New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints released D'Marco Jackson on Tuesday night after a padded practice at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Sources said he targeted two rookies during a team period and was gone before dinner.
Jackson is a four-year Saint with 49 games and 22 starts. He entered camp as the fourth inside linebacker behind Demario Davis. In 2025 he had 58 tackles and two sacks in 13 games.
The clash came at the end of a 90-minute team session. Coaches mixed the first-team defense with undrafted linebacker Trey Callahan and late-round safety Malik Crowe. A missed gap on a zone run stopped the drill.
Jackson dressed both of them down in front of the unit. Callahan, 23, from Toledo, had 94 college tackles and was competing for special-teams work. Crowe, a sixth-round safety from Memphis, had two interceptions in the preseason.
Sources said Jackson called them “camp bodies” and claimed they were wasting snaps that belonged to real players. Staffers described the language as personal, not coaching. Moore pulled him inside immediately.
Davis stayed out of the exchange. Callahan and Crowe returned for the next period. Jackson did not. By 6:40 p.m., the club terminated his contract. There was no practice-squad offer.
Moore met local reporters and refused to repeat the insult. He also refused to ease the standard he is installing in New Orleans.
“This organization will never let experience become an excuse for disrespect. We build champions by lifting young players, not breaking them. Everyone in this building needs to understand that standard, or they will not stay.”
The numbers explain the speed. New Orleans had kept eight linebackers on the first 53, then trimmed depth. Jackson’s 2026 cap charge was about $2.1 million. The cut saves cash with little dead money.
Fans split because he was not a star and not invisible. Losing 22 career starts in September is rare unless the locker-room cost is judged higher than the snap cost.
Davis still wears the green dot. Pete Werner remains the veteran complement. Callahan and Crowe remain on the 53-man roster.
Moore inherited a proud defense and is choosing the voice that sets the tone. Jackson’s production was serviceable. Tuesday’s scene, staffers said, was not. Another city will call him. New Orleans just drew its line.
