ESPN pins Odell Beckham Jr. as next player Saints should sign

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell says the New Orleans Saints would be a “perfect fit” for free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. A homecoming could make sense:

The free agency period never fails to disappoint year in and year out, and 2024 proved no different. But there are still multiple talented players left unsigned by an NFL team and ESPN’s Bill Barnwell views wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. as the perfect pick for who the New Orleans Saints should pick up next.

Despite an overall lack of production in 2023, Barnwell still sees value in the talent Beckham brings to the table.

“While he didn’t get steady volume, Beckham was efficient when on the field, averaging 2.2 yards per route run, which ranked 19th among receivers who ran 200 routes or more,” he wrote. “His efficiency was in line with Tank Dell and Jayden Reed, but he only ran about 18 routes per game to Reed’s 23 and Dell’s 27. If a team thinks Beckham can expand his role and retain his efficiency, there’s the potential for the 31-year-old to be more of a legitimate WR2 in 2024.”

Sending him back to Louisiana is something Barnwell looks at as kind of poetic in a way, considering that Beckham Jr. played college football for the LSU Tigers. And before that, he played out his high school career at Isidore Newman in New Orleans.

“Call me a romantic, but getting Beckham back home would be a natural way for the former LSU star to wind down his NFL career,” Barnwell said.

The fit is there for the Saints after the team released one of its most prominent wide receivers. Barnwell continued: “The Saints have a need for a second wideout after releasing Michael Thomas. Rashid Shaheed will take more snaps as the team’s designated deep threat and Cedrick Wilson is in town after disappointing over the last two years in Miami, but Beckham would fit in as part of the rotating cast behind third-year star Chris Olave, especially if the price tag is about half of what it was for the Ravens a year ago.”

Beckham has played for four teams over his NFL career and it is easy to get the sense that his time on the field is coming to a close as Barnwell notes, but he could still be in asset to the Saints in that time frame. The Saints made a run at Beckham before, which he characterized as the “right place, wrong time” for his career before joining a Los Angeles Rams squad that went on to win a Super Bowl.

Beckham finished out the 2023 season for the Ravens with 35 receptions for 565 yards with 3 touchdowns, seeing action in all 14 games. Whether or not he gets the opportunity to bring some solidity to the Saints’ wide receivers room will be something to keep an eye on.

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Former Wisconsin Badger one of 2024 NFL draft’s most athletic prospects

Former Wisconsin Badger one of 2024 NFL Draft’s most athletic prospects

Former Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai is one of the most athletic prospects entering the 2024 NFL draft.

The one-year starter with the Badgers did not receive an invite to the NFL combine, although did go through extensive workouts and measurements at Wisconsin’s pro day last Friday.

The result: an RAS score of 9.69 — mostly thanks to an elite 4.48-second 40-yard dash, 36.5-inch vertical jump and 9-foot-11 broad jump.

Related: How every Badger performed at the 2024 Wisconsin football pro day

Mordecai’s athletic comparisons at the position: Robert Griffin III (Baylor), Geno Smith (West Virginia), Tyrod Taylor (Virginia Tech), Kordell Stewart (Colorado) and Taysom Hill (BYU).

The NFL hopeful recorded 2,066 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions with the Badgers in 2023 despite missing several games with a hand injury. He rushed for 302 yards and four touchdowns on 90 carries.

Mordecai is projected as a late-round selection or post-draft free agent signing. His impressive numbers could see that stock rise as teams search for an athletic difference-maker at the position.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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Wisconsin PG Chucky Hepburn reached a significant milestone last weekend

Wisconsin PG Chucky Hepburn reached an important milestone this weekend

Wisconsin point guard Chucky Hepburn scored his 1,000th point in the Badgers’ tight loss to Illinois on Sunday afternoon.

His terrific 20-point effort on 7/13 shooting brought his career total to 1.005 points. That makes him one of only 50 players to score more than 1,000 points with the Badgers.

IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.

The talented point guard is coming to the end of his third year at Wisconsin. His career per-game averages stand at 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals, all while shooting more than 42% from the floor and 36% from three.

Hepburn still has a year of eligibility remaining, so expect those totals to continue to rise as the Badgers look to first make a run in March Madness, then enter 2024-25 with high expectations.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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Teaming up Cameron Jordan with Chase Young could bring out the best of them

Teaming up Cameron Jordan with Chase Young could bring out their best. Their strengths and weaknesses compliment each other:

Look at Chase Young and Cameron Jordan and you’ll see two players in very different stages of their careers. Jordan is putting the finishing touches on a career he hopes will earn him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Young is joining the New Orleans Saints with visions of catapulting his career to greater heights, where he’ll earn a life-changing contract in a year or two and join Jordan on that Hall of Fame trajectory.

And Jordan, 10 years Young’s senior, is a different player now than he was a decade ago. He’s still reliable in run defense; few defensive ends set a harder edge and give up less ground when opposing offenses test them. However, age and injuries and wear and tear have taken a toll, and Jordan lacks that extra step to close in on the quarterback and finish a distracting pressure with a drive-killing a sack.

Young is in the opposite situation. He’s as disruptive against the pass as they come, consistently beating his blocker off the snap and getting into the backfield to breathe down the quarterback’s neck. But he’s known as someone who shies away from contact when teams run at him, with a bad habit of loafing around and letting his teammates rally to the ball instead.

So this is a unique opportunity for them to bring out the best in each other. At this stage in his career, Jordan should be a two-down player who can stop the run and bring some pressure when teams drop back to pass. And Young is exactly the type of player who should be stepping in for him on third downs and obvious long-yardage passing situations, where he won’t be asked to hold ground in run defense. They can play to each other’s strengths while minimizing their weaknesses.

Having the two of them together is a good teaching opportunity, and it’s something Young says he’s looking forward to experiencing. Young was asked about the situation the Saints have set up for him to learn from Jordan,  which he says he’s eager to embrace.

“That’s definitely something big for me, that I’m excited to do,” Young said Monday during his introductory press conference. “A future Hall of Famer, a guy who I can spend time with, who I can just absorb the game from. I’m definitely excited about Big Cam.”

Jordan was miscast as the Saints’ No. 2 pass rusher last year even before an ankle injury set him back through the back half of the season; Carl Granderson is a fine No. 2 option himself, but the group was missing a lead rusher to stet them both up for success. Young can do that. He had more pressures (74, including the playoffs) than both Granderson (58) and Jordan (45).

Even if Young is focused on playing the pass, there should be plenty of snaps to go around. The Saints faced 226 third downs last year. Opposing offenses needed 10 or more yards on 15 first downs and 133 second downs. If Young subbed in for Jordan on that exact number of plays (and, for the sake of this exercise, they were all passes by the offense) then it would be 374 pass rush snaps, which is comparable to the split Bryan Bresee saw at defensive tackle in his rookie year; he played the pass on 386 snaps while stopping the run just 148 times. A similar rotation could benefit Young and Jordan, too.

Letting players do what they do best sounds easy enough, but it can be tough to pull off. Ambitious young men don’t want to leave the field any more than their prideful elders. But the Saints didn’t sign Young without a clear vision for how he’ll fit into their rotation. If he takes point on passing downs (which, for the Saints, were about 67.2% of their defensive snaps in 2023) with Granderson rushing off the opposite end and Jordan putting his efforts into stopping the run, it just might bring out the best in everyone. That has to be the plan with Jordan’s career drawing to a close and Young hoping to cash in after playing out this prove-it deal in New Orleans. Let’s see if the team can carry out that vision, or if they have something else in mind.

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Drew Brees says even retired quarterbacks are relieved by Aaron Donald’s retirement

Drew Brees says even retired quarterbacks are relieved by Aaron Donald’s big news. He wished his old rival well in retirement:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4jF67YSNsp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Even retired quarterbacks are happy to see Aaron Donald hanging up his cleats. Or at least that’s how Drew Brees feels. The legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback congratulated his old rival “on an unbelievable career” with the Los Angeles Rams, where Donald spent a decade sacking passers like Brees.

They went head-to-head five times, including the playoffs, with Brees’ Saints winning twice (and the less said of that playoff debacle, the better). Donald sacked Brees twice but hit the quarterback 11 times, including the infamous play that broke Brees’ throwing hand early in the 2019 season. Talk about a worthy opponent.

Ten years and ten Pro Bowls, with a Super Bowl championship to his name. Donald was the best defender in the sport during his time in the league and should be an easy choice for enshrinement at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 202, just a few years after Brees will have earned a bronze bust in 2026.

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Jameis Winston comments on his decision to join the Browns

Jameis Winston commented on his decision to join the Browns, saying he sees Cleveland as a great opportunity:

Why is Jameis Winston planning to sign with the Cleveland Browns for 2024 if he had his hopes set on competing for a starting quarterback job? The New Orleans Saints free agent shared his thought process after news broke of his impending departure, and he sees Cleveland as a great opportunity to help a team reach the Super Bowl while getting chances to play with a starter on the mend.

Deshaun Watson is coming off of a season-ending injury to his throwing shoulder, and he hasn’t met expectations after the Browns made a historic investment to acquire him. Winston sees this as a good place to be a supporter, and, if needed, fill in should Watson miss more time.

“Yes, I still envision myself as a starter, however the Lord has also called me to lead by impacting and increasing the men who are around me,” Winston told CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson. “Having the opportunity to work with Deshaun and help him be the best he can possibly be, is my main mission. Now, if Deshaun has to heal up for whatever reason, and I have to take a few games off of him, I’m going to be ready to do that; but I have to fulfill God’s purpose first before my own heart’s desire. Because ultimately I desire to win some Super Bowls, and this roster that Cleveland got, looks like they can do it.”

The Saints went 5-2 with Winston starting under Sean Payton back in 2021, but back-to-back injuries and poor play-calling from Pete Carmichael caused Winston’s performance to nosedive. He’s thrown more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6) in limited appearances over the last two seasons.

But, as he said, the Browns present a good opportunity. Watson missed 11 games last year recovering from shoulder surgery. He’s thrown more interceptions (9) than Winston over the last two seasons, and there are high expectations for him to deliver on what the Browns promised when they traded so many draft picks for him and guaranteed his entire contract.

Something to keep in mind: the Browns will visit the Saints at the Caesars Superdome during the 2024 season. There’s a chance it could be Winston, not Watson, under center when the time comes.

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Sean Payton is signing away yet another Saints free agent

Sean Payton is bringing more of his former players to Denver. NFL Network reports the Broncos plan on signing Saints free agent Malcolm Roach:

Sean Payton is bringing more of his former players to Denver Broncos. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the Broncos plan on signing New Orleans Saints free agent Malcolm Roach at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, ending his four-year run with the team.

A former undrafted free agent out of Texas, Roach developed into an active run stopper for the Saints while averaging about 28 snaps per game last year at the bottom of the defensive tackles rotation; he was sidelined with an injury for the final five games in 2023 but still finished the year with the fifth-most tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage (10). For comparison, Bryan Bresee and Nathan Shepherd each had 11 in 17 games.

Pelissero adds that Roach’s contract is valued at up to $8 million on a two-year deal, so he may qualify for a compensatory draft pick in 2025. We’ll have to wait and see how the rest of the Saints’ moves in free agency shake out.

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Wil Lutz’s stay with the Denver Broncos ends sooner than expected

Wil Lutz’s stay with the Denver Broncos is ending sooner than expected. He’s expected to sign a multiyear contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars:

So much for that: former New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz is ending his run with the Denver Broncos sooner than fans may have thought. He’s expected to sign a three-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars when the new league year opens on March 13, again splitting ways with his longtime coach Sean Payton.

Lutz connected on 30 of his 34 field goals (88.2%) for Denver after being traded away from the Saints, once Payton’s successor Dennis Allen determined that rookie kicker Blake Grupe was a better option. Lutz’s longest successful field goal traveled 52 yards while he missed from longer distances of 57 and 55 yards; his average try was 34.97 yards.

Compare that to Grupe, who hit 30 of his 37 attempts (81.1%) in New Orleans from an average distance of 39.16 yards. Grupe’s longest make traveled 55 yards, but he went 1-for-2 on kicks from 54 yards. Grupe also hit all 40 of his extra point tries while Lutz missed twice on 31 attempts.

So what did the Broncos give up for 17 games with Lutz? A seventh-round pick in the 2024 draft, falling at No. 239 overall. Depending on how active they are in free agency Denver could get a compensatory pick back in 2025, but Payton has bigger problems to worry about after kicking off an extensive rebuild — which Lutz won’t be a part of.

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Saints hosting veteran cornerback Avonte Maddox on free agent visit

The New Orleans Saints are hosting veteran cornerback Avonte Maddox on a free agent visit. He could upgrade Alontae Taylor in the slot:

This could be an interesting pickup. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that the New Orleans Saints are hosting cornerback Avonte Maddox on a free agent visit; the Philadelphia Eagles recently released him to save salary cap resources after a string of injuries limited his availability in recent years.

Still, he’s just turning 28 in March, and he’s been one of the game’s better defenders in the slot when healthy. Maddox has logged more than 1,735 snaps in the slot through his six-year NFL career. He’d be a big upgrade over Alontae Taylor in that role.

Taylor struggled last year when he split time in training camp learning a new position while actively competing with Paulson Adebo to start outside. He had never played at the nickel before in either college or the NFL, and no player was targeted more often than him in the slot as teams keyed in on that vulnerability.

It remains to be seen whether Maddox would be starting ahead of Taylor or competing with him for the job, but he’d be a good pickup for the Saints either way. Having a veteran who is so experienced in that role next to him in the film room would be great for Taylor’s development. And because Maddox was released by the Eagles, he will not count into the compensatory picks formula for the 2025 NFL draft, and the Saints don’t need to wait until the start of the new league year on Wednesday to sign him..

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Paulson Adebo ranked in PFF top 101 players from the 2023 season

After his breakout season in 2023, Paulson Adebo found himself on PFF’s top 101 players list. He’s an important piece moving forwards:

Paulson Adebo’s breakout season has been heavily respected by Pro Football Focus. He has been labeled as the Saints most improved player and secret superstar. Adebo turned into a number one cornerback and elevated his play after his first two seasons.

In his end of season rankings, PFF analyst Sam Monson ranked Adebo as the 90th best player of 2023, writing:

Adebo had occasionally flashed impact ability over his first two years in the league, but this season he did it far more consistently. And for a month in the middle of the year, he was the best cornerback in football. Adebo finished with 11 pass breakups and four picks, allowing a 69.9 passer rating when targeted.

The biggest transformation in Adebo’s game was the ability to get his hands on passes. He reached double-digit passes defensed for the first time in his career (though PFF credited him with 11, ESPN and Pro Football Reference both had him with 18 of them), while also hitting a career-high in interceptions. He also excelled in limiting yards after catch. He was tasked with defending the best receiver on the opposing team. Just as he was consistently targeted, Adebo consistently delivered.

2023 was the season where the third year corner put it all together. He stepped up in Marshon Lattimore’s absence to become not only the lead corner for New Orleans, but a true number-one corner. Lattimore will step back into his lead role if he returns to New Orleans next season, and Adebo cements the Saints secondary as a No Fly Zone.

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