Former Raiders LB Ben Heeney picked up by New Orleans Saints

It’s been nearly a year since Ben Heeney last suited up for the Raiders. He was placed on injured reserve after week four of last season and has never been able to fully work his way back. After missing all of Raiders training camp and preseason with injury, he was waived by the Raiders.

Now he has found a home in New Orleans, signed to the Saints’ practice squad, which means he passed his physical and is healthy again.

The 2015 5th round pick out of Kansas was named the starter for the Raiders in his second season. After two games, he was replaced as the starter by rookie Cory James. Two games later Heeney was lost to injury and placed on injured reserve. The team then signed Perry Riley Jr and made him the starter for the remainder of the season.

There were two linebackers the Raiders selected in the 5th round that year, both great guys off the field and talented players on it. But neither Heeney nor Neiron Ball could manage to get healthy and thus their career in Oakland ended after two seasons.

It’s good to see Heeney get healthy and find a job on an NFL team again. Here’s to prolonged health and success.