Saints HC Sean Payton Advocates for Larger NFL Game-Day Rosters: 'Gotta Change'

Having already placed 10 players on injured reserve, with another six listed on the team's Week 16 injury report, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton wants the NFL to increase the size of game-day roster limits. 

Payton emphasized the move would be in the interest of player safety, per ESPN.com's Mike Triplett:

"The 46-man roster on game day is soon to be, I think, will be soon dated. I think that's gotta change. If we're interested in health and safety—and it sounds like we are; at least that's something we talk about a lot—that number should be higher. And that'll affect the overall roster size. And that might cost a little bit more money, but that's the price."

Although a team can carry 53 players on its active roster during the regular season, it's only allowed to make 46 available on a game day.

At the start of a season, a 46-man squad is more than ample because everybody is healthy for the most part. The injuries begin piling up as the season goes on, though, and that doesn't account for the players who are considered healthy but battling the general wear and tear that comes with a 16-game campaign.

Payton was echoing a point Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn made in March.

"If I had to say one thing how do we do it better, I would say I hope at some point we expand the rosters to get even bigger," Quinn said, per ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure. "No pressure if a guy is out to say, 'OK, here's another guy that's up.'"

Quinn added that an increased roster would allow more players to see the field, thus aiding in their overall development.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Payton noted any decision regarding more roster spots is in the owners' hands since the owners would be on the hook financially for the cost of the additional player contracts.