Tag: Deadline

Saints file multiple roster moves to reach NFL’s 80-man limit

Saints file multiple roster moves to reach NFL’s 80-man limit, send WR Kevin White to injured reserve:

Tuesday’s NFL deadline for roster cuts came and went, leaving the New Orleans Saints and every other team with just 80 players under contract after previously carrying 85. Most of the Saints’ moves were completed over the weekend, ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, but not all of them — let’s break down each transaction from this wave of changes.

How the Packers reduced the roster from 85 players to 80

The Packers reduced their roster from 85 players to 80 by Tuesday’s deadline with these five moves.

The second of three roster limit deadlines arrived on Tuesday afternoon. The Green Bay Packers reduced their roster from 85 players to 80 with five different transactions.

The next deadlines will force the Packers to go from 80 to 53 players by Tuesday, Aug. 30. But first the roster needed to be at 80 before the final batch of preseason games are played this week.

Here’s how the Packers got it done:

Report: Saints waive QB K.J. Costello, RB Devine Ozigbo ahead of roster cuts deadline

Report: Saints waive QB K.J. Costello and RB Devine Ozigbo ahead of roster cuts deadline

The New Orleans Saints have already begun the difficult process of trimming down their roster ahead of Tuesday’s NFL deadline, with teams required to downsize from 85 players to 80 by 4 p.m. ET. Per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, the Saints released both quarterback K.J. Costello and running back Devine Ozigbo on Sunday after returning to New Orleans following a week in Green Bay. That brings the team down to 83 contracts.

So what do these roster moves mean? Costello was signed after starting quarterback Jameis Winston suffered a sprained foot late in training camp, which sidelined him for a few weeks. Only Andy Dalton and Ian Book saw any snaps in the Saints’ two preseason games, so Costello was brought in more to help keep drills running on schedule in practice. At this stage in the summer the team needs three arms to keep everything running smoothly. Now that he’s on the outs, this may signal that Winston is healthy and ready to return to practice fully with the team.

It’s more intriguing at running back, though. Ozigbo was competing with Dwayne Washington, Tony Jones Jr., and undrafted rookie Abram Smith for the opportunity to back up Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram II. We’re very much on the outside looking in, but it feels like Washington is in the lead for that third spot in the rotation, leaving just one more vacancy for either Jones or Smith to fill (though it’s likely someone ends up returning on the practice squad). They’ve got one more exhibition game in which to make their case for that last roster spot.

Before that, though, the Saints will practice in front of tens of thousands of fans at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday evening — possibly with Winston running the first-team offense again. It’s definitely something to watch out for, as are the three remaining roster cuts the Saints must make by Tuesday’s deadline.

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Saints expected to ‘make an aggressive push’ for Tyrann Mathieu after 2022 draft

The Saints are expected to ‘make an aggressive push’ for free agent Tyrann Mathieu after failing to find a safety in the 2022 draft:

This is interesting: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the New Orleans Saints are expected to pivot towards free agent safety Tyrann Mathieu after they were unable to land a player at the position during the 2022 NFL draft, with NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill adding that the Saints have “maintained their interest” following a meeting with Mathieu at the team facility early in April.

It makes plenty of sense. The Saints lost both of their starting safeties this offseason with Marcus Williams joining the Baltimore Ravens and Malcolm Jenkins entering an early retirement. New Orleans did sign longtime New York Jets starter Marcus Maye in free agency, but he’s recovering from an Achilles injury and may miss time following a DUI arrest.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson could theoretically move to one safety spot, but he’s played his best football over the slot and the Saints may want to keep him there. Other options on the roster include P.J. Williams, J.T. Gray, Daniel Sorensen, Justin Evans, Bryce Thompson, and undrafted rookies Smoke Monday and Jack Koerner.

We should see some movement soon. New Orleans has more salary cap space than most teams at this point in the offseason, and the cutoff date for signings to factor into the 2023 compensatory draft picks formula will pass at 3 p.m. CT on Monday, May 2. Deadlines spur action in the NFL, and that might be what the Saints have been waiting for to make Mathieu a viable offer.

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Deadline passes and Seahawks don’t use franchise or transition tag

On Tuesday, March 8 the deadline passed and the Seattle Seahawks didn’t use either the franchise or the transition tag.

Amidst all the news about the potential Russell Wilson trade to the Denver Broncos on Tuesday, a very important deadline came and went. March 8 marked the last day teams could use either the franchise or transition tag on a potential free agent. The Seattle Seahawks used neither.

In fact, only eight teams opted to use the franchise tag this year on the following players: Bengals safety Jessie Bates, Browns tight end David Njoku, Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin, Chiefs tackle Orlando Brown, Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz, Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki, Jaguars tackle Cam Robinson and Packers wide receiver Davante Adams.

Under the current regime of Pete Carroll and John Schneider, the Seahawks have only used the franchise tag two times. The tag was first used on kicker Olindo Mare in 2010 and then on defensive end Frank Clark in 2019 before he was traded to the Chiefs shortly thereafter.

OK, back to the Russell Wilson trade discussion . . .

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Saints don’t issue franchise tag to either Marcus Williams or Terron Armstead

The Saints didn’t issue the franchise tag to either Marcus Williams or Terron Armstead before Tuesday’s deadline, meaning both will reach free agency:

This was expected, but it still feels odd for the New Orleans Saints to be in this position. Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline came and went without the Saints applying the tag to any of their pending free agents, meaning star safety Marcus Williams and stud left tackle Terron Armstead will likely both reach the open market. And there’s a very good chance neither of them return to New Orleans after weighing offers from other teams.

It’s not ideal. It isn’t great. To put it bluntly, this is a major problem that could have been avoided a long time ago if the Saints had signed both players to extensions as soon as they were eligible as opposed to waiting until the eleventh hour. Losing an All-Pro left tackle and a 25-year-old ballhawk safety is going to hurt them on both sides of the ball.

But hey, maybe we’re putting the cart before the horse here. It’s possible Armstead or Williams don’t get the big offers we’re all expecting and ultimately return to New Orleans. It’s a long shot, but stranger things have happened. Once the Saints decided to not use the tag, letting each player get an idea of their market value — illustrating exactly how much they have to gain in moving on from New Orleans — is the best path forward. If they end up bolting, well, that’s the risk you’ve chosen to take.

As for other franchise tag recipients around the NFL:

  • Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin
  • Jacksonville Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson
  • Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.
  • Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III
  • Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki
  • Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz
  • Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku

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NFL’s franchise tag window introduces crucial deadline for Saints, Marcus Williams

The NFL’s franchise tag window is now open. It makes sense for the Saints to issue the tag to Marcus Williams again, but it isn’t an option for Terron Armstead:

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Feb. 22 is an important date on the NFL calendar: teams may now issue the franchise tag to eligible players, keeping them under contract through the 2022 season. They have until March 8 to reach a decision on whether or not they’ll use the tag.

And that includes the New Orleans Saints, who must decide whether they’ll use the franchise tag again on free safety Marcus Williams. Williams had another excellent season in 2021 while playing on the tag, valued at $10.612 million — if the Saints choose to deploy it again, they’ll owe him a fully-guaranteed $12.911 million.

It isn’t a big jump in price (a different of just $2.299 million, or a 122% increase) but it would be a tough hurdle to navigate. Franchise tag figures can’t be restructured or reduced if the team and player don’t reach a long-term extension by midsummer (last year’s deadline was July 15). That’s what happened last year, when the Saints had that $10.612 million cap hit weighing them down. By season’s end they were restructuring almost every player making more than minimum salary just to fill out their roster.

So while it wouldn’t be ideal to see Williams play on the tag again this year, issuing it in the first place still may be the team’s best move. Hopefully the Saints can meet with Williams’ representatives at the NFL Scouting Combine next week to negotiate an extension instead — a lot of deals get cut in private dining rooms at Indianapolis steakhouses. But if they haven’t agreed to terms this late in the process, it feels unlikely they’ll get there now. Using the tag to buy more time to talk about a lucrative contract with one of their best players makes sense. If Williams tests free agency, teams will be lining up to sign him.

There really aren’t many tag candidates for New Orleans beyond Williams. Left tackle Terron Armstead is going to be one of the top free agents available this offseason, but he isn’t eligible to receive the tag. Because the Saints restructured his last contract with void years that won’t trigger until the start of the new league year on March 16, a week after the franchise tag application cutoff date, he isn’t an option. He’ll technically still be under contract when the franchise tag window closes on March 8.

That doesn’t feel like a clerical oversight from the Saints and salary cap specialist Khai Harley; if anything, it’s likely a concession to Armstead to ensure he’ll get his money in free agency. New Orleans could have scheduled the void years to trigger earlier (as other teams have done) and keep the tag in play for them and Armstead, but instead he’ll have an opportunity to seek the best possible contract. That could very well be with the Saints, but it just doesn’t feel realistic given how many needy teams have cash to spend.

So to recap: here are the relevant dates and deadlines to know for the Saints and the franchise tag:

  • Feb. 22: Franchise tag application window opens
  • March 8: Franchise tag application window closes
  • July 15: Deadline to sign franchise tagged players to extensions

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Broncos drew interest from Saints at NFL trade deadline — for Teddy Bridgewater

Broncos drew interest from Saints at NFL trade deadline — for Teddy Bridgewater

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Well that’s interesting. The New Orleans Saints had a big problem at quarterback after Jameis Winston was diagnosed with a season-ending knee injury last week, so they went to a familiar source in search of help — Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

“I am told the Broncos also had inquiries about quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, including from the Saints who just lost Jameis Winston for the season and had Teddy go 5-0 filling in for Drew Brees a couple years ago,” Pelissero reported from AT&T Stadium before the Broncos kicked off with the Dallas Cowboys. Pelissero added that Denver never seriously considered trading away Bridgewater while trailing the 5-2 Las Vegas Raiders in the crowded AFC West and eyeing a playoff berth.

And, he observed, it’s a good thing they didn’t part ways with Bridgewater once his backup Drew Lock entered league COVID-19 protocols this weekend. While those talks at the trade deadline were unsuccessful for New Orleans, it makes sense for them to have explored all options before naming Trevor Siemian this week’s starter. And Denver had signaled that they were open for (some) business after shipping out franchise icon Von Miller.

Maybe the Los Angeles Rams’ offer for Miller was one Broncos general manager George Paton couldn’t refuse; if that’s the case, the Saints were right to not make a similar bid for Bridgewater.

So the Saints will be working with what they have. They’re starting another ex-Bronco under center on Sunday and could have really used his help if he were available at the right price. But he’s staying out west, and the Saints are putting a lot of faith in Siemian. Maybe he can experience similar success to what Bridgewater found in New Orleans not too long ago.

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Saints stand pat at NFL trade deadline; what happens next?

Saints stand pat at NFL trade deadline; what happens next?

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The New Orleans Saints held onto their players and future draft picks, electing to stay put at Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, which was just boring and frustrating, but that’s par for the course. Unlike pro basketball, baseball, or even hockey and soccer leagues, NFL teams take the coward’s path and hold onto draft picks they’ll spend on players they’ll cut within months jealously.

It’s disappointing to see the Saints stagnate like this. They’ve got clear and obvious room for improvement at wide receiver and tight end, and a smaller need at defensive tackle, to say nothing of the uncertainty at quarterback. But they’ve elected to sit on their hands. Kevin White caught a pass last week; maybe he catches two targets next week, but I probably shouldn’t get ahead of myself.

At least there are some heroes out there like the Los Angeles Rams, who made a blockbuster deal for Von Miller. And the Kansas City Chiefs were aggressive in adding a couple role players. Those visionary, free-wheeling teams are doing their best to liven up a date on the NFL calendar that’s otherwise not worth acknowledging.

How can we fix this? Pushing the trade deadline back a few weeks might do it. Teams that are obviously on the downslope like the 3-4 Atlanta Falcons or 3-5 Philadelphia Eagles could be more willing to offload productive veterans like tight end Hayden Hurst and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox when they’re sitting ugly with six or seven losses instead of delusions of reaching .500 and getting into the playoff race. Instead they’re stubbornly holding onto good players in a doomed season. Nobody’s enjoying that.

Anyway: back to the Saints. They made their moves earlier in trading for Bradley Roby and Mark Ingram. And they’re set up well for the rest of the season, despite having lost Jameis Winston for the season to a knee injury, with just four games on their schedule against teams with a winning record. Here is a quick reminder of which draft picks they have to work with in the next few years (with more comp picks on the way in the spring):

  • 2022: 1, 2, 3 (comp for Terry Fontenot), 4, 5, 7
  • 2023: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
  • 2024: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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Report: Saints explored trade for Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr.

Report: Saints explored trade for Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. before NFL trade deadline

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There’s the most exciting news from the NFL trade deadline we’ll get all day: the move the New Orleans Saints thought about maybe considering making, but ultimately didn’t. ESPN’s Kimberley A. Martin reports the Saints discussed a trade for Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. but weren’t able to reach a deal.

That makes sense considering the Saints are sitting under the salary cap by roughly $1.36 million, with Beckham carrying a cap hit of $8.52 million in his remaining salary this season. It’s possible the Saints could have offered a better draft pick to get Cleveland to eat most of that, but they might have been unwilling to offer enough compensation to make it worthwhile for the Browns.

So Beckham will remain in Cleveland for the rest of the season, and the Saints will be hoping Michael Thomas can return some time soon. They don’t have a single receiver averaging more than 50 yards per game (Deonte Harris leads the team at 45.2) and could really use more help for their next starting quarterback, whether that’s Trevor Siemian or Taysom Hill.

But the Saints’ interest in Beckham is worth filing away for later. There is no more guaranteed money in his contract with the Browns and they could release him in the spring while saving $15 million, making him an unrestricted free agent — and one that won’t factor into the NFL compensatory draft picks formula, which the Saints have been paying closer attention to lately. Don’t be surprised if there’s more interest in a teamup next March.

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