Tag: Wil Lutz

Saints stock up on emergency options, sign long snapper John Denney

The New Orleans Saints signed veteran long snapper John Denney to their practice squad, adding another emergency option against COVID-19.

[jwplayer Soz3iCmf-ThvAeFxT]

The New Orleans Saints aren’t leaving anything to chance or COVID-19. They’ve added another specialist to their practice squad by signing long snapper John Denney, per his agent Ian Greengross.

Denney, 42, visited the Saints three times this season as a free agent. While he hasn’t played in two years, he was coached into a couple of Pro Bowls with the Miami Dolphins by current Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi. He worked out alongside veteran kicker Blair Walsh twice in recent weeks, who also signed with the Saints practice squad.

So add them to the pile of “just in case” backups, along with practice squad quarterback Trevor Siemian and rookie punter Blake Gillikin (on injured reserve, where he can return from at any time). If everything goes according to plan, the Saints will continue marching through the playoffs with Drew Brees starting at quarterback, Wil Lutz at kicker, Zach Wood at long snapper, and Thomas Morstead at punter. But if any of them suddenly become unavailable, New Orleans has a fallback plan.

[vertical-gallery id=42309]

Saints to sign free agent kicker Blair Walsh to their practice squad

The New Orleans Saints will sign former Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks kicker Blair Walsh to their practice squad, per NFL Network.

[jwplayer NlNSYkvr-ThvAeFxT]

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the New Orleans Saints will sign free agent kicker Blair Walsh to their practice squad as a potential fill-in should Wil Lutz be sidelined by COVID-19. It makes sense to keep an option in-house as an emergency replacement, but anyone upset by Lutz’s shaky performance in recent months won’t find Walsh to be much of an upgrade.

Walsh, 31, hasn’t kicked in an NFL game since Dec. 31, 2017. He’s only made two appearances in the playoffs with the Minnesota Vikings, missing a 27-yard try in the closing seconds of their 10-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in his last postseason action.

So keep hoping for Lutz to both remain healthy and to bounce back from the slump he’s found himself in. He’s only connected on 5 of his last 10 attempts since mid-November, and whiffed on a 50-yard field goal in the Saints’ playoff win over the Chicago Bears. He has to play better, whether he’s battling an undisclosed injury or simply caught in a rut.

Maybe competing with Walsh every day in practice can help him find his mojo again. But it shouldn’t be much of a competition given both kicker’s resumes.

[vertical-gallery id=42386]

LOOK: SpongeBob superimposed on goalposts for Wil Lutz field goal try

Nickelodeon superimposed SpongeBob SquarePants on the goalposts for a long field goal try for New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”gBTMf15kSZ-1102973-7498″]

Hey, I’d miss a field goal if a two-story SpongeBob SquarePants were staring at me too. But Wil Lutz doesn’t have that excuse, because the Nickelodeon broadcast only had the cartoon displayed for television with augmented reality technology for viewers at home.

So it’s frustrating to see the New Orleans Saints kicker send a 50-yard try too far to the right of the goalposts, meaning he’s completed just 3 of his last 7 attempts. He hasn’t been right since receiving attention from the Saints medical staff in their Week 8 game with this same Bears team. While New Orleans hasn’t listed him on the daily injury report with any issues, he’s clearly not kicking like we’re used to seeing.

For anyone wondering, the Saints have been bringing former Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks kicker Blair Walsh in regularly for free agent visits as an emergency option should Lutz be unavailable — possibly due to injury or a positive COVID-19 test. It doesn’t feel likely they’d turn to Walsh if Lutz continues to struggle, but it’s an option.

[listicle id=42313]

Stars, Studs, and Duds, Week 14: Saints standouts vs. Eagles

New Orleans Saints players like WR Michael Thomas and K Wil Lutz stood out against the Philadelphia Eagles, but for very different reasons.

There’s just three weeks left to play in the regular season, making the New Orleans Saints’ failure to clinch the NFC South look uglier by the minute. Time is running out for them to secure homefield advantage in the postseason, and another embarrassing loss or two like this defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles could put them back a long way.

But there were a few silver linings in Week 14. Let’s get into this week’s stars, studs, and duds:

Stars, Studs, and Duds, Week 13: Saints standouts vs. Falcons

The New Orleans Saints defeated the Atlanta Falcons thanks to impressive performances from Demario Davis, Taysom Hill, and David Onyemata.

The final tally was closer than many fans may have expected, but we really should have seen this coming: things are rarely easy when the New Orleans Saints square up with the Atlanta Falcons. The dirty birds always play the black and gold hard, and that was on clear display in Week 13’s matchup, with Atlanta taking the Saints down to the wire. 

But the Saints pulled it off in the end. Here are this week’s Stars, Studs, and Duds:

Saints specialists pulling for Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller

New Orleans Saints Wil Lutz and Thomas Morstead are rooting for Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller, the first woman to play at the FBS level.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”rVC2GK54At-1052626-7498″]

Several New Orleans Saints will be watching this week’s college football games unfold closely, but for once they aren’t watching their Alma maters. Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller is set to make history as the first woman to take the field in a Power 5 football game after successfully trying out for the team this week once several Commodores specialists were placed in quarantine due to COVID-19.

Fuller, a goalkeeper for Vanderbilt’s SEC championship-winning women’s soccer team, could join Katie Hnida (New Mexico) and April Goss (Kent State) as the only women to play at the FBS level. It would be a groundbreaking accomplishment, and it’s put Saints specialists Wil Lutz and Thomas Morstead on notice. The two NFL Pro Bowlers wrote well-wishes to Fuller before she and the Commodores kick off at noon ET Saturday on SEC Network:

[listicle id=40702]

Could WR-needy Saints ask Wil Lutz to run routes? Kicker has hilarious reaction

New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz wants to help his team win games, but he also wants it known that he’s not eager to play wide receiver.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”oWViGPcAiw-1020160-7498″]

Wil Lutz is willing to do a lot to help the New Orleans Saints win football games. Kick field goals from 60 yards out? He’s your man. Execute an onside kick? He’s game. Lining up at the X-receiver spot and running a deep corner route? Maybe call up someone else.

The Saints have been hit hard by injuries and COVID-19 absences to the wide receiver corps, taking out three of their top five options for Sunday’s road game with the Chicago Bears: starters Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are unavailable, as is breakout rookie Marquez Callaway. So when a fan jokingly suggested it’s time for Lutz to try out in a big spot, he quickly shot the suggestion down.

Lutz referenced a botched trick play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in 2017, his own rookie year, when the Saints called him for to take off and run after a faked field goal. He was stopped short on 4th-and-5 by Buccaneers linebacker Kwon Alexander, which made for a painful collision between the specialist and a defender with 30 or 40 pounds on him and a full head of steam.

So that’s one option down. Fortunately, the Saints have plenty of other weapons to call on against Chicago, like Offensive Player of the Year candidate Alvin Kamara. If Lutz has his way, he’ll be kicking a number of extra-point attempts after a series of Kamara touchdowns on Sunday.

[vertical-gallery id=39620]

Wil Lutz recognized as NFC Special Teams Player of Week 5

New Orleans Saints Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 5 of the 2020 NFL regular season.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”KIX87yCdkr-1000780-7498″]

New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 5, following a perfect performance in his team’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Lutz went 3-for-3 on field goal tries from distances of 48, 53, and 36 yards out. He also converted all three of his extra-point kicks in the 30-27 victory. Not bad for someone who received his first Pro Bowl nod last season.

It’s the seventh time Lutz has received this award in five years in the NFL, most recently for his efforts in 2019’s season-opener against the Houston Texans. His 58-yard field goal in that matchup remains the longest last-second game-winner in NFL Week 1 history.

This is also the second time in the 2020 season for a Saints specialist to win this award; punter Thomas Morstead claimed it in Week 1. This is the second year in a row for both Lutz and Morstead to be recognized here within the first five weeks (Morstead also won recognition in Week 3 last season). The Saints have invested a lot in the kicking game, and it’s still paying dividends.

Other player of the week awards around the NFL:

  • Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (NFC offense)
  • Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (NFC Defense)
  • Steelers rookie receiver Chase Claypool (AFC offense),
  • Ravens rookie linebacker Patrick Queen (AFC defense)
  • Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders (AFC special teams)

[vertical-gallery id=38973]

Wil Lutz FG saves Saints in OT, bettor $1.48 million

The Saints overcame a 20-3 deficit to down the Chargers 30-27 in OT. The win saved a bettor, big time.

It was one win for the New Orleans Saints Monday night. For one bettor, they saved him $1.48 million on a moneyline wager and won him $446,000.

Trust us, no one would be surprised if the wagerer needed a defibrillator.

Wil Lutz kicked a 36-yard field goal with 5:08 left in overtime to give the Saints, who trailed by 17 at one point, a 30-27 lead.

The Chargers’ subsequent drive went for naught when  Justin Herbert found Mike Williams, who was stopped a half-yard short of a first down at midfield on a fourth-and-six.

Brees was 1-48 when falling behind by as many as 17 points in his career. The only victory came in 2009 against the Miami Dolphins. The Saints trailed that game 24-3 and went on to win 46-34.

Make Brees now 2-48 and add $446,000 to someone’s wallet.

Anthony Lynn and his Chargers are now 1-4 after losing another one-score game.

Wil Lutz is open to selling his jersey number to Jameis Winston

New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz is open to selling his jersey number to Jameis Winston, once the free agent ex-Buccaneers QB signs a deal

[jwplayer eY1qTYOG-ThvAeFxT]

Pens have not yet been put to paper on a deal between the New Orleans Saints and free agent quarterback Jameis Winston, but the contract is expected to be finalized soon now that the NFL’s compensatory draft pick cutoff date has passed by.

Whenever Winston does end up signing with the Saints, he’ll face a very important decision: which jersey number to wear. That’s the most important factor in deciding whether a player will thrive or fail in the NFL, and both of Winston’s likely preferences — Nos. 3 and 13 — are each currently occupied by Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz and All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas. He might be able to revert to his college number, having worn No. 5 at Florida State.

However, Winston does have one option: buying his new number from a teammate. And that’s a conversation Lutz is eager to entertaining, joking on Twitter that, “Every man has his price!”

Funny as Lutz’s response may be, it’s a sure bet that some superstitious Saints fans aren’t laughing. Beliefs in the supernatural don’t permeate football as strongly as, say, baseball, but it’s still there if you look for it. Everyone has a pregame ritual (Drew Brees, for example, insists on a plate of beefy mac for dinner the night before kickoffs) and Lutz switching things up with his jersey number could bring some unwelcome energy into the kicking game.

So we’ll be keeping an eye on this situation, taking care to knock on wood when appropriate. The last thing the Saints need in such a critical year is for their golden-booted kicker to lose his mojo.

[vertical-gallery id=32793]