Saints schedule visit with Noah Fant, looking to add much needed tight end depth

The New Orleans Saints tight end room went from full to thin in a matter of 24 hours. The Saints have responded by scheduling a meeting with Noah Fant, per Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz.

Fant was surprisingly let go by the Seattle Seahawks right before camp. The timing of the release led to a sense of urgency around his recruitment. The Saints aren't alone in their pursuit of Fant. They aren't even his first meeting.

The Cincinnati Bengals met with the tight end on Wednesday. The Saints jumped on the train shortly after. It makes sense for New Orleans to be interested in Schultz. The team needs some experience on the roster, and Fant provides that.

Injuries to Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau give Noah Fant a path to the Saints final roster.

The Saints seemed destined to keep four tight ends on the active roster at some point during the regular season: Juwan Johnson, Foster Moreau, Taysom Hill and Jack Stoll. We just don't know when that will happen. Moreau and Hill both suffered season ending injuries and will start training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

Right now, Juwan Johnson and Jack Stoll are the only tight ends at training camp who have caught a pass in the NFL. They're also the only sure bets to make the roster. Johnson is their top tight end, and Stoll will be a pivotal component of the run game.

At the worst, Fant could be a body for training camp. Moreau may return before the season, but Hill tearing his ACL in December makes a Week 1 return unlikely. Fant could step in as a complimentary receiving threat to Johnson.

It's hard to see a long-term role with the Saints once everyone is healthy, but it's doubtful everyone will be healthy in the near future. The latter is the cause of intrigue, and it'll be interesting to see if the former causes some pause from the free agent. Other destinations may be able to offer year-long opportunities.