Tag: former Saints

13 Saints competing in UFL after 2024 super draft

13 ex-New Orleans Saints players are competing after the 2024 UFL super draft, including Emmanuel Butler, Darius Victor, and Abram Smith:

The XFL and USFL merged earlier this year in a much-publicized joining of the two spring leagues, forming the new United Football League (UFL). And quite a few former members of the New Orleans Saints are in the mix with training camp on the horizon.

As part of that reorganization some teams were dissolved, with their players being made available in a multi-phase super draft for the remaining squads. And after all the picks were turned in, a baker’s dozen of former Saints players found themselves either on new teams or surrounded by new teammates.

Here’s the list:

Falcons trade for yet another former Saints player

The Falcons have traded for yet another former Saints player. If you can’t beat them, hire your GM and DC from them, and sign or trade for all their players:

If you can’t beat them, remake your team in their image. That must be the Atlanta Falcons’ takeaway after years of struggles to defeat the New Orleans Saints in the long-running NFC South rivalry. On Monday, the Falcons added yet another former Saints player: defensive lineman Kentavius Street.

The Philadelphia Eagles announced that they traded Street to Atlanta in exchange for a swap of late-round draft picks, and the move does make sense from the Falcons’ perspective. They just lost standout defensive tackle Grady Jarrett to a knee injury and Street can help soften the blow as an experienced player at the same position.

It sure helps that Street is surrounded by friendly faces. Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot traded for him after coming up in the Saints front office. He’ll be coached by Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who made the jump to the NFL in New Orleans after coaching Street in college at North Carolina State. And Street will quite literally line up shoulder-to-shoulder with his former Saints teammates David Onyemata and Kaden Elliss, both of whom were signed by Atlanta this offseason.

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Broncos announce coaching staff additions: All 8 of the ex-Saints joining Sean Payton

Broncos announce coaching staff additions: Here are all eight of the ex-Saints joining Sean Payton in Denver

There we go: the Denver Broncos announced their changes to the coaching staff under Sean Payton on Saturday, and as expected there’s a large group of former New Orleans Saints assistants and players coming to town. Eight of the 15 announced hirings have ties to Payton’s tenure in New Orleans.

We knew most of these additions thanks to previous reporting from New Orleans and Denver, but there are a couple of unexpected surprises — including at least one former Saints player who is kicking off his coaching career with Payton on the Broncos. Here’s what you need to know about each of these new additions:

Max Unger on his replacements, anxieties of watching Saints games as a fan

Former New Orleans Saints center Max Unger has been impressed by Erik McCoy and Cesar Ruiz, but watching games is tough in retirement.

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Max Unger stepped away from the New Orleans Saints once he felt his body couldn’t hold up to much more punishment after a decade in the NFL, but he’s been as excited as anyone to see how the team went about replacing the three-time Pro Bowler.

Unger reflected on life in retirement and his new perspective of watching games as a fan in a teleconference call with New Orleans media, taking time to praise Erik McCoy — the top Saints draft pick in 2019 that stepped in to snap the ball to Drew Brees.

“The guy came in there and just played his butt off. I watched him quite a bit,” Unger said. “I talk to Dan (Roushar), our coach, off and on and he just had nothing but really good stuff to say about how Erik played. It was impressive. The guy came in, I think he started every game, right? At center, that’s hard to do especially in this offense and Drew coming into the huddle and calling the plays at about 100 miles an hour.”

And while McCoy may have turned in a strong rookie year’s performance, the Saints brought in some competition to start at center by picking Michigan prospect Cesar Ruiz in the first round. Having released veteran right guard Larry Warford, the Saints have set themselves up to get the most out of both players, though it’s unclear just yet who lines up at which spot.

It’s something Unger is eager to see play out, even if watching games from his couch has been more stressful than anticipated. He said that he’s chatted with other retired Saints linemen like Zach Strief and John Stinchcomb on how to ease into life after football, but too often he’s felt helpless seeing his former teammates go to work without him.

Unger explained, “It’s funny because you’re so familiar with what’s going on in the team and you know the plays being called. It’s really hard to watch the games, honestly, just because you know what personnel group is in, if they’re in the red zone you kind of know what’s going on and you’re so invested in the players and how they’re doing. When you do not know what is going on and you do not have any influence in the outcome of the game it is tough.”

Whether McCoy or Ruiz ends up in Unger’s old spot, it’s clear that he’ll be cheering them on. His experience in New Orleans obviously endeared the team and city to him. But hopefully future Saints games won’t make him feel quite so anxious.

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Ex-Saints draft pick Hau’oli Kikaha retires from the XFL

Hau’oli Kikaha made his mark on the Washington Huskies and the Saints, but ended his career with the XFL’s Dallas Renegades on his own terms

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Things haven’t gone well for former New Orleans Saints players in the XFL, the upstart spring football league, with Super Bowl 44-winning Saints kicker Garrett Hartley suddenly medically disqualified after having signed a contract and finished his first practice with the Seattle Dragons. Now, he’s joined on the list of former XFL players by Hau’oli Kikaha, New Orleans’ 2015 second-round draft pick.

Kikaha was drafted highly by the XFL’s Dallas Renegades, along with former Saints teammate Tommyle Lewis (Lewis declined the opportunity to compete in the XFL, eventually returning to the Saints on a reserve/futures contract offer for 2020). The Washington Huskies product saw his NFL career undone by a third ACL tear, following two such injuries suffered in college. The Renegades announced Kikaha’s decision to retire on Tuesday, which was something of a surprise; he’d already notched six tackles (one for a loss of yards) as well as a sack and a forced fumble in their first three games. He was making a positive impact.

It’s disappointing to see Kikaha’s playing career flame out like this, but he has to do what’s best for his future. And given his extensive injury history (which included a season-ending high-ankle sprain in 2017), it might make more sense for him to put his playing days behind him. Kikaha was always a technically-sound pass rusher, so maybe coaching lies in his future. Whatever the case, here’s our best to one of the best names (and hairstyles) in Saints history.

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Garrett Hartley joins XFL’s Seattle Dragons

Garrett Hartley, the kicker who helped win Super Bowl 44 with the New Orleans Saints, officially signed with the Seattle Dragons of the XFL.

Here’s big news from one former member of the New Orleans Saints: Garrett Hartley, the kicker who sent the Saints to Super Bowl XLIV with his overtime field goal against the Minnesota Vikings, has signed with the Seattle Dragons of the XFL. Funnily enough, it’s the same mascot as represented him at Southlake High School in Texas. Hartley announced his big move in posts from his official Instagram account.

Hartley, who turns 34 in May, last kicked professionally in 2014 with the Cleveland Brown, though he spent the 2015 preseason with the Pittsburg Steelers before a hamstring injury ended his year. He’s spent the years since trying to stay in shape and preparing for his next opportunity, while also logging a lot of hours in his turkey blind. He’s clearly grateful for this shot in the XFL.

Now, he’ll get to compete again as a professional football player when the XFL kicks off its 2020 season on Feb. 8, with Hartley’s Dragons starting on the road against the D.C. Defenders (in a game that will be broadcast on ABC). Their home opener is scheduled for Feb. 16 and will take place at CenturyLink Field, also the home of the Seattle Seahawks. More than 20,000 tickets have reportedly already been sold, and the game will be broadcast nationally on FOX, so Hartley will have quite the audience when it’s his time to shine. It’ll be easy to cheer for him and the other Saints players trying their hand at the startup league, which includes Dallas Renegades XFL draft picks Hau’oli Kikaha and Tommylee Lewis.

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