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The New Orleans Saints roster lost two players this week when backup tight ends Cole Wick and Jason Vander Laan opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, but the Saints didn’t waste any time in getting back to maximum capacity.
First, they agreed to terms with former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham on a one-year contract. Then, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reported that the Saints plan to sign another free agent: wide receiver Bennie Fowler.
Fowler, 29, appeared in 18 games with the New York Giants over the last two years after a four-year Denver Broncos stint (winning a Super Bowl ring in 2015). Boasting a 4.38-second time in the 40-yard dash, Fowler does have the speed the sprint deep downfield, but he has never played more than a bit part in NFL offenses — totaling just 95 catches for 1,090 yards and six touchdown grabs in six seasons. Still, that raw speed is a trait the Saints lack at receiver, so he should add an element to training camp that would have otherwise been missing.
Before he can sign on the dotted line and join the team, however, Fowler must first pass a physical as well as two separate COVID-19 tests. So while this deal is all but done, it might take a few days to be made official.
But with Fowler and Bradham in the fold, the Saints now have all 90 spots filled on their summer roster. Teams must trim that total down to 80 players by Aug. 16, and some squads around the league have already begun cutting “camp bodies” and similar long shots on the roster bubble. But the Saints will have a few weeks to see how well-conditioned everyone is and run through individual drills in practice, even if pads aren’t allowed before cuts. So they’ll try to make the most of the opportunities in front of them.
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