Tag: rookies

Saints finally sign all four of their 2020 NFL Draft picks

The New Orleans Saints formally signed all four of their 2020 NFL Draft picks: Cesar Ruiz, Zack Baun, Adam Trautman, and Tommy Stevens.

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It’s taken longer than usual for the New Orleans Saints to get their rookie draft class under contract, but that’s par for the course in such a strange offseason. The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic prompted the NFL to cancel offseason workouts and minicamp sessions, which is when rookie draft picks typically inked their deals. But everyone has signed on the dotted line now that the Saints have gathered for training camp.

On Monday, the Saints announced that all four of their draft picks have officially joined the team and filed their contracts with the NFL, a process that’s been more of a formality under recent collective bargaining agreements compared to those used in the past. Because salaries are tied to draft slotting and the rookie wage scale, there’s simply less to be negotiated than before.

And because the values of each rookie contract were already known, this won’t make much of a dent on the Saints salary cap outlook. Each player signed a four-year contract, though first-round pick Cesar Ruiz has a fifth-year team option worked into his deal.

But while everyone is now under contract, it may take some time for the Saints rookies to get on the practice field. Like other teams, the Saints will test all of the new arrivals for COVID-19 and begin an acclimation period involving physicals, equipment sizing, and a strength and conditioning program.

There’s still a long road to travel before we’ll see any new Saints football, but at least we’re on the right track. And for the curious, here are the jersey numbers chosen by each Saints draft pick:

  • #1. QB Tommy Stevens, Mississippi State
  • #51. C Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
  • #53. LB Zack Baun, Wisconsin
  • #82. TE Adam Trautman, Dayton

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Consistency is key: Saints returning plenty of snaps in 2020

The New Orleans Saints are returning more starting players and more snaps played than most of their competition in the 2020 NFL season.

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The NFL has been shaken up by the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic, with summer practice sessions canceled and training camp taking on an entirely new structure. With so much disruption to manage, teams that are returning less-experienced players from last year’s roster face a steeper climb in 2020 than those squads with less roster turnover.

One of those teams in good standing would be the New Orleans Saints. The analysts at Over The Cap measured turnover by snaps played in 2019 by players still on the 2020 roster, and the Saints rank high on both offense and defense.

On offense, every starter is returning except for right guard Larry Warford (970 snaps played) and wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. (607). On the other side of the ball, the same crew is back from last season with the exceptions of cornerback Eli Apple (932), safety Vonn Bell (871), and linebacker A.J. Klein (753).

Now, that doesn’t count part-time players like backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (400) and fullback Zach Line (215). But by and large, this Saints team looks awful similar to the squads that won 13 games in each of the last two years. And that’s quantified in OTC’s research.

In their breakdown, OTC has the Saints returning 81.0% of their snaps played on offense last year and 79.8% of their plays run on defense — an overall figure of 80.4%. That’s good enough to rank 9th-best in the league, behind just one other NFC playoff team from last season: the San Francisco 49ers (81.0% overall).

In fact, the only other NFC team ranked ahead of those two is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (81.3%), but there’s an important catch there. Tom Brady is taking snaps from under center now, and coach Bruce Arians is having to radically change his “no risk it, no biscuit” philosophy on offense to accommodate him. So the transition there will be more difficult than these numbers might suggest.

At the other end of the spectrum is the NFC South-rival Carolina Panthers, who are introducing first-year head coach Matt Rhule with both Cam Newton and Luke Kuechley, longtime faces of the franchise, having moved on. The Panthers are returning just 46.9% of snaps played last year, including a league-worst 35.2% on defense. They’re in for a rough time, especially with so little time to practice together.

So don’t take it for granted that the Saints have assembled such a veteran team that’s used to working together. They’re relying less on their rookies than most squads around the NFL, and have a wealth of leadership to rely on between Drew Brees, Demario Davis, Malcolm Jenkins, Craig Robertson, and other respected voices in the locker room. That makes for a world of difference on the uneven playing field we’re approaching in 2020.

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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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Chiefs rookies excited to finally get to work

After a unique offseason, the rookies are relieved and excited to finally get to work in Kansas City.

Kansas City Chiefs rookies have been through their initial COVID-19 screening and they’re onto the next step of training camp. They’re that much closer to actual football with a week of strength and conditioning training ahead. In what has been perhaps the most unusual offseason, players like RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire expressed relief and excitement to finally be in the building and doing what they love.

“Ultimately I’m just really happy to be here,” Edwards-Helaire said. “This is my happy place. I’ve been doing this – I’ve only been on the Earth for 21 years and I’ve been playing football ever since I was five, so this is what I do. I can’t wait, everything, the setup, everything about everything here is perfect for me and I can’t wait.”

For LB Willie Gay Jr., he’s motivated to come in and be the best possible version of himself for the Chiefs.

“Ah man, after it’s been postponed for so long, it’s finally here,” Gay Jr. said. “I’m motivated and ready to get better and make the team better any way I can. I just feel like I’m getting to do what I love again so it’s exciting.”

While there is still some apprehension over the new protocols related to COVID-19, OL Lucas Niang felt comfortable seeing everything being done in Kansas City to keep players safe.

“I’m super excited, it’s nice to see how they’re doing everything safety-wise, keeping us safe and making us feel comfortable,” Niang said. “But I’m really excited to get on the field.”

The rookies still haven’t exactly seen what a normal day looks like in the NFL. When they spoke to the media, they were still adjusting to the new normal with the intake period occurring at the start of training camp.

“Well right now, we’re just testing every day, six to eight a.m., and we’re eating lunch right around 12, we have meetings from probably one – somewhere from one, two to four, somewhere in that range,” Gay Jr. said. “This our second day in, so today we’ll just start physicals, getting medical stuff out the way and make sure everybody’s good on that end.”

Now that they’re set to hit the weight room, they’ll get the slightest taste of actual football. A week from now they’ll be closer to the next step, which is five days of non-padded practices. By the middle of August, they’ll be putting the pads on for the first time and really getting a look at what NFL football is all about.

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Chiefs officially sign entire 2020 draft class

All of the rookies are officially under contract in Kansas City.

The Kansas City Chiefs have announced that they’ve signed their entire rookie draft class, a group that includes LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Mississippi State LB Willie Gay Jr., TCU OT Lucas Niang, Louisiana Tech CB L’Jarius Sneed, Michigan DE Mike Danna and Tulane CB BoPete Keyes.

At the onset of training camp, Yahoo Sports’ Terez Paylor reported that the Chiefs had agreed to terms verbally with each of their six draft picks. The team had to wait until after the players had passed their initial COVID-19 screening to get them in the building and actually signing their rookie contracts.

On Saturday, they all finally had a chance to put pen to paper and get their photos taken per contract-signing tradition.

Each of the players has likely agreed to a standard four-year contract, locking them to the Chiefs through the 2023 season. Edwards-Helaire will have the lone fifth-year option included as a first-round draft pick.

Below are the projected contracts based on draft slots courtesy of Spotrac. We’ll update you with the official details as soon as they’re known.

Player Total Value Signing Bonus Cap Hit
Clyde Edwards-Helaire $10,821,572 $5,430,234 $1,967,559
Willie Gay Jr. $5,271,046 $1,393,488 $958,372
Lucas Niang $4,519,722 $847,072 $821,768
L’Jarius Sneed $3,929,320 $634,320 $768,580
Mike Danna $3,558,661 $263,661 $675,915
BoPete Keyes $3,377,819 $82,919 $630,715

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Saints training camp: Rookies, veteran players testing for COVID-19 soon

The New Orleans Saints will test rookies for COVID-19 coronavirus infections on July 27 and veterans on July 28, just before training camp.

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The NFL and the NFL Players Association have each approved adjustment plans to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic, so both sides are moving full-steam ahead into training camp.

That extends to the New Orleans Saints. The Saints will test rookie players (on Monday, July 27) and veterans (on Tuesday, July 28) for infections in the days ahead, which was reported by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill and confirmed by Nola.com’s Amie Just. Players must receive two negative test results before they will be admitted to the team practice facility, per new NFL rules.

It’s the next hurdle between now and the start of Saints training camp, which was originally scheduled to kick off on July 28. But the pandemic has again changed the NFL’s offseason calendar, including the cancellation of 2020 preseason games. Teams will spend the next several weeks putting players through strength and conditioning programs while preparing for training camp, which likely won’t resemble its old self until mid-August.

So prepare now for more of the same, strange offseason we’ve seen so far. With coronavirus cases still surging around the country, the NFL won’t settle into its usual rhythm for quite some time. At least every day takes us one step closer to the season-opener between the Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 13.

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Report: NFLPA says 12 rookies have tested positive for COVID-19

The NFLPA told its players Friday a dozen rookies have tested positive for COVID-19.

The NFL is not exempt from the dangers of COVID-19. A number of players have tested positive already and Friday there was a report the NFLPA lets its members know a dozen rookies have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Per the report:

Tom Pelissero added the results are from the nine NFL teams that have already received test results from the initial round of leaguewide screening that recently took place.

Faced with the expectation that there would be players that tested positive, the NFL plans to isolate those individuals and prevent the spreading of the virus through robust testing, contact tracing, and education, Pelissero reported.

Rookies were scheduled to start reporting to training camp Tuesday. They will be tested twice for COVID-19 and need two negative results before being allowed to join the practice facility.

Among veterans who have tested positive are Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, Rams center Brian Allen, Broncos edge rusher Von Miller and Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth.

Texans rookies report to team facility for training camp

Houston Texans rookies have reported to NRG Stadium for the first day of training camp.

The NFL is going forward with their plans to kickoff the season Sept. 10 as scheduled between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs.

Texans rookies reported to NRG Stadium Monday. According to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the first day will consist just of a COVID-19 test.

“The first day is literally just a COVID-19 test. They take the test, they go home,” Pelissero said via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra. “They come back to the building on Tuesday, take another COVID-19 test. If they get two negatives in a row, only then can they move on to other things, be in the building, take their physical and move into team activities.”

Currently, teams must have the NFLPA sign off on their respective Infectious Disease Emergency Response plan before teams can have 20 or more players in the building. The NFL and independent experts at Duke University have approved of all 32 individual plans thus far.

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NFL confirms training camp start dates for all teams, Seahawks report July 28

In a memo sent to all clubs Saturday morning, the National Football League has confirmed the training camp start dates for all 32 teams.

The National Football League has now confirmed the training camp start dates for all 32 teams despite the rising level of coronavirus cases around the country.

The Seahawks’ full roster will report on July 28, with rookies, quarterbacks and injured players allowed to arrive earlier.

In a memo sent to all clubs Saturday morning, the NFL issued the following statement, via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.

“At yesterday’s League meeting, the membership was advised that under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the reporting dates for training camps this year are as follows:

  • Rookies – July 21
  • Quarterbacks and injured players – July 23
  • All other players – July 28

The dates are applicable for all clubs other than Houston and Kansas City.”

The Texans’ and Chiefs’ rookies are set to report on Monday, as Houston and Kansas City are scheduled to square off in the season opener on Thursday, Sept. 10.

“As of now, only 20 players would be allowed in the facility at a time, until the NFLPA signs off on infectious disease emergency response plans for each club,” Pelissero tweeted. “If protocols aren’t met, a grievance could follow. But clubs have the right to set reporting dates within CBA rules.”

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Texans, Chiefs rookies told to report to training camp Monday

The Texans and Chiefs rookies have been told to report to training camp on July 20 despite no safety protocols yet in place.

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans have told their rookies to report to training camp on Monday, the first two teams in the league to give the go-ahead despite the fact the NFL and the NFLPA have yet to agree on a number of factors, including the safety protocols clubs are to have in place and the number of preseason games to be played this summer.

Per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, the teams have the right under the CBA to tell players to report. The problem, however, is that grievances could then be filed on behalf of the players should no health and safety protocols be in effect by the start of camps.

“So the clock is now ticking: If the NFL and NFLPA don’t have an agreement on testing and other health and safety protocols before Monday, Chiefs and Texans players will be required to report or face discipline, setting the stage for a potential grievance,” Pelissero early Thursday evening. “Talks remain ongoing.”

The NFL owners are scheduled to meet on via conference call on Friday.

This story is still continuing to develop.

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