Tag: Stats

Tre’Davious White, Jalen Ramsey contract extensions tee up Marshon Lattimore

New contract extensions for Bills corner Tre’Davious White and Rams star Jalen Ramsey set the stage for the Saints and Marshon Lattimore.

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The market rate for top-level cornerbacks surged this week as new contract extensions were hammered out for big names around the league. Buffalo Bills corner Tre’Davious White raised the bar by signing a deal averaging $17.5 million per season, and Los Angeles Rams defender Jalen Ramsey leaped it by earning his own payday at $21 million per year.

While he’s under contract through 2021 after the New Orleans Saints triggered his fifth-year option, this movement spells out great news for 24-year old cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore is younger than both White and Ramsey, and is one of the next free agents-to-be at their position due for an extension (along with Seattle Seahawks star Shaquill Griffin).

Should the Saints be in a hurry to address Lattimore’s contract situation? They do have team control for the next two seasons, but his value will only keep going up the longer they wait. He’ll have grounds to demand the same rate as Ramsey, if not more should Griffin or other players raise the price even higher. And that’s before you consider that the salary cap is expected to plummet down to at least $175 million next summer.

For context, here are Lattimore’s regular season stats compared against White and Ramsey since 2018, per Pro Football Reference:

  • Marshon Lattimore: 30 games played, 3 interceptions and 26 passes defensed, 4 forced fumbles (3 recovered), 102 completions on 178 targets (57.3%) for 1,492 passing yards (3.4 receptions and 49.7 yards per game allowed) and 6 touchdown passes
  • Tre’Davious White: 31 games played, 8 interceptions and 25 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles (0 recovered), 85 completions on 163 targets (52.1%) for 1,087 passing yards (2.7 receptions and 35.1 yards per game allowed) and 2 touchdown passes
  • Jalen Ramsey: 28 games played (19 with Jaguars, 9 with Rams), 4 interceptions and 18 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles (0 recovered), 106 completions on 181 targets (58.6%) for 1,405 passing yards (3.8 receptions and 50.2 yards per game allowed) and 4 touchdown passes

If anything, White should have waited a few days for Ramsey’s contract to get finalized. Lattimore is certainly going to benefit from it. While they’re each very different players — White plays his best football in zone coverage, while Lattimore and Ramsey stand out more in bump-and-run man coverage — and hold different meaning to their teams, each of them is at the forefront in a wave of rising salaries around the league.

So what do you think? Should the Saints keep Lattimore’s big extension on the back burner and focus on deals closer to expiration? Or should they get out in front of this thing and try to strike while the iron is hot, and before it’ll cost them even more salary cap resources?

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Report: Saints, Alvin Kamara ‘extremely close’ on contract extension

The New Orleans Saints are on the verge of signing Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara to a lucrative contract extension, ESPN reports.

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Don’t blink, or you might miss it: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that a contract extension between Alvin Kamara and the New Orleans Saints is nearly at the finish line, with both sides motivated to finish a deal before the start of the 2020 season. It might happen as soon as Tuesday, when Saints players are given their weekly day off from practice — creating a window for Kamara to sign off on the latest contract offer New Orleans has put on the table.

It’s exciting to imagine Kamara tied to the Saints for the foreseeable future, but it’s also a relief after last week’s news cycle of leaked media reports, trade rumors, and contract disputes. But all of that is in rearview now and it looks like an agreement could be hammered out very quickly.

Kamara took the NFL by storm in 2017, winning recognition as the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year and going on to represent the Saints with three Pro Bowl appearances in each of his first three years.

He’s been durable over his brief career so far, too, missing just two games with an injury and appearing in 50 of his first 53 contests (the Saints held him out of a meaningless Week 17 game in 2018). Effective as both a runner and a receiver, Kamara has averaged 97.7 yards from scrimmage per game since he first suited up for the Saints.

Now, it looks like his efforts are about to be rewarded.

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Austin Carr re-signs with the Saints practice squad

The New Orleans Saints signed veteran slot receiver Austin Carr to their practice squad, making him the ninth wide receiver on their team.

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Things are very much in flux for rosters around the NFL as teams tweak their depth charts and work last-minute deals before the start of the regular season. That activity extends to the New Orleans Saints, who brought veteran slot receiver Austin Carr back to their practice squad. The Saints reported the move on the daily NFL transactions wire.

Carr will occupy one of the final two available spots on the 16-man practice squad; the Saints previously announced deals with 14 additions. He will also be the ninth wide receiver in New Orleans, including five players listed on the 53-man roster. The full list:

  • Michael Thomas (roster)
  • Emmanuel Sanders (roster)
  • Tre’Quan Smith (roster)
  • Deonte Harris (roster)
  • Marquez Callaway (roster)
  • Lil’Jordan Humphrey (practice squad)
  • Bennie Fowler (practice squad)
  • Juwan Johnson (practice squad)
  • Austin Carr (practice squad)

Carr, a 26-year old slot specialist, has appeared in 23 games with the Saints since 2017 (including the playoffs). He’s totaled 11 catches on 19 targets, gaining 111 receiving yards while converting 6 first downs and scoring a pair of touchdown receptions. He appeared in six games for the Saints last season before his year ended on injured reserve, averaging a career-high 33 snaps per game.

It’s a sign of greatly improved depth in the receiving corps that Carr didn’t make the team after training camp, but keeping him on the practice squad as a reserve option isn’t a bad idea. He’s seen more NFL action than many free agents available right now, and already knows the Saints playbook. If they run into injuries or absences due to COVID-19, the Saints could do worse than calling him up again.

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Saints have one of the NFL’s oldest rosters in 2020

The Saints have stocked up on older talent, hoping veterans like Malcolm Jenkins and Emmanuel Sanders can take them to the 2020 Super Bowl.

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Very few teams have a higher average age for players than the New Orleans Saints, per Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice. In fact, just one: the Atlanta Falcons (26.9 years). The Chicago Bears are tied with the Saints (26.7 each), making them the three oldest teams in the NFL, on average.

But context matters here. The Saints may be ranked all the way down the list at No. 30, but teams listed near the middle of the pack like the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, and Philadelphia Eagles (tied for No. 17) have an average age of just 26.0. So the Saints players are about eight months older, collectively, than mid-tier squads. Just one team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, has an average of below 25 (and they’re listed at 24.9).

So let’s not blow this out of proportion. The Saints do have some aging veterans at key spots like quarterback (Drew Brees is 41, and Taysom Hill is 30), tight end (Jared Cook is 33 and Josh Hill is 30), punter (Thomas Morstead is 34), and cornerback (Janoris Jenkins and Patrick Robinson will both be 32 this year), but they’re balanced by a young core of talent that’s been drafted and developed over recent years. It’s not like everyone is about to bolt into retirement.

How does this compare to previous Saints teams? From 2019 to 2016, they’ve carried an average age fluctuating between 26.2 (at its lowest, in 2019) and 26.5 (at its highest, in 2017). That’s pretty consistent, and has ranked in the bottom third of the NFL.

But it’s tough to argue with their results. In this same time period, the Saints have won three consecutive NFC South titles and gone as deep into the playoffs as the NFC Championship Game. They have their sights on a Super Bowl victory, and this group of experienced veterans and young stars just might have what it takes to reach that goal in 2020.

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Saints WR Emmanuel Sanders projected to catch 50-plus passes in 2020

There has been a lot of hype surrounding the teamup between Emmanuel Sanders and the New Orleans Saints, but what could his stats look like?

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Just how productive will Emmanuel Sanders be in the New Orleans Saints offense? Sure, he’s a huge step up from the other wide receivers to pal around with Michael Thomas — but what sort of expectations should fans have for Sanders in 2020?

The team at The Huddle is projecting Sanders to snag 52 passes for 650 receiving yards and six touchdown catches, which would be more than what Ted Ginn Jr. reeled in over the last two years combined as the Saints’ second-best wide receiver: 47 passes for 630 yards and scored four touchdowns. That’s what you call an upgrade. Here’s some of what they wrote of Sanders’ fit in New Orleans:

New Orleans Saints WR Emmanuel Sanders will be the team’s No. 2 wide receiver in 2020 and adds a big boost to the offense, which was lacking dependable production out of receivers not named Michael Thomas last year. After Thomas’ 1,725 receiving yards, the next-best receiving output came from Ted Ginn Jr., who had just 421 yards receiving.
However, this projection may be too conservative. It would have Sanders averaging 40.6 receiving yards per game in a 16-game regular season, which would be his lowest pace since 2012. He’s consistently averaged better than 50 receiving yards per game in every season since 2014 (his first with the Denver Broncos) to 2019 (when he appeared in 7 games for Denver and 10 with San Francisco), falling short just once, back in 2017.

But that has to do with the opportunities Sanders may get in New Orleans. He’ll be the third or fourth option in the passing game rather than the go-to leading receiver he was on his previous teams, contending with Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and Jared Cook for looks downfield. He just won’t get as many targets with the Saints as he’s used to.

Then again, Drew Brees is known for finding the open receiver on any given play, and that’s often been Thomas. If he and Sanders can get on the same page right away, Sanders could very well look like his usual, playmaking self.

In fantasy football, Sanders currently has an average draft position at WR51, making him available as late as the eighth round, according to MyFantasyLeague. But it shouldn’t shock anyone if he ends up ranking high among the NFL’s 50 best receivers once the fantasy football playoffs roll around.

Dominate your fantasy football league with TheHuddle.com. Custom rankings! Sleepers! New customers, take 20% this year’s subscription. Order now!

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Saints designate Dwayne Washington to the NFL’s COVID-19 list

The New Orleans Saints added Dwayne Washington, a backing running back and special teams ace, to the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Sunday.

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The New Orleans Saints added running back Dwayne Washington to the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Aug. 30, making him their fourth player to be sidelined due to the public health crisis. However, it’s unclear whether Washington received a positive test result or was exposed to someone who had; those sort of details are not made public knowledge.

Each of Washington’s three teammates to previously go through the reserve/COVID-19 protocol were cleared within a few days: linebacker Kaden Elliss, long snapper Zach Wood, and wide receiver Deonte Harris all retested negative after a brief time away from the team. Hopefully this is nothing serious for Washington’s personal health.

He’s been competing with Ty Montgomery and undrafted free agent Tony Jones Jr. for a backup job behind Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray. Washington probably had an inside edge on that roster battle after standing out on special teams (where he played 295 snaps in 2019, third-most on the team), but Montgomery’s almost-daily highlight moments in training camp practice could make a compelling argument.

So stay tuned for updates on Washington’s situation, as well as news about Saints owner Gayle Benson. Benson was diagnosed with COVID-19 and has been receiving medical attention while working from home. The coronavirus has hit the Saints close to home already, and everyone must remain vigilant as we continue to navigate this pandemic.

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NFL analyst predicts lower production by Derrick Henry in 2020

NFL Analyst for PFF Sam Monson predicts former Alabama RB Derrick Henry will have notably low production in the 2020 season.

Former Alabama running back Derrick Henry was one of the top running backs in the NFL for the 2019 season. The Heisman-winner helped carry the Tennessee Titans all the way to the AFC Championship. The question that looms over Henry heading into the 2020 season is if he’ll be able to be the same player, or better, than he was the year before.

Pro Football Focus’ Sam Monson believes Henry will produce lower numbers in 2020 for a variety of reasons.

In 2019, Henry’s fourth season in the NFL, he rushed for a league leading 1,540 yards off of a league high 303 carries. He also led the NFL in touchdowns with 16.

Admittedly, that’s a difficult set of stats to improve upon, but Monson is convinced Henry won’t even be able to replicate his career-best season.

“They basically brought everybody back from a year ago and the plan is to just run it back again. That worries me,” Monson said. “I don’t think that what they were doing last season was sustainable. So this idea that Ryan Tannehill is going to play as well as he did last year, that Derrick Henry is going to play as well as he did last year, I think would be pretty concerning. I think Derrick Henry’s production is a lot less bulletproof than people are giving it credit for.”

He cites the team’s quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, and his strong, unprecedented play in 2019. If Tannehill can’t have as good of a season, Monson believes that ill directly impacts Henry’s production.

He’s able to back up his claim by pointing out henry’s inconsistency while the Titans had Marcus Mariota as their signal caller.

“He was the No. 11 rusher in the NFL when Marcus Mariota was the starting quarterback – [and then] they made the switch to Ryan Tannehill and everything changed,” Monson said. “Since that point, they also let one of the best run-blocking tackles in the NFL in Jack Conklin hit the open market in free agency, so I could see Derrick Henry having a notably worse season this year than he had last year. I don’t know that you’re going to be looking at him as this phenomenal rushing champion kind of player.”

‘Notably worse’ may be an extreme claim, but if the league has learned one thing about the Alabama product, it’s that he can turn it on in big games and be the difference maker.

Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on Derrick Henry as he makes his way into year No. 5 in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans.

Saints add another defensive end, waive rookie tackle Darrin Paulo

The New Orleans Saints shuffled their depth chart by signing rookie pass rusher T.J. Carter and waiving rookie left tackle Darrin Paulo.

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With just a week to go until NFL-mandated roster cuts on Sept. 5, the New Orleans Saints are embracing the spirit of competition for the final leg of training camp by shuffling the fringes of their depth chart. On Saturday, that meant a flurry of roster moves reported to the daily NFL transactions wire.

Several of these changes were expected, like the release of injured defensive lineman Jalen Dalton (waived with an injury designation; he’s likely to return to the injured reserve list). The Saints also made two official signings that reports suggested were in the works, announcing deals with CFL linebacker Wynton McManis and journeyman pass rusher Anthony Lanier.

But the Saints also signed rookie free agent T.J. Carter, a Kentucky product who set personal bests in several categories as a senior. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 289 pounds, Carter figures to compete with Lanier and veterans like Margus Hunt and Mario Edwards Jr. for the final roster spot at defensive end. He was initially signed by the Arizona Cardinals after the 2020 NFL Draft but was released in July.

To make room for Carter, the Saints waived rookie left tackle Darrin Paulo. Paulo signed with New Orleans as an undrafted free agent from Utah. He was lining up mostly on the third string in practice, suggesting he wasn’t a strong candidate to help back up All-Pro starter Terron Armstead.

Each of these players will have a handful of practice sessions to make a strong impression on the Saints coaching staff, but they’ll have to work quickly in such a brief window. Practice squad spots will be coming at a premium this year.

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Saints fill out the roster with former Chiefs, Chargers pass rusher Anthony Lanier

The New Orleans Saints training camp roster is back at capacity following the signing of former Los Angeles Chargers DE Anthony Lanier.

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The New Orleans Saints hosted half a dozen free agents for a group tryout earlier this week following injuries to the front seven, with defensive end Marcus Davenport and linebackers Zack Baun and Anthony Chickillo held out of Friday’s full-contact scrimmage.

And it appears two of those visitors earned contracts with the Saints for the duration of training camp: per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, defensive end Anthony Lanier will be joining the Saints along with former CFL linebacker Wynton McManis.

Lanier, listed at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, fits the physical profile the Saints like out on the edge from a height-weight standpoint. He spent the 2018 season on the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad after breaking out for Washington in 2017, playing 339 snaps and notching 5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits, 6 pass deflections, and a pair of fumbles (one forced, another recovered). Lanier joined the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason but was released after the 2020 NFL Draft.

He’ll have a week to make a nice impression, but the Saints have a fairly stacked defensive ends rotation — depending on Davenport’s health. The Saints are not required to publish a formal injury report, so it’s unclear what issue he may be dealing with, but he was earning praise from all corners during training camp. Hopefully it’s nothing serious.

While Lanier’s addition rounds out the 80-man roster for training camp, the Saints could churn the bottom of the depth chart with more last-minute signings in an attempt at getting more time with practice squad candidates. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis spoke about the anxieties of evaluating players without extensive preseason game tape, so bringing in players like Lanier and McManis even for a week could help pad out scouting reports. The Saints must cut their roster down to just 53 players by 3 p.m. CT on Sept. 5.

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Saints legend Marques Colston hired as UNO adjunct professor

New Orleans Saints WR Marques Colston announced that he accepted a position with the University of New Orleans as an adjunct professor.

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Here’s some big news for a fan-favorite former member of the New Orleans Saints: retired wide receiver Marques Colston announced Tuesday evening that he has accepted a position with the University of New Orleans as an adjunct professor, and will begin teaching in their fall semester.

It’s a big career turn for Colston, who hung up his cleats after the 2016 season. He owned every receiving stat in the team record books after a prolific 146-game stint with the Saints. It was enough for him to earn the fifth-best spot in our list of the 100 best players in Saints history last summer. Oh, and the Saints also inducted him to their Ring of Honor in 2019.

Since retiring from the NFL, Colston has been an active entrepreneur with minority ownership stakes in several arena league football teams while partnering with his old teammate Thomas Morstead as partial owners of a New Orleans-based smoothie bar franchise. Colston pursued an MBA at George Washington University and worked with Columbia Business School in creating opportunities for professional athletes. He’s put together quite a diverse portfolio between those interests and his investments in healthcare and technology startups.

Colston also delivered the keynote speech to UNO graduates at their Dec. 2019 commencement, telling them, “Your work ethic, your ability to overcome obstacles and your willingness to persevere are the real keys to success. My journey has embodied that belief. There was no way that a skinny kid from Pennsylvania, who could barely get recruited out of high school, should be here today as the Saints all-time leading receiver.”

While he didn’t announce which course he’ll be teaching, Colston has plenty of experience to offer his students. It’ll be interesting to see where he goes next.

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