Tag: reports

Jay Glazer: Saints angling for top-10 trade, but ‘Not for a QB’

Rumor mongering continued ahead of the 2021 NFL draft, with FOX Sports insider Jay Glazer reporting that the Saints are plotting a big trade

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The 2021 NFL draft has not even begun and the New Orleans Saints are already trolling us. Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer confirmed previous reports that the Saints are exploring a trade into the first round’s top ten selections, and unlike other national reporters, his word carries serious weight.

Glazer is the closest media source to Saints coach Sean Payton. The two are longtime friends and Payton often gives Glazer the scoop on Saints news — ranging from his own contract extension with New Orleans to the Jimmy Graham trade and Andrus Peat’s X-ray results after a training camp injury last summer. When Payton wants news to break, Glazer is his first contact.

And Glazer added a surprising detail. He says the Saints are not targeting a quarterback in this potential move, even though they don’t have anyone under contract beyond the 2021 season, and neither Jameis Winston nor Taysom Hill are a sure thing to work out. If Justin Fields or Trey Lance or Mac Jones were to fall out of the top five picks, it would make sense for the Saints to go get one of them, in theory.

But if Glazer’s information is accurate (and it always has been), they could be looking for a cornerback like Patrick Surtain II or Jaycee Horn, both expected to be top-10 locks. Other position players to watch include Florida pass catcher Kyle Pitts and Oregon left tackle Penei Sewell. We’ve got hours to go until anyone goes on the clock, but the Saints appear committed to keeping us all guessing.

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Saints doing their homework on 2021 defensive line prospects

The New Orleans Saints have added 2021 NFL draft prospects Jay Tufele (USC) and Chauncey Golston (Iowa) to their list of virtual interviews.

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There are going to be changes up front for the New Orleans Saints defense in 2021. That’s already clear by the departure of sacks leader Trey Hendrickson at defensive end, who earned a big free agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins is also likely to join a new team, and the Saints recently traded nose tackle Malcom Brown to the Jacksonville Jaguars. With little resources to spend on free agents themselves, expect the Saints to make some moves in the draft to retool their defensive line.

That process has already begun in virtual interviews with this year’s draft prospects; The Spun’s Chris Rosvoglou reported that USC big man Jay Tufele has a meeting scheduled with the Saints, in addition to a previous interview with Iowa’s Chauncey Golston reported by the Draft Network’s Justin Melo. The Saints have also reportedly met with early-round prospects Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill.

Tufele weighs in at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds, making him an ideal fit inside at defense tackle; the Saints have fielded just one lineman heavier than that in recent years, in Brown (320). Tufele is known for his high motor but can end up in the turf often if he’s not careful, and he hasn’t done well when asked to take on double team blocks. It’s easy to see him as a possible Sheldon Rankins replacement, but the Saints already have players like him in Shy Tuttle and Malcolm Roach.

Golston tips the scales at 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, fitting the prototype the Saints have valued out on the edge, where he’s spent most of his career. But he’s also moved inside and shown some promise as an interior rusher in sub-packages. He’s a very strong run defender and plays technically-sound football, but lacks the athleticism to make an impact on passing downs (totaling just 35 pressures on 250 pass rush snaps in 2020, including a career-high 7 sacks).

Both players are considered mid-round prospects, so watch out for them when the Saints are on the board in the fourth round at No. 134 or so. They won’t get another selection — barring a trade — until the sixth round at No. 218, their compensatory pick for losing linebacker A.J. Klein last year.

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2021 NFL hiring cycle: Tracking Saints interview requests from around the league

New Orleans Saints executives Jeff Ireland and Terry Fontenot are drawing interest in NFL G.M. searches, as is coach candidate Dan Campbell.

With the 2020 regular season in rearview and turnover spreading across the league, NFL teams are busy scheduling interviews to fill their vacant positions at the top of their organizations. Rare general manager jobs and head coaching gigs are available for the first time in years in some cities, and some members of the New Orleans Saints have received interest in tackling those opportunities.

Here’s every reported interview request we know of so far. This list will be updated as more information comes to light, so check back often for changes:

Sean Payton officially announces Taysom Hill as his starting QB for Week 11

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton formally announced Taysom Hill as his starting quarterback for Week 11’s game with the Atlanta Falcons.

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There’s your confirmation: New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton told ESPN’s Dianna Russini before Sunday’s kickoff with the Atlanta Falcons that Taysom Hill will see his first career start in relief of injured starter Drew Brees. Payton appeared in a sideline interview with Russini on ESPN NFL Live.

“Taysom’s going to start for us at QB,” Payton said as his team warmed up on the field behind him. “He’s had a real good week of preparation. He deserves this opportunity. We’ve had a chance to see him play that position more than anyone else. When the fans have seen him, he’s been in a different role.”

It was reported Friday that Hill would get the starting nod rather than Jameis Winston, the free agent acquisition who stepped in to replace Brees after he suffered serious chest injuries a week ago. When asked why Hill wasn’t his pick at the time, Payton explained that he had spent a week of practice preparing for a different role.

This time around, Hill has gotten every opportunity to get comfortable as a passer. He took the first- and second-team snaps in practice and has a full allotment of weapons; the Saints won’t be running any plays with Brees as a decoy on one side of the formation as seen in the past.

The Saints have been telling anyone who would listen that Hill is their next quarterback for life after Brees. Now that Payton has formally announced him as the starter against Atlanta, Hill has an opportunity to prove it.

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Taysom Hill getting starter’s reps in Saints practices before Falcons game

The New Orleans Saints have given Taysom Hill, not Jameis Winston, starting quarterback reps in practice before their Atlanta Falcons game.

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Don’t look now, but the New Orleans Saints might have a quarterback controversy on their hands. With Drew Brees injured and out several weeks while managing rib and lung injuries, Jameis Winston seemed like the logical fit to start in his place, owing to his extensive NFL experience and similar playing style as a pocket passer.

But NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Friday that Taysom Hill, not Winston, has been receiving starter’s reps during the week with Brees sidelined, which was confirmed by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. The Saints want to get a final look at Hill during Friday’s practice before making a final decision, but there’s a real possibility Hill gets to start on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

It would be a stunning decision for many, many reasons. Hill’s best moments in New Orleans have come on special teams or catching the ball as a receiver out in space. When asked to stay in the pocket and throw, too often he’s been slow to process his reads and put too much air underneath his passes further downfield. And his potential to grow and develop further is under question given he turned 30 in August.

So we’ll have to wait and see what happens. The Saints are in the hunt for the NFC’s top playoff seed and the conference’s only bye week that comes with it, and losing a game after rolling with a less qualified backup in Hill than Winston (who has started 70 games before his 26th birthday) would badly jeopardize their playoff odds. Maybe Hill surprises us again.

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Just how much did Reggie Bush own Notre Dame?

With Reggie Bush and USC ending their disassociation, it felt like the proper time to relive just how much Bush crushed Notre Dame. Yikes.

Over the years there have been plenty of foes who Notre Dame could not get the number of.  With ESPN reporting that USC is expected to end Reggie Bush’s ten year disassociation from the school, it felt like the proper time to painfully relive some of Bush’s accomplishments at Notre Dame’s expense.

Years before Kim Kardashian was getting countless plastic surgeries she was dating Reggie Bush. And years before that he was as incredible of college football player as I’ve ever watched.

So just how well did Reggie Bush perform against Notre Dame during his three years at USC?

Bush’s Career game log vs. Notre Dame:

2003: 45-14 USC
Rushing: 6 att, 89 yds, TD
Receiving: 1 rec, 38 yds

2004: 41-10 USC
Rushing: 8 car, 25 yds
Receiving: 1 rec, 69 yds, TD

2005: 34-31 USC
Rushing: 15 car, 160 yds, 3 TD
Receiving; 4 rec, 35 yds

All-together:
3-0 record with USC outscoring Notre Dame by a combined score of 120-55.
Rushing:  29 car, 274 yds (9.4 ypc), 4 TD
Receiving: 6 rec, 142 yds (23.6 ypr), TD

All of that and Reggie Bush’s most memorable play in college football’s greatest inter-sectional rivalry was a play that he didn’t even touch the ball during.

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One day I’ll get over that.  Just not today.

Welcome back, Reggie.

2020 Saints schedule release tracker: Instant analysis on every reported kickoff

Reports are already airing on the 2020 schedule of New Orleans Saints games, including a Christmas Day kickoff against the Minnesota Vikings

Our instant tracker for reports and rumors on the 2020 New Orleans Saints schedule is live, so check this space often for updates. But remember that nothing is official until it comes from the team or the NFL itself, with announcements expected to air at 6:30 p.m. CT on Thursday night.

Here’s what we know so far:

  • Week 1, Sept. 13: Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. This was almost too easy to see coming. Drew Brees versus Tom Brady, in a competition to get an early jump on the race for the NFC South crown? Let’s go.
  • Week 2, Sept. 21: Saints at Las Vegas Raiders. Via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The Raiders will be hoping to unveil their expensive, Death Star-ish stadium in the desert, and the Saints offer plenty of star power to help bring in more viewers. Hopefully fans will be able to safely attend.
  • Week 3, Sept. 27: Saints vs. Green Bay Packers. Via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Aaron Rodgers has never beaten the Saints in New Orleans in his career, getting outplayed by a margin of 44-23 in 2014 and floundering against them in a 51-29 loss way back in 2008.
  • Week 4: TBD
  • Week 5, Oct. 12: Saints vs. Los Angeles Chargers. Via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. This might be the last time Brees against his old team, what with his retirement plans at NBC Sports now secured. It’s fitting that he’ll get to play them in the stadium he helped revive against Justin Herbert, the latest rookie quarterback the Chargers have tried to replace him with.
  • Week 6: TBD
  • Week 7: TBD
  • Week 8: TBD
  • Week 9, Nov. 8: Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Here’s a great mid-season rematch of the Saints’ home opener. It’ll be fascinating to see how long it takes Brady to get up to speed in a new offense, surrounding by new faces and part-time professional wrestler Rob Gronkowski.
  • Week 10, Nov. 15: Saints vs. San Francisco 49ers. Via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Last year’s Saints-49ers kickoff was arguably the game of the year. Hopefully things go more in New Orleans’ favor this time. Fortunately, Emmanuel Sanders and the 157 receiving yards he racked up last year have switched sides.
  • Week 11: TBD
  • Week 12: TBD
  • Week 13: TBD
  • Week 14: TBD
  • Week 15: TBD
  • Week 16, Dec. 25: Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings. Via Jeff Duncan of The Athletic. This is a weird one, with the Saints and Vikings playing a rare Friday NFL game. But with the holiday surrounding the game and their fiery streak of recent rivalry games (including a few ugly playoff losses) on everyone’s minds, this matchup should draw plenty of viewers.
  • Week 17: TBD

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Report: Saints opening 2020 season vs. Buccaneers, visiting Raiders on MNF

The New Orleans Saints will host Tom Brady and the new-look Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their home opener for the 2020 NFL season, per a report.

The NFL is set to release its schedule of games for the 2020 season at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday night, but reports are already filtering in concerning when the New Orleans Saints will be playing this year. Nothing is official until the team itself reveals its slate of games, so don’t finalize your travel plans just yet.

Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football got the scoop on the first few weeks of the 2020 Saints schedule, which begins with an afternoon home opener against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 13. Underhill adds that the Saints and Buccaneers will get a rematch on Sunday Night Football on Nov. 8.

Additionally, Underhill reports that the Saints are scheduled for two Monday Night Football games: in Week 2 at the Las Vegas Raiders, and again in Week 5 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. The Green Bay Packers will visit New Orleans in Week 3, while the San Francisco 49ers will grace the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in Week 10.

Stay tuned for updates as more reports come to light throughout the day. But if things follow this early track, this year’s Saints schedule is looking to be as exciting as advertised.

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LIVE UPDATES: 2020 Seattle Seahawks undrafted free agents tracker

A running list of the undrafted rookie free agents who have been reported to be signing with the Seattle Seahawks following the NFL draft.

The Seattle Seahawks wrapped up the 2020 NFL Draft adding eight new players to the roster. Within minutes of the final pick, general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll got to work putting together their class of undrafted rookie free agents.

Below are reports of all players who are believed to be signing with Seattle. None of the transactions will be official until the paperwork has been signed and confirmed by the Seahawks.

Note: The newest information will be added to the top of the list.

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Tracking every Saints undrafted free agent report, with instant analysis

The New Orleans Saints moved quickly to add undrafted free agents following the 2020 NFL Draft, plugging roster holes and getting better.

Our tracker for the newest crop of New Orleans Saints undrafted free agents is live. Reports will be flying fast and furious now that the 2020 NFL Draft is in rearview, so keep in mind that these are all preliminary deals and nothing is official until the team says so.

With that said: here’s the list of college free agents who have earned a shot with the Saints during training camp later this summer.

  • WR Marquez Callaway, Tennessee. Callaway has a ways to go as a receiver, having caught just 92 passes in 42 games, but his abilities on punt returns should help his odds. He averaged 13.6 yards per return and scored three touchdowns for the Vols. Per Adam Caplan of Sirius XM NFL Radio.
  • OL Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon. Throckmorton might project best to a backup role at guard and center due to strength and length issues, but he’s started 45 games at tackle (40 of them on the right side). Per Katherine Terrell of The Athletic. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reported that Throckmorton will receive a fully-guaranteed base salary of $110,000 and a $12,500 signing bonus.
  • OL Jordan Steckler, Northern Illinois. Steckler has played games at both tackle and guard, and offers nice depth for training camp. Per his agent Brett Tessler of Tessler Sports.
  • DT Malcolm Roach, Texas. Roach needs to be coached up quite a bit, but his natural athleticism is nice — not many athletes can measure in at 6-foot-2, 297 pounds and then time the 40 yard dash in 4.84 seconds. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
  • OT Darrin Paulo, Utah. Paulo is a huge prospect at 6-foot-5 with 34 7/8-inch arms, and quick feet for a bigger blocker. But the downside to that height is a struggle to get low, and he needs work. Per the Utah football program’s Twitter account.
  • RB Tony Jones Jr., Notre Dame. Jones didn’t start until 2019, but he averaged more than 6 yards per rushing attempt on 144 carries and caught 27 passes last season. Per Sports Illustrated’s Bryan Driskell.

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