Tag: Tulane

Saints bring back a familiar offensive lineman to their practice squad

The Saints brought back a familiar face by re-signing Sincere Haynesworth to the practice squad. The rookie from Tulane spent his summer with New Orleans:

After a plethora of moves yesterday that included a highlighted Alvin Kamara extension, the New Orleans Saints made yet another transaction that likely flew under the radar, as reported by KPRC2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson.

The Saints brought back a familiar face from this summer, adding rookie offensive lineman Sincere Haynesworth to the practice squad. Haynesworth, a Tulane alum signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent earlier this year and spent the summer completed for a spot on the interior of the offensive line.

Haynesworth was waived by the Saints before the start of the regular season and then picked up by the New England Patriots four weeks into the year. However, his time there would be short as he was cut just seven days after his signing.

The addition of Haynesworth to the practice squad could be a sign that guard Nick Saldiveri won’t be active this week, as he was sidelined during last week’s game against Denver with a shoulder injury. This could possibly indicate that another interior offensive lineman, maybe even Haynesworth himself, could be brought up for gameday this week.

We should know a bit more in the next few days when the injury reports start to clear things up.

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Buccaneers evacuate to New Orleans ahead of Hurricane Milton

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will travel to New Orleans early and practice at Yulman Stadium this week to avoid Hurricane Milton:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be moving their practices to New Orleans this week, as they move to avoid Hurricane Milton throughout the week, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This comes as the Buccaneers are set to take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 6, which makes the logistics of this move somewhat easier on their end as they were able to get a hotel in the area.

Additionally, they will be practicing at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium throughout the week, per Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan. The Buccaneers have multiple connections to Yulman Stadium and Tulane as well which Duncan mentioned later, including the club lounge at Yulman being named the Glazer Family Club.

Hurricane Milton has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane according to the National Hurricane Center, and is expected to make landfall later in the week between Wednesday and Thursday according to current projections. Ultimately for the Buccaneers, the decision was made as Tampa Bay is well within the projected range of where the storm will hit, and for the safety of the team and employees it made the most sense to move further west to New Orleans.

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Tyjae Spears says he was ‘so, so hurt’ the Saints didn’t draft him

Tyjae Spears was one of many Saints fans disappointed to see them draft a different running back last year: ‘I was so, so hurt’

Add Tyjae Spears to the list of New Orleans Saints fans who were shocked to see the team pick a different running back in last year’s NFL draft. Now with the Tennessee Titans, Spears recounted his draft-day experience with ESPN’s Turron Davenport. The Saints passed on Spears with the No. 71 pick, which they used on Kendre Miller. Spears went to the Titans ten slots later at No. 81.

“I ain’t gonna lie, I’m gonna keep it real. I was so, so hurt that they didn’t draft me,” Spears reflected. He was disappointed to not get to play football for his hometown team, but he’s grateful to be where he is now. Spears continue, “I’m blessed. I’m used to this position, I’m right where I need to be. My family inside the building, my family at home, I’m good, man.”

There was a lot of buzz around the pick last offseason. Spears had said publicly that he’d be thrilled to turn pro in New Orleans after excelling at Tulane. The team’s running backs coach personally put Spears through a workout at the Green Wave pro day. It had the makings of a great story.

But Spears fell in the draft due to concerns about the long-term health of his knee, and the Saints drafted a player with more immediate injury problems instead. Miller was actively recovering from a knee injury when they picked him. He missed more time with leg and ankle issues throughout his rookie year, and he’s been sidelined since the first day of training camp with an injured hamstring.

Spears was active for all 17 games last season and played well in tandem with Derrick Henry, totaling 100 carries for 453 rushing yards while catching 52 passes for another 385 receiving yards. He’s expecting a heavier workload after Henry left in free agency this offseason.

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WATCH: Rookie kicker Charlie Smyth boots 65-yard field goal at Saints practice

Rookie kicker Charlie Smyth connected on a 65-yard field goal at New Orleans Saints practice. It might’ve been good from 70:

Have a night, Charlie Smyth. The rookie kicker from Northern Ireland has picked up the American game quickly after playing Gaelic football, and he’s made life tough for New Orleans Saints incumbent Blake Grupe.

And when the Saints kicked off their open practice at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium on Tuesday night, Smyth stole the show. He capped his eight field goal tries — nailing seven of them with a miss from 55 yards — by booting a 65-yarder through the uprights. Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan noted it was near the same spot Tom Dempsey once set an NFL record from 63 yards.

That’s very impressive. Smyth has a big leg but he’s put in the work to hone his craft in a very short time. ESPN’s Katherine Terrell shared that he first kicked an American football almost exactly one year ago on Aug. 22. If he can keep developing and earning confidence from his coaches, Smyth just might unseat Grupe. This Sunday’s final preseason game with the Tennessee Titans looms large.

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Former Tulane center Sincere Haynesworth waived by Saints with injury

Former Tulane center Sincere Haynesworth was waived by the New Orleans Saints with an injury designation:

This is a tough break for Sincere Haynesworth. The rookie offensive lineman from Tulane signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent earlier this year, but he was waived on Tuesday with an injury designation, the team announced. The Saints are practicing at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium on Tuesday night.

Haynesworth needed assistance exiting Sunday’s preseason game with the San Francisco 49ers after getting rolled up on by other players, which was really unfortunate.

The third-string offense missed him; journeyman guard Shane Lemieux had a couple of low snaps after filling in for Haynesworth, putting at least one on the ground. Haynesworth was a long-shot to make the 53-man roster but he is someone who could have stuck around on the practice squad.

Instead he’ll go on injured reserve upon clearing waivers. We’ll wish him a speedy and full recovery.

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Saints activate Juwan Johnson from PUP list ahead of Tulane practice

The Saints activated tight end Juwan Johnson from their PUP list ahead of Tuesday’s open practice session. He’s bringing a big boost to the offense:

The New Orleans Saints activated tight end Juwan Johnson from their PUP list ahead of Tuesday’s open practice session at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium, as first reported by Matthew Paras for the Times-Picayune | Advocate. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill adds that Johnson “is expected to practice in some fashion today.” Johnson is also scheduled to speak with local media afterwards.

He’s bringing a big boost to the offense as their best pass-catching tight end. Johnson’s first year with Derek Carr at quarterback finished strong when he scored three touchdown catches in their last four games, totaling 17 receptions for 216 yards through those four weeks.

They need him to pick up where he left off, but it may take some time for him to knock off the rust. Johnson had surgery in the spring after developing a stress fracture in his foot at minicamp which sidelined him for most of the summer, including all 18 practices at the team’s Irvine training camp and two preseason games.

Still, he and Carr developed some chemistry down the stretch last year, and the Saints have more than two weeks until the regular season starts. Johnson projects as a good fit in Klint Kubiak’s offense but the first real steps to meeting that potential start in front of fans on Tuesday night.

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Free tickets still available for Saints practice at Yulman Stadium

Free tickets are still available for the New Orleans Saints’ open practice at Yulman Stadium on Tuesday night, but act fast to claim yours:

Have you been wanting to see your New Orleans Saints in action? The Saints are returning home from their monthlong training camp in Irvine, Calif., and they’ll be hosting two open practices this week for locals to come out and see the team. This will be your first opportunity of the offseason.

First up is an open practice at the 30,000-seat Yulman Stadium on Tulane’s campus. It’s free to attend, but tickets must be claimed in advance. The open practice is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. CT so act quickly.

There are also some tickets available  for their second open practice at the Caesars Superdome on Friday, Aug. 23 at 1 p.m. CT. Just like the Yulman Stadium practice, this event is free and open to the public, but fans must claim their tickets ahead of time.

It’s been a long time since locals had the opportunity to see their team in person. The Saints moved training camp to sunny Southern California to accommodate large-scale renovations to their training facility in Metairie, so it’ll be good to have them back in the area. They have spent the entirety of their preseason on the West Coast. Even their preseason games were in Arizona and California. During their practices in Irvine, the Saints didn’t open any practices to the public.

Everything leads up to their final preseason  game with the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Aug. 25 before roster cuts on Aug. 27 and the regular season  kickoff game against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 8. It’ll be here before we know it.

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Countdown to Kickoff: Roderic Teamer is Saints Player of Day 30

Looking into safety Roderic Teamer, who wears the No. 30 jersey, with just 30 days ahead of the New Orleans Saints’ 2024 season kickoff:

The countdown to kickoff for the Saints’ 2024 regular season continues, now just 30 days out from the official opener. And, in recognition of that, we’re taking the time to highlight former Tulane defensive back Roderic Teamer. He currently wears the No. 30 jersey.

Here’s everything to know about the safety who took the field in college for the Green Wave, now continuing his professional career in the same city of New Orleans:

  • Name (Age): Roderic Teamer (27)
  • Position: Safety
  • Height, weight: 6-foot-0, 205 pounds
  • Relative Athletic Score: 3.66
  • 2024 salary cap hit: $985,000
  • College: Tulane
  • Drafted: Undrafted in 2019 (Los Angeles Chargers)
  • NFL experience: 5th season

Teamer went unselected in the 2019 NFL Draft, signed by the Los Angeles Chargers on April 27, 2019. He made his NFL debut on September 22, 2019 against the Houston Texans, recording seven tackles at the strong safety position.

He lasted just one season with the team, though, amassing 40 combined tackles (30 solo), two passes defended, one sack and an interception over six games.

Teamer has been something of a journeyman since then, making stops in with the Indianapolis Colts (2021) and the Las Vegas Raiders (2021-2023) before making his way to the Saints, who signed him on June 20.

He was waived by the Raiders, the team he was most recently with, on Nov. 27. This came just days after he was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) and speeding on Nov. 25.

Teamer rejoins several of his former Raiders teammates with the move to New Orleans, including quarterback Derek Carr as well as tight end Foster Moreau, safety Johnathan Abram, defensive tackle Kendal Vickers, and offensive tackle Justin Herron, who is on injured reserve.

Over his career to this point, Teamer has totaled 103 tackles (72 solo), 3 passes defended, 1 sack and 1 interception over 40 games played.

It will be interesting to see what type of role he carves out with the Saints in his first season returning to the same state where it all started for him.

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Tulane football team uses Saints’ indoor practice facility to prep for 2024 season

The Tulane Green Wave football team used the New Orleans Saints’ indoor practice facility to prepare for their 2024 season:

While on their California retreat for the summer, the New Orleans Saints have allowed some neighbors to make use of their indoor practice facility back in Metairie.

The Tulane Green Wave have made themselves right at home as they utilized the teams practice facility to take a break from the scorching Louisiana heat and frequent afternoon rain. This wouldn’t be the first time that they have used the Saints facilities either. Tulane has held multiple pro day workouts for their draft-eligible players in Metairie, as well as using the team’s practice field for bowl game prep towards the end of their season.

To remind some of why the Saints aren’t at their facility at the moment, this highlight video gives us a look at their ongoing renovations, as you can see some construction work taking place in the background. Hopefully that doesn’t stop the Green Wave from getting quality reps in as they look to continue their consecutive stretch of double-digit win seasons the last two years.

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How to get tickets for Saints practices at Yulman Stadium, Caesars Superdome

The New Orleans Saints announced information regarding open practices at Yulman Stadium and the Caesars Superdome, as well as how to register for tickets:

The New Orleans Saints have previously announced that they will be hosting open practices when they return to Louisiana from their training camp in Southern California, one at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium and the other at the Caesars Superdome. And now they’ve shared the times and dates for these events. Tickets are free but available on a first-come, first-served basis:

  • Yulman Stadium: Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. CT
  • Caesars Superdome: Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. CT

On Thursday the team shared information regarding how both season ticket holders and the general public can acquire tickets for each event. Ticket registration opens on Monday, July 29 for season ticket holders and Tuesday, July 30 for the general public. Tickets will for both practices will become available at 9 a.m. CT on each day.

Additional information regarding each practice, tickets, parking, and gates can be found at the following links:

The Saints and Tulane have a long history of working together and sharing facilities, as the Saints played for eight seasons at the old Tulane Stadium on the Uptown campus, and the Green Wave have used the Saints’ Metairie indoor practice facility to prepare for bowl games. It has been five years since the Saints have practiced at Tulane’s facilities, 2019 being the last time this occurred, so these will both be great opportunities for local fans to see their team in person.

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