Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Makes minor impact again in 2023
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Kirkwood caught five of nine targets for 37 yards and one touchdown across 13 games during the 2023 regular season.
Kirkwood played in a career-high 13 games, and his 225 offensive snaps tied his previous career high from his 2018 rookie campaign. The 30-year-old also caught a touchdown for the first time since 2018; but, he still failed to log more than five receptions for the fifth year in a row, totaling just 11 catches in 23 games during this span. Kirkwood signed a one-year, $1.01 million contract with the Saints in February of 2023, and he was released before re-signing with the team shortly thereafter in mid-November. He should be set to hit free agency this coming offseason.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Logs touchdown in big win
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Kirkwood hauled in his only target for seven yards and one touchdown during Sunday's 24-6 win versus the Giants.
Derek Carr found Kirkwood open over the middle of the end zone for his first of three passing touchdowns Sunday. The 28-year-old wideout has seen consistent playing time in a reserve role over the past four weeks while Michael Thomas (knee) has been on IR. However, Kirkwood has now logged just three receptions over this span, and his touchdown catch Sunday marked his first reception since the Week 12 loss to Atlanta. He also totaled just one target despite the absence of No. 1 wideout Chris Olave (ankle), who was ruled inactive Week 15. Kirkwood also logged fewer targets than rookie wideout A.T. Perry (five), consistent starter Rashid Shaheed (four) and Lynn Bowden (two). Expect Kirkwood to continue playing a minimal role Week 16 versus the Rams.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Records three catches Sunday
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Kirkwood played 25 of the Saints' 72 snaps on offense and finished with two catches for 20 yards on three targets in Sunday's 24-15 loss to the Falcons.
Re-signed during the Saints' Week 11 bye after New Orleans lost Michael Thomas (knee) to injured reserve, Kirkwood ended up stepping into a more prominent role than anticipated Sunday. Kirkwood saw elevated snaps in part due to starting wideouts Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (quadriceps) exiting early due to injuries, but the 28-year-old was still able to outpace fellow reserve receivers A.T. Perry (one catch for seven yards on two targets) and Lynn Bowden (no catches on two targets) in terms of production. With Thomas on IR for at least three more games and Olave and Shaheed perhaps at risk of missing time, Kirkwood could have a path to a top-three role at receiver Week 13 against the Lions.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Back with Saints
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New Orleans signed Kirkwood to its active roster Tuesday, Brooke Kirchhoker of NOF Network reports.
The Saints waived Kirkwood on Saturday, but now they've decided to bring him back on board. He's drawn just four targets over seven games in 2023, returning one reception for one yard.
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Keith Kirkwood: Let go by New Orleans
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The Saints waived Kirkwood on Saturday, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.
Kirkwood saw his snap count on offense gradually decrease over the course of the season before he was a healthy scratch for the last two games. He finishes his stint with the Saints with one catch on four targets for four yards. Kirkwood will seek his next options should he clear waivers.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Won't play Week 8
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Kirkwood (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Colts.
Kirkwood played in the first seven games of the season as a depth wide receiver and has one catch on four targets for four yards. For Sunday's contest against the Colts, the Saints have opted to sit Kirkwood in favor of fellow receiver A.T. Perry, who will be making his first appearance of the year.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Sees one target Week 1
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Kirkwood failed to bring in his only target during Sunday's 16-15 victory against the Titans.
Kirkwood was targeted on a deep pass from Derek Carr in the third quarter, but he was essentially invisible while playing 22 offensive snaps Sunday. The veteran role player was the Saints' only other available wideout aside from the team's starting trio of Chris Olave, Michael Thomas and Rashid Shaheed. Barring injuries elsewhere, Kirkwood figures to see fringe, if any, usage this season, especially when/if rookie A.T. Perry (coach's decision) is active or Tre'Quan Smith (groin) returns from IR in the coming weeks.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Inks one-year extension
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The Saints signed Kirkwood to a one-year extension Friday, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.
Kirkwood spent his first two NFL campaigns with the Saints before heading to Carolina. He re-joined New Orleans ahead of the 2022 regular season and bounced back and forth between the active roster and practice squad early in the campaign before landing an end-of-season contract at the beginning of January. He appeared in five games, including the Saints' last three regular-season contests, but he caught just two of four targets across 149 offensive snaps -- the most since his rookie campaign. He'll stick around the Saints organization through the 2023 campaign, but he's unlikely to garner a significant role, especially if Jarvis Landry (ankle) and Michael Thomas (toe) are healthy.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Serves as depth piece in 2022
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Kirkwood accrued zero targets during Sunday's 10-7 defeat versus Carolina. He finished the 2022 season with two receptions (on four targets) for 18 yards.
Kirkwood did not record a catch for the third straight game to end the regular season. The 28-year-old spent the first two seasons of his career with New Orleans before heading to Carolina for back-to-back campaigns. Kirkwood then rejoined the Saints in early September and bounced back and forth between the active roster and practice squad this season. While he played at least 30 percent of offensive snaps in all five of his appearances, Kirkwood never carved out a consistent role in the Saints' injury-riddled receiving corps. Instead, his opportunities on offense shrunk almost to zero over the second half of the season, as rookie wideouts Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed as well as tight end Juwan Johnson buoyed the team's limited passing game. Kirkwood ended the season as a core special-teamer and blocker on offense, and he's now set to become a restricted free agent this offseason.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Signed to active roster
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The Saints signed Kirkwood to their active roster Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Kirkwood was elevated for back-to-back weeks, but he failed to haul in either of his targets across 43 offensive snaps. The undrafted wideout out of Temple will land a spot on the Saints' active roster for the final game of the season after New Orleans placed Dwayne Washington on the reserve/non-football illness list Wednesday.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Returns to practice squad
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Kirkwood reverted to the Saints' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's official transaction log.
Kirkwood saw 28 snaps on offense in Sunday's 20-10 win over the Eagles, but he failed to record any stats. He's now appeared in four games this season, recording two catches on four targets for 18 yards. He'll likely also have the opportunity to suit up Sunday against the Panthers.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Will be active Sunday
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Kirkwood has been elevated from the Saints' practice squad to their active roster ahead of Week 17's clash against Philadelphia, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.
Kirkwood has gone back-and-forth between New Orleans' practice squad and active roster this season, and he has totaled two catches on four targets for 18 yards across 94 offensive snaps. He played 16 offensive snaps last week against the Browns with top wideout Chris Olave (hamstring) out of action, so Kirkwood could see similar usage if Olave misses the Week 17 contest.
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Keith Kirkwood: Reverts to practice squad
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Kirkwood reverted to New Orleans' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.
With Chris Olave (hamstring) out, Kirkwood was elevated to the active roster for the first time since Week 6 and played 16 of the Saints' 54 offensive snaps, putting him behind Tre'Quan Smith (33), Marquez Callaway (26) and Rashid Shaheed (23) but ahead of Kirk Merritt (three). However, Kirkwood failed to haul in either of his targets during New Orleans' 17-10 win over Cleveland and will head back to the practice squad.
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Keith Kirkwood: Parts ways with Saints
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New Orleans released Kirkwood Saturday, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports.
The Saints also released Kirkwood just over a week ago before re-signing him just five days later, so it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see him make his way back onto the team in some capacity soon. If not though, he'll have to look for another opportunity elsewhere.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Re-signs with New Orleans
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The Saints signed Kirkwood on Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN reports.
Kirkwood was recently let go by the team Thursday, after he battled an ankle injury prior to the Saints' Week 7 matchup against Arizona. However, the 210-pounder's issue doesn't seem to be of great concern given the team's desire to bring Kirkwood back into the mix. With both fellow receivers Michael Thomas (foot) and Jarvis Landry (ankle) currently considered questionable to play Sunday versus the Raiders, the 27-year-old could find himself in a rotational role if either WR is eventually sidelined for the contest.
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Keith Kirkwood: Let go with injury
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The Saints released Kirkwood (ankle) on Thursday.
Kirkwood was signed to New Orleans' active roster last Saturday before suiting up for his second game consecutive game in Sunday's loss to Cincinnati. The 27-year-old caught his lone target for 14 yards over 70 defensive snaps in the contest, but he popped up with an ankle injury on Monday's injury report and did not practice at all Week 7. Now, Kirkwood will likely look to re-sign with the Saints' practice squad if he's unable to land a spot on an active roster elsewhere.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Questionable for TNF
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Kirkwood (ankle) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Cardinals.
Kirkwood was sidelined during practice Monday and Tuesday, though he was a limited participant in Wednesday's sessions. The 27-year-old wideout caught his lone target for 14 yards during Sunday's loss to Cincinnati, and he could play a reserve role Thursday with starters Michael Thomas (foot) and Jarvis Landry (ankle) both ruled out. Otherwise, expect Rashid Shaheed to see increased usage behind Chris Olave, Marquez Callaway and Tre'Quan Smith.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Logs another DNP
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Kirkwood (ankle) was a non-participant in practice Tuesday.
Kirkwood was also a DNP on Monday's practice estimate, which is putting his status for Thursday's game with the Cardinals in serious doubt. With Michael Thomas (foot) and Jarvis Landry (ankle) also unable to practice, the Saints could be thin at wide receiver Thursday.
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Saints' Keith Kirkwood: Added to 53-man roster
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Kirkwood was signed to the Saints' active roster Saturday, Luke Johnson of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
The Saints receiving corps could be shorthanded for a Week 6 matchup against the Bengals, as both Michael Thomas (foot) and Jarvis Landry (groin) have been ruled out. Kirkwood has been active for one game this season and tallied one reception, though he could have an expanded role Sunday.
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Keith Kirkwood: Joins Saints' practice squad
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Kirkwood signed with the Saints' practice squad Wednesday, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Kirkwood will return to the Saints organization, where he appeared in nine games between 2018 and 2019, joining their practice unit. With Michael Thomas (toe), Jarvis Landry (foot) and Tre'Quan Smith (concussion) all banged up, it's possible that Kirkwood could be elevated to the active roster for Sunday's matchup with the Vikings in London.
