The Saints cut the 24-year-old ahead of Thursday's list lodgement deadline but could still place him on their rookie list, pending the result of the anti-doping Tribunal he faced last Wednesday.
The club said it would continue to work with Saad as he waits on a possible penalty, with list manager Ameet Bains acknowledging the unique circumstances surrounding the small forward.
"Ahmed and the club are waiting on a conclusion to his hearing before the Tribunal and we will work closely with him during and after that process," Bains said.
Saad faced an anti-doping Tribunal last Wednesday night, which was held in camera, and he should learn his fate in three to four weeks.
The hearing was chaired by AFL Tribunal chairman David Jones, who was joined on the committee by Dr Susan White, a sports physician from the Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee, and former player Wayne Henwood, who is a member of the AFL Tribunal panel.
Saad began a provisional suspension in August after failing a post-match drug test in July.
He consumed a substance registered on the AFL's anti-doping banned list, believed to be a stimulant contained in the Viking Protein sports drink, 'Before Battle'.
He has previously been linked to Viking Protein in an ambassadorial role.
Saad signed a two-year extension with the Saints in March this year.
Twitter: @AFL_Nathan
