The New Orleans Saints likely won’t get much in return after trading receiver/kick returner Jalen Saunders to the New England Patriots for an unspecified conditional draft choice on Tuesday, as ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported. My hunch is that it could be as low as a seventh-round pick that’s contingent on Saunders making the team. Maybe more if he performs well.

Still, anything the Saints get will be considered a nice bonus since Saunders was likely going to be cut this week.

Saunders became expendable because of the emergence of rookie running back/return man Marcus Murphy -- whom coach Sean Payton raved about after Murphy’s terrific performance in this past Sunday’s preseason loss to the Houston Texans.

In that respect, the trade was a win for Saunders, as well.

Saunders was a rookie last year, but he was already on his fourth team by the time he landed in New Orleans last November.

He was drafted in the fourth round by the New York Jets but got cut. Then he went to the Arizona Cardinals’ and Seattle Seahawks’ practice squads before finally finding success in New Orleans.

Saunders performed well as the Saints’ kickoff and punt returner down the stretch. I actually awarded him two game balls (though they both came partly by default in otherwise-ugly losses). Saunders had two punt returns of 30-plus yards in Week 14, and then he had a 99-yard kickoff return in Week 16.

Saunders missed part of training camp with an unspecified injury this summer. But he came back strong in the Saints’ most recent preseason game Sunday -- which included a 50-yard kickoff return that might have clinched New England’s interest in the trade.

The Saints used Saunders (5-foot-9, 165 pounds) solely as a return specialist, though he has always practiced with the receivers as well. It’s possible the Patriots will consider using Saunders both on offense and special teams since their receiving corps has been depleted by injuries this year.

The Saints still have to make at least 14 more roster moves by 3 p.m. CT today as they trim their roster from 90 players to 75.