Tag: Wil Lutz

Saints work out 3 free agent kickers on Thursday, including pair of rookies

New Orleans Saints work out free agent kickers including two rookies:

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The clock is ticking on the New Orleans Saints. Literally — at the time of writing this post, they had fewer than 99 hours until their next preseason game, and they still haven’t found a healthy kicker. Wil Lutz is recovering from core muscle surgery. A similar injury landed Brett Maher, signed to replace him, on injured reserve. There aren’t many other positions that you can plug into the lineup and hit the field for a game, but the Saints really were taking this down to the wire.

So it’s good to see them take some action and bring in three free agent kickers for a group workout on Thursday. We’ll see if any of them end up signing with New Orleans, but for now here’s what you need to know about each of them:

Wil Lutz ‘can’t wait to get back’ from injury, Saints hope to avoid injured reserve

The Saints hope Wil Lutz can avoid a stint on injured reserve, but they’ll be without their kicker for quite some time:

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The hits just keep coming at New Orleans Saints training camp. News of Wil Lutz’s injury broke on Monday morning, which the Pro Bowl kicker later confirmed. Reports have said Lutz exited the Saints’ Aug. 7 practice session with a groin issue — the same core muscle problem that caused him to start camp on the non-football injury list. Lutz cleared his physical and initially kicked well, but he must have re-aggravated the injury.

After meeting with team doctors and seeking a second opinion, Lutz says that he has decided “to get this fixed now” so that he can miss as little time as possible during the regular season. The low end of recovery projections have Lutz sidelined for 8 weeks — meaning his earliest return could come around Week 4’s home game with the New York Giants on Oct. 3. But less optimistic projections have Lutz missing 12 weeks, not returning until Week 8, when the Saints host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Halloween.

So it’s looking like a long absence either way. Sean Payton said after training camp practice on Monday that, for now, the Saints intend to keep Lutz on the 90-man roster while he recovers from surgery. They’ll evaluate his progress as the preseason continues and make a decision later on whether he should be placed on injured reserve or the physically unable to play list.

NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that the team will soon try out free agent kickers, though it’s unclear just yet who they plan to bring in. The last kicker they signed in the Lutz era was Minnesota Vikings playoff antagonist Blair Walsh, who joined New Orleans’ practice squad late in the 2020 season.

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Pro Bowl Saints kicker Wil Lutz could miss up to 12 weeks with injury

Pro Bowl Saints kicker Wil Lutz could miss up to 12 weeks with injury, via @KadeKistner

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New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz started training camp on the non-football injury list in July, and while it was expected that he would make a quick turnaround and be ready for the 2021 season after passing his physical, he is now being evaluated for core muscle surgery after exiting Saturday’s practice session early.

However, ESPN’s Mike Triplett reported that Lutz has been dealing with a groin injury, but the hope was that the timetable for return would be short.

Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football then reported that the Saints would be bringing in kickers for a tryout. That report made it seem as if the injury to Lutz was just a little bit more than nagging injury with a short time table as originally suspected.

Everything came to light shortly after both reports from Triplett and Underhill were released when NFL Network’s Ian Rapport revealed the main cause of Lutz’ absence and the need for New Orleans to bring in kickers for a tryout: a potential core muscle surgery.

Rapoport reports that an issue like this would usually have a position player out for about eight weeks. However, as a kicker, it could be even longer. Underhill reports the worst-case recovery could last 12 weeks, which the Athletic’s Larry Holder also reports.

If surgery is in fact needed and Lutz misses significant time, the Saints will have a number of new faces starting this season. 11 new starters to be precise. A quarterback competition between Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill, along with losses to key playmakers are at the forefront for this team heading into the season. Fans should prepare themselves for a “new look” New Orleans Saints this season.

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New Orleans Saints roster locks and long shots on special teams

The New Orleans Saints have two-thirds of their specialists locked in, but a competition is raging at punter between Blake Gillikin and Nolan Cooney:

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Get excited: our position previews for New Orleans Saints training camp continues with the special teams unit, where the Saints are enjoying some veteran continuity at two key spots with serious competition ongoing to complete the group. The team moved on from Thomas Morstead this year, but they have a pair of promising young punters working hard to replace him. Let’s evaluate the roster locks, long shots, and players on the bubble for New Orleans’ special teams unit:

Wil Lutz returns to Saints training camp, goes 6-for-6 on field goal tries

Wil Lutz returns to Saints training camp, goes 6-for-6 on field goal tries

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Good news, everyone! The New Orleans Saints have a kicker again. Wil Lutz practiced for the first time during Wednesday’s Aug. 4 training camp session, and he completed all six of his field goal tries from various distances.

Lutz opened camp on the non-football injury list with what Saints general manager Mickey Loomis characterized as a “soft tissue” problem, and the team elected not to sign another kicker during his absence. In the meantime, second-year punter Blake Gillikin worked as the holder on simulated field goal attempts for the special teams units.

Now he’s back after taking a week to rest up and make sure his body is right. There was some speculation that Lutz could be on the outs with New Orleans after posting his worst numbers on field goal tries as a pro (connecting on 23 of 28 tries, or 82.1%) but instead the Saints gave him a vote of confidence with one of their first contract restructures.

That move freed up about $1.74 million in salary cap space while giving him greater job security in the years ahead. Here’s hoping he returns to Pro Bowl form. After years spent in the wilderness — three different kickers took the field for New Orleans between Garrett Hartley’s last attempt in 2013 and Lutz’s 2016 debut — they can’t afford to return to uncertainty.

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Saints re-sign Tommylee Lewis again, clear Wil Lutz and P.J. Williams to practice

Saints re-sign Tommylee Lewis again, clear Wil Lutz and P.J. Williams to practice

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Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the New Orleans Saints have re-signed Tommylee Lewis. The fifth-year wide receiver has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the team, but a recent spat of injuries and suspensions have brought him back to New Orleans yet again. Saints coach Sean Payton announced Lewis’ return in his post-training camp press conference on Friday, a day after Lewis tried out for the team as a free agent.

Expect Lewis to compete for a backup role to Deonte Harris, whose offseason DUI arrest could sideline him for a few weeks during the regular season. Lewis has appeared in the lineup sporadically over the years, primarily on special teams as a returner on punts and kickoffs, though he’s seen his share of gadget plays. Unfortunately, his most memorable moment in a Saints uniform would be no-selling the uncalled illegal hit he took in the 2018 NFC championship game. Hopefully brighter days are ahead for him.

Because the Saints had a few roster spots still available, they won’t have to release anyone just to make room for Lewis. It’s possible that further free agent tryouts or underwhelming practices prompt the team to shuffle the bottom of the depth chart, but for now Lewis’ addition brings them to 89 of 90 roster spots filled. They’ve got room for one more player with more than $11 million to burn.

Additionally, Payton said that both Wil Lutz and P.J. Williams passed their physicals and will begin practicing with the team after starting training camp on the non-football injury list. They only missed the first day, so New Orleans elected not to sign a new kicker in Lutz’s absence. Williams faces real competition at the dime spot in the secondary; he and veteran free agent pickup Brian Poole must outplay some younger teammates for snaps as the team’s sixth defensive back.

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Wil Lutz, P.J. Williams start Saints training camp on non-football injury list

The New Orleans Saints open training camp without kicker Wil Lutz or defensive back P.J. Williams, who are on the non-football injury list:

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The New Orleans Saints won’t exactly be at full strength when training camp kicks off, beyond Michael Thomas landing on the physically unable to perform list. They also will be without several players on the non-football injury list, in addition to backup offensive lineman Derrick Kelly.

This will be official on the next update to the daily NFL transactions wire, but Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said Wednesday evening that kicker Wil Lutz and defensive back P.J. Williams are going to unavailable to start camp. Both players are landing on the NFI list with Kelly with what Loomis characterized as soft-tissue injuries, suggesting neither of them are expected to be out for any significant time.

Additionally, the Saints don’t even plan to try out free agent kickers, which certainly suggests Lutz won’t be out for long. So expect most of their special teams practice minutes to focus on punting drills — where second-year pro Blake Gillikin and undrafted rookie Nolan Cooney are competing to replace Thomas Morstead, while other replacements for top coverage players Justin Hardee Jr. and Craig Robertson must be found. If the Saints do get desperate to bring in another kicker, Blair Walsh is still a free agent after joining their practice squad late last season.

It isn’t ideal to open training camp with so many players recovering from injuries, but that’s the nature of the sport. Injuries and absences are inevitable. If nothing else, these latest Saints roster moves could help build up the depth needed to take those gut punches and keep moving on.

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Wil Lutz and Saints restructure contract, tying Pro Bowl kicker to NO a little tighter

The New Orleans Saints restructured their contract with Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz, saving 2021 salary cap space after his down year in 2020.

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NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report a contract restructure between the New Orleans Saints and Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz, creating $1.74 million in salary cap space while tying Lutz to New Orleans a little more tighter in future years.

The Saints achieved this by converting most of Lutz’s base salary and a roster bonus into a signing bonus; he’ll now receive just $990,000 in base salary, the veteran’s minimum, but it’s offset by a nice signing bonus worth about $2.61 million. That signing bonus will be prorated over the three years remaining on his contract on top of a previous signing bonus from when he first signed the extension.

So our end result is $1.74 million in savings for the Saints this year, which helps them, and higher guarantees in Lutz’s contract. That means it will be tougher for the Saints to release him if his performance continues to trail off after a down year in 2020. He’ll carry salary cap hits of $5.57 million in 2022 and $5.62 million in 2023. If he bounces back, though, maybe the Saints explore another contract extension to lower those cap hits. It’s something to watch out for next summer.

Lutz completed a career-worst 82.1% of field goal tries in 2020, though some of his issues appear linked to a Dec. 6 injury against the Atlanta Falcons when his plant leg slipped and he fell on a kick. He was never listed on the injury report with an issue, but he only connected on 5 of his next 9 attempts, including the playoffs. Before that incident, Lutz had scored on 20 of 22 tries. Here’s hoping he rebounds after curing what’s ailed him.

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Blair Walsh, John Denney return to Saints practice squad among 8 roster moves

The New Orleans Saints added specialists Blair Walsh and John Denney to the practice squad as emergency options for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There’s never a dull moment with the New Orleans Saints, especially on the eve of a playoff game. The Saints announced eight roster moves before Sunday’s kickoff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including the return of several backup specialists. Here’s the latest on each transaction:

Sean Payton explains why the Saints signed an extra kicker and snapper

The New Orleans Saints signed a new kicker, Blair Walsh, and snapper, John Denney, which Sean Payton says are contingency plans for COVID-19

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The New Orleans Saints created a stir by signing two specialists to the practice squad, including former Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh. Given the poor performance from Wil Lutz, who kicked for the NFC at last year’s Pro Bowl, there was some speculation that Walsh could be pushing Lutz for his job.

Saints coach Sean Payton downplayed the roster moves on Wednesday, saying that these additions are contingency plans in case of absences at spots where the team usually retains just one player.

Walsh and long snapper John Denney will practice away from the team in their own quarantine should COVID-19 issues make Lutz or Zach Wood unavailable for the playoffs. Rookie punter Blake Gillikin is a candidate to return from injured reserve in a pinch, if Thomas Morstead were similarly sidelined.

So Payton didn’t want to be caught short-handed if the Saints were down a specialist. He joked about the possibility of being pressed into action himself, telling the Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Amie Just: “I don’t really feel like trying to kick, or hold, or snap.”

If all goes well, none of these players will get on the field for New Orleans any time soon. But it’s good to know that the Saints have backups on standby with plenty of NFL experience behind them.

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