Tag: Patrick Robinson

Saints vs. Falcons inactive list: CB Patrick Robinson will play in Week 13

The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints reported their inactive lists for Week 13’s rematch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints reported their inactive lists for Week 13’s rematch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, though the Saints ruled out multiple players preemptively because of injuries (starting cornerback Janoris Jenkins and defensive end Marcus Davenport among them). The big name to note here is returns specialist Deonte Harris, who won’t be playing. He’s likely to be replaced by practice squad call-up Tommylee Lewis.

And the good news is that backup corner Patrick Robinson is active after a hamstring injury limited him in Friday’s final practice session. The Saints promoted practice squad cornerback Grant Haley in case Robinson couldn’t go, but his body responded well in pregame warmups, so he’ll be replacing Jenkins in the starting lineup.

Atlanta will be without starting guard James Carpenter while he manages a groin muscle issue, but they are returning both wide receiver Julio Jones and running back Todd Gurley, who were each questionable to play on the injury report. Here’s who won’t be suiting up:

Report: Saints to be without Marshon Lattimore vs. Falcons, Julio Jones

ESPN reports that the New Orleans Saints are expecting to play the Atlanta Falcons without Marshon Lattimore, the team’s best cornerback.

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Well, that’s less than ideal: ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported Sunday morning that the New Orleans Saints are expecting to play the Atlanta Falcons without Marshon Lattimore, their best cornerback. Lattimore exited last week’s game with the San Francisco 49ers with an abdomen injury, which limited him in practice throughout the week. He was officially listed as questionable to play following Friday’s final practice session.

If he can’t go, it would bump No. 2 corner Janoris Jenkins into the top spot — meaning a matchup with Atlanta’s best weapon Julio Jones. The stud wide receiver has been shut down in the past by Saints backups like Ken Crawley, and Jenkins limited him to just 3 catches on 5 targets for 32 yards in their last meeting, so there’s some optimism the Saints can weather this storm.

However, it also puts veteran backup Patrick Robinson in Lattimore’s spot. He’s been more up-and-down in the past and plays his best football from the slot, but his matchup with Falcons second-fiddle Calvin Ridley isn’t exactly favorable. The good news is that Robinson is the only Saints cornerback with multiple interceptions this year, so maybe he can take advantage of an errant Matt Ryan pass here or there.

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Saints DBs coach Aaron Glenn on how his secondary can overcome injuries

New Orleans Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn is working hard to prepare P.J. Williams and Patrick Robinson to play against the Lions

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When the New Orleans Saints kick off with the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sunday, they’ll do so without either of their starting cornerbacks. Both Marshon Lattimore and Janoris Jenkins are sidelined with injuries, prompting the Saints to dig deep into their practice squad for reinforcements — even calling up Ken Crawley, just in case.

But Crawley shouldn’t be starting. Realistically, he shouldn’t even get on the field. The Saints have a pair of veteran backups in place to call on with P.J. Williams and Patrick Robinson, plus special teams stud Justin Hardee. And their safeties play so often that there may not be enough snaps to go around for a reserve like Crawley.

So the expectations on Williams and Robinson will be high. Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn is feeling the pressure, too; in his eyes, it’ll take a team effort to help make up for not having his starters out on the field.

“I will say this, [Williams and Robinson] have to be comfortable in who they are and their techniques and what makes them successful,” Glenn told NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. “It’s my job to make sure they’re put in position to be successful.”

The pair have combined for just 47 snaps on defense in three games so far, though Williams has predominately lined up at safety after making the conversion in training camp. They have both played their best football when lined up in the slot, but that job belongs to C.J. Gardner-Johnson (who has covered 77 routes from the slot this year, leading the team). So there should be adjustments for Williams and Robinson both, which isn’t inspiring confidence in many fans. But they’re still the best options for New Orleans.

Last year, when asked by Nola.com’s Amie Just, Glenn joked that he might be able to make it work with backup quarterback Taysom Hill.

“I would love to have him back there. I just need a week with him and he could go out there and play safety for us. He’s played everything else, so,” Glenn trailed off.

But it won’t be Hill lining up against Lions receivers on Sunday. It won’t be Lattimore or Jackrabbit, either. Williams and Robinson have played enough games in the NFL to reach a point where their coaches don’t have anything new to teach them. At this stage, it’s just like Glenn said — the Saints must put their players in the best spots to win, and the players have to win their matchups.

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NFLPA reports updated 2020 Saints salary cap space figure

The NFL Players Association reported that the Saints have 68 players under contract for the 2020 season, limiting their salary cap space.

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Pinning down an exact number for how much salary cap space NFL teams have to work with is a difficult business. Transactions happen almost daily this time of the year, in-between free agency and the draft, and the problem is compounded by innovative teams like the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are more creative in their contract structures than most outfits around the league, leading to a constantly-shifting salary cap space outlook.

Thankfully, the NFL Players Association does its part to keep the public in the know. They’ve released an updated salary cap space report for each NFL team, detailing how many contracts each team has on the books as well as their current amount of spending-room.

For the Saints, the NFLPA report estimates them to be $4,279,857 beneath the 2020 salary cap, with 68 players signed (of a possible 90). That would include the contracts with cornerback P.J. Williams and offensive lineman Cameron Tom, the details of which were recently reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

Underhill reports that Williams returned with a 2020 cap hit of just over $2 million (accounting for a $1.87 million base salary and a $137,500 signing bonus, both fully-guaranteed). Tom, however, will count just $850,000 against the Saints salary cap with a base salary of $750,000 and a $100,000 signing bonus. His deal includes a $37,500 incentive for being active in Week 1.

While the Saints will need some salary cap space to sign their rookie class, it won’t amount for much, and it’s also a number they can already estimate based off their draft slots. But we shouldn’t expect any more big moves unless the Saints first work out a restructure or two with some of the highly-paid members of the team.

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Saints, P.J. Williams agree to another one-year contract extension

The New Orleans Saints re-signed veteran cornerback P.J. Williams to a one-year, $2 million contract extension on Thursday, per reports.

The New Orleans Saints and free agent cornerback P.J. Williams agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension on Thursday, as first reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The team announced the agreement shortly after, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that it is a fully-guaranteed $2 million deal.

It’s a big get for the Saints, who will add the 26-year-old Williams to a defensive backfield stocked with talent. Williams started eight games last season while sitting out two weeks with a suspension related to an offseason DUI charge. He was on the field for 798 snaps in the regular season, trailing only Eli Apple (932) and Marshon Lattimore (819) in total snaps played.

Where Williams will line up is questionable. He won the starting slot cornerback job last season over Patrick Robinson, who returned to the Saints for 2020 after agreeing to a pay cut. Safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Malcolm Jenkins should also each compete for opportunities in defending the slot. If Williams doesn’t start right away, he offers extensive experience behind Lattimore and Janoris Jenkins as the next-man-up should either miss time. While most of his NFL action has been spent in the slot, Williams moved outside for a few games last year and also filled in at safety as injuries ravaged the secondary.

Considering how thin the Saints were previously at cornerback — special teams ace Justin Hardee and XFL pickup Deatrick Nichols were the top backups prior to Williams’ return — this should be seen as a great move. Even if Williams doesn’t play often, the depth chart is in much better shape with him back in the fold. It also decreases the need for another cornerback in the 2020 NFL Draft, though his presence shouldn’t prevent the Saints from selecting a rookie if the value is right. There isn’t a team in the pass-happy NFL with enough defensive backs.

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Updated Saints salary cap space estimate after in-house roster moves

The New Orleans Saints changed deals for Michael Thomas, Terron Armstead, Kiko Alonso, Patrick Robinson, David Onyemata, and Drew Brees.

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The New Orleans Saints have been active in creating more salary cap space and retaining their own free agents, hammering out contract extensions and restructuring existing deals while also agreeing to pay cuts with a few veterans on the roster’s fringe.

With the NFL’s 2020 salary cap established at $198.2 million, the Saints went into free agency with limited resources. But they’ve gotten creative and managed to re-sign Drew Brees and David Onyemata, while redoing their contracts with Kiko Alonso, Patrick Robinson, Michael Thomas, and Terron Armstead. Here’s where they stand.

Right now, it appears that the Saints are somewhere around $10,515,877 beneath the salary cap. That doesn’t account for the team’s free agent contract with Malcolm Jenkins, which hasn’t been reported in great detail just yet. But if that deal is structured like the others, the Saints should still have ample cap space to work with.

But how did they get here? To start, the Saints extended their contract with Brees, raising his 2020 salary cap hit from $15.9 million to $23.65 million. That’s an increase of $7.75 million, which was nearly accounted for in pay cuts for Alonso (from $8.7 million to $3.15 million) and Robinson (from $4.8 million to $3.45 million). Those two moves resulted in savings of $6.9 million, nearly breaking even on the costs of re-signing Brees.

So with Brees settled, the Saints turned their attentions to the restructures for Armstead and Thomas. They each converted significant portions of their 2020 base salaries into signing bonuses, which is not the same thing as a pay cut. When teams do this, the players get a big check now and raise their future salary cap hits, which gives them more security. The benefit for the team is that it grants them more spending room.

In this case, Armstead’s salary cap hit fell from $16 million to $8,356,260 per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Likewise, Underhill reported that Thomas reduced his salary cap figure from $15 million to just $7 million. That’s a lump savings of $15,643,740.

But we can’t forget Onyemata’s contract extension, which will count for $3.5 million against the 2020 salary cap, per Underhill. While Onyemata’s salary cap hits in 2021 and 2022 will each elevate to $10 million (and he’ll leave behind $2.5 million in dead money in 2023), it’s a short-term boost for the Saints.

While we need the exact year-by-year figures on Jenkins’ free agent contract, for now it’s apparent that the Saints have enough funds to address their needs. And they can create more by extending the contracts of Janoris Jenkins (due $11.25 million against the cap), Sheldon Rankins ($7.69 million on his fifth-year option), or Taysom Hill ($4.641 million, on the first-round restricted free agent tender). They might also extend the contracts of veterans like Larry Warford (whose $12.875 million hit ranks second-highest behind Brees) or Jared Cook (accounting for $9 million in the final year of his deal).

So what does this tell us? The Saints are far from finishing doing business. Expect another busy day of roster moves.

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Saints renegotiate contracts with Kiko Alonso and Patrick Robinson

The New Orleans Saints saved crucial salary cap space by renegotiating contracts with linebacker Kiko Alonso and cornerback Patrick Robinson

The New Orleans Saints are always creative in structuring contracts so that they can easily find salary cap space later on down the road, but sometimes they have to ask veteran players to restructure their deals or simply take a pay cut. That was the case on Tuesday when the team approached two projected starters, linebacker Kiko Alsono and cornerback Patrick Robinson, to adjust their contracts.

The first restructuring came for Alonso, who NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported agreed to lower his $8.7 million salary cap hit by earning it back through bonuses for playing time — much preferable to being released and trying to land with a new team. The exact details are unknown at this point, but it’s a safe bet that Alonso’s $6.375 million in base salary will be greatly reduced. While it’ll be a challenge for him to play often after tearing his ACL in last season’s playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings, he is projected to start next to Demario Davis and Alex Anzalone.

ESPN’s Field Yates also reported that the Saints renegotiated their deal with Robinson, who was set to count $6.15 million against the salary cap. With just $2.5 million in dead money tied to the 2020 fiscal year, the Saints could have saved $3.65 million by cutting Robinson outright. Instead he’ll stick around as valuable depth and, for now, projected to start in the slot as the nickel corner behind Marshon Lattimore and Janoris Jenkins.

And more moves could be on the way as the Saints look to create additional salary cap space. They have agreed to terms on contract extensions with veterans like Drew Brees, David Onyemata, and Zach Wood, but will need more resources to re-sign other free agents. Keep an eye out for additional transactions.

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Report: Saints among teams checking in on Broncos free agent Chris Harris Jr.

The New Orleans Saints have reportedly contacted Denver Broncos free agent cornerback Chris Harris Jr., as have many other interested teams.

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The New Orleans Saints are one of many teams making calls about Denver Broncos free agent cornerback Chris Harris Jr., per a report from Troy Renck of ABC 7-Denver. Renck lists five teams as having strong interest in Harris, including the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions, with the Saints and Seattle Seahawks among a second tier of suitors that have also gauged his market. That would suggest the Saints are a long shot to sign him, but they do have a history of beating the odds.

Harris is one of the best veteran cornerbacks available in free agency, which his robust market would suggest. He initially made his name as a playmaking slot specialist for Wade Phillips’ Broncos defenses before successfully transitioning to a move out on the boundary. Just about every team in the NFL could use someone like him.

While he will be expensive (Harris is looking to beat the one-year, $12 million extension he signed last offseason), the Saints can create $3.65 million in salary cap space by releasing Patrick Robinson, the projected starter in the slot that Harris would be replacing anyway.

Still, it would require more careful salary cap maneuvering to get a deal with Harris completed, and with just three corners under contract as it is (including Robinson), it’s tough to see the Saints choosing to cut him outright. They need as many bodies on the depth chart as possible, especially at a position with such a high rate of attrition.

It’s important to remember that we’re inside the NFL’s legal tampering window right now, meaning that any team can contact any unrestricted free agent, so just because there’s chatter doesn’t mean a deal will be finished. Teams must wait until the start of the new league year on Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT before pens can be put to paper, so this is very much a fluid situation.

Saints make a surprising pick in Mel Kiper’s 2020 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

The New Orleans Saints selected Auburn Tigers prospect Noah Igbinoghene in the 2020 NFL Mock Draft from ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper.

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What’s the biggest roster need for the New Orleans Saints? Right now, probably quarterback — the team doesn’t have a single passer under contract for the 2020 season, with Drew Brees considering retirement, Teddy Bridgewater facing a busy buyer’s market in free agency, and Taysom Hill working to build himself up as a legitimate quarterback.

Other positions that need to be addressed include wide receiver and the offensive line; Michael Thomas is a repeat first-team All-Pro, but he shouldn’t be asked to do everything by himself again this year. Life at left guard after Andrus Peat (an often-injured, two-time Pro Bowler) is uncertain, and the Saints need a better backup plan when all-world left tackle Terron Armstead misses time. They’ve invested high picks in the offensive line in recent years with center Erik McCoy and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, but wide receiver remains the most-popular Saints pick in mock drafts.

However, cornerback shouldn’t be overlooked. Two of the three Saints corners under contract (Janoris Jenkins and Patrick Robinson) could be salary cap cuts, which is bad news at a position the Saints usually dress five or six players for on game days. With that in mind, ESPN’s Mel Kiper connected the Saints to Auburn Tigers cornerback Noah Igbinoghene in his 2020 NFL Mock Draft 2.0:

24. New Orleans Saints

Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn

This is a really tough pick to project. Like the Patriots, the Saints’ quarterback situation is murky, with Drew Brees and Teddy Bridgewater unrestricted free agents and Taysom Hill a restricted free agent. Luckily this position will be sorted before the draft, so we’ll know by then whether New Orleans will be a team to watch for the quarterbacks in Round 1. For now, I’ll stay away from QBs in this mock draft and focus on another need with Eli Apple and P.J. Williams free agents. Veteran Janoris Jenkins is the other starter at cornerback opposite Marshon Lattimore, but the Saints can get a young player to compete with Jenkins. Igbinoghene is a track athlete who is still developing his technique, but he has the traits to be a star.

Igbinoghene would be an interesting addition; as Kiper pointed out, he’s still learning the ropes at cornerback after starting out as a receiver for Auburn back in 2017. While he’s intercepted just one pass in two years on defense, Igbinoghene has been credited with 18 passes defensed in 25 games, which is a terrific rate. If his athletic testing lives up to the billing at the NFL Scouting Combine, he could be a real option at the end of the first round.

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Could the Saints be in the Darius Slay sweepstakes?

The New Orleans Saints need to improve, and Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay boasts an impressive resume as a three-time Pro Bowler.

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This year’s NFL offseason promises to be as busy as ever, and rumors are already swirling about which players could be on the move. While the bulk of changes will come through free agency, there could be an active market as teams seek of offload veteran in trades, acquiring draft picks in the process. Those are conversations in which the New Orleans Saints should be paying rapt attention.

One name that is drawing attention is Darius Slay, the Detroit Lions cornerback who reached his third Pro Bowl in as many years in 2019. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that multiple teams have inquired about trading for Slay, and other franchises believe there’s a real chance he plays elsewhere in 2020. Trading the best player on the team would very on-brand for Lions coach Matt Patricia, who has thoroughly run Detroit into the ground with a 9-22-1 record after his first two years on the job (for context, Dave Caldwell finished with fewer than nine wins just once in the previous four years).

Slay, 29, led the league in interceptions (8) back in 2017 and now wants a new contract with one year left on his deal. He’s slated to earn a base salary of $10 million in 2020 with a salary cap hit of $13,368,750. That would be tough for the Saints to maneuver, but it’s possible they could cut late-year addition Janoris Jenkins to help do so, freeing up $11.25 million in the process.

But would acquiring Slay be worth it when the Saints already have a one-two punch at the position between Jenkins and Marshon Lattimore? They’ve already gotten a look at Jenkins in their system, which produced impressive results late in the 2019 season. The easier move would be to extend Jenkins and lessen his salary cap hit, which makes sense with Lattimore’s own payday on the horizon.

Alternatively: Slay is several years younger than Jenkins, and would theoretically have more to offer the Saints on a multi-year contract extension until Lattimore’s own deal is due in 2022 (assuming his fifth-year option for 2021 is picked up, which it should be). The math is a little fuzzy, but it’s more feasible than some of the more-outlandish suggestions you’ll see out there.

But what would it take to trade for Slay? The Lions probably want a first-round pick in return for him, but that’s not happening when he’ll be expecting a $15 million per-year salary from his new team. Maybe the Saints could pick him up by giving up next year’s second rounder and swapping third-round picks in 2020. If they can recoup a second-round selection for third-string quarterback Taysom Hill, it could end up being a valuable bargaining chip for trade talks surrounding Slay.

And we can’t rule it out altogether. Saints coach Sean Payton has doggedly pursued better options at cornerback in recent years, though some of the additions didn’t quite live up to the billing (like Brandon Browner, who was bad, and Patrick Robinson, who hasn’t bounced back well after a 2018 injury). Both Jenkins and Eli Apple were just recently acquired. That doesn’t even get into the numerous swings and misses at players like Josh Norman and Malcolm Butler.

The Saints would need to get creative to make it work, but there’s a possible scenario where Lattimore, Slay, and even Jenkins (on a lesser salary, and lining up in the slot) share the field in 2020. Whether the Saints will decide pursuing it is the best use of their resources is anyone’s guess.

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