Tag: Foster Moreau

Derek Carr preparing for his first preseason snaps since 2019

Saints fans won’t have to wait much longer to see their new quarterback. Derek Carr is preparing for his first preseason snaps since 2019:

New Orleans Saints fans won’t have to wait much longer to see their new quarterback. Derek Carr will hit the field at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday against a familiar opponent — the same Kansas City Chiefs he dueled for years in the AFC West while leading the Las Vegas Raiders.

And this is going to be Carr’s first preseason snaps since 2019. The 2020 preseason was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s not uncommon to see teams limit their starters’ reps in these exhibition games in an attempt to protect them from unnecessary injury, but it’s been years since Carr took any snaps in preseason.

When asked about the last time he was active for a preseason game after Friday’s training camp practice, Carr was befuddled; turning to his longtime teammate Foster Moreau, he asked whether they had played in preseason last summer.

“I did,” Moreau replied, prompting a round of laughter.

Carr was on the field for just six snaps in one exhibition game in 2019, his most recent appearance; before that he played 13 snaps in two games in 2018, but he hasn’t seen a (relatively) heavy workload since the 2017 season, which was Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore’s rookie year, for context.

Earlier this week Saints coach Dennis Allen said he expected the first-string offense and defense to each play about 15 scripted snaps, so that gives us an idea of what’s ahead for Carr. He’s played well in training camp but live reps against a real opponent moving at full speed is going to be good for him as he continues to settle into a new offense.

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Positions where the Saints got better in the 2023 offseason

Our first real look at the New Orleans Saints is just days away in their preseason opener. Here’s where they got better in the offseason | @crissy_froyd

The New Orleans Saints come off of a disappointing 2022 season in which they finished third in the division with a 7-10 overall record — and it’s quite a testament to how lowly the NFC South was last year considering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished on top of it with an 8-9 record.

But if the Saints’ offseason moves end up paying dividends, quite a different picture will be painted when all is said and done in 2023 as New Orleans has very much taken a playoffs-or-bust approach. With their first preseason game just days away, let’s recap the road that got them here.

Here’s a look at a handful of places the Saints have improved on paper between the 2023 NFL draft and preseason moves:

Foster Moreau says he still has his signed Jimmy Graham jersey

Foster Moreau grew up a Saints fan, and he still has his signed Jimmy Graham jersey: ‘You walk into the locker room, and oh my god, he’s right there’

It always seems to mean a little more when someone gets to play for the team they grew up supporting — Michael Mauti was at the New Orleans Saints’ “Rebirth” game after Hurricane Katrina in 2006, and the linebacker later got to block a punt of his own (against the Atlanta Falcons!) with Steve Gleason watching him.

Foster Moreau hasn’t experienced that kind of cinematic moment just yet, but he acknowledged how surreal it is to share a locker room with a player whose jersey he’s owned since he was a teenager. Initially a running back, Moreau converted to tight end at Jesuit High School, a position-switch his father noted by gifting him a Jimmy Graham jersey. Only it was signed, framed, and forbidden from being worn.

“Jimmy, right, was a dog. And he still is, honestly, he runs great,” Moreau said after Saturday’s training camp practice. “And so, it’s such a funny situation. You walk into the locker room, and oh my god, Jimmy Graham’s right there. It’s pretty funny. I actually have a signed Jimmy Graham autograph jersey in a shadow box that I had at my dad’s house, in my room. It’s a weird situation.”

The Saints have assembled one of the NFL’s most unique tight end rooms between Moreau, Graham, breakout pass-catcher Juwan Johnson, and not-really-a-tight end Taysom Hill (plus Lucas Krull and Jesse James, who are both in the mix). How they figure out each player’s specific role is a major storyline at training camp, but as Moreau noted, veterans like Graham have a lot to offer even with so many other talented players in the group.

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TMNTE? Juwan Johnson compares Saints tight ends to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

TMNTE? Juwan Johnson compared the Saints’ tight ends to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which makes more sense the more you think on it | @DillySanders

Tight end Juwan Johnson spoke to media after the New Orleans Saints third training camp practice ended, sharing a unique comparison for the Saints tight ends room to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This started with Jimmy Graham being likened to the heroes’ Master Splinter (“He’s like the O.G. of tight ends … he’s been so helpful to us as an older guy and so decorated not even here but in the NFL”) and Johnson comparing himself to the levelheaded Donatello (“I feel like I’m Donatello, I feel like I’m pretty smart, pretty chill”).

While Johnson wouldn’t dig any deeper on who the rest of the room fits, we did the obvious job. We went through every member of the New Orleans Saints tight end room and assigned them a member of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles squad. Or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Tight Ends, if you will:

Predicting the Saints’ initial training camp depth chart on offense

Predicting the New Orleans Saints’ initial training camp depth chart on offense: Starters, backups, and reserves at every position group

We’re days away from the formal start of New Orleans Saints training camp, so let’s take a look at the depth chart on offense and predict starters, backups, and reserves for every position. This will change as players hit the practice field and climb or fall down the depth chart while the team begins to show its hand. For now, here’s how things stand offensively:

25 most important New Orleans Saints of 2023: No. 20, TE Foster Moreau

25 most important Saints of 2023: Looking into what Foster Moreau brings to New Orleans at tight end | @crissy_froyd

The 2023 NFL offseason is in full swing, and with that, training camps edge ever closer to starting. We have seen a new wave of players enter the team both via the draft and free agency, but there is also a large group of returning players from last season as well. This has led to some debates to be had regarding which players will have the largest impact on the roster for the 2023 season.

Each day we will be counting down the 25 most important Saints for the 2023 season. This will be split up into the following categories:

  • Recap of their 2022 season
  • Projecting their 2023 success
  • What is the biggest question mark for them in 2023?

The 20th-ranked player by the Saints Wire staff is tight end Foster Moreau:

Former Bengals target and Saints TE Foster Moreau says cancer is in full remission

Some amazing news revealed during the holiday.

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A free agent the Cincinnati Bengals had interest in is going back on the field with the New Orleans Saints.

Foster Moreau announced Monday on Twitter that his cancer is in full remission just three months after he publicly released that he was battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

“After a few tumultuous months, I’ve been blessed with the news that I am in full remission from Hodgkin Lymphoma!” Moreau said. “I’m so grateful to everyone who reached out to offer their love and support; our prayers were answered. From here I will continue to live my life as God intended.”

The Saints signed Moreau to a three-year deal, and now he has participated in offseason workouts and is expected to play this season.

The Bengals had Moreau come to Cincinnati for a visit when he was still on the market, but were unable to sign him. Cincinnati pivoted from there, bringing aboard Irv Smith Jr. in free agency.

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Foster Moreau announces that he is in full remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Now here’s some good news: Foster Moreau announced that he is in full remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma

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Now here’s some good news: New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau announced on Monday that he is in full remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma, having undergone treatment earlier this year following a routine physical with the Saints’ team doctors. He was cleared to return to work during minicamp practices and will be full-go when the team regroups for training camp later this summer.

“After a few tumultuous months, I’ve been blessed with the news that I am in full remission from Hodgkin Lymphoma! I’m so grateful to everyone who reached out to offer their love and support; our prayers were answered. From here I will continue to live my life as God intended,” Moreau wrote from his Twitter account.

Moreau was already popular with Saints fans as a New Orleans native who played college football with the LSU Tigers, but he’s a real asset to the team. The veteran tight end is a capable blocker and emerged as a favorite target of quarterback Derek Carr when they were both playing together on the Las Vegas Raiders in recent years. Now they’re together in the Big Easy, and Moreau can focus on his career with this cancer scare behind him.

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PFF makes the argument for Taysom Hill as a top-10 tight end

Taysom Hill had more rushing attempts than snaps at tight end last year, but that didn’t stop PFF from arguing he’s the Saints’ best option:

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Taysom Hill had more rushing attempts than snaps at tight end last year, but that didn’t stop Pro Football Focus from arguing he’s the New Orleans Saints’ best option at the position going into 2023. We’ll let PFF’s John Kosko explain himself:

You had to know he was coming on this list at some point. Hill is not a traditional tight end nor is he a modern-day one, as he occupies a unique role that only he can do and has provided tremendous value to the Saints, ranking ninth in PFF WAR the past two seasons. While Juwan Johnson had a breakout season in 2022 and they just signed Foster Moreau, Hill is the slotted “starter,” and his versatility gives the Saints a lot of options.

Kosko ranked Hill at No. 9 out of the NFL’s projected starters at tight end, but as we mentioned off the top (and that Kosko alluded to in mentioning Hill’s “unique role” on offense), he does much more than block and catch passes like the other players on that list.

Hill posted his best production as a rusher in 2022, setting new career highs not just in attempts (96) and rushing yards (575), but in yards per carry, too (6.0). His seven touchdown runs were one shy of his personal best. Alvin Kamara led the Saints with 40 first down conversions as a runner, but Hill  wasn’t far behind with 34 of his own. Their teammates combined for just 29.

So, yes, he has unique value to New Orleans’ offense. That doesn’t change the fact that even if the Saints label Hill at tight end, he shouldn’t be seen as one. Defenses won’t guard him like a tight end. He only lined up tight to the formation 51 times last season. The Saints may want to have Hill catch more passes in 2023, but his role isn’t going to change dramatically. Johnson’s continued ascent and Moreau’s addition mean fewer opportunities for him as a traditional tight end in their place. It’s nice to see Hill recognized for his contributions, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s one of the NFL’s best tight ends. He’s finding success doing his own thing.

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Projecting the Saints’ starting lineup on offense in 2023

Projecting the New Orleans Saints’ starting lineup on offense in 2023: Is the biggest question mark at tight end?

Things are going to look very different for the New Orleans Saints offense in 2023, but we don’t have a ton of questions surrounding the top of the depth chart. We know who the starters will be at quarterback and along the offensive line — plus at wide receiver, assuming everyone is healthy, and running back, depending on how Alvin Kamara’s legal proceedings conclude. If there’s much ambiguity, it’s at tight end.

And how does Taysom Hill fit into the picture?

You can find the entire 90-man roster by jersey number here, as well as our latest predictions for the 53-man depth chart and practice squad to open the regular season. To whittle it down further, here are our picks for the Saints’ starting lineup on offense after minicamp: