Tag: Johnson Bademosi

Saints sign free agent CB Kemon Hall after tryout, roster almost at capacity

The New Orleans Saints signed free agent cornerback Kemon Hall after his tryout, which followed injuries to Tino Ellis and Johnson Bademosi.

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The New Orleans Saints lost two of their cornerbacks over the last week with veteran special teamer Johnson Bademosi and undrafted rookie Tino Ellis each ending the year on injured reserve. That prompted the team to host a pair of free agent corners on a tryout basis, and now they’ve ended up signing one of them: second-year pro Kemon Hall.

Here’s what we wrote of Hall after his workout:

Hall (listed at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds) is a North Texas product who spent the 2019 season on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad, but hasn’t yet found a team in 2020. After transferring from Itawamba Community College in Mississippi, he started 25 straight games in the Conference USA and recorded 28 passes defensed (6 of which were interceptions), with a forced fumble thrown in for good measure. That suggests some real playmaking ability, but he’ll have to have wowed the Saints in his free agent tryout to get a shot on the 80-man roster.

So, apparently he did show the Saints what they wanted to see. But that won’t ensure an easy path to the 53-man roster for Hall, who will be competing with experienced backups like Patrick Robinson and Justin Hardee as well as Keith Washington Jr., an undrafted rookie. Adding another option to the cornerbacks room should only help everyone; iron sharpens iron in the NFL.

Here’s the Saints cornerbacks depth chart as it now stands:

  • Marshon Lattimore
  • Janoris Jenkins
  • P.J. Williams
  • Patrick Robinson
  • Justin Hardee
  • Keith Washington Jr.
  • Kemon Hall

And a second move could be coming in the days ahead. Hall’s addition brings the Saints to 79 spots filled on their 80-man roster for training camp, so it’s anyone’s guess as to how they might fill that remaining vacancy. Stay tuned for updates.

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Saints short at cornerback after losing another one to injured reserve

The New Orleans Saints are down to just a handful of rostered cornerbacks after losing Tino Ellis and Johnson Bademosi to injured reserve.

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While the top of the New Orleans Saints depth chart has avoided serious injuries, the fringes of the roster can’t seem to catch a break. The Saints sent veteran cornerback Johnson Bademosi to injured reserve on Monday not long after he was activated from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list; a mid-December foot injury in 2019 ended his year. It’s unclear whether his latest injury is related to that issue, which prevented him from competing early in training camp.

Additionally, the Saints also lost cornerback Tino Ellis to a season-ending injury last week. Ellis, an undrafted rookie out of Maryland, had to be waived rather than directly designated to the injured reserve list due to NFL protocols. The move prompted the Saints to try out a pair of free agent cornerbacks, though neither of them were signed.

It means that the Saints have just a handful of cornerbacks on the roster right now: starters Marshon Lattimore and Janoris Jenkins, slot corners P.J. Williams and Patrick Robinson, special teams ace Justin Hardee, and undrafted rookie Keith Washington Jr. (West Virginia). The Saints probably need to sign another cornerback just to pad out the practice rotation for the rest of training camp.

On top of all of this: the Saints also released linebacker Nigel Bradham, which is good news for first- and second-year pros like Zack Baun, Joe Bachie, Kaden Ellis, and Chase Hansen. While the Saints could use reinforcements at cornerback, things are settling in nicely at linebacker.

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Johnson Bademosi passes physical, activated from Saints PUP list

The New Orleans Saints activated veteran cornerback Johnson Bademosi from the physically unable to perform list after he passed his physical

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One member of the New Orleans Saints has gotten healthy: veteran cornerback Johnson Bademosi was activated from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Friday after passing his physical. He had initially been designated to the PUP list after failing his entry physical due to a late-season foot injury. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football first reported his activation.

Bademosi re-signed with the Saints earlier this year; before that, he logged 110 snaps in six games, taking 109 snaps on special teams with the punt and kick coverage units. With nine years of NFL experience behind him, he has the resume to again make the team, and now his body is healthy enough to allow him to compete for a roster spot.

That leaves just linebacker Kiko Alonso on the PUP list, who was designated to it along with Bademosi two weeks ago. Alonso has been recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in the Saints’ postseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and would be a favorite to start next to Demario Davis at linebacker if he were healthy. But he has to bide his time in the trainers’ room until he’s cleared to return to play.

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Saints designate Kiko Alonso, Johnson Bademosi to PUP list

The New Orleans Saints will open their 2020 training camp with Kiko Alonso and Johnson Bademosi on the physically unable to perform list.

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The New Orleans Saints had two transactions listed on the daily NFL wire, designating linebacker Kiko Alonso and cornerback Johnson Bademosi to the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Saturday. Both players will count against the 90-man roster limit.

Alonso suffered a torn ACL in the Saints’ postseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings back in January, and has spent the offseason recovering from surgery. While there were optimistic reports about his availability to open training camp earlier this summer, the Saints are going to be cautious in working him back onto the practice field. Alonso renegotiated his contract with the Saints, saving them salary cap space and guaranteeing him the opportunity to compete for a job. He played well when healthy last season, filling in as the team’s go-to third linebacker behind Demario Davis and A.J. Klein.

Bademosi re-signed with the Saints after testing free agency; in 2019, he joined the squad near mid-season and was a big part of their success on special teams. But a December foot injury in practice landed him on injured reserve. The Saints have several competitors for their fourth and fifth cornerback spots behind Marshon Lattimore, Janoris Jenkins, and P.J. Williams, so Bademosi has his work cut out for him, once healthy. He’ll have to displace either Patrick Robinson or Justin Hardee on the depth chart, not to mention newcomers like Deatrick Nichols, Keith Washington Jr., and Tino Ellis.

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Saints add important depth, re-sign veteran CB Johnson Bademosi

The New Orleans Saints re-signed cornerback Johnson Bademosi, a veteran free agent who played six games for the Saints on special teams.

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Deadlines spur action in the NFL, and the approach of this year’s draft prompted the New Orleans Saints to re-sign another one of their own veteran free agents. The team brought back cornerback Johnson Bademosi, who was active for six games in the 2019 season before going down with a foot injury in practice, which ended his year on injured reserve. He previously suited up for five different NFL teams, most prominently the Houston Texans.

Bademosi played often on special teams, and that’s where he should be expected to compete again in 2020. He figures to try out for a job as the team’s fourth or fifth cornerback along with teammates Patrick Robinson and Justin Hardee, and XFL pickup Deatrick Nichols, as well as any rookies the Saints bring in.

His return might be a little more important that it looks at first glance. The Saints outright canceled their offseason program this week, instructing players to work out on their own and take care of their families in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. That time away from the team benefits a roster loaded with experienced NFL players rather than a squad that must work to get a horde of rookies and free agent pickups up to speed. Bademosi’s pro experience should give him an edge once training camp rolls around.

Here’s how the cornerbacks depth chart shakes out with Bademosi’s addition. Keep in mind that safeties Malcolm Jenkins and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are also both expected to compete for snaps as the slot defender in nickel sets:

  1. Marshon Lattimore
  2. Janoris Jenkins
  3. P.J. Williams
  4. Patrick Robinson
  5. Justin Hardee
  6. Johnson Bademosi
  7. Deatrick Nichols

With Bademosi in the fold, the Saints now have 70 of their 90 roster spots filled. They’re quickly approaching maximum capacity, and might not be active players in undrafted free agency if more veterans return from last year’s team. In such an unusual offseason, that may not be a bad thing.

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