Saints work out ex-Ravens kicker Justin Tucker after 10-game suspension, reportedly sign Cade York instead

The New Orleans Saints are officially making a change at kicker, and it doesn't involve Justin Tucker. The Saints are signing Cade York to their practice squad and releasing Blake Grupe, ESPN reported Tuesday. York, who had stints with the Browns, Bengals and Commanders, was signed over Tucker after the team held kicker tryouts Monday.

The Saints held the tryouts after their latest loss to the Falcons dropped them to 2-9 on the season. Grupe missed two field goals in the loss to Atlanta. Tucker, the former Ravens kicker who served a 10-game suspension to start this season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, was among the names competing for the job. It was his first workout since the conclusion of his suspension. 

Tucker, 36, is accused of inappropriate behavior by 16 massage therapists and was released by the Ravens this offseason after spending the entirety of his 13-year career in Baltimore. Tucker was once the best kicker in the league, but had serious struggles in 2024, hitting just 73.3% of his 30 field goal attempts for the Ravens. 

While Tucker is not facing any lawsuits or legal filings related to the accusations, any team signing him would have to be willing to take on the questions that will inevitably follow him about what led the league to suspend him after an investigation into the alleged inappropriate conduct. 

The Saints went a different route by adding York, a 24-year-old who was chosen by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. York went 24 of 32 in his lone season with Cleveland and most recently had a five-game stint with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024 while Evan McPherson was injured. For his career, York is 33 of 45 (73.3%) on field goals and 51 of 54 on extra points. 

The Saints face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.