Saints add pair of veterans this week to bolster defense

An improved New Orleans Saints defense must weather the storm of injuries to keep producing at a high level. That process includes late-season additions to bolster depth.

With Trey Hendrickson likely missing a few weeks, the Saints signed veteran defensive end George Johnson this week to shore up the depth at the position.

Johnson, who played four games with the Detroit Lions earlier this season including in the Lions’ loss in New Orleans, was cut in mid-November. He sounds like he is ready to do his part to keep “a good thing” going.

Saints starting linebacker A.J. Klein is also banged up right now, so the team claimed Jonathan Freeny off of waivers from the Patriots.

Freeny has played in three games with the Baltimore Ravens and one with the New England Patriots this season so far. The former undrafted free agent out of Rutgers spent his first three seasons with the Miami Dolphins.

New Orleans released OT Bryce Harris and CB Sterling Moore to make room on the active roster.