Tag: undrafted

Saints spent big to sign undrafted Idaho returns ace Jermaine Jackson

The Saints spent big to sign undrafted Idaho returns ace Jermaine Jackson. With kick returns changing, it’s worth investing in multiple options:

NFL teams tell you how they value players by their actions, and most importantly how they spend their money. With the 2024 NFL draft behind us the New Orleans Saints entered a fierce bidding war with other teams for the rookies whose names were not called during the draft. And one of their first pickups was a costly one: Idaho Vandals wide receiver/return man Jermaine Jackson.

Jackson is listed at 5-foot-7 and 170 pounds so he’s cut from the same cloth as other Saints returns specialists like Rashid Shaheed and Deonte Harty. While he received just a $10,000 signing bonus to come to New Orleans, Jackson is also getting $150,000 of his base salary guaranteed, per KTIK 95.3 FM’s John Mallory. That’s significant. For context, Shaheed was guaranteed $222,000 when he signed with the Saints out of Weber State.

So why is he so special? There aren’t many players in college football with 600-plus return yards on both punts (604) and kickoffs (666), as well as four return touchdowns (three off of punts, one off of a kickoff). That production comes from a combination of instincts, athleticism, and hard work to cultivate them.

And why do the Saints value special teams so highly? Their coordinator Darren Rizzi was integral to developing new kickoff rules for 2024, which make it more favorable for teams to roster multiple returns specialist. He’s always scouted returners heavily. Some of them have hit like Shaheed and Harty. Others fell off like Marquez Callaway and last year’s undrafted rookie Malik Flowers. This year’s second round pick Kool-Aid McKinstry returned  punts at Alabama (35 times, for 427 yards) and said he’s open to helping in the return game if he’s needed.

But Jackson isn’t limited to work on special teams. Over the last two years he caught a combined 107 passes for 1,645 yards with 6 touchdowns as part of Idaho’s one-two punch at wide receiver. It’ll be fascinating to see whether Jackson can overcome the size mismatch with a very talented group of Saints cornerbacks over the summer but he was consistently productive at Idaho. But clearly the team has high expectations for him. All he needs to do is back them up.

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Rookie WR Shaquan Davis cleared waivers, signing with Saints practice squad

Rookie wide receiver Shaquan Davis cleared waivers, will be signing with the New Orleans Saints practice squad

Undrafted rookie wide receiver Shaquan Davis cleared waivers and is signing with the New Orleans Saints practice squad, as first reported by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. The South Carolina State product quickly won over the Saints fanbase with 7 receptions for 101 yards in their three preseason games, flashing a rare combination of speed and size. But he’ll need to do more to dress out on game days.

With Davis on the practice squad, the Saints receiving corps now includes Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Rashid Shaheed, Keith Kirkwood, Tre’Quan Smith, and A.T. Perry. Smith could go on injured reserve to start the season later Wednesday afternoon, and the Saints could also bring back another receiver to join Davis on the practice squad. Stay tuned for updates.

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REPORT: Chiefs RB Deneric Prince took first-team reps at Wednesday practice

Rookie running back Deneric Prince got reps with the Chiefs’ first-team offense at Wednesday’s training camp workouts.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ stable of talented running backs may be in the middle of a training camp shake-up as head coach Andy Reid looks to maximize the ground game in 2023.

Reporter PJ Green of FOX4 News Kansas City reported on Twitter that darkhorse running back Deneric Prince received reps with the first-team offense on Wednesday, though he noted that many players get looks with the starters at this point in the training camp process.

Nonetheless, Prince seems to be out-performing his undrafted pedigree, which bodes well for the Chiefs’ offense as they figure out which combination of backs will give them the best chance to win next season.

Prince will have to out-compete former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire, veteran Jerick McKinnon, and second-year sensation Isiah Pacheco to get carries in Kansas City’s offense. But, if Wednesday’s development is any indication, the Chiefs’ coaching staff has liked what they have seen from him.

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Anfernee Orji highlighted as the Saints’ most exciting undrafted rookie

Former Vanderbilt linebacker Anfernee Orji was highlighted as the New Orleans Saints’ most exciting undrafted rookie at Bleacher Report:

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It didn’t take long for New Orleans Saints fans to pick out their favorites from the team’s crop of undrafted rookies signed after the 2023 draft, but here’s an interesting pick from Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine: former Vanderbilt linebacker Anfernee Orji.

The Saints have room on the depth chart with Kaden Elliss leaving in free agency and backups Zack Baun and D’Marco Jackson returning from injuries, but it’s a lot to ask Orji to climb the ladder and play ahead of one of them. Still, New Orleans wanted him badly enough to guarantee a large portion of his rookie contract so they could recruit him as an undrafted free agent.

There’s a vision for the player, which Ballentine broke down in his writeup:

The middle of the field thumper at linebacker has somewhat fallen out of fashion in the league. The linebacker who can cover and be an effective zone defender is generally the preferred archetype at off-ball linebacker.

However, there’s still some value in a player like Anfernee Orji. The 6’1″, 230-pounder is a bit undersized and his lack of length makes it less likely he can get a hand on the ball in zone coverage or disrupt bigger tight ends at the catch point.

What he can do is fly around the field, get downhill and be an eraser in the run game. He posted a relative athletic score of 9.23 anchored by a 4.53 40-yard dash, 38½” vertical and 10’2″ broad jump.

Orji was fourth in the SEC in total tackles and showed the ability to track down plays from sideline to sideline with Vanderbilt.

There’s a role for Orji at the next level.

That athleticism and movement skills are valuable traits, but if he’s going to make the roster Orji will need to be a big player for New Orleans on special teams. The good news is that’s an area he excelled in at Vanderbilt while covering punts and kickoffs. Missed tackles have been an issue for him, but if he can play with greater control and be an asset in the gam’e’s third phase, it shouldn’t shock anyone if the Saints hold onto Orji as a young backup in September.

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Rookie Saints cornerback Anthony Johnson’s contract is heavily guaranteed

It was easy to overlook undrafted Saints CB Anthony Johnson, but he was hot on their radar. He received the second-most contract guarantees of their rookie free agents:

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It was easy to overlook cornerback Anthony Johnson. The former Virginia standout didn’t arrive with as much fanfare as other New Orleans Saints undrafted free agents, but the team was thrilled to sign him after the 2023 draft — NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that Johnson received a whopping $231,000 in guarantees, second-most of the Saints rookie free agent class. Only Arkansas-Pine Bluff offensive lineman Mark Evans had a larger portion of his rookie deal guaranteed at signing ($241,000).

That’s impressive, but Johnson is an impressive prospect. He played often at Louisville from 2018 to 2020 before transferring to Virginia for a larger role on defense in 2021, and the move paid off: he intercepted 5 passes and logged 15 pass breakups in two years with the Cavaliers. He was named first-team All-ACC last year, too.

He’s totaled more than 2,000 defensive snaps at cornerback in his college career while recording 328 reps on special teams, mostly with the punt return and field goal blocking squads. And he’s got great size for the NFL at 6-foot-1.5 and 205 pounds, with 32.6-inch arms though his overall athletic profile is lacking.

Johnson’s athletic limitations weren’t much of a problem at the Senior Bowl practices, and he impressed Saints senior defensive assistant Peter Giunta at Virginia’s pro day, who conducted drills for the defensive backs in front of scouts and other coaches. Johnson won a trip to Ben & Jerry’s from Giunta by not dropping any passes in that workout, and that relationship (as well as the heavy contract guarantees) may have helped the Saints ultimately recruit him.

It’s a good sign for his chances of making the cut that the Saints already waived cornerback Vincent Gray, who spent the entire 2022 season on their practice squad. Johnson’s contract guarantees should at least lock him in to the practice squad, but if he can be an asset on special teams while competing hard on defense through the summer and preseason, he just might make the 53-man roster.

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Report: Rookie TE Joel Wilson did not pass his Saints physical

Report: Central Michigan TE Joel Wilson did not pass his physical, meaning he did not sign with the New Orleans Saints:

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This is a bummer: SI.com’s John Hendrix reports that rookie tight end Joel Wilson did not pass his entrance physical with the New Orleans Saints, meaning he didn’t sign with the team after all. The undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan suffered a season-ending ankle injury on a touchdown reception last November, and though he was able to complete some pre-draft athletic testing it did limit what he was able to do.

So how does this shake up the roster at tight end? The Saints expect Foster Moreau to be on the field next week after completing treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma earlier this spring, pairing him with Juwan Johnson on top of the depth chart. Second-year pro Lucas Krull is still in the mix, as is veteran free agent pickup Miller Forristall, and Taysom Hill is technically still listed as a tight end (even if he rarely lines up there).

We’ll see if the Saints sign another player here. They invited a couple of tight ends to try out at rookie minicamp this weekend in Cethan Carter (Nebraska) and Jamal Turner (Toledo), so maybe one of them makes a strong impression.

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Saints announce undrafted free agent class of 13 players

Having previously agreed to terms, the New Orleans Saints announced their undrafted free agent class of 13 rookie players:

The New Orleans Saints made moves to select seven first-year players in the 2023 NFL draft, but that’s only part of their rookie class. The team announced contracts with 13 undrafted players on Saturday ahead of rookie minicamp practices next week — with some of them ranking among league leaders in lucrative contract guarantees.

First-round defensive tackle Bryan Bresee and second-round defensive end Isaiah Foskey have drawn a lot of attention, but it’s important to keep up with the young talent who will be competing for roster spots over the summer.

Here’s a look at the Saints’ confirmed undrafted free agent signings from Saturday’s announcement:

7 Saints undrafted rookies with the best chances of making the team

Between the strength of different position groups and their own skills, these seven Saints undrafted rookies may have the best shot at making the team:

The New Orleans Saints have signed a dozen rookie free agents in the wake of the 2023 NFL draft, and more of them are on the horizon with mass tryouts awaiting in rookie minicamps. But only a few of them will have a real shot at making the team — of the 17 undrafted free agents from the 2022 class, just two of them (wide receiver Rashid Shaheed and offensive lineman Lewis Kidd) were dressing out on many game days.

It’s impossible to say for sure until they hit the practice field, but here are some early favorites to compete for roster spots in Saints training camp:

Alontae Taylor among New Orleans Saints players wearing new jersey numbers

Alontae Taylor is among many New Orleans Saints players wearing new jersey numbers. Here’s what you need to know about the veterans and rookie free agents making moves:

The New Orleans Saints updated their official website’s roster after the 2023 NFL draft to reflect a series of jersey number changes among players on their team, both veterans returning from last year’s squad and the undrafted rookies who are hoping to stick around. We’ve already broken down the jersey numbers for the Saints’ 2023 draft picks, but there are other changes worth noting.

But more changes are on the way. For one thing, fifth-round safety Jordan Howden is listed in the same number as backup running back Eno Benjamin (No. 31). Once the Saints process roster cuts later this summer, other numbers will open up and some guys will make last-minute changes. So maybe hold off on ordering a jersey.

One of the most notable changes is for second-year cornerback Alontae Taylor. He started his Saints career wearing No. 27, but he’s now listed in No. 1, which his former teammate at Tennessee Marquez Callaway wore with the Saints last season. That’s a bold choice for a young player aiming for a starting job.

Another new addition, wide receiver Bryan Edwards, is going with No. 11 after previously using No. 89 (which was already claimed by his Saints teammate Rashid Shaheed). And we already know that backup safety Ugo Amadi, signed in March, has laid claim to the coveted No. 0 zero (for now). Here’s a quick look at the new numbers on the team:

Several New Orleans Saints rookies among NFL’s highest-paid undrafted free agents

Several New Orleans Saints rookies rank among the NFL’s highest-paid undrafted free agents. Expectations are high for them with rookie minicamp on the horizon:

There’s a lot to be said for hearing your name called in the NFL draft, but in some cases it pays to be patient and reach undrafted free agency. Those seas are turbulent, but there’s big profits to be won from sailing them. Several New Orleans Saints rookies have certainly cashed in this year after hammering out undrafted free agent contracts in the hours and days after the draft.

Once you get into the later rounds, some players may prefer to not be picked at all because of the unique contract quirks that comes with that status. For drafted players, contract guarantees are tied to their draft slot — so a sixth-round pick may only receive a signing bonus valued between $218,000 and $133,000, for example. Seventh-rounders receive even less in guarantees: former South Alabama wide receiver Kawaan Baker, the Saints’ seventh-round selection in 2021, only received $80,076 in guarantees as the No. 255 overall pick.

Not only do undrafted rookies get more guaranteed money, they also may have the luxury of choosing their team if there are competing offers on the table. Last year, the Saints signed returns ace Rashid Shaheed out of Weber State to an undrafted free agent contract carrying $222,000 in guarantees. He was the only undrafted rookie to get more than $200,000 in guarantees from New Orleans last season. At least three players have earned that in this cycle. Here’s why the Saints valued them so highly: