After being a long shot to make the New Orleans Saints' 53-man roster, Rico Payton went from an undrafted free agent to suiting up for every game but one in the 2024 season as a member of the Saints. Unfortunately, he was not that lucky in 2025, when he was cut at the end of the preseason. Although he found another home with the New York Giants, it wasn't an immediate return to the active roster.