Tag: jordan howden

Marcus Maye reinstated to the Saints’ 53-man roster after serving 3-game suspension

Marcus Maye has been reinstated to the New Orleans Saints’ 53-man roster after serving his three-game suspension. Their secondary just got stronger:

Here’s a big addition to the New Orleans Saints defense: starting free safety Marcus Maye has been reinstated after serving his three-game suspension stemming from a 2021 DUI charge in Florida. The legal proceedings for his case were not concluded until the 2023 preseason, and the NFL has an established precedent of waiting for the legal process to wrap up before issuing its own discipline, so Maye had to wait two years and change teams before being sidelined.

But he’s back now. And he could help a unit that’s already playing at a high level reach even greater heights. Maye is one of seven Saints defenders with an interception this season, having plucked a deflected pass out of the air after cornerback Isaac Yiadom broke it up in the season opener. His return should strengthen an already-stout New Orleans secondary.

Expect the various responsibilities for players around him to revert to what they were prior to his suspension; rookie draft pick Jordan Howden will step back into his role as the team’s dime defensive back, with Johnathan Abram remaining on the practice squad after exhausting his three game-day activations. If the Saints want to continue playing Abram, they’ll have to sign him to the 53-man roster. Odds are strong that they’ll wait until they need him to do that with Maye back in the fold.

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This 2024 mock draft has the Saints picking a first-round defensive back

This 2024 mock draft has the Saints picking a first-round defensive back, reuniting Jordan Howden with his college teammate Tyler Nubin:

Which position will the New Orleans Saints prioritize in the 2024 NFL draft? Their poor scoring output on offense has fans daydreaming about a quarterback or wide receiver in the first round, but this projection from Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon has the Saints targeting a defensive back at No. 12 overall: Minnesota Golden Gophers safety Tyler Nubin.

Here’s what Risdon had to say about Nubin as a prospect:

Nubin has stepped up his coverage and positional versatility in 2023, elevating his draft value. The Saints defense needs some youthful invigoration, and Nubin’s spirited play makes for a very nice fit.

A former four-star recruit from Saint Charles, Ill., Nubin is a high-end athlete listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds. He’s also already on New Orleans radar after the Saints drafted his teammate Jordan Howden earlier this year. Nubin has improved each season, particularly with missed tackles. He’s missed just three tackles on 300-plus defensive snaps this season. While Howden primarily covered the slot when they were playing together, Nubin has more often lined up over the top of the Golden Gophers defense at free safety.

Safety could be an early-round consideration for the Saints next offseason. Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye will both be entering the final year of their contracts. Howden was drafted to develop into a candidate who could take over for one of them, but it wouldn’t hurt to add someone else to the mix.

In the first round, though? At No. 12 overall (which is where the Saints would be picking if the draft started today)? And passing on other prospects at premium positions like Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse (picked at No. 13) and Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton (taken at No. 14)? That wouldn’t be a smart move.

There’s an argument for picking Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (No. 16), too, even though Derek Carr’s contract makes it impossible to move him until 2025. It’s possible Nabin could be the best player available, but it’s unlikely he would be the highest-rated player on New Orleans’ board.

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Dennis Allen: Saints rule out two starting DB’s vs. Buccaneers

Dennis Allen said Friday the Saints will rule out two starting defensive backs against the Buccaneers, plus right guard Cesar Ruiz:

Yikes. New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen ruled out three players from Sunday’s home game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including two starting defensive backs and an offensive lineman. Here’s what we learned during his Friday media availability:

Rookie Saints safety Jordan Howden misses practices with finger injury

Rookie safety Jordan Howden injured his finger in practice last week, but played through it against the Packers. He missed practice Wednesday and the Saints say they’ll monitor his progress:

This might help explain why the New Orleans Saints made re-signing Daniel Sorensen such a priority: rookie safety Jordan Howden missed practice Wednesday with a finger injury he suffered last week, and Saints head coach Dennis Allen says the team will monitor his progress before deciding whether he’ll play on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The good news is that Howden played through the injury last Sunday on the road with the Green Bay Packers. He was on the field for all 79 defensive snaps and totaled 4 tackles (3 assists) in the loss. He’s running point to fill in for Marcus Maye during the veteran’s three-game suspension, but if his injury worsens or hampers his performance the Saints could turn to someone like Lonnie Johnson Jr. or Ugo Amadi while bringing Johnathan Abram and Sorensen up from the practice squad for improved depth.

Hopefully the rookie can gut it out and stay on the field so he can help his team. The fifth-round pick out of Minnesota quickly carved out a role in the Saints’ dime defensive package, playing 12 and 14 snaps in the first two weeks, before earning the nod to start over the top at free safety. The coaching staff thinks very highly of him and he needs these reps now to build his case as a long-term solution in the secondary.

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Rookie safety Jordan Howden has a big opportunity during Marcus Maye’s suspension

Rookie safety Jordan Howden has a big opportunity during Marcus Maye’s suspension. The fifth-round pick can make his case for a long-term starting gig these next three weeks:

Rookie safety Jordan Howden has a big opportunity during Marcus Maye’s suspension. The New Orleans Saints’ fifth-round pick can make his case for a long-term starting gig these next three weeks, having already climbed the depth chart over the summer to earn a role in the team’s dime defense — the same spot P.J. Williams held down in recent years.

With Maye sidelined for upcoming games with the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots, Howden makes the most sense given his success over the summer and his experience in a similar secondary at the college level with Minnesota. The Saints could also give veterans like Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Ugo Amadi a shot in Maye’s spot at free safety, but Howden should get an early look to see how he performs.

Maye has been a weak link in the secondary. He missed seven games with injuries last season and he’ll be gone for at least three matchups this year after serving his suspension. He leads the team in missed tackles right now (3, per Pro Football Focus charting). He has done a better job limiting big plays downfield than we saw from him last year, but he hasn’t done enough to be considered a permanent fix at free safety.

Certainly not on his contract. Maye will enter the final year of his contract in 2024 while carrying a $7 million base salary. When his deal expires in 2025 it will leave behind at least $6 million in dead money from past restructures. The Saints could release him with a post-June 1 designation in the offseason and save $7.5 million, though they wouldn’t get those salary cap resources until well after free agency and the 2024 draft. But it might be better than keeping him on the roster anyway with a good young backup waiting in the wings.

That’s what they should be finding out with Howden these next three games. Give the rookie these next 180-ish snaps to figure out what he can do, what he needs to work on, and whether he has what it takes to stay there once Maye is back in the lineup. Jordan Love, Baker Mayfield, and Mac Jones isn’t exactly an all-star lineup of quarterbacks. Hopefully Howden can take advantage of their vulnerabilities and make some plays to help the team — and his future with New Orleans.

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2024 NFL draft watch list: Safeties for the New Orleans Saints

2024 NFL draft watch list: Safety could be a long-term concern for the New Orleans Saints | @DillySanders

The New Orleans Saints don’t have an immediate need at safety on their roster, but it is certainly looming. Tyrann Mathieu is aging and Marcus Maye has two years on his contract.

The team did select Jordan Howden in the most recent draft, but they could add some more dynamic players at the position in the upcoming draft cycle. There are a lot of fun ballhawks entering the draft in 2024, which could be intriguing to the Saints if they miss having a Marcus Williams-type player around. With Mathieu aging, they could also be looking at box safeties and more versatile pieces which this class has as well.

Here are the names to keep an eye on at Safety as the season begins to ramp up this week:

Staff Picks: Which rookies will best impact the New Orleans Saints in 2023?

Staff Picks: Which rookies will best impact the New Orleans Saints in 2023?

Expectations are running high for the New Orleans Saints rookie draft class — the team blew up its defensive line this offseason and added early-round talents like Bryan Bresee and Isaiah Foskey to help rebuild the unit, all while replenishing the depth chart on offense by making moves to get Kendre Miller, Nick Saldiveri, Jake Haener, and A.T. Perry. And don’t sleep on fifth-round safety Jordan Howden, or some of the team’s hungry undrafted free agents.

But which of those first-year pros are in the best position to succeed? Who can make the biggest positive impact in their rookie season? Here are our staff picks exploring that exact question:

What pre-draft scouting reports said about Saints’ Jordan Howden

What did pre-draft scouting reports said about New Orleans Saints rookie defensive back Jordan Howden? Minnesota’s team captain has a lot of potential:

What did pre-draft scouting reports said about New Orleans Saints rookie defensive back Jordan Howden? There is some quibbling about his  coverage techniques and applying the impressive athleticism in his testing numbers, but Minnesota’s team captain has a lot of potential. Here’s what some draft analysts wrote about him before the Saints picked Howden in the fifth round of the 2023 draft:

Marcus Maye’s Florida DUI court date scheduled just before Saints training camp

Marcus Maye’s Florida court date has been scheduled just before Alvin Kamara’s Nevada appearance, and the likely start of Saints training camp:

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Here’s an update on Marcus Maye’s legal situation from ESPN’s Katherine Terrell, who reports that Maye has a new court date in Florida related to his Feb. 2021 DUI case. Terrell broke the news that Maye is scheduled to appear in court on July 25 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Maye was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and causing property damage while driving under the influence, along with a citation for reckless driving.

If this year’s Saints training camp schedule is the same as last year’s — beginning on the last Wednesday in July — then it would open on July 26. That start date is sandwiched in-between court appearances for Maye in Florida and Alvin Kamara in Nevada, where Kamara is facing felony assault charges stemming from a Feb. 2022 beating at a Las Vegas nightclub.

So we would potentially have a very full week with Maye’s court date in Florida on Tuesday, July 25, the Saints opening training camp on Wednesday, July 26, and Kamara appearing in court in Nevada on the following Monday, July 31. We’ll see how it all shakes out in the weeks and months ahead.

This is potentially a big opportunity for other players ranked behind Maye on the depth chart. If he misses time with an NFL suspension once this DUI case is finally concluded (possibly missing three to eight games), look out for hungry young players like Jordan Howden and Smoke Monday to seize the moment in an audition. Even having Maye out of the picture for training camp will open up valuable reps in practice for those youngsters to cash in.

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Saints have already signed half their picks in the 2023 NFL draft

The Saints have already signed half their picks in the 2023 NFL draft. Four first-year players put pens to paper on Friday:

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How’s this for a nice and simple New Orleans Saints offseason? The team announced Friday that four of the players they picked in the 2023 NFL draft have already signed their rookie contracts: running back Kendre Miller (third round out of TCU), offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri (fourth round from Old Dominion), defensive back Jordan Howden (fifth round of Minnesota), and wide receiver A.T. Perry (sixth round, Wake Forest).

That leaves just three other first-year pros yet to put pen to paper, but they’ll follow along soon enough. Many of the details in these rookie contracts are tied to draft slots these days, so there isn’t much haggling and negotiating to be done. All of these players are in town for Saints rookie minicamp practices over the weekend, so it’s a safe bet that Bryan Bresee, Isaiah Foskey, and Jake Haener will sign soon, too.

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