Two days after being cut, WR Adrian Arrington was in the Saints locker room on Monday morning, and by the afternoon he was back on the roster after the Saints put Jonathan Vilma on PUP.
Arrington was supposed to be the Saints' No. 4 wideout this year, but he took himself out of practice last week with a sore knee after missing all five preseason games following meniscus surgery.
Without him, the Saints got zero production from their fourth and fifth receivers on Sunday, and No. 3 wideout Devery Henderson exited in the third quarter with a head injury after making his only catch. Joe Morgan, playing his first NFL game, dropped two passes. Courtney Roby only played special teams.
“We saw a lot of man coverage yesterday,” Kromer said. “A lot of bump man. … There were more dropped balls than we are used to. We took shots down the middle and down the sideline and didn't connect with as many as we normally do.”
Bryce Harris signed: Kromer said the Saints picked up T Bryce Harris from the Atlanta practice squad on Monday. They needed a replacement for backup T Marcel Jones, who went on injured reserve last week.
Harris (6-foot-6, 300 pounds) signed with Atlanta in April as an undrafted free agent out of Fresno State. He played in all four preseason games. He will be the Saints' fourth tackle behind starters Zach Strief and Jermon Bushrod and reserve Charles Brown.
Injury update: Kromer said CB Johnny Patrick, who hurt his right leg after starting in place of injured Jabari Greer(groin) against Washington, appeared to be better off than the Saints first expected.
“He is still getting looked at by the doctors, but we hope to have him back pretty soon,” Kromer said.
Rookie fifth-round draft pick Corey White struggled in extensive action Sunday. Greer, who was questionable for the Redskins game and practiced some last week, should be back this Sunday against Carolina.
Kromer said Henderson and starting linebacker Scott Shanley, who left with a leg injury Sunday, should return soon, too.
Good prep for Newton: The Saints are going from one Heisman Trophy-winning QB to the next, and Kromer said the looks Washington's Robert Griffin III gave them would help against Carolina's Cam Newton on Sunday.
Both are athletic QBs who can make plays with their feet and extend players before hurting opponents with their arms. Griffin's 320 passing yards were the second most ever for a rookie in a Week 1, trailing Newton's 422 last season.
“Obviously, we would have liked to have more success against (Griffin),” Kromer said. “But, the experience against it that you can't get, any simulation that we try to do in practice wouldn't be the same with the talent that RG3 has. It definitely is a benefit.”
Follow Saints reporter Guerry Smith on Twitter @CBSSaints.
