DETROIT, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 13: Amon-Ra St. Brown #14 of the Detroit Lions and Colby Wooden #50 of the New Orleans Saints walk off the field after the 31-30 win against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on September 13, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images) Getty
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The New Orleans Saints did not need long to trust one of their newest defensive linemen.
Colby Wooden arrived in New Orleans through the waiver process on Aug. 31 after the Indianapolis Colts released him during final roster cuts. Less than two weeks later, Wooden was active for the Saints' season opener against the Detroit Lions while defensive linemen Khristian Boyd and John Ridgeway III were both inactive.
GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – SEPTEMBER 13: Amon-Ra St. Brown #14 of the Detroit Lions and Colby Wooden #50 of the New Orleans Saints walk off the field after the 31-30 win against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on September 13, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Wooden did more than simply dress for the game. He played 18 defensive snaps in his Saints debut and recorded two tackles, including one solo stop. For a player who had barely arrived in the building, earning that type of immediate role showed how quickly Wooden had made an impression on New Orleans' coaching staff.
Saints head coach Kellen Moore was asked Friday why Wooden was able to earn such a significant opportunity almost immediately after joining the roster.
"Yeah, I thought he was really well prepared," Moore said. "He took advantage of that short window he had to acclimate himself to our system and team. I think he's got some good juice to him. He's got the ability to play across the line in a couple different spots."
Moore also pointed toward Wooden's previous NFL experience as a reason the transition did not require much time. Wooden appeared in 17 games for Green Bay last season and started 16 of them, finishing with 50 tackles and six tackles for loss.
"He played a lot of football last year," Moore said. "He essentially started every game for Green Bay. He's played a lot of high-level football and had a lot of success. We feel like that was very fortunate for us to acquire him through the claims process."
That background makes Wooden different from the typical late-August waiver pickup. He was originally a fourth-round selection by Green Bay in the 2023 NFL Draft and appeared in 47 regular-season games for the Packers before being traded to Indianapolis during the offseason. New Orleans then claimed him after the Colts moved on at final cuts.
One game does not establish a permanent pecking order, but Wooden's immediate involvement creates an interesting situation along the Saints' defensive front.
Boyd and Ridgeway entered the season already familiar with the organization, yet neither dressed against Detroit while Wooden received meaningful defensive work almost immediately. The Saints have not declared Wooden permanently ahead of either player, and game-day decisions can change based on matchups and personnel needs.
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Still, Moore's explanation makes it clear Wooden did not receive those snaps by accident. His versatility, preparation and recent starting experience gave the Saints enough confidence to put him on the field despite an extremely limited adjustment period.
New Orleans claimed Wooden because it saw an opportunity to improve the defensive line. It took only one game for that waiver claim to begin changing the competition around him.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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