green Bay (2018-21) before a two-year stint with Kansas City, where he won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs. The seventh-year veteran has 188 receptions for 3,181 yards and 16 touchdowns in 98 career games (60 starts).
The Saints (2-5) play at the Los Angeles Chargers (3-2) next Sunday in Week 8.
