Tag: deonte harty

Saints re-sign backup offensive tackle Ethan Greenidge

The Saints are re-signing restricted free agent Ethan Greenidge, a backup offensive tackle with some experience at guard:

Here’s a good move: the New Orleans Saints brought back Ethan Greenidge for the 2022 season, as first reported by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. Greenidge, who will be 25 when the season starts, has been a backup left tackle for the Saints the last few years and began taking snaps at right guard during the 2021 preseason until he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.

Now healthy, Greenidge is likely returning on a minimum salary (valued at about $965,000) rather than on a restricted free agent tender. Having some experienced depth is never a bad thing. Look for Greenidge and second-year draft pick Landon Young (who is also recovering from a season-ending injury) to compete for snaps behind the starter, whoever that may be — the Saints could re-sign Terron Armstead, keep James Hurst at left tackle, or flip All-Pro right tackle Ryan Ramczyk back to the left side, where he lined up in college. They’ve got options.

What’s interesting, though, is that the Saints are now shifting their attention to their restricted free agents. Retaining Greenidge at what should come in at near-minimum salary makes sense. New Orleans also chose not to tender another restricted free agent, tight end Garrett Griffin, and he could come back at a similar pay rate. Other Saints players in this category include wide receivers Deonte Harty and Lil’Jordan Humphrey, defensive tackle Shy Tuttle, and defensive end Carl Granderson. If not tendered, they will become unrestricted free agents.

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Comparing contract projections for top Saints free agents

What contracts for Saints’ Jameis Winston, Terron Armstead, Marcus Williams, and Deonte Harty could look like based on expert projections, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

The New Orleans Saints have several important outgoing free agents this offseason. While the salary cap situation is not as dire as one may expect upon first glance, the Saints may have to make some tough decisions based on spending vs. player value. Part of what will dictate that spending will be the market for their top free agents. That market will be defined by what teams outside of New Orleans are willing to spend. To get an idea of what those markets could look like, here are projections from various outlets for four of the Saints’ top free agents.

Get to know new Saints wide receivers coach Kodi Burns

Get to know new Saints wide receivers coach Kodi Burns, a college teammate of Cam Newton’s and a key Tennessee assistant:

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Dennis Allen’s search for new assistant coaches took an unexpected turn on Monday, when former Tennessee wide receivers coach Kodi Burns accepted the same position with the New Orleans Saints. It’s an interesting move that goes against the past additions Allen made to his staff — Burns doesn’t have any real connections with the previous Sean Payton regime, having exclusively coached at the college level before.

He’s also very young for an NFL position coach at just 33, compared to other recent hires like offensive line coach Doug Marrone (57), Allen himself (49), and retained offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael (50), who returned to the role after initially choosing to step down. It’s an interesting dynamic, but that youth has been an asset for Burns so far. Let’s get to know him a bit better:

5 players the Saints should sign to early contract extensions in 2022

The Saints have a handful of players whose contracts aren’t up just yet, but who should be considered for extensions ahead of schedule:

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The New Orleans Saints have a handful of players whose contracts aren’t up just yet, but who should be considered for extensions ahead of schedule. Their 2019 draft class is now eligible to sign contract extensions, and they have some other players who are technically restricted free agents in 2022 — meaning they can be retained at little cost, effectively giving the team contract control for another year. But sometimes it’s worth going for a long-term deal sooner rather than later.

We’ve already discussed the top Saints unrestricted free agents and which of them may or may not re-sign with New Orleans. With few salary cap resources to work with right now, the Saints are going to be tempted to use their usual maneuvers — restructuring contracts and handing out prorated signing bonuses — to reach cap compliance, but they can also get under the cap while hammering out multiyear extensions with some players. It’s just a question of whether the timing is right. Here are five candidates:

NFL won’t recognize Deonte Harris’ name change until after 2021 season

NFL won’t recognize Deonte Harris’ name change until after 2021 season

Well that’s frustrating. All-Pro New Orleans Saints returns specialist Deonte Harris changed his legal name to Deonte Harty in respect to his stepfather on Christmas Day last week, but that won’t be reflected on his jersey — NFL rules stipulate that a player’s name and number are fixed after the season starts. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill first reported the news. He’s still identified as Deonte Harris on the Saints’ official online roster, and the wide receiver continues to use his old name on Twitter and Instagram. We’ll still be using it here at Saints Wire, too, to avoid confusion.

It’s a disappointing move by the NFL, if not unexpected. The No Fun League’s officiating crews aren’t any good at managing games as it is, so allowing players to complete a beautiful gesture to their family near season’s end would just overcomplicate things for the referees. How could they be expected to keep up if the name, not the number, changed on a player’s jersey in the season’s closing weeks?

All jokes aside, this does track with the NFL’s anti-individualist stance in limiting how players may represent themselves and their families during games. There are restrictions on everything from personalized eye black tape to embroidered towels and messages written on undershirts. Players even get fined for not wearing their socks high enough. The NFL puts a lot of value in how players dress and look when the cameras are on them, and the league office is unfortunately eager to punish anyone who steps out of line — or tries to change his name plate at the wrong time.

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Deonte Harris ends suspension, but remains on the COVID list

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Deonte Harris finished serving his three-game NFL suspension, but remains on the COVID-19 reserve list:

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Deonte Harris finished serving his three-game NFL suspension, but remains on the COVID-19 reserve list after being placed there on Dec. 26. He’ll be eligible to return, if asymptomatic, on Dec. 31. He’s got a good chance at playing in Week 17’s game with the Carolina Panthers.

It would be huge to get Harris back in the lineup (one quick note: Harris legally changed his name to Deonte Harty in respect to his stepfather, which we’ll begin using here on Saints Wire once it’s reflected on the team’s official roster online). He’s averaged the highest receiving yards per game (47.5) of everyone on the team and would be a great shot in the arm for their last two games.

Hopefully he’s able to clear protocol and get back in the lineup. There’s a lot on the line for the Saints these last two weeks, and they’ll need every playmaker they can get to help them go the distance.

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Saints lose Kwon Alexander, several practice squad players to COVID protocol

The Saints are up to 21 players on the COVID-19 reserve list, with Kwon Alexander the sixth starter out for Monday night’s Dolphins game:

Positive COVID-19 tests haven’t slowed down for the New Orleans Saints over the holiday weekend, with five more players sidelined ahead of Monday night’s kickoff with the Miami Dolphins. And the list now includes another starter: linebacker Kwon Alexander, along with three teammates on the practice squad and wide receiver Deonte Harris (who is serving the final week of his NFL suspension and recently changed his name to Deonte Harty).

The Times-Picayune|Advocate’s Jeff Duncan first reported that Alexander tested positive and will enter COVID protocol, knocking him out of the Dolphins game. These losses take the Saints down to just 36 players on the 53-man roster and 13 on the 16-strong practice squad, with three others questionable to play due to injuries (left tackle Terron Armstead, defensive end Marcus Davenport, and wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith).

That means they may have to call up everyone on the practice squad just to dress a 48-man gameday roster. It’s not impossible that some players could be activated in time for the Dolphins game, but it’s very unlikely.

Here is the full list of all 21 Saints players currently on the COVID list, and when they were added to it:

Deonte Harris changes his legal name to honor his stepfather

All-Pro Saints return man Deonte Harris changes his legal name to honor his stepfather

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New Orleans Saints All-Pro returns specialist Deonte Harris gave his stepfather a great Christmas gift on Saturday, announcing from his official Instagram account that he has legally changed his name to Deonte Harty. A sergeant in the Baltimore Police Department, Marlon Harty has been in Deonte’s life since he was 7 years old. Now he’s making a permanent move to honor someone who’s had a profound impact on him.

It’s really cool to see Harty sharing this special moment with his family. He’s had a difficult year, struggling with deaths in the family and his battle with depression, and bottoming out in an offseason DUI charge. He’s serving the final week of an NFL suspension for that arrest now and will rejoin the Saints for their final two regular season games.

And Harty is determined to come out the other side of this stronger. Changing his surname to tighten those familial bonds and illustrate a new direction to take his life is commendable. Saints fans should keep an eye out for No. 11 in next week’s home game with the Carolina Panthers — and be sure to call him Harty from now on, not Harris.

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