The Saints placed Matavao (knee) on injured reserve Tuesday, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Matavao sustained a knee injury during Saturday's 34-0 preseason loss to the Rams. The tight end's placement on IR means he will miss the entirety of the 2026 regular season unless he is waived with an injury settlement. Matavao logged three catches for 34 yards in Saturday's game and seemed to have a good chance to make the 53-man roster.
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Saints' Moliki Matavao: Logs two catches in 2025
Rotowire
Matavao finished the 2025 season with two receptions (on two targets) for 10 yards in six appearances for the Saints.
Matavao opened his 2025 rookie season in a special-teams role before he was let go and joined the Saints' practice squad. The seventh-rounder spent time on and off the active roster toward the end of the season, as New Orleans dealt with a rash of injuries, including season-ending injuries for tight ends Foster Moreau (ankle) and Jack Stoll (knee). Matavao will look to carve out a larger role in 2026.
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Saints' Moliki Matavao: Notches first two NFL receptions
Rotowire
Matavao played 27 of the Saints' 54 snaps on offense and recorded two catches for 10 yards in Sunday's 34-26 win over the Titans.
After being signed off the practice squad prior to the Week 17 contest, Matavao ended up ranking second among Saints tight ends in playing time, with Jack Stoll's (knee) early exit opening up more snaps behind top option Juwan Johnson. Matavao took advantage of the added snaps by producing his first two NFL receptions, but the rookie seventh-round pick will remain far off the fantasy radar Week 18 at Atlanta so long as Johnson is available for the Saints.
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Saints' Moliki Matavao: Signed to Saints' active roster
Rotowire
The Saints signed Matavao from the practice squad to the active roster Friday.
The move corresponds with the Saints placing fellow tight end Foster Moreau (ankle) on injured reserve. Matavao was selected by the Saints in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but the UCLA product has bounced back and forth between the practice squad and the active roster. He figures to be the Saints' TE4 behind Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill and Jack Stoll over the final two games of the regular season.
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Moliki Matavao: Back to practice squad
Rotowire
Matavao reverted to the Saints' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.
Matavao logged 21 offensive snaps in Sunday's win over the Jets but played behind all four of Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill, Foster Moreau (ankle) and Jack Stoll. Matavao didn't draw a single target against New York.
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Saints' Moliki Matavao: Elevated for Week 16
Rotowire
The Saints have elevated Matavao from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday's game against the Jets.
Matavao, a rookie seventh-round pick, will get a chance to contribute in a depth capacity at tight end during Sunday's home game against New York. After Sunday's matchup, Matavao will revert to the practice squad for New Orleans.
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Saints' Moliki Matavao: Returning to New Orleans
Rotowire
The Saints signed Matavao to the active roster Tuesday, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.
The rookie seventh-rounder saw sparse playing time through the first two games of the regular season before being waived by the Saints on Saturday. Now that he's back in New Orleans, Matavao will serve as the TE3 behind Juwan Johnson and Jack Stoll.
