Tag: Moves

Saints release recently-signed linebacker Nigel Bradham

The New Orleans Saints released LB Nigel Bradham, who was signed from the Philadelphia Eagles just before the Saints opened training camp.

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The New Orleans Saints pulled the plug on their experiment with veteran linebacker Nigel Bradham on Monday, releasing the veteran after having signed him to a contract just before training camp started. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the news of Bradham’s release, which was confirmed by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

Bradham got few looks with the Saints’ first-team defense in practice sessions open to the media, which was due more to the number of quality starting-caliber linebackers the Saints have on the roster. They rarely use more than two linebackers at a time, and All-Pro starter Demario Davis is locked in, leaving just one spot available for either Alex Anzalone or Zack Baun — and then Bradham got thrown in. That’s not including backups the team values highly like Craig Robertson, Kaden Elliss, Joe Bachie, or Kiko Alonso (once he returns from the PUP list).

The ninth-year NFL veteran raised some eyebrows last week when he expressed how eager he was to work with the Saints, a team known for its winning culture; just two years ago, he won a Super Bowl ring with the Philadelphia Eagles, so his comments didn’t exactly sit well with their fanbase.

Maybe releasing Bradham now will allow him to find another NFL opportunity while teams are still practicing daily in training camp. It’s also possible that this could be a procedural move so the Saints can give someone else a shot before bringing him back, but that doesn’t feel likely in this situation. They did recently try out a pair of young cornerbacks after losing rookie Tino Ellis to injured reserve. Still, stay tuned for updates.

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Saints roster cuts tracker, instant analysis ahead of training camp deadline

The New Orleans Saints began cutting their 90-man roster down to just 80 players, per NFL rules due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

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The New Orleans Saints began releasing players from their 90-man roster ahead of the NFL’s new Aug. 16 deadline to trim depth charts down to just 80 players, starting about an hour after our updated list of Saints players by jersey number went live (of course).

Teams will be allowed to hold small-group practice sessions without pads for the first few weeks of training camp, though work is largely limited to strength and conditioning drills due to the NFL’s rules and protocols during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. That gives them an opportunity to try out some things with newcomers, but not much.

So far, the released players are a mix of veterans who already have some game film to refer to and rookies who didn’t have much of a chance of making the team. Check back often for updates as the Saints continue to winnow down their roster:

  • WR Krishawn Hogan, via Amie Just of The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate. Hogan logged 83 snaps in eight games with the Saints last year after starting out on the practice squad, doing most of his work as a blocker. He caught his lone target to gain four yards before ending the season on injured reserve. He’s more of a known quantity than many of the receivers on the roster, so this could be a way for the Saints to give others a shot in practice.
  • CB Deatrick Nichols, via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Nichols signed with the Saints after the XFL dissolved earlier this year; he led the upstart professional football league with three interceptions as a member of the Houston Roughnecks, and seemed ready to compete for a roster spot as a contributor on special teams and in slot coverage. The Saints may feel his XFL game tape is enough to help them decide whether to bring him back later this year.
  • FB Ricky Ortiz, via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Ortiz was a late addition to the Saints practice squad in 2019, suiting up for the regular season finale and their playoffs loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He ultimately played just 20 snaps on offense between those two appearances, catching one pass to gain eight yards. His release is a clear sign that veteran fullback Michael Burton won’t be challenged to start for the Saints.
  • DL Gus Cumberlander, via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The big undrafted rookie out of Oregon fits the same height-weight profile as free agent pickup Margus Hunt, making him somewhat redundant with a cuts deadline on the horizon. A long shot to catch on with the Saints, Cumberlander should get an opportunity with another team as players around the league continue to opt out of the 2020 season.

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Saints fill out the 90-man roster with veteran WR Bennie Fowler

The New Orleans Saints will add ex-Giants and -Broncos wide receiver Bennie Fowler, a veteran free agent, to their roster for training camp.

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The New Orleans Saints roster lost two players this week when backup tight ends Cole Wick and Jason Vander Laan opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, but the Saints didn’t waste any time in getting back to maximum capacity.

First, they agreed to terms with former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham on a one-year contract. Then, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reported that the Saints plan to sign another free agent: wide receiver Bennie Fowler.

Fowler, 29, appeared in 18 games with the New York Giants over the last two years after a four-year Denver Broncos stint (winning a Super Bowl ring in 2015). Boasting a 4.38-second time in the 40-yard dash, Fowler does have the speed the sprint deep downfield, but he has never played more than a bit part in NFL offenses — totaling just 95 catches for 1,090 yards and six touchdown grabs in six seasons. Still, that raw speed is a trait the Saints lack at receiver, so he should add an element to training camp that would have otherwise been missing.

Before he can sign on the dotted line and join the team, however, Fowler must first pass a physical as well as two separate COVID-19 tests. So while this deal is all but done, it might take a few days to be made official.

But with Fowler and Bradham in the fold, the Saints now have all 90 spots filled on their summer roster. Teams must trim that total down to 80 players by Aug. 16, and some squads around the league have already begun cutting “camp bodies” and similar long shots on the roster bubble. But the Saints will have a few weeks to see how well-conditioned everyone is and run through individual drills in practice, even if pads aren’t allowed before cuts. So they’ll try to make the most of the opportunities in front of them.

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Everything the Saints have done so far in 2020

The New Orleans Saints made every move to improve their 2020 roster through free agency and the NFL draft, setting up for training camp.

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The last time New Orleans Saints fans tuned in to watch their team play a football game, it ended a bit quieter than expected. Kirk Cousins drove the Minnesota Vikings offense over a gassed Saints defense to lob a touchdown pass in overtime, ending what had been one of the most entertaining seasons in recent memory with a whimper, not a bang.

So what happened next?

Well, things got off to a strange start when the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic struck the nation. Travel restrictions due to the public health crisis canceled pro day workouts for college draft prospects around the country, and postponed in-person physicals for veteran free agents.

And for good reason; it was proven right away that anyone could be vulnerable to infection, including Saints coach Sean Payton. Payton made a full recovery and has since used his platform to encourage others to make better decisions. Payton and the Saints ended up working remotely from home for much of the offseason, just like the rest of the NFL.

First Wave of Free Agency

However, that didn’t keep the Saints from getting busy in free agency. They started out by retaining many of their own free agents to-be, like reserve safety J.T. Gray (recognized at the Pro Bowl and as an All-Pro for his efforts on special teams). Multi-year contract extensions were signed to long snapper Zach Wood, defensive tackle David Onyemata, guard Andrus Peat, and quarterbacks Drew Brees and Taysom Hill. Defensive backs P.J. Williams, Justin Hardee, and D.J. Swearinger also returned on one-year deals.

But the Saints couldn’t keep everyone. Starting linebacker A.J. Klein was signed away to the Buffalo Bills, reuniting him with a familiar coaching staff from his Carolina Panthers days. The Panthers ended up signing a host of former Saints, inking backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to a lucrative $60 million contract while also poaching cornerback Eli Apple and practice squad wideout Keith Kirkwood. Breakout safety Vonn Bell signed with the Cincinnati Bengals after talks broke down with the Saints in a sequence that eerily recalled last year’s fallout with Mark Ingram.

So who did the Saints add? They made two big splashes early in free agency by bringing back former first-round pick Malcolm Jenkins, who rose to prominence during six years with the Philadelphia Eagles. But the biggest move was the arrival of Emmanuel Sanders, a Pro Bowl receiver who should pair excellently with Michael Thomas. The Saints also signed underrated fullback Michael Burton, who knows the playbook after spending the 2019 offseason in New Orleans. He’ll replace the retired Zach Line.

2020 NFL Draft, Rookie Free Agents

That wide-ranging strategy positioned the Saints to take the best players available in the 2020 NFL Draft, which they did early by picking Michigan center Cesar Ruiz with their first selection. But lacking many holes on the roster didn’t mean the Saints were content to sit on their hands throughout the draft. Instead, they aggressively traded up for Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun and Dayton tight end Adam Trautman, betting on a quality-over-quantity approach. To top it off, the Saints traded back into the final round for Mississippi State quarterback Tommy Stevens, an athlete in Taysom Hill’s mold.

And that led to a busy couple of hours in recruiting undrafted free agents. The Saints guaranteed large chunks of their contracts in rookie deals with Michigan State linebacker Joe Bachie, Oregon offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton, and Tennessee receiver Marquez Callaway, while adding some other intriguing options to take into training camp. And somehow, their biggest move was still ahead.

Second Wave of Free Agency

That would be the signing of Jameis Winston to a one-year deal valued at little more than $1 million. It’s not every day that a team rounds out its quarterbacks room with a former Heisman Trophy winner and first-overall draft pick who led the NFL in passing yards a year earlier. But Winston is here to learn from the best and maybe take over for Brees someday soon (which will be sooner than later, with Brees having a broadcasting job with NBC Sports waiting on him), and he’s already made his millions. He can take a pay cut for a year.

Winston wasn’t the only veteran free agent the Saints signed after the draft (and, conveniently, after the NFL’s compensatory draft pick cutoff date), though. They padded out the depth chart with defensive lineman Margus Hunt, pass-catching running back Ty Montgomery, linebacker Anthony Chickillo, and offensive lineman James Hurst. All of those additions qualified for the veteran salary benefit, helping the Saints work around the salary cap.

Coaching Staff Changes

There were minimal changes to the coaching staff, with linebackers coach Mike Nolan leaving for the Dallas Cowboys coordinator job. He was replaced by his assistant Michael Hodges, who had been preparing for the opportunity after several years on Payton’s staff. On the whole, the Saints are returning the same coaches who worked with last year’s team.

So that’s where we are now: these free agency moves and rookie acquisitions have resulted in maybe the deepest, most talented roster in Saints history on both sides of the ball. And at the end of the day, many of these players have been around for the last year or two, winning many games together — that’s important continuity in a normal year, much less one ravaged by COVID-19. With less practice time available, the most-experienced teams that are used to working together have a definite edge.

And that should have Saints fans excited on the eve of training camp.

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ESPN’s Bill Barnwell ranks Saints with a top-10 2020 NFL offseason

The Saints received high marks from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell for their 2020 offseason moves, but he doesn’t like their contract with Taysom Hill

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The New Orleans Saints accomplished a lot in the 2020 offseason, retaining critical starters in David Onyemata and Andrus Peat while upgrading with free agents like Emmanuel Sanders and Malcolm Jenkins. In the draft, the Saints landed a big addition in Cesar Ruiz while getting deeper at both linebacker (with Zack Baun) and tight end (picking Adam Trautman).

And they’re now in position to start re-upping some of their own free agents ahead of the 2021 cycle, such as Alvin Kamara, Demario Davis, and Marcus Williams. It’s a great spot to be in before you even consider that this team has won 13 games in each of its last two seasons.

According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, that was enough for the Saints to clock in as the NFL’s ninth most-successful team of the summer. But he took issue with one big move the Saints made: a weighty contract extension with Taysom Hill. Barnwell wrote:

After using the first-round tender on jack-of-all-trades Taysom Hill, they elected to lock up the BYU product through 2021 by handing him a one-year, $16.3 million pact that is almost fully guaranteed. Hill has yet to play even half of the offensive snaps in a single game, and there’s little evidence that he profiles as a viable long-term replacement for Brees. Hill turns 30 in August, and the Saints have trusted him to throw only 13 passes over the past two years, including one lone attempt over their five games without Brees in 2019. Hill has a passer rating of 46.6 on those throws. As a player who has touched the ball just under 50 times per season over the past two years, his usage rate needs to triple — or he needs to turn into a useful quarterback after Brees retires — to justify this deal.

It’s easy to see where Barnwell is coming from — that’s a lot of money to hand to an unproven player like Hill. But it makes sense in context of the Saints’ other moves at quarterback.

Hill was offered an extended contract after the Saints brought in Jameis Winston, who provides a clear and present danger to Hill’s claim as the heir-apparent to Drew Brees. By re-signing Hill now, the Saints made a show of good faith and essentially guaranteed his shot to start under center in 2021.

Even if Winston ends up outplaying Hill in training camp and becoming the top backup, Hill has more long-term security than Winston (whose below-market contract runs out after this season). This move was just as much about keeping a player the Saints value around for the foreseeable future as it was keeping him happy. It just might take some time for the decision to yield strong returns.

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Saints re-sign special teams ace, backup running back Dwayne Washington

The New Orleans Saints re-signed backup running back Dwayne Washington, one of their core free agents in playing special teams coverage.

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The New Orleans Saints brought back another one of their own Thursday, with ESPN’s Field Yates reporting that the team re-signed running back Dwayne Washington. It’s a good depth move considering that the only other Saints running backs under contract for 2020 were Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray, and former practice squad call-up Taquan Mizzell (not counting fullbacks Michael Burton and Ricky Ortiz, of course).

Washington should be penciled in to resume his place on this year’s 53-man roster based off his special teams work alone. Only two of his Saints teammates saw more snaps in the kicking game last year, with cornerback Justin Hardee (363 snaps) and linebacker Craig Robertson (325) paving the way. Washington’s 295 snaps on special teams were more than Taysom Hill (273) and second-team All-Pro J.T. Gray (285). With Washington’s return, all five of the Saints leaders in special teams snaps played are back in the fold for 2020.

In his limited opportunities on offense — largely in mop-up efforts at the end of blowout victories — Washington has recorded 35 carries for 214 rushing yards in New Orleans. He first entered the NFL as a Detroit Lions seventh-round pick back in 2016, logging 110 rushing attempts to gain 309 yards while catching 12 of 17 targets for 76 receiving yards. While the sample sizes are vastly different, it’s notable that his yards per attempt in New Orleans (6.1) has more than doubled what he averaged on the ground in Detroit (2.8).

Still, expect the Saints to bring in some competition. They’ll want to add a player to compete with Washington in training camp and the preseason, making him earn that coveted spot on the 53-man roster. And with the uncertainty surrounding Kamara’s future with the team, it shouldn’t shock anyone if the Saints end up making an even bigger investment to their offensive backfield than bringing back Washington alone.

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