Tag: tryouts

Rookie return man Malik Flowers among surprising Saints roster cuts

Undrafted rookie return man Malik Flowers among surprising Saints roster cuts after minicamp: | @crissy_froyd

It’s always tough to see young players stumble as they chase their NFL dreams, but that’s an unfortunate part of the business. And the New Orleans Saints let go of several players after veteran free agents tried out during minicamp this week, including an undrafted rookie with a lot of fans. These players will hit the waiver wire and be pursuing their careers elsewhere:

Saints sign multiple free agents after minicamp tryouts

The Saints added three offensive players Thursday in a wave of roster moves after tryouts at their minicamp practices this week: | @crissy_froyd

The New Orleans Saints announced a series of roster moves on Thursday evening, noting that the team had added three new offensive players after tryouts at minicamp. They’ll have opportunities to compete for roster spots during training camp and this summer’s preseason games, but each of these players is very much on the bubble going deeper into the offseason. Get to know the newest members of the black and gold:

WR Keke Coutee among free agent tryouts at Saints minicamp

Former Texas Tech wide receiver Keke Coutee among the veteran free agent tryouts at New Orleans Saints minicamp:

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

The New Orleans Saints aren’t just gathering everyone under contract for training camp — multiple veteran free agents are trying out during the three-day series of practice sessions. This was the case last year, too, when the Saints brought in running back David Johnson and some other players who later signed during the season.

Sports Illustrated’s John Hendrix first reported that offensive lineman Pat Elflein and wide receiver Keke Coutee were among the tryouts at Tuesday’s workout, which was confirmed by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. What’s the word on them?

Elflein, 28, is listed at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds and played college football at Ohio State. He’s a career center who was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round (at No. 70 overall) in 2017, having also spent time with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers while starting 64 of the 65 games he’s played in the NFL. He was college teammates with several Saints stars like cornerback Marshon Lattimore and wide receiver Michael Thomas.

Coutee, 26, weighs in at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds and was a standout at Texas Tech in college. He was picked by the Houston Texans in the fourth round (at No. 103 overall) in the 2018 draft but played for the Indianapolis Colts the last few years. He was a favorite target of Patrick Mahomes’ in Texas Tech’s wide-open passing attack, but he’s struggled to find much success in the NFL while averaging just 2.6 receptions for 29.3 receiving yards per game in his pro career.

We’ll get a better idea of which free agents the Saints are hosting for tryouts when the daily NFL transactions wire updates on Tuesday afternoon, but this is a good opportunity for veteran players to look for work and for the team to address any lingering holes on their depth chart.

Update:Β Hendrix and Underhill add that former Kentucky wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. was also in attendance on a tryout basis. The 25-year-old former Las Vegas Raiders third-round pick (No. 80 overall in 2020) is listed at 5-foot-11 and 203 pounds, but has bounced around the league while struggling to find his footing in the NFL. He’s also played for the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots.

Additionally, Underhill reports that while the Saints are interested in bringing Elflein in for a tryout, he’s biding his time to see if an opportunity to start opens up around the league before settling for a role as a backup.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Saints sign a familiar face out of the XFL after a tryout at rookie minicamp

The Saints signed a familiar face out of the XFL after a tryout at rookie minicamp: defensive end Niko Lalos, who also joined them for training camp last year

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

The New Orleans Saints signed a familiar face out of the XFL after a tryout at rookie minicamp: defensive end Niko Lalos, who also joined them for training camp last year. Lalos played well for a few weeks before roster cuts but didn’t have enough time to make his case for a roster spot, so he’ll get another opportunity after competing in the spring league.

Originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Dartmouth, Lalos started his NFL career with the New York Giants in 2020 and has bounced around the league since then, including his stint in New Orleans — he joined their practice squad in mid-November and stayed there to close out the season before teaming up with the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons. He played the third-most defensive snaps for them but made more plays in run defense than as a pass rusher.

He’ll be pushing Jabari Zuniga for snaps at the bottom of the depth chart, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see either player (or both of them) brought back to the practice squad. The top five roster spots appear to be set with Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson starting, backed up by some combination of Tanoh Kpassagnon, Isaiah Foskey, and Payton Turner.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

New Orleans Saints schedule rookie minicamp tryouts

The New Orleans Saints scheduled their rookie minicamp tryouts for May 12-14, creating opportunity for many young players competing for roster spots:

There we go: the New Orleans Saints have scheduled their rookie minicamp practices for May 12, 13, and 14. This is a good opportunity for their 2023 draft class — both players who were picked and those who signed as undrafted free agents — to get on the field, go through drills, and begin to pick up the playbook.

It’s also an opportunity for dozens of other players to try out alongside their peers. Teams usually bring in a mix of first- and second-year free agents as well as a handful of NFL veterans, all of whom will be competing for a roster spot during the summer.

New Orleans currently has five vacancies on their 90-man offseason roster, having waived reserve quarterback Jake Luton and running back Derrick Gore after selecting other players at their positions during the 2023 draft (TCU running back Kendre Miller and Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener). So it’s a safe bet that some of those open roster spots will be filled by players trying out at these minicamp practices next weekend.

[lawrence-related id=125591,125366,125346,125406,125403,125400,125362,125359,125356,125346]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[stnvideo key=”QJZA6aj8yG-2724514-7618″ type=”amp”]

Saints invite 3 XFL players to upcoming rookie minicamp tryouts

The New Orleans Saints invited several XFL players to their upcoming rookie minicamp tryouts:

The New Orleans Saints invited several XFL players to their upcoming rookie minicamp tryouts, including one familiar face who spent time with them last year. The spring-league’s rules dictate that players may not sign an NFL contract until at least May 15, which happens to fall right after the Saints close rookie minicamp (which runs from May 12-14). So there’s a good chance one of these players could earn a contract if they do well.

Here’s who has been invited to participate along with dozens of other rookies and tryout free agents:

19 XFL players receive NFL tryouts

The NFL is holding official tryouts for 19 players from the XFL

In what has been a hugely successful season for the rebooted ‘XFL’ league, it is coming to a head on Saturday, May 13, as the DC Defenders will face off against the Arlington Renegades to for the championship game. With the season under wraps for the rest of the league, multiple players find themselves on the fringes on a NFL roster spot thanks to their play within the league.

 

Some of the more notable names receiving invites include

-Former Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci, who leads the XFL in passing, will work out for the Denver Broncos.

-Former Cardinals wide receiver Hakeem Butler, who leads the XFL in receiving touchdowns, will work out for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

-Former Texans tight end Jordan Thomas, who has been out of the NFL since 2020, but has major athletic potential, will work out for the Carolina Panthers.

With the success of former XFL players such as Philip Walker, who saw action in six games last year, it has further opened the door for NFL teams to take notice of their smaller league counterparts. We could see a direct talent pipeline expand further with the success the league has experienced.

One of the most notable players who did not receive a tryout for the league is the Seattle Sea Dragons’ explosive wide receiver, Jahcour Pearson. With 670 yards on the season, Pearson leads the league in receiving and has become a certified superstar within the XFL. It highlights that success within the minor league will not always translate to NFL success.

It will be interesting to see if the players who received tryouts can stick around on a roster for the upcoming NFL season. At the very least, the experience these players gained during the XFL season could prove to provide more depth to rosters that are lacking.

Troy left tackle Austin Stidham invited to Saints rookie minicamp

Troy left tackle Austin Stidham has been invited to Saints rookie minicamp. He’s one of the most-experienced blockers in college football with 4,000 career snaps:

Former Troy left tackle Austin Stidham has been invited to New OrleansΒ  Saints rookie minicamp, the school announced Sunday. And he has a good shot at earning a contract offer. Stidham was one of the most-experienced blockers in college football with more than 4,000 career snaps, almost exclusively at left tackle.

He has the physical tools to hang at the next level, weighing in at 6-foot-4 and 294 pounds with long 34-inch arms, though he did not complete athletic testing before the 2023 NFL draft. Still, he’s a five-year starter at a competitive program, though he’s been charged with allowing 15 sacks and drawing 14 penalties in his college career, per Pro Football Focus charting. We’ll see if he has the movement skills to get by at the next level.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[stnvideo key=”pahxNoVopr-2714582-7618″ type=”amp”]

Utah Tech DB Darrius Nash accepts invitation to Saints rookie minicamp

Utah Tech defensive back Darrius Nash accepted an invitation to try out at New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp. He has good size for a slot corner:

A number of undrafted hopefuls will be trying out at New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp in the weeks ahead, including Utah Tech cornerback Darrius Nash. The school announced that Nash has accepted an invitation to participate at the upcoming Saints rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. If all goes well, maybe he’ll get a contract offer out of it.

Nash brings good size at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds and good-enough all-around athleticism to compete with pro talents. He predominately covered the slot but missed a lot of tackles, and he needs to play with better discipline to cut it at the NFL level. Good luck to him and the other first-years hoping to turn pro.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[stnvideo key=”pahxNoVopr-2714582-7618″ type=”amp”]

Former Toledo TE Jamal Turner invited to Saints and Chiefs rookie minicamps

Former Toledo Rockets tight end Jamal Turner invited to try out at Saints and Chiefs rookie minicamps:

Here’s another player who has been invited to try out at New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp, per KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson: former Toledo Rockets tight end Jamal Turner was invited to try out for both the Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs, so he may have to make a tough decision if both teams hold minicamp on the same three-day weekend (the NFL has not yet released the schedule for those workouts, which are staggered to help avoid this exact situation).

A sixth-year senior who spent most of his career blocking for one of the stronger rushing offenses in the MAC, Turner is very strong in that area of his game but lacks the agility skills and raw speed to be much of a factor as a receiving threat — he posted a mediocre 2.62 Relative Athletic Score and timed the 40-yard dash in 4.84 seconds, which is pedestrian at best by pro standards. Turner caught 29 of his 44 career receptions last season as well as 377 of his 563 total yards and 8 of his 9 touchdown catches.

Still, if he can prove he can hang with NFL talents and sustain blocks to open up rushing lanes, he’ll have a chance. That’s all undrafted rookies can ask for.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[stnvideo key=”pahxNoVopr-2714582-7618″ type=”amp”]