Tag: free agents

Saints sign free agent offensive linemen Shane Lemieux, Justin Herron

The Saints signed free agent offensive linemen Shane Lemieux and Justin Herron on Monday, adding experienced depth for training camp:

No team accomplished everything it wanted to in the 2024 NFL draft — including the New Orleans Saints, who are still looking to plug holes by signing veteran free agents in the days after the selection event. One obvious vulnerability they need to address is the left guard spot, following James Hurst’s decision to retire.

And here’s a couple of options who could help out. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reported Monday that the Saints signed former New York Giants guard Shane Lemieux following a free agent tryout. Lemieux, who turns 26 in a few weeks, primarily plays on the left side dating back to his college career at Oregon. He was teammates with former Saints backup Calvin Throckmorton, as well as current Saints tight end Juwan Johnson and safety Ugo Amadi. The Giants drafted Lemieux in fifth round of the 2020 draft but he’s started just a dozen games since.

Underhill adds that the Saints are also signed free agent offensive lineman Justin Herron. A sixth-round pick in 2020 out of Wake Forest (by the New England Patriots), Herron was briefly teammates with Derek Carr on the Las Vegas Raiders. He exclusively played left tackle in college but has seen action on either side of the line in the NFL. It’s a cool full-circle moment with both players being represented by AMDG Sports, an agency founded by former Saints Pro Bowl center LeCharles Bentley.

While neither of them feel like threats to start for the Saints, it’s important to add experienced backups like these guys to round out the depth chart for training camp. Someone needs to show the new guys the ropes. But maybe they’ll surprise us and excel in Klint Kubiak’s new offense.

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Saints add another undrafted rookie free agent in Arkansas DE Trajan Jeffcoat

The Saints aren’t finished signing rookie free agents. They’ve added former Arkansas and Missouri DE Trajan Jeffcoat:

The New Orleans Saints aren’t finished signing rookie free agents after the 2024 NFL draft. They’ve added former Arkansas and Missouri defensive end Trajan Jeffcoat, as first reported by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill.

Jeffcoat, 24, started his career at Missouri before transferring to Arkansas (where he was voted a team captain) in 2023 after earning his degree. He’s a highly experienced prospect with 60 games behind him in the SEC. And he put up respectable numbers with 27.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks in his career.

He also fits the athletic prototype the Saints look for at defensive end. Jeffcoat weighed in at 6-foot-4 and 266 pounds, with a solid 7.63 Relative Athletic Score. But he’s entering a crowded competition for roster spots. The Saints already have Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson, and Chase Young on top of the depth chart with Tanoh Kpassagnon, Payton Turner, and Isaiah Foskey behind them. Jeffcoat enters the mix with Niko Lalos and Nathan Latu (another undrafted rookie, from Oklahoma State) to compete for a place on the practice squad. But maybe he surprises over the summer and climbs higher.

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Saints spent big to sign undrafted Idaho returns ace Jermaine Jackson

The Saints spent big to sign undrafted Idaho returns ace Jermaine Jackson. With kick returns changing, it’s worth investing in multiple options:

NFL teams tell you how they value players by their actions, and most importantly how they spend their money. With the 2024 NFL draft behind us the New Orleans Saints entered a fierce bidding war with other teams for the rookies whose names were not called during the draft. And one of their first pickups was a costly one: Idaho Vandals wide receiver/return man Jermaine Jackson.

Jackson is listed at 5-foot-7 and 170 pounds so he’s cut from the same cloth as other Saints returns specialists like Rashid Shaheed and Deonte Harty. While he received just a $10,000 signing bonus to come to New Orleans, Jackson is also getting $150,000 of his base salary guaranteed, per KTIK 95.3 FM’s John Mallory. That’s significant. For context, Shaheed was guaranteed $222,000 when he signed with the Saints out of Weber State.

So why is he so special? There aren’t many players in college football with 600-plus return yards on both punts (604) and kickoffs (666), as well as four return touchdowns (three off of punts, one off of a kickoff). That production comes from a combination of instincts, athleticism, and hard work to cultivate them.

And why do the Saints value special teams so highly? Their coordinator Darren Rizzi was integral to developing new kickoff rules for 2024, which make it more favorable for teams to roster multiple returns specialists. He’s always scouted returners heavily. Some of them have hit like Shaheed and Harty. Others fell off like Marquez Callaway and last year’s undrafted rookie Malik Flowers. This year’s second round pick Kool-Aid McKinstry returned  punts at Alabama (35 times, for 427 yards) and said he’s open to helping in the return game if he’s needed.

But Jackson isn’t limited to work on special teams. Over the last two years he caught a combined 107 passes for 1,645 yards with 6 touchdowns as part of Idaho’s one-two punch at wide receiver. It’ll be fascinating to see whether Jackson can overcome the size mismatch with a very talented group of Saints cornerbacks over the summer but he was consistently productive at Idaho. But clearly the team has high expectations for him. All he needs to do is back them up.

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B/R found the perfect destination for former Saints starter in free agency

Andrus Peat remains unsigned in free agency, but Bleacher Report believes he’d be a perfect fit for this AFC Super Bowl contender:

There are still plenty of New Orleans Saints free agents searching for their new team, and the most notable of them might be Andrus Peat. New Orleans declined to re-sign Peat and in turn suffered a $13 million dead cap hit. Saints head coach Dennis Allen has left the door open to Peat returning to New Orleans this offseason, but the team signed Oli Udoh to fill a similar role on the depth chart.

So where could Peat end up? Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay thinks the former Saint would be a perfect fit with the Cincinnati Bengals, writing:

The Cincinnati Bengals would be a great fit for Peat, especially after they let incumbent tackle Jonah Williams walk in free agency and brought in Trent Brown as his replacement on the right side of the line. Brown has a history of inconsistent play and could struggle to live up to the $4.8 million deal he inked this offseason.

The great part of Peat’s skill set is he has the versatility to play guard or tackle. Peat has been viewed as a tackle in the offseason by publications ignoring his more expansive history as a guard. Signing right tackle Trent Brown doesn’t take Peat off the table at all. He’ll be inexpensive and can compete at both tackle or guard on the left side.

The offseason has been quiet for Peat. The versatile offensive lineman has visited with the Titans, but nothing came from it. Pairing him with the Bengals makes a lot of sense. Their Super Bowl window remains open, and protecting Joe Burrow will be imperative to ensuring it doesn’t close. Peat will help fortify their protection. He’d also be joining some familiar faces in Cincinnati like former Saints draft picks Trey Hendrickson, Sheldon Rankins, and Vonn Bell.

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Saints have more Washington 2020 draft picks than the Commanders do

There are more players from Washington’s 2020 draft class in New Orleans than on the Commanders’ roster. But they outnumber the Saints’ own 2020 draft picks, too:

Don’t look now, but the New Orleans Saints have rostered more players from the Washington Commanders’ 2020 draft class than Washington themselves. There isn’t a single player that the Commanders picked in 2020 remaining in Washington. Two of them landed with the Saints this offseason: defensive end Chase Young (a first-round pick) and linebacker Khaleke Kudson (a fifth rounder). The Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Matthew Paras, a former Washington beat writer, first shared this observation.

But here’s the twist. There are more players from Washington’s 2020 draft class now suiting up for the Saints than New Orleans’ own 2020 draft haul. The Saints went into the 2020 draft talking up a quality-over-quantity approach, trading up three times and coming away with just four players: right guard Cesar Ruiz, linebacker Zack Baun, tight end Adam Trautman, and quarterback-turned-tight end Tommy Stevens.

That plan blew up in their face. The Saints cut Stevens early in the season after initially stashing him on their practice squad. They traded Trautman during the 2023 draft (to the Denver Broncos, reuniting him with Sean Payton). Baun left in free agency last month to sign a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. The only player remaining from that four-man band is Ruiz, who signed a contract extension last September.

So the Saints have two players from Washington’s 2020 draft class and just one of their own. That’s not the best of resources by either team. Regime change has already come for the Commanders (plus a change in ownership), and it might be on the way for New Orleans if the Saints miss the playoffs for the fourth year in a row and the third season with Dennis Allen as head coach. Hopefully they can turn things around, one way or another.

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Report: Chargers have had ‘preliminary interest’ in free agent WR Tyler Boyd

The Chargers have been a team tabbed to potentially get help in the free agent market since trading Keenan Allen.

Per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly, the Chargers are amongst a group of teams that registered preliminary interest in veteran free agent slot receiver Tyler Boyd:

From what I have been told, Boyd was extremely interested in Pittsburgh at the beginning of the free-agency process, but the offer wasn’t something he was comfortable with. Boyd has at least had preliminary interest from the Chiefs, Chargers, Dolphins, Lions and 49ers.

The Chargers have been a team pegged to potentially get help in the free agent market since trading Keenan Allen to the Bears last month. Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh mentioned free agency in addition to the draft when discussing the wide receiver position.

Boyd will enter his ninth NFL season in 2024. It could be his first year with a team other than the Bengals. In his career, he has accumulated 719 catches for 6000 yards and 31 touchdowns.

In recent seasons, Boyd’s production has dipped, with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins taking up significant roles. Last year, a season-ending injury to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow also profoundly affected all offensive production.

Generally, Boyd is still a relatively reliable slot presence after he rushed for over 600 yards and two touchdowns last season. However, Boyd has seen some target metrics, like yards per route run (1.15 in 2023) and yards per reception (10.0 in 2023), dip to career lows.

If the Chargers entertain any free agent WR signings at this point, I’d expect them to likely come after the draft. They will probably want to see where they stand after day three of the draft with a wide receiver class, of which Hortiz has noted the depth. Also, post-draft free-agent signings won’t factor into the Bolts’ comp pick formula. Currently, LA is slated to get three Day 3 selections in 2025.

Colts not named a “best landing spot” for PFF’s top available free agents

Of PFF’s top 20 available free agents, which includes several defensive backs, the Colts were not named a “best landing spot” for any.

Of Pro Football Focus’ top 20 remaining free agents, the Indianapolis Colts were not named a “best landing spot” for any of them.

The reason that this is specifically of some interest to the Colts is because several of PFF’s top remaining free agents play either the cornerback or safety positions—two big positional needs that the Colts still have to address.

Below is a look at who those players are along with their overall ranking from PFF:

1. Justin Simmons (S)

2. Stephon Gilmore (CB)

3. Steven Nelson (CB)

5. Xavien Howard (CB)

8. Julian Blackmon (S)

13. Adoree’ Jackson (CB)

For what it’s worth, GM Chris Ballard did mention via The Athletic that the Colts have re-started talks with Blackmon. There are also safeties not on this list still available, most notably Tashaun Gipson, Quandre Diggs, and Jayron Kesrse, who could come in and make an impact.

At cornerback the Colts do have Kenny Moore manning the slot, and Ballard would also add that he likes the team’s three young boundary corners in Jaylon Jones, JuJu Brents, and Dallis Flowers. However, relying completely on those three does come with some risks.

“We know we need to add,” said Ballard about the secondary via the Colts team site, “and there’s still some vets out there that we will definitely pay attention to,” Ballard said. “But there’s still work to be done.”

From a salary cap standpoint, the Colts have the 13th most effective salary cap space available, according to Over the Cap, giving them some flexibility to make an addition or two.

If the Colts don’t add to the cornerback or safety rooms over the next few weeks, they’ll then turn their attention to the draft to tackle these needs.

The good news is that this is a very deep cornerback class. Overall, it was one of PFF’s highest-graded position groups, with the class receiving an A for its depth. And with such talented offensive tackle and wide receiver groups in this class as well, that could help push down some of the top cornerback options, most notably, Terrion Arnold and Quinyon Mitchell, to the Colts at pick 15.

The safety position in this year’s draft is a different story, however. Unless a team plans to convert Iowa’s Cooper DeJean to safety, there likely aren’t any that are going to be selected in the first round, especially at pick 15 where the Colts are.

On Daniel Jeremiah’s recent top 50 big board, no safeties made the list, while this position group received the second-lowest grade from PFF with a C+ in terms of overall talent and depth. So when it comes to the Colts finding some immediate impact help at this position, that admittedly is a more difficult task than at cornerback.

Every GM wants options in the draft so they don’t feel like they have to select a certain position at a specific spot. Adding to the secondary in free agency before the draft, specifically at safety, would provide Ballard with some added flexibility when on the clock.

NFL Power Rankings: Where do the Chargers land after free agency?

With free agency in the rearview, here’s a look at where the Chargers stand in the power rankings after free agency.

NFL free agency has begun to slow down. After the frenzy, Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers are in decent shape, even after moving away from Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. They retained Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack and have made a slew of acquisitions, especially to bolster the running game.

Here is what the national media thinks of Los Angeles after free agency and ahead of the draft.

NFL.com: 16

“This is where I’m bracing for impact. No, you haven’t read this placement wrong — and I’m prepared for the worst. When I last ranked the Chargers, the hiring of Jim Harbaugh was still relatively fresh, and their slot at that time (No. 25) was more about 2023 than the future. The more I think about it, the clearer it is to me that the most difference-making move of any team so far this offseason was Harbaugh joining the Bolts. The guy wins. I don’t know how he’ll do that exactly, but he’ll definitely make this team more mentally tough and disciplined in Year 1. Everywhere he’s been, he’s done that. So prepare yourselves for some narrative-breaking. The Chargers have weathered a tough salary-trimming period, but they came out of it in decent enough shape. And very quietly, they’ve added some Harbaugh-ish signings (Gus Edwards, Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst) to beef up his run game and versatility. Sleep on them at your own peril.”

Sporting News: 16

“The Chargers’ offensive transition to be run-heavy and more efficient with Justin Herbert is in full swing under Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman. They wisely chose to preserve defense (Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa) over offense (Keenan Allen, Mike Williams).”

Pro Football Network: 17

“What a weird offseason for the Chargers. Still riding high from the hiring of Jim Harbaugh, Chargers fans got a reality check when the franchise released Mike Williams and traded Keenan Allen in a pair of cost-cutting moves.”

For The Win: 27

“2024 is a gap year while Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz untangle the mess left behind by the previous regime. An untenable cap situation meant Los Angeles not only had to mostly sit out the start of free agency but also had to say goodbye to Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Oh well. Biting the financial bullet now should ensure a more fruitful future for Justin Herbert.”

The Athletic: 26

“Jim Harbaugh’s first offseason with the Chargers involved cutting a lot of salary, which is why Allen and Williams are gone and Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack restructured their contracts. Edwards is an interesting addition and plays the power back role Harbaugh prefers better than Ekeler, but the exits outweigh the entrances on the roster so far, and Harbaugh’s first year might not be stellar.”

Joe Hortiz speaks on Chargers’ free agency additions with ties to Ravens

Almost half of the free agents the Chargers added to their roster for the 2024 season have come from the Ravens.

Almost half of the free agents the Chargers added to their roster for the 2024 season have come from the Ravens. General manager Joe Hortiz recruited running back Gus Edwards, center Bradley Bozeman, and tight end Hayden Hurst, all of whom played under him during his tenure with Baltimore. 

“All three of those guys, I know what we’re getting with them,” Hortiz said.

They were inevitably ‘a natural fit,’ according to Hortiz. 

Edwards is slated to be the Bolts’ top running back. He’s a physical addition to the offense. In 2023, he ran for 810 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. 

“I think specifically with Gus, l’ve seen him deal with the adversity of the [ACL] injury two years ago and come back from it,” Hortiz said. “Grind, be physical, continue to play the same brand of football he’s always played. Really excited to have him.

“He’s the bell cow, the goal line [guy], the finisher,” Hortiz added. “The right mentality for what we’re looking to do here. I told you we wanted to be bigger, play a physical style of football on both sides of the ball and he helps us do that.”

The connections to the Ravens continue with the Chargers acquiring Hurst and Bozeman who were part of the same 2018 draft class in Baltimore.

“Bradley and Hayden are the same way [as Edwards],” Hortiz said. “I do my best to get to know the players and those are two I knew pretty well from my time in Baltimore.

“Feel very fortunate that the situation presented itself to get both those guys,” Hortiz added. “You get two quality players that know our scheme, that fit our scheme and that fit the mentality.”