Tag: A.J. Klein

What could Jamie Collins add to the Saints defense?

The New Orleans Saints will reportedly be in on New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins, but what sort of upgrades would he offer?

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The New Orleans Saints are expected to make a run at New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins in free agency, as first reported by The Athletic’s Larry Holder and backed up by ESPN’s Mike Triplett. Collins would make sense for the Saints, who are hurting for health at linebacker — starters Alex Anzalone and Kiko Alonso are both returning from season-ending injuries, and the Saints can clear more than $8 million in salary cap space by releasing Alonso outright. Starting strong side linebacker A.J. Klein is a free agent.

But what does Collins have to offer? What’s he shown to draw interest from New Orleans? To find out, we put together a snapshot of some of his advanced stats from the 2019 season:

What he can do

Collins might be at his best in pass coverage, which is a great attribute for a linebacker to boast. Pro Football Focus charting revealed that 66 linebackers were targeted 30 or more times in coverage last season, and Collins was the best of the bunch. He was the only player in that group to allow a passer rating below 73.0 (impressing with a mark of 55.0), intercepting three passes and limiting opponents to just 7.6 yards gained per catch. He’s a force in that area of the game, which is vital with so many pass-happy teams on the Saints’ schedule.

However, Collins also excels when asked to go get after the quarterback rather than cover receivers downfield. Pro Football Focus credited him with 32 total pressures in 2019, including a career-high 7 sacks. But it’s worth noting that he bagged just one sack after Week 8, which suggests either his usage changed or teams protected better against him. Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is one of the more creative blitz designers in the NFL, and it’s easy to imagine him giving Collins a variety of responsibilities each week to keep opponents guessing.

What he struggles with

Collins was a sloppy tackler in 2019, with Pro Football Focus dinging him for 16 missed tackles against just 85 combined tackles (solos plus assists). Pro Football Reference was a little more forgiving, noting 12 misses on 81 total tackles. Either way, that puts Collins’ missed tackle rate in the range of 15.8% to 12.9%, which is a clear dropoff from Pro Football Reference’s numbers on Demario Davis (4.3%), Alonso (6.1%), and Klein (9.2%). He’ll have to clean that up on a play-to-play basis in order to remain on the field and make game-changing turnovers and key stops.

Also, Collins has struggled to buy into the culture with some of his previous teams. He was accused of freelancing in his first stint with the Patriots, abandoning his responsibilities and deviating from the script. The Cleveland Browns pulled him off the field at times during heated moments of frustration. But he appeared to have turned over a new leaf in his return to New England, and there’s no confusing the Browns coaching carousel for the stability the Saints offer in New Orleans.

How he fits

If signed, Collins would immediately replace Klein as the starter on the strong side. While Davis nominally plays the weak side, the Saints typically field just two linebackers (opting instead for a fifth defensive back), and he often shifts to the middle spot and wears the green sticker identifying the on-field headset. Davis would continue quarterbacking the defense while Collins plays up tight to the line of scrimmage, scrapping with blockers and pursuing the ball-carrier from behind when the play flows away from him.

Klein had some success in that role last season, but his athletic limitations were on clear display in games against teams that committed to running the football, targeting him as a liability out in space. The San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings each picked on Klein’s struggles to flip his hips and mirror elusive runners like Raheem Mostert and Dalvin Cook, and Christian McCaffrey had success against the outmatched linebacker in coverage. Collins’ unique lateral agility and instincts in coverage would do a lot to erase those vulnerabilities.

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5 Saints in-house replacements for pending free agents

Whether C.J. Gardner-Johnson steps in for Vonn Bell or Nick Easton replaces Andrus Peat, the New Orleans Saints have options in free agency.

The New Orleans Saints are set to lose multiple key players to free agency this offseason, including a number of entrenched starters. In order to minimize the effect of those losses, the Saints will turn towards the 2020 NFL Draft and the free agency signing period to help fill those holes on the roster. But, there are internal options under contract for 2020 and beyond that could potentially step in right away. Some of that is by design, while others are more like happy accidents. Here are four candidates that could replace some of the Saints’ pending free agents.

Shy Tuttle for David Onyemata

New Orleans acquired Onyemata in a draft-day trade, climbing the board in the fourth round back in 2016. The athletic defensive tackle instantly became a productive member of the Saints defensive front. Now, he is set for free agency, and it appears his replacement is waiting in the wings.

Tuttle is set to help take over Onyemata’s production in 2020, and he has already become endeared to the Saints’ fan base. Despite logging only 373 snaps in 2019, he made the most of them, and even intercepted Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan on Thanksgiving Day before delivering an iconic stiff-arm. But he’s more than just that one highlight; a starting gig for Tuttle could be an upgrade over Onyemata.

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2019 Saints Season in Review: Linebacker A.J. Klein

We continue our season reviews at Saints Wire with New Orleans Saints linebacker and pending unrestricted free agent, A.J. Klein.

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We continue our season reviews at Saints Wire with New Orleans Saints linebacker and pending unrestricted free agent, A.J. Klein. 2019 was a defining season for the linebacker. Significant injuries to the linebacker corps allowed Klein to see a higher than usual snap count throughout the season.

Klein quickly became a piece of the foundation for the defense in a season that saw the unit become the one heavily relied upon.

Level of play in 2019

Klein played in 15 games in 2019, with the Week 14 contest against the San Francisco 49ers as the only game he did not compete in due to injury (thigh). During his 15 appearances, the linebacker recorded 49 solo tackles, and tacked on an interception that was returned for a touchdown in Week 17. Furthermore, Klein was great with pressure as he had six tackles for a loss, along with 2.5 sacks.

Pro Football Focus gave Klein a 48.4 grade on the season, which is below average for the linebacker position. However, Klein performed admirably when called upon, especially when fellow linebackers Alex Anzalone and Kiko Alonso had injury issues that saw them miss significant time in 2019.

What to expect in 2020

Klein is an unrestricted agent heading into the offseason. This status allows him to negotiate with any team in the NFL for his services. It is possible that New Orleans decides to bring back the linebacker, who has been incredibly durable. Klein signed a three-year, $15-million contract in 2017, and since then he has started in at least 12 games per season.

At just 28 years old, Klein has quite a bit left in the tank, and it seems the Saints will make a push to keep him on the team come 2020 and beyond. With Anzalone expected back in 2020, and Demario Davis coming off of a career season, Klein could see a slight reduction in his role.

Klein has proven he can help hold the linebacker unit together despite facing adversity early on. It would probably take another three-year deal with significantly more guaranteed money to keep the veteran linebacker around.

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PFF doesn’t rank any Saints players among 50 best free agents

The analysts at Pro Football Focus did not rank any New Orleans Saints players in their list of the 50 best available free agents in 2020.

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The analysts at Pro Football Focus put together their ranking of the 50 best available free agents in 2020, and not a single New Orleans Saints player made the list. It’s not for a lack of pending free agents out of New Orleans: their offseason priorities include starters like left guard Andrus Peat, cornerback Eli Apple, safety Vonn Bell, defensive tackle David Onyemata, and linebacker A.J. Klein.

While the Saints can probably afford to let some of those players go and choose to pursue upgrades instead, many of them were still critical to the team’s success in 2019. If anything, it goes to show just how deep and talented this year’s free agency crop may be.

However, the list doesn’t feature any quarterbacks — the PFF team covered them separately, recognizing the different scale in value they present to teams around the league. Both Drew Brees and Teddy Bridgewater were profiled as maybe-limited passers who teams can win with, but should have reservations about over-committing to. Between Brees’ disappointing finish down the stretch and Bridgewater’s limited exposure compared to other young quarterbacks like Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, any teams (the Saints or otherwise) have questions to ask themselves before making a contract offer.

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5 & 4 Possibles: Cowboys have FAs in spades, who they should book in 2020

An examination of the 2020 free agency period for the Dallas Cowboys with five to keep, five to go and five to pursue.

The tidal wave of change brought in by the hiring of head coach Mike McCarthy has engulfed the Dallas Cowboys franchise and once the waters recede and the situation calms, the team and the organization will likely have a very different look.  The effect is already evident on the coaching staff, where it appears only a select few, including OC Kellen Moore, have survived the sweeping alterations.

Soon, the roster will undergo the same transformation once the 2020 league year starts as the front office will look towards getting the team’s top free agents inked to new deals.  This activity will make for some tough decisions for both Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones, despite the club’s expected cap space of close to $90 million dollars.

The Cowboys have an incredible 24 unrestricted free agents and another five either restricted or exclusive rights players to mull over.  They will not keep all and may not even keep many as the new staff may have its own outlook on the talent and where they want to start remodeling to flesh out their version of the team.

Here are 5 suggestions for the team to keep.

Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Some of the keepers are very easy to identify.

QB Dak Prescott and WR Amari Cooper are not going anywhere.  Despite the anxiety that was created by the fact McCarthy had yet to speak to Prescott after a week on the job, he will be a Cowboy one way or another.  Whether it is a blockbuster long-term deal or franchise tag, he will be leading the team into the season.  Cooper is slightly less of a sure bet, but it is still very likely he gets a deal of some kind as well.  The cost to acquire him for less than two seasons of production is simply too much to bear, especially given how weak the 2019 draft class was without a first round pick.

That leaves three more.

WR Randall Cobb

(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Cobb’s history and relationship with McCarthy will likely be a deciding factor.  At a fairly modest price tag of $5-7 million and some juice still left in his legs, he could come back on a short term deal fitting a player of his age.  His familiarity with the offensive design will be invaluable as the staff installs their scheme that will feel very different to many, including the quarterback.

OT Cameron Fleming

(AP Photo/Roger Steinman)

Capable swing tackles are a valuable commodity in this league for all teams, but more especially the Cowboys.  With Tyron Smith sitting out three games per season over the past four campaigns, a veteran who can step in and not be a huge liability is priceless.  Dallas has an option on his contract they can exercise and they would be wise to do so.

CB Anthony Brown

(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

Bringing back Brown may not be the most glamorous commitment but it may be the most practical given the decisions that will have to be made.  Brown will be rebounding from a triceps injury and should be relatively easy to sign back to return and provide a veteran buffer as the Cowboys go after youth at the position in April.

Other possibilities: DT Kerry Hyder, K Kai Forbath, LB Joe Thomas, CB C.J. Goodwin

You can chat with or follow C.C. on Twitter @boozeman811.

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5 pending free agents the Saints should let walk in 2020 offseason

Whether they’ve earned a huge contract or performed poorly, not all of the New Orleans Saints pending free agents should re-sign in 2020.

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The New Orleans Saints have dozens of tough decisions to make in the next few months. They’re facing a large group of pending free agents, with several starters and many big contributors among them. New Orleans is going to be dealing with limited salary cap resources again this year, but the 2020 signing period could be the first time they’ve really been limited by it.

Not all of their free agents should return. Whether it’s because they’ve played themselves out of the Saints’ price range or have disappointed by not playing as well as expected, some Saints will be looking for new squads in March. Here are our five picks for players who shouldn’t re-sign, for one reason or another.

Ted Ginn Jr., wide receiver

Hopes were high for Ginn after his breakout 2017 campaign with the Saints, having posted the highest rate of receptions per game (3.53), receiving yards per game (52.5), and catch rate (75.7%). Each of those numbers trailed off during his next two years in New Orleans, falling to 1.9 catches and 26.3 yards per game in 2019, with a catch rate of just 53.6%. He closed out the 2019 season with only three catches for 41 yards in his final four games. It’s time for the Saints to invest in younger, more capable options in the receiving corps behind Michael Thomas.

Andrus Peat, guard/tackle

The Saints have been patient with Peat, trying him out at four different offensive line positions before he settled in at left guard. Film study gurus swear that he’s one of ten or twelve best guards in the NFL, but that says more about the sad state of guard play in the league than anything great about Peat. He’s been a liability in too many big moments and is by far the weak link for the Saints up front. Even if they have to draft a rookie guard highly or invest in another veteran, they have to find a way to upgrade his roster spot.

A.J. Klein, linebacker

Klein has developed into a fine starter for the Saints, and even come through in some clutch situations. With two of next year’s three projected starters currently rehabbing injuries, it does make sense for the team to consider re-signing him. But the relatively-high salary cap hits for Demario Davis ($9.9 million) and Kiko Alonso ($6.4 million) make it tough to justify investing too much in a third veteran, and this could be Klein’s last opportunity to cash in with a big NFL contract. It’ll be tough for the Saints to reach a compromise with him, because he probably deserves more than they’ll be able to budget for him.

David Onyemata, defensive tackle

Much like Klein, Onyemata is someone the Saints picked up and developed into a quality NFL player — he hadn’t even heard of football until he started classes at the University of Manitoba. He’s come a long way; Onyemata created 3 sacks and a career-best 11 quarterback hits in 2019 while starting 15 games in place of Sheldon Rankins. He’s a big part of the rotation up front, having led all interior linemen with 37.7 snaps played per game. Losing him would be huge, but he’s set himself up to earn at least as much as the Saints just paid nose tackle Malcom Brown ($15 million over three years), and the Saints may have bigger fish to fry. At least they’ve been developing backups like Shy Tuttle and Taylor Stallworth for larger roles.

Austin Carr, wide receiver

Carr played the fourth-most snaps at wide receiver for the Saints last year (188), which is almost as much as Deonte Harris, Krishawn Hogan, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, and Keith Kirkwood had combined (213). He used all those opportunities to catch one pass for nine yards. The Saints were so thin at receiver this year that Carr was averaging 31.3 snaps per game and he still wasn’t a viable part of the passing game. If he’s back on the roster in 2020, it’s because the Saints failed to take a serious look at the depth chart and realized big changes are needed to support Drew Brees.

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A.J. Klein reflects on three years in New Orleans ahead of free agency

New Orleans Saints linebacker A.J. Klein and his family have called the city home for 3 years, but the 2020 free agent could be on the move.

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It’s been an eventful three years for New Orleans Saints linebacker A.J. Klein. He signed with the team as an unrestricted free agent back in 2017, having backed up Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis with the division-rival Carolina Panthers for the first leg of his career.

Since then Klein has risen to prominence as a starting linebacker in New Orleans. It’s the city where he and his wife became parents, having adopted a son and welcomed the birth of their daughter in 2019. He’s put down roots and isn’t very eager to move on, even though he acknowledges that’s part of the business he’s in.

He originally signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the Saints; for salary cap accounting purposes, that deal included an automatically-voided fourth year, which means he’ll hit the open market in March. He’ll turn 29 in July, and this might be his last chance to draw a big contract.

Klein spoke about his uncertain future with The Athletic’s Katherine Terrell, saying, “I would obviously be very excited about the opportunity to come back. I’ll cross that bridge when we get there and obviously take this time to digest everything that happened.”

Wherever Klein goes next, he’s poised to cash in during free agency. He had a career year with the Saints in 2019, posting career-bests in solo tackles (45), sacks (2.5), and quarterback hits (5). He capped it all off by returning an interception for a defensive touchdown in Week 17 against the team that showed him the door, his first scoring play in seven years in the NFL.

Lining up predominately as a strongside and middle linebacker, he showed an ability to make an impact as the backside pursuer on stretch plays while holding up well in run defense when the ball came his way. The 753 snaps he played on defense beat his previous career-highs of 669 and 664, each totals from his past two years with the Saints.

“It’s been,” Klein continued, gathering his thoughts, “a quick three years since I’ve gotten here, and just to see the change in the culture and obviously be able to be part of a defense that’s been able to win football games around here is huge.”

On paper, the Saints are set up well at linebacker for 2020, even if they’re a little beaten up. First-team All-Pro Demario Davis will continue to start on the weak side. Alex Anzalone is the projected starter in the middle, even though his year ended on injured reserve. He has a lot to prove in what will be a contract year. The Saints acquired Kiko Alonso in a preseason trade with the Miami Dolphins and he’s the easiest fit on the strong side, but he’ll spend the offseason rehabbing a surgically-repaired torn ACL. Rookie backup Kaden Elliss also went down with an ACL injury back in September, leaving Davis and veteran backup Craig Robertson as the only healthy options on the roster right now.

While there’s no guaranteeing whether Klein would start, his presence would do a lot to solidify that group. Maintaining continuity from one year to the next is important in the NFL, especially on defense. But Klein’s acutely aware that whether he sticks around is not something he can control right now.

“I don’t know whats going to happen,” Klein admitted, “I don’t know what my future is here, whether it’s this team or a different team. I’ll let things run their course but … I’d love to be back. I love this city, I love this team. I love this locker room and I’m invested in it, but we’ll see.”

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Kiko Alonso suffered torn ACL in wild-card round loss to Vikings

The New Orleans Saints lost starting linebacker Kiko Alonso to a torn ACL in their wild-card round defeat to the Minnesota Vikings.

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New Orleans Saints linebacker Kiko Alonso received tough news on Monday, learning that he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. It’s the third ACL tear for Alonso in his career, following previous injuries in 2014 and 2015. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first reported the injury news, which was confirmed by Nola.com’s Amie Just.

This is a big blow for Alonso, 29, who is projected to start at linebacker next season. It’s unclear who plays where — starting weakside linebacker Demario Davis is returning, as is versatile backup Craig Robertson. Alonso replaced former middle linebacker Alex Anzalone in the starting lineup when the Saints acquired him in a trade with the Miami Dolphins, and Anzalone will be entering a contract year coming off of season-ending shoulder surgery. Starting strongside linebacker A.J. Klein’s contract will expire in March. Rookie backup Kaden Elliss also ended his year with a torn ACL back in September.

In other words: Davis is the only healthy starting linebacker the Saints have slotted in for 2020. The good news is that the Saints run so deep at defensive back that they often play just two linebackers at a time, so these are hits they can absorb. The position shouldn’t be seen as a glaring need given deficiencies at other spots on the roster, but the Saints could look to add more-durable options in free agency or through the 2020 NFL Draft. It’s just disappointing to see Alonso go into the offseason like this after he played so well during his first year in New Orleans.

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6 Saints players who need to step up vs. Vikings

New Orleans Saints players like Janoris Jenkins and Tre’Quan Smith must step up against Kirk Cousins and the wild-card Minnesota Vikings.

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The New Orleans Saints are set to host the Minnesota Vikings at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday in the wild-card round. Despite the Saints being a 7.5-point home favorite, they will need several key players to step up and have their best game of the season in order to beat the Kirk Cousins-led Vikings. Some names are obvious, while others may be flying a little more under the radar. It’ll take a team effort to advance deeper into the playoffs.

Here are the six Saints players that will need to step up their game on Sunday:

Janoris Jenkins, cornerback

New Orleans acquired Jenkins in Week 15, and he saw his first action as a Saint during the Week 16 game against the Tennessee Titans when he played 44% of defensive snaps. In Week 17, Jenkins broke out and recorded five tackles and a game-sealing interception against the Carolina Panthers while playing 100% of snaps. With Eli Apple expected to miss more time with an ankle injury, “Jackrabbit” must step up and help solidify the secondary against talented Vikings receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen.

Tre’Quan Smith, wide receiver

A usually hot-and-cold Smith will need to find that extra gear on Sunday, and play to a similar level of production to that of his Week 17 performance. Against the Panthers, Smith caught all five of his targets to gain 56 yards and a touchdown catch at the goal-line. With no receiver yet emerged as a true, consistent threat opposite of Michael Thomas, Smith must prove he can be a difference-maker when it counts the most.

Alvin Kamara, running back

After missing significant time with injury earlier in the season, the running back returned looking like a shell of himself. Over the last two weeks of the season, Kamara has once again began to show why he can be one of the best backs in the league. With Super Bowl aspirations on the line, Kamara will need to return to his 2017-2018 form in order for New Orleans to make a deep playoff run.

A.J. Klein, linebacker

Klein has been a consistent force, along with Demario Davis, in the linebacker corps this season. In Week 17, he recorded his first interception of the season to go along with five tackles. With some depth issues at the position for New Orleans, and a strong rushing attack in Minnesota with Dalvin Cook, Klein will have to step up. A good performance from Klein could be all the difference.

Trey Hendrickson, defensive end

With the defensive line banged up, Hendrickson has seen increased snap counts in the later part of the season starting in Week 13 against the Atlanta Falcons. Hendrickson will need to play one of his best games in order to beat a very good Vikings offensive line and get pressure on Cousins. Cam Jordan cannot do everything on his own, and Hendrickson will be relied upon to get the job done on Sunday.

Michael Thomas, wide receiver

This one may seem odd. How can someone include Thomas in a list of players that need to step up? Thomas will need to get back on track after a lackluster Week 17 where he only caught four of his nine targets. The entire New Orleans offense runs through Thomas, and now that the playoffs arrived, Thomas will need to play his best brand of football for the Saints to make reality out of their Super Bowl dreams.

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Watch: A.J. Klein scores pick-six in revenge game vs. Panthers

New Orleans Saints linebacker A.J. Klein intercepted rookie Carolina Panthers quarterback Will Grier and returned the ball for a touchdown.

“Revenge games” are a popular narrative in the NFL, whenever players get the opportunity to square up against their former team. But that added motivation doesn’t always materialize into big plays.

New Orleans Saints linebacker A.J. Klein is one player who can celebrate a bright moment against his old team. He intercepted Carolina Panthers quarterback Will Grier and sprinted into the end-zone for a defensive touchdown on the return, and took some time to celebrate with his teammates in the end zone.

It’s significant because Klein started his NFL career with the Panthers, backing up Luke Kuechly from 2013 to 2016. He joined the Saints on a free agent contract before the 2017 season, and finally got to deliver some payback to the team that showed him the door.

While it’s still early, this turnover-for-a-score likely sealed a Saints victory in Week 17. It gave the Saints a 21-0 lead, which they increased to 28-0 a few minutes later with a Tre’Quan Smith touchdown pass. But before they did that, Grier was spun down hard to the turf and carted to the locker room. The game is in benched backup Kyle Allen’s hands, and the Panthers probably hope it will be over sooner rather than later.

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