Tag: Ty Montgomery

All-Pro Saints returner Deonte Harris placed on reserve/COVID-19 list

The New Orleans Saints designated wide receiver Deonte Harris, a 2019 Pro Bowler and AP All-Pro, to their reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday.

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The latest round of COVID-19 testing from around the NFL has returned results, and New Orleans Saints wide receiver Deonte Harris was designated to the league’s reserve/COVID-19 list. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill first reported the news.

It’s important to remember that this alone doesn’t mean Harris has been infected with COVID-19; his test result could have been a false positive. Two of his Saints teammates rejoined the team last week after initially being listed on reserve/COVID-19, with linebacker Kaden Ellis and long snapper Zach Wood spending a few days away from the Saints until twice retesting negative.

So stay tuned for an update on Harris in the days ahead. He’s probably already scheduled a retest over the weekend.

Harris was a breakout star for the Saints in 2019, playing well enough in training camp and the preseason to earn a spot on the opening-day roster. He went on to earn recognition at the Pro Bowl and on the AP All-Pro list after racking up a league-leading 338 punt return yards, also ranking up NFL leaders in kick return yards (644). He was sensational in the playoffs, too, shredding the Minnesota Vikings with 133 kick return yards and another 44 yards off of punts. Not bad for a rookie out of small-school Assumption College. Hopefully he’ll be cleared to return to the squad soon.

In the meantime, the Saints have a few other candidates to try out for returning punts and kickoffs. Undrafted rookie Marquez Callaway was a successful return man at Tennessee, fielding 40 punts for 543 return yards and three touchdowns in his four-year career. Callaway also returned 8 kickoffs for 86 yards.

On the other hand, free agent pickup Ty Montgomery has plenty of NFL experience in the kicking game. He’s returned 53 kicks in 58 games played, totaling 1,158 return yards. It’s possible the Saints lean on Callaway for punt returns with Montgomery chipping in on kicks during Harris’s absence.

Saints veterans like Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill have dabbled in the return game in the past; Kamara included a 106-yard kick return touchdown in his 2017 rookie year highlights. But both players are more integral to the offense now than they’ve been in the past, so it would make sense for the team to try out some of the fresh talent joining them in training camp.

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Saints running backs coach is a big, big fan of signing Ty Montgomery

New Orleans Saints coach Joel Thomas is eager to get to work with ex-Packers RB Ty Montgomery, a versatile pass-catcher with a big toolbox.

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One of the more underrated moves of the New Orleans Saints offseason might be the signing of free agent running back Ty Montgomery, if his new position coach’s thoughts are any indication. Joel Thomas works with the running backs in New Orleans, and he spoke at length on what Montgomery — who experienced some starts and stops with the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens, after rising to prominence for the Green Bay Packers — brings to the table.

Intriguingly, Thomas has something of a history with Montgomery; he saw firsthand what the converted wide receiver can do when Montgomery starred for the Stanford Cardinal against Thomas’s Washington Huskies back in the day. While Montgomery has since lined up more often at running back than at receiver, Thomas still sees plenty of room for growth from the 27-year old.

“When you look back at it, he has only been a running back for five seasons so that is where I see the piece of putty we can hopefully mold into what we want him to be within our offense,” Thomas said in a recent conference call “I love the versatility out of the backfield. We can line him up in empty. We can put him back there as a single back seven-yards deep. I don’t think he’s gonna be put in a single position and that’s what he does.”

Thomas also pointed to a pair of past Saints running backs who made a name for themselves catching passes: Travaris Cadet and Pierre Thomas. But he was quick to clarify that Cadet didn’t have the size or ability to run between the tackles that Montgomery boasts, whereas the “PT Bruiser” lacked his route-running nuance. In some ways, Montgomery has the best of both worlds.

He continued, “The meetings I’ve had with him, he is smart, obviously Stanford educated, but he’s smart, very coachable, I like what he’s bringing to the table as far as what we’ve got with this signing.”

Still, it would be surprising if Montgomery carves out a big role in the offense. He’s behind Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray on the depth chart (at least; special teams ace Dwayne Washington is also in the mix, along with a few other reserves). But if Montgomery can do more than pick up Kamara’s playbook and show enough in training camp to earn snaps once the season starts, his No. 88 might continue to catch the eye.

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Ty Montgomery chose Saints due to their success with versatile playmakers

Ty Montgomery struggled to catch on despite his skills. He’s seen the Saints thrive with Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill, and wants to be next.

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The New Orleans Saints made an interesting free agent pickup last week by signing Ty Montgomery, the wide receiver-turned-running back who rose to prominence with the Green Bay Packers. Montgomery struggled to find his footing in stops with the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets, due as much to uncreative playbooks as inexperienced quarterbacks under center like Sam Darnold and then-rookie Lamar Jackson.

He’s hoping to rebound well in New Orleans. Montgomery spoke with local media on a recent conference call, pointing to the success the Saints have found with other position-versatile talents as a major selling-point for him.

“Obviously they have guys like Alvin Kamara, they’ve shown what they can do with guys like him,” Montgomery said. “Taysom Hill, they’ve shown what they can do with guys like him, just other guys as well over the years. Coach Sean Payton and his offense, it’s just sort of been, I guess you could say notorious for putting guys in the best positions to be successful and being very creative on offense.”

Listed at 6-foot-even and 216 pounds, Montgomery has done most of his damage on the ground (with 224 rushing attempts) while running a variety of routes on passing downs (drawing 163 targets as a receiver). He’ll look to expand his portfolio in New Orleans and prove a better candidate to back up Kamara than, say, special teams ace Dwayne Washington or practice squad call-up Taquan Mizzell.

While fans shouldn’t expect Montgomery to push Latavius Murray off the field as the team’s number-two running back, there’s definitely value in having someone with experience on the plays and responsibilities Kamara has perfected in recent years. The Saints lost an element of their playbook when Kamara missed time last year, but Montgomery could be an effective band-aid should the Saints call his No. 88.

But in the meantime, Montgomery is preparing to handle whatever responsibility the Saints have in store for him — up to and including throwing blocks as a fullback so his teammates can get a clear running lane.

Montgomery continued, “I’ve always said I don’t believe I necessarily have to fit into a box. I can sit in a running back room and still do things as a wide receiver, I can sit in the receiver room and still do things as a running back. My ultimate goal’s just to be able to play and help the team in any way I can.”

And he didn’t go into this situation blind; Montgomery noted that he’s spoken with former teammates who spent time in New Orleans like Jimmy Graham, who talked up the Saints offense for its knack of putting players in position to max out their talents. But the proof he needed came from seeing what Hill, a former Packers training camp washout, could do in the right situation.

“Taysom Hill, we were actually in Green Bay together, so I already knew what kind of athlete he was. So to see him thrive, catch balls, run the football, throw the football,” Montgomery said, musing on the system Payton has built. “It’s just a place where anybody can thrive really.”

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Saints pickups Ty Montgomery, Patrick Omameh qualify for veteran salary benefit

The New Orleans Saints signed free agents Ty Montgomery and Patrick Omameh to contracts that qualified for the NFL veteran salary benefit.

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The New Orleans Saints are one of several teams taking advantage of the new CBA’s veteran salary benefit, allowing them to retain players with four or more NFL seasons behind them at a lower salary cap charge. According to a report from ESPN’s Field Yates, the Saints are using this tool again by signing running back Ty Montgomery and offensive lineman Patrick Omameh.

Under the new CBA, these benefits manifest in a one-year contract valued at the minimum base salary for that player’s accrued NFL experience, as well as an additional $137,500 paid out through a signing bonus, roster bonus, or other incentives. But the benefit for teams comes around in these contracts equaling the salary cap charge of a player with just two seasons credited to them.

So of course the Saints are going to take advantage of a salary cap loophole. They’re always working overtime in trying to retain high-priced talent, and this is an opportunity the NFL drew up for them — no smoke and mirrors needed. But what does it mean for Montgomery and Omameh?

Per Yates’ report, Montgomery received a $137,500 signing bonus (as expected) and a base salary of $910,000. Omameh also agreed to a contract with a $137,500 signing bonus, but his base salary is valued at $1.05 million. Both deals will count just $887,500 against the Saints salary cap due to the new benefit rule.

Other Saints players who have qualified for this benefit:

  • Defensive lineman Margus Hunt ($1.05 million base salary)
  • Fullback Michael Burton ($910,000 base salary)
  • Cornerback Johnson Bademosi ($1.05 million base salary)
  • Running back Dwayne Washington ($910,000 base salary)

This sort of salary cap manipulation is par for the course in New Orleans, allowing the Saints to compete for free agents despite their limited resources on paper. It’ll be fascinating to see what new maneuvers the Saints find to work around the cap as we move deeper into the decade of this new CBA.

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Watch: Ty Montgomery shares practice field highlight reel

New Orleans Saints running back Ty Montgomery has a background in playing wide receiver, which is reflected in his practice highlight reel.

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Ty Montgomery might be listed as a running back, but his biggest contributions to the New Orleans Saints figure to come through the air. He’s an accomplished pass-catcher whose NFL career began as a wide receiver (which is reflected in his jersey number), even if he struggled to get into rhythm in recent years when paired with inexperienced passers like then-rookie Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. He and every other pass-catcher took a step back under New York Jets playcaller Adam Gase last season.

Still, the Saints have to hope that Montgomery will be able to make the most of his touches (if he ends up earning any at all). He has the skills set to back up Alvin Kamara’s role in the offense, allowing number-two running back Latavius Murray to play at his best as more of a downhill runner. If Kamara has to miss time again, the Saints would probably prefer Montgomery running his routes and moving around the formation rather than Murray.

And that appears to be what Montgomery is preparing for. The 27-year-old shared a highlight reel of bright moments from a recent training session on his official Twitter account, showing a nice ability to adjust to off-target passes. That’s not something he should expect to happen often when paired with Drew Brees, but it’s always good to be prepared.

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Look: Ty Montgomery debuts his signature No. 88 in black and gold

The New Orleans Saints signed Ty Montgomery, a versatile running back/wide receiver who has worn No. 88 with the Packers, Ravens, and Jets.

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The New Orleans Saints made a surprising late-spring addition last week by signing free agent running back/wide receiver Ty Montgomery, the former Green Bay Packers playmaker who most recently spent time with the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Jets.

While Montgomery’s schematic fit and path to making the roster — much less earning snaps during games — is fascinating, the real story here is which jersey number he’ll be wearing. Having initially played solely at wideout, Montgomery wore No. 88 with the Packers even after he began bulking up and handling carries between the tackles.

He held onto that number with each of his next two teams, and he’ll continue to throw off observers with it in New Orleans. Montgomery announced on his official Twitter account that he would use No. 88 now that he’s playing with the Saints, which was confirmed on the official team roster.

He included an edited photo to give fans of an idea of what he’ll look like in black and gold, which we’ve embedded below:

Jokes aside, there is a benefit to Montgomery going with such an unusual number for a running back (like his previous teams, the Saints will probably skirt around NFL jersey restrictions by designating him a “RB/WR” on filings with the league office). Defensive coordinators commonly tool their subpackages to counter opposing personnel groupings.

By letting Montgomery wear No. 88, the Saints are going to force teams to think a little harder about whether to field an extra linebacker or defensive back. That narrows the margin for error considering how quickly those decisions must be made during games. It’s a small edge, but those can’t be discounted in the hyper-competitive NFL.

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Report: Former Jets RB/WR Ty Montgomery signs with Saints

Jets RB/WR Ty Montgomery is signing with the New Olreans Saints after spending a lackluster 2019 in New York.

Former Jets running back Ty Montgomery has agreed to terms with the Saints, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

The versatile back played sparingly in New York and was an unsuccessful counterpart to Le’Veon Bell last season. Another change of scenery, especially in an environment like New Orleans that correctly utilizes versatile players, should help prolong Montgomery’s career.

Before signing with the Jets, Montgomery spent four years with the Green Bay Packers, serving as the team’s primary slot receiver in addition to being a change of pace back. Montgomery was traded to the Ravens halfway through the 2018 season, but his short stay in Baltimore was ineffective.

For his career, Montgomery has 224 rushes for 1,035 yards and seven rushing touchdowns and 120 receptions for 982 yards and three receiving touchdowns.

In one season in New York, Montgomery ran the ball 32 times for 103 yards while catching 13 passes for 90 yards. With the Jets offensive line struggling all season, Montgomery became an afterthought in Adam Gase’s offense.

There was no rhyme or reason for Montgomery’s lack of usage last season, but things didn’t work out in New York. The Saints will likely use Montgomery’s unique skillset as a running back/wide receiver hybrid to their advantage. Pairing Montgomery with Pro Bowl back Alvin Kamara should help rejuvenate the former’s career after a rather lackluster detour with Gang Green.

Saints announce multiple roster moves, add Ty Montgomery

The New Orleans Saints announced the release of tight end Mitchell Loewen and the signing of former Packers running back Ty Montgomery.

The New Orleans Saints announced Friday that they released tight end Mitchell Loewen to open a spot on the 90-man roster for running back Ty Montgomery, confirming earlier reports that they had signed the versatile offensive weapon.

Loewen spent most of the 2019 season on the Saints practice squad, converting from his natural position of defensive end to tight end (where he had moonlighted in college) in a bid to compete on the fringe of the roster. The Saints reinforced their depth chart by trading up for Adam Trautman in the 2020 draft, adding him to the starting duo of Jared Cook and Josh Hill.

As for Montgomery: he should initially audition for a gadget role along with Deonte Harris, Taquan Mizzell (another returning member of the 2019 practice squad), and Tommylee Lewis, but his experience at running back is intriguing. He could be a better option to pick up Alvin Kamara’s playbook than Latavius Murray or Dwayne Washington, given his experience at lining up all over the formation and catching passes at every level of the field..

Then again, he might just be a training camp body. The Saints have many versatile weapons as it is, and it’s tough to see how Montgomery touches the ball if everyone stays healthy. But with a long summer ahead of us, it’ll be fun to imagine the ways in which Sean Payton might draw up plays for him.

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Saints sign unique Packers, Jets pass-catching threat Ty Montgomery

The New Orleans Saints signed Ty Montgomery, a unique running back/wide receiver who has played for the Packers, Ravens, and New York Jets.

The New Orleans Saints offense added a new element late in free agency by signing Ty Montgomery. News of Montgomery’s deal with the team was first reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, and confirmed by ESPN’s Mike Triplett.

Montgomery established himself during four years with the Green Bay Packers, initially slotting in as a wide receiver before splitting time lined up at running back. He was traded to the Baltimore Ravens midway through the 2018 season, and turned in an unassuming performance with the New York Jets in 2019. Of his 379 career touches, 130 were receptions while 249 were rushing attempts (including four playoff games).

What’s interesting is that Montgomery isn’t just a gadget player who can flash on sweeps or reverses. He’s had success running between the tackles, adding to the issues defenses face simply by putting him on the field (even if he usually wears No. 88, an odd number for a running back; it was issued to tight end Mitchell Loewen, who was waived to open a spot for Montgomery). Opponents may not feel comfortable assigning a linebacker to cover him, which could create opportunities for also-versatile teammates like Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill.

Montgomery should help add depth to the Saints offense at least for training camp; if he shows enough in the preseason to earn a roster spot, he could make waves as another viable option behind Kamara, Hill, Michael Thomas, and Jared Cook, — in addition to Latavius Murray, Josh Hill, and Tre’Quan Smith. Who says the Saints offense doesn’t have enough weapons?

But he’ll face some stiff competition for one of the few spots available on New Orleans’ opening-day lineup. Expect Montgomery to contend with second-year pro Deonte Harris and former Chicago Bears returns specialist Taquan Mizzell (who spent the 2019 season on the Saints practice squad) as the Saints try to find the best fit for that gadget role, which veteran receiver Tommylee Lewis may also push for.

Montgomery’s abilities as a runner could end up giving him an edge. It should be an exciting training camp battle to watch, to say the least.

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13 post-draft free agents for Bills to consider

13 post-2020 NFL Draft free agents for the Buffalo Bills to consider signing.

The 2020 NFL Draft is in the books, so the Buffalo Bills’ roster is all set, right?

Well, not exactly. The grind doesn’t stop for Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane and his scouting department. While there’s new rookies on the club, there’s still some veterans out on the free agent market that could help the Bills next season.

Here are 13 current free agents the Bills could still consider adding following the 2020 NFL Draft:

Devonta Freeman #24 of the Atlanta Falcons. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

RB Devonta Freeman

Age: 28

As soon as Devonta Freeman was released by the Falcons, the Bills connections were made. Since then, Buffalo added Utah’s Zack Moss via a third-round pick at the draft. But Freeman could be another solid complement to their complement. Devin Singletary is the No. 1, shifty runner for the Bills. Moss gets the heavy lifting done at times while Freeman is a solid third-down option as a proven pass catcher. During his career, Freeman has been among the league’s best in that category. The jukes, the power and the hands in the Bills’ backfield sounds nice.

 

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