New Orleans SAINTS official thread 2015-16

[treeduck]

Jairus Byrd's full-speed return a welcome, necessary step for Saints' success

 

http://imgick.nola.com/home/nola-media/width620/img/tpphotos/photo/2015/05/28/17938585-mmmain.jpg

 

New Orleans Saints safety Jairus Byrd fully participated in Thursday's organized team activity session. Ordinarily, you wouldn't splash the breaking news sounder for something seemingly mundane.

 

Having the three-time Pro Bowl safety healthy and accounted for signals a major positive step forward for the Saints defense. Especially considering how Byrd's career with the Saints has started after signing a six-year deal worth an average of $9 million per season last offseason.

 

A seemingly out of the blue back surgery sidelined Byrd during last year's OTAs and slowed Byrd for the majority of training camp. Skittish secondary play, including Byrd, didn't help prove the Saints' investment immediately.

 

Then Byrd sustained a torn lateral meniscus in his knee during practice leading up to the Saints' Week 5 matchup with Tampa Bay to derail his New Orleans second line celebrating takeaways and defensive success galore.

 

It's slightly off kilter to think just blending in at the start of OTAs is progress. For Byrd, that is progress.

 

"I think it is significant," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "He is in good shape now and working through. There are still some maintenance things he is doing with his knee and yet to get out here, for all of these guys, but specifically a player like him (it's important).

 

"The message this morning in the meeting was we are preparing mentally with alignments, there are some conditioning elements to what we are doing this time of the year, obviously that is important, but it is to allow ourselves to be better prepared when we put the pads on and get into training camp.

 

"I think it is also beneficial to the other 10 guys when you are talking about a veteran playing like him with regards to calls, with regards to communication and leadership."

 

The next step, which needs to happen like this year quickly, will be to revive the player who picked off 22 passes, forced 12 fumbles and recovered five loose balls.

 

Newcomer cornerback Brandon Browner has been an admirer from afar of Byrd for several years. Browner knows better than anyone else in the Saints locker room how effective Pro Bowl safety play can affect a defense with his years in Seattle.

 

Having a combo of a bruising Browner on the front end and, when healthy, a player like Byrd plucking errant passes on the back side can be game changing.

 

"It's always big to have a ball-hawking safety," Browner said. "It helps us as cornerbacks. When you're man to man and you have someone that you know that you can trust to be over the top. And not just be over the top, but he can come down with the ball. He can get Brees the ball back. It's big to have him healthy for 16 games or whatever it may be into the playoffs."

 

What's also a welcome sight for the Saints brass is having Byrd teaming up with Kenny Vaccaro together. The Saints can actually figure out a plan for the two safeties this offseason as opposed to running with a plan without a test drive like last offseason.

 

Vaccaro pointed out how both him and Byrd were banged up last offseason and missed valuable time together. He's right.

 

"Jairus has rehabbed well and we're meshing together," Vaccaro said. "We've been working this whole offseason together. It's been fun. You've got to work off each other. The secondary has to work like glue. You've got to stick together. I think that's what we're building."

 

Browner seems like he may be the only player new to the secondary construction project in 2015. Having limited time among the entire group hindered a unit last season that was easily regarded as a strength entering the season.

 

Discard political correctness for a minute. The Saints know Byrd basically babysat Patrick Robinson and Corey White in the four healthy games Byrd started last season. The guys in the secondary room may like Robinson and White (and both are very likable guys), but the corner spot opposite Keenan Lewis last year was an unattended wound last offseason.

 

This should be different in 2015.

 

The Saints added three free-agent cornerbacks (Browner, Kyle Wilson, Delvin Breaux) and two draft picks (P.J. Williams and Damian Swann) this offseason. With holdovers like Terrence Frederick, Brian Dixon and Stanley Jean-Baptiste, the Saints have to be in better shape at cornerback than last year, right?

 

And yet a healthy, more comfortable Byrd turned a secondary from sagging to solid and even to staunch if everything falls in place.

 

"Nobody is going to have more high expectations than Byrd himself," running back C.J. Spiller.

 

Spiller may know Byrd's fire better than anyone with their several years of playing together in Buffalo. The two are so close that when Payton phoned Byrd to get the juice on Spiller, the free-agent running back was standing beside Byrd and Payton told Byrd to go to the bathroom.

 

"We had a chance to work out in the offseason and he worked tremendously hard," Spiller said. "We pushed ourselves and we pushed each other. That's what it takes when you're trying to be great. Since we've started here, it's kind of carried over. I'm pretty sure he's very eager to get out there and showcase his skills. Same as us that we're ready to get out there and see him play."

 

Not just play, but play at an elite level. With the money and the expectations surrounding Byrd, this shouldn't warrant a breaking news sounder either.

Edited May 29, 2015 by treeduck

[treeduck]

Saints, Cameron Jordan agree to five-year contract extension

 

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 2, 2015, 10:38 AM EDT

Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan has cashed in with a new contract.

 

Jordan and the Saints have agreed to a five-year deal with $33.8 million in guaranteed money, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports reports. The deal includes $27 million in the first two years and a total value of “up to” $60 million, according to the report.

 

Jordan was heading into the final season of his contract and was scheduled to count $7 million against the Saints’ cap this year. The addition of five years to his deal means he’s now under contract to the Saints through 2020.

 

The 25-year-old Jordan was the Saints’ first-round draft pick in 2011 and hasn’t missed a game in his four seasons in New Orleans. Now the Saints are counting on him to play out his prime in New Orleans.

[treeduck]

Sean Payton: I think there’s a fit here for Jermaine Gresham

 

Posted by Josh Alper on June 4, 2015, 2:47 PM EDT

 

 

Tight end Jermaine Gresham visited with the Saints on Wednesday and it sounds like he could be in line for a longer stay in New Orleans.

 

Gresham’s been out of the spotlight for the last couple of months while recovering from surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back, but Saints coach Sean Payton said Thursday that the team has had him on the radar for a while.

 

“He’s a player we were obviously well aware of coming out of Oklahoma five years ago,” Payton said, via the New Orleans Advocate. “He’s recovering from an offseason surgery, and I thought the visit went pretty good. It would be about the fit. I think there’s a fit for us if it works out, and he’s a guy that we’ve studied quite a bit now in the last couple of months.”

 

If Gresham agrees about the fit, it may wind up eating into Benjamin Watson’s role in the offense. The team has talked up Josh Hill quite a bit this offseason as a receiving option at tight end since trading Jimmy Graham, which would leave an in-line role for Gresham that Watson is currently slated to fill in New Orleans.

[treeduck]

Saints’ Junior Galette suffers pectoral injury

 

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 4, 2015, 7:03 PM EDT

 

 

One of the best players on the Saints’ defense could miss significant time after suffering an injury.

 

Saints linebacker Junior Galette suffered a pectoral injury and may need surgery, FOX Sports reports.

 

A pectoral surgery often has a recovery time of several months. If he does need surgery, Galette could miss most or even all of the 2015 season.

 

Galette has recorded double-digit sacks in each of the last two seasons and is heading into the second year of a four-year, $41.5 million contract.

[treeduck]

[treeduck]

Brandin Cooks expects to think less and play faster

 

Posted by Josh Alper on June 8, 2015, 10:50 AM EDT

 

When Brandin Cooks came out of Oregon State in 2014, he was one of the fastest receivers in the draft class and the Saints liked what they saw enough to make him the 20th overall pick.

 

Cooks had 53 catches last year before a broken thumb ended his season after 10 games and the injury helped him earn a lower profile than fellow rookies Odell Beckham, Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins and Kelvin Benjamin by the time the year was out. That ending left Cooks feeling like he has “unfinished business” and he thinks that he’ll be able to take care of it at an even faster speed than he was playing at before last year’s injury.

 

“You know, honestly it is [possible],” Cooks said, via ESPN.com. “Because taking the thinking out of it, some of that thinking I was doing last year can really slow you down. … I’m definitely ahead of where I was last year mentally, knowing my plays and just having that true confidence when I’m running around.”

 

With Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills gone from New Orleans, there should be plenty of opportunities for Cooks to show how far ahead of where he was last season. If he takes advantage of them, last year’s bumper crop of wide receivers will look even more impressive and the Saints Offense should be able to keep rolling despite the changes.

[treeduck]

Saints add former Jets pro personnel director Brendan Prophett as scout

 

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on June 8, 2015, 4:54 PM EDT

 

The New Orleans Saints have a new addition to their front office.

 

According to Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate, the Saints have hired former New York Jets director of pro personnel Brendan Prophett to serve as a college scout.

 

Prophett spent 15 seasons working for the Jets with the last eight in the pro personnel director role. Prophett was let go following the conclusion of the NFL Draft last month. He also served as the assistant director of pro scouting, a pro scout, a regional scout, and as a college scouting assistant during his Jets tenure.

[Turbine Freight]

Brandin Cooks expects to think less and play faster

 

Posted by Josh Alper on June 8, 2015, 10:50 AM EDT

 

When Brandin Cooks came out of Oregon State in 2014, he was one of the fastest receivers in the draft class and the Saints liked what they saw enough to make him the 20th overall pick.

 

Cooks had 53 catches last year before a broken thumb ended his season after 10 games and the injury helped him earn a lower profile than fellow rookies Odell Beckham, Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins and Kelvin Benjamin by the time the year was out. That ending left Cooks feeling like he has “unfinished business” and he thinks that he’ll be able to take care of it at an even faster speed than he was playing at before last year’s injury.

 

“You know, honestly it is [possible],” Cooks said, via ESPN.com. “Because taking the thinking out of it, some of that thinking I was doing last year can really slow you down. … I’m definitely ahead of where I was last year mentally, knowing my plays and just having that true confidence when I’m running around.”

 

With Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills gone from New Orleans, there should be plenty of opportunities for Cooks to show how far ahead of where he was last season. If he takes advantage of them, last year’s bumper crop of wide receivers will look even more impressive and the Saints Offense should be able to keep rolling despite the changes.

 

How could Brandin Cooks possibly think less?

[treeduck]

Brandin Cooks expects to think less and play faster

 

Posted by Josh Alper on June 8, 2015, 10:50 AM EDT

 

When Brandin Cooks came out of Oregon State in 2014, he was one of the fastest receivers in the draft class and the Saints liked what they saw enough to make him the 20th overall pick.

 

Cooks had 53 catches last year before a broken thumb ended his season after 10 games and the injury helped him earn a lower profile than fellow rookies Odell Beckham, Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins and Kelvin Benjamin by the time the year was out. That ending left Cooks feeling like he has “unfinished business” and he thinks that he’ll be able to take care of it at an even faster speed than he was playing at before last year’s injury.

 

“You know, honestly it is [possible],” Cooks said, via ESPN.com. “Because taking the thinking out of it, some of that thinking I was doing last year can really slow you down. … I’m definitely ahead of where I was last year mentally, knowing my plays and just having that true confidence when I’m running around.”

 

With Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills gone from New Orleans, there should be plenty of opportunities for Cooks to show how far ahead of where he was last season. If he takes advantage of them, last year’s bumper crop of wide receivers will look even more impressive and the Saints Offense should be able to keep rolling despite the changes.

 

How could Brandin Cooks possibly think less?

What do you mean?

[Turbine Freight]

Brandin Cooks expects to think less and play faster

 

Posted by Josh Alper on June 8, 2015, 10:50 AM EDT

 

When Brandin Cooks came out of Oregon State in 2014, he was one of the fastest receivers in the draft class and the Saints liked what they saw enough to make him the 20th overall pick.

 

Cooks had 53 catches last year before a broken thumb ended his season after 10 games and the injury helped him earn a lower profile than fellow rookies Odell Beckham, Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins and Kelvin Benjamin by the time the year was out. That ending left Cooks feeling like he has “unfinished business” and he thinks that he’ll be able to take care of it at an even faster speed than he was playing at before last year’s injury.

 

“You know, honestly it is [possible],” Cooks said, via ESPN.com. “Because taking the thinking out of it, some of that thinking I was doing last year can really slow you down. … I’m definitely ahead of where I was last year mentally, knowing my plays and just having that true confidence when I’m running around.”

 

With Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills gone from New Orleans, there should be plenty of opportunities for Cooks to show how far ahead of where he was last season. If he takes advantage of them, last year’s bumper crop of wide receivers will look even more impressive and the Saints Offense should be able to keep rolling despite the changes.

 

How could Brandin Cooks possibly think less?

What do you mean?

 

Give over mate!

[treeduck]

Brandin Cooks expects to think less and play faster

 

Posted by Josh Alper on June 8, 2015, 10:50 AM EDT

 

When Brandin Cooks came out of Oregon State in 2014, he was one of the fastest receivers in the draft class and the Saints liked what they saw enough to make him the 20th overall pick.

 

Cooks had 53 catches last year before a broken thumb ended his season after 10 games and the injury helped him earn a lower profile than fellow rookies Odell Beckham, Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins and Kelvin Benjamin by the time the year was out. That ending left Cooks feeling like he has “unfinished business” and he thinks that he’ll be able to take care of it at an even faster speed than he was playing at before last year’s injury.

 

“You know, honestly it is [possible],” Cooks said, via ESPN.com. “Because taking the thinking out of it, some of that thinking I was doing last year can really slow you down. … I’m definitely ahead of where I was last year mentally, knowing my plays and just having that true confidence when I’m running around.”

 

With Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills gone from New Orleans, there should be plenty of opportunities for Cooks to show how far ahead of where he was last season. If he takes advantage of them, last year’s bumper crop of wide receivers will look even more impressive and the Saints Offense should be able to keep rolling despite the changes.

 

How could Brandin Cooks possibly think less?

What do you mean?

 

Give over mate!

What he means is he was thinking about routes and the playbook instead of just playing.

[treeduck]

Junior Galette waiting on final medical opinion about pectoral injury

 

Posted by Josh Alper on June 10, 2015, 4:33 PM EDT

 

Last week brought word that Saints linebacker Junior Galette suffered a pectoral injury and that he was mulling whether or not to have surgery to repair the issue.

 

On Wednesday, Saints coach Sean Payton confirmed both the injury and the pending decision about how best to handle it. Payton said that Galette is fielding opinions from doctors about the available options and indicated that there isn’t a unanimous opinion about how to move forward.

 

“Right now he’s working through, and we’re waiting on and he’s waiting on a final opinion,” Payton said, via ESPN.com. “We’re just wanting to make sure we get the right opinions on the direction we’re gonna go. I’ll leave it at that.”

 

If Galette does need surgery, he’d be out for several months and would likely miss much, if not all, of the regular season. The fact that doctors haven’t all agreed on that being the best course of action is probably a good thing for his chances of contributing to the team this season, but that may prove to be wishful thinking once all the medical opinions have been heard.

[treeduck]

New Orleans Saints sign DT Kevin Williams to a one-year contract, waive TE Harold Spears

 

By NewOrleansSaints.com

 

Mickey Loomis announced the moves Friday afternoon

 

The New Orleans Saints have signed DT Kevin Williams to a one-year contract and waived TE Harold Spears. The announcements were made by Saints’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

 

The 6-5, 311-pound Williams, who is entering his 13th NFL season, was originally a first round draft pick (ninth overall) of the Minnesota Vikings in 2003 out of Oklahoma State. He spent 11 seasons with the Vikings and the 2014 season with the Seattle Seahawks. He’s appeared in 187 career games with 179 starts and has posted 495 tackles (353 solo), 63 sacks, 68 passes defensed, eight forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries and five interceptions, two brought back for touchdowns. He’s started all nine postseason contests he’s appeared in and recorded 24 stops (17 solo) and one fumble recovery.

 

In 2014, Williams joined the Seahawks and appeared in all 16 regular season games with eight starting assignments. He recorded 29 stops (17 solo), three sacks and two passes defensed. He also started all three postseason contests for Seattle and added eight tackles (six solo). A six-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time Associated Press first-team All-Pro, Williams was named to the 2000s All-Decade Team which was chosen by members of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee.

 

[treeduck]

Report: Junior Galette won’t need surgery

 

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on June 16, 2015, 3:32 AM EDT

The New Orleans Saints Defense may have just received some very good news.

 

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, defensive end Junior Galette will not need surgery to repair a pectoral injury suffered while lifting weights earlier this month.

 

Galette had been waiting on a final opinion on the injury and received the positive returns from Dr. James Andrews on Monday.

 

Surgery would have kept Galette out for months, possibly even the entire season. Instead, Galette has a chance to be ready for the start of the season, per Rapoport.

 

Galette has played in every game for the Saints over the last two seasons and racked up 22 sacks over that span.

[treeduck]

Marques Colston on pay cut: I didn’t want to leave a Hall of Fame quarterback

 

Posted by Josh Alper on June 17, 2015, 2:10 PM EDT

 

Wide receiver Marques Colston is the Saints’ all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, but that didn’t stop the Saints from asking him to slash his salary this offseason.

 

Colston accepted and explained his reasons when he spoke to the media for the first time this offseason on Tuesday. Colston said that “maximizing every penny” wasn’t his chief priority at this point in his career and that it was more important for him to remain in the Saints Offense with Drew Brees throwing passes his way.

 

“I look at things just from a business standpoint. You look at the position I play, I’m kind of dependent on everyone else along the offense to have success,” Colston said, via ESPN.com. “And just being a football fan, I’ve seen guys at my position chase every penny and not really have the career or the success that they’ve been accustomed to. So I always say I’m never gonna be in a hurry to leave a Hall of Fame quarterback. I’ve really never been a person that is driven by outside forces. I’m going to make the decision that’s best for me and my family. And time and time again it leads me to here.”

 

It probably doesn’t hurt that Colston’s role in the offense could grow this season with Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills now plying their trade elsewhere. That helps explain why the team has dialed back Colston’s workload in practice this offseason, something that the veteran says he’s fine with because of the nagging injuries that have bothered him in recent years and because it will give younger receivers more chances to acclimate themselves in the offense.

[treeduck]

Judge finds Tom Benson mentally competent

 

Posted by Josh Alper on June 18, 2015, 4:10 PM EDT

 

After Saints owner Tom Benson changed his will to leave the team and the NBA’s Pelicans to his current wife Gayle, his daughter and grandchildren filed a lawsuit alleging that the 87-year-old was mentally incompetent to make that decision.

 

Benson responded by saying that they were not capable of handling the teams and other business interests involved in his estate. The trial on the matter concluded last week and Judge Kern Reese ruled in Benson’s favor on Thursday.

 

The ruling means that Benson remains in control of both teams and there shouldn’t be any change to the operations of either franchise. That should make Saints coach Sean Payton a happy man.

 

“He’s been a tremendous owner,” Payton said when asked about the case, via the New Orleans Advocate. “With regards to that, you’d have to really be on top of every specific argument. For me as a head coach, getting the job in ’06, which was my first year, I’ve said this before. He’s been a fantastic owner. Very supportive. I can’t think of one time that’s been really frustrated you. He’s been probably the main reason we were able to win a Super Bowl championship.”

 

There could be an appeal of Judge Reese’s decision, although it is not clear at this point whether one will be filed.

[treeduck]

2013 video emerges of Saints' Junior Galette striking woman with belt; NFL, team aware of incident

 

http://imgick.nola.com/home/nola-media/width620/img/tpphotos/photo/2014/12/28/16656936-mmmain.jpg

 

Embattled New Orleans Saints linebacker Junior Galette, already scheduled to meet with NFL officials at the league office in New York later this month about his off-field conduct, could have more trouble on his hands.

 

In a YouTube video titled "Spring Break 2013 South Beach Brawl" and published March 25, 2013, Galette strikes a woman twice with a belt in the midst of a scuffle. The melee was recorded and posted by an onlooker.

 

The Saints were aware of the video and sent it to the NFL office.

 

"We were made aware of the video and we sent it to the league office," Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said. "There is a process this will go through at the league-office level and we are waiting on that to be determined."

 

The NFL had no comment on the video. Galette's agent Alvin Keels did not respond to requests for comment.

 

The video opened with Galette, wearing a white shirt, white shorts, white shoes and sunglasses, fighting a man and then whipping him with a belt. As the fight broke up, Galette wildly swung his belt at onlookers.

 

At the 14-second mark of the clip a woman wearing a swimsuit top and green shorts approached Galette, who again swung his belt, striking her at least twice. One of the onlookers shouted "You're going to jail!" as Galette was escorted away.

 

Galette reappeared at the 1:18 mark of the video without sunglasses and shoved several people before throwing a punch as two others fought. The recording lasts 1:44.

 

The beach fight is the latest incident in a turbulent offseason for Galette.

 

Galette, 27, was arrested for simple battery involving domestic violence on Jan. 5 at his home in Kenner after a 22-year-old woman called police and alleged that Galette beat her.

 

The charge against Galette was dismissed Feb. 19 after Kenner city attorney Mike Power said interviews with witnesses cast doubt on whether the alleged victim was a member of the household. Domestic violence charges can only involve persons in the same household, he said.

 

The woman filed a civil suit the same day. The woman's lawyer, Joe Raspanti, withdrew from the civil suit in late March and there has been no subsequent movement in the case.

 

Galette addressed the media for the first time Wednesday to discuss his offseason arrest. He apologized to Saints fans for the way he conducted himself since the end of the 2014 season.

 

"Really, at this level, you can conduct yourself as good, as choir boy as you want, sometimes the trouble comes to you," Galette said Wednesday of the January incident. "In that situation, there was nothing I could do. Everything, if I could do it all over again, there's not much different that I can do as far as what this person wants for me out of my life.

 

"You really don't know what are the warning signs for that. If somebody's going to cross you and try to take everything you have, basically, but it is what it is. I've learned my lesson, and I just want to play football again. That's all that matters right now."

 

The NFL recently implemented harsher penalties for violating its personal conduct policy with the rash of high-profile cases involving players such as Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy.

 

Rice, who was seen on video punching his then-fiancee in a casino elevator last offseason, originally was suspended by the NFL for two games but was then released by the Baltimore Ravens and missed the 2014 season. He currently is not on a team.

 

Peterson, who pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor reckless assault involving the discipline of his 4-year-old son, missed much of the 2014 season after being placed on the commissioner's exempt list. The Minnesota Vikings' running back has since been reinstated.

 

Hardy was found guilty of domestic abuse but had the charge later dismissed because the accuser wouldn't cooperate. Hardy, a former Carolina Panther, signed with the Dallas Cowboys in the offseason. The NFL suspended him for 10 games in April.

 

According to the NFL's revamped conduct policy put in place Dec. 10: "A baseline suspension of six games without pay for violations involving assault, battery, domestic violence, dating violence, child abuse, other forms of family violence, or sexual assault, with consideration given to possible mitigating or aggravating circumstances."

 

Also from the updated conduct policy: "If you are convicted of a crime or subject to a disposition of a criminal proceeding, you are subject to discipline. But even if your conduct does not result in a criminal conviction, if the league finds that you have engaged in conduct (prohibited by the policy), you will be subject to discipline."

 

The Saints invested heavily in Galette just before the start of the 2014 season. The team rewarded him with a four-year contract extension worth up to $41.5 million after Galette tallied 12 sacks in 2013.

 

Galette, who joined the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2010, has missed much of the offseason workouts the past few weeks after sustaining a pectoral injury while lifting weights at the team facility.

 

See the video below: (Warning: The video contains disturbing images and profane language.)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeYCVSVadhk

 

Edited June 20, 2015 by treeduck

[treeduck]

Drew Brees: “Pieces in place” for best Saints team yet

 

Posted by Josh Alper on June 26, 2015, 7:26 AM EDT

 

The Saints went 7-9 last year thanks to a horrid defense and an offense that wasn’t able to light up the scoreboard frequently enough to overcome the play on the other side of the ball.

 

That led to an offseason of major change as they either traded or cut Jimmy Graham, Kenny Stills, Curtis Lofton, Ben Grubbs and Pierre Thomas in an attempt to change the direction of the franchise. They did that by focusing on upgrading the play on the offensive line and stocking up on defensive players in free agency and the draft in a series of moves that have left quarterback Drew Brees feeling that they have the potential to be the best Saints team he’s ever seen.

 

“I feel like we can build it. Yeah,” Brees said to Ed Werder of ESPN, via the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “Listen there’s a lot of work to be done. I’m not going to sit here in June and say that where we need to be. We still have a lot of work to do. I do feel like we have all the pieces in place. We have the ability to build the best team that we’ve had. It’s not easy. It takes a lot of work, a ton of work. As long as we can maintain that mindset that we will continue to get better each and every day then we’ve got a shot.”

 

Given the amount of work Brees believes the team needs to do, there’s the matter of how long it will take them to round into championship shape. With the Saints taking Garrett Grayson in the third round, there’s at least a nod to Brees’s football mortality even if the veteran believes he can play until he’s 45 years old. Brees put no timeline on it beyond saying he’s “very convinced” he’ll win a second ring in New Orleans before Grayson or anyone else takes over the reins of the offense.

[treeduck]

Jahri Evans feels OK about his pay cut

 

Posted by Michael David Smith on June 27, 2015, 8:50 AM EDT

 

Saints guard Jahri Evans took a pay cut this offseason, but he’s not angry about it.

 

Evans told ESPN that he understands that it’s just the reality of being a 31-year-old NFL player with a fairly hefty salary that the team may come to you and tell you that if you’re not willing to give back some money, you’re not going to keep your job.

 

“It worked out in the end. You know, it’s part of the business, obviously. And I’m glad to be here,” said Evans.

 

It’s a part of the business that a lot of NFL veterans bristle at: Some say the players’ contracts should be guaranteed, as they are in Major League Baseball. But Evans said he just appreciated that Saints coach Sean Payton was upfront and honest with him about the team’s desire to keep him on the roster, but at a reduced salary.

 

“So that was very great, and I was pleased with that,” Evans said. “I still had two years under contract, so I never saw myself not being here.”

 

The Saints entered this offseason in precarious salary cap shape, and it was well known that major changes would be needed. With Evans, it turned out to be only a minor change: He’ll be making about $500,000 less this year, but he’s still in place on the offensive line in New Orleans.

[treeduck]

Drew Brees thinks opposing defenses will have “too many things to think about”

 

Posted by Josh Alper on July 2, 2015, 11:31 AM EDT

Saints quarterback Drew Brees said recently that the team has “all the pieces in place” to be the best team that he’s been on in New Orleans and he explained a bit more about why he feels that way on the offensive side of the ball during an appearance on ESPN Baton Rouge this week.

 

Brees acknowledged that the team is a bit shorter on familiar names than it has been in the last few years, but says that he thinks a few of them will become “household names” before too much longer. His reason for believing that is coach Sean Payton’s ability to build the offense around the players on hand and the more diverse group that the team has put together for the 2015 campaign.

 

“We look at our personnel and we say ‘How can we put our guys in the best positions to succeed according to their strengths?'” Brees said. “We’ve been a top-five rushing offense before. We’ve been able to hurt you down the field with our wideouts, we’ve been able to hurt you underneath with running backs and tight ends, so I feel like we have all those components. And when you have all those, you’re dangerous. You’re hard to defend. There’s just too many things to worry about.”

 

The Saints will need their young players to continue to thrive once they’re faced with actual opposition if they’re going to be dangerous, something that can’t be gauged until that opposition is on the other side of the field. There’s a way to go before we hit that point, but it seems Brees and company will be whiling away the hours in an optimistic mood about what’s to come.

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Josh Hill sees “just subtle changes” with Jimmy Graham gone

 

Posted by Josh Alper on July 1, 2015, 7:21 AM EDT

 

There are going to be several players on the Saints Defense impacted by the departure of tight end Jimmy Graham in a trade this offseason and Josh Hill would seem to be at the top of the list.

 

Hill played 293 snaps at tight end for New Orleans last season and caught 14 passes for 176 yards, numbers that seem destined for a sharp rise with Graham plying his trade in Seattle and coach Sean Payton complimenting Hill’s ability to “run and stretch the defense” as a receiver. Hill’s doing a good job of keeping things on an even keel in spite of the changes, however.

 

Hill said he’s approaching this season the same way that he’s approached any other year and that he wants to “do whatever I can do” to help the team. Hill’s also downplaying any major changes at tight end in the post-Graham offense.

 

“They ask us to do a lot of things,” Hill said, via the New Orleans Advocate. “They always have. I haven’t seen anything stand out to being really different, just subtle changes here and there.”

 

The Saints went out to more than subtly change the makeup of their offense this offseason by dealing Graham and wide receiver Kenny Stills while acquiring center Max Unger and running back C.J. Spiller. That will likely mean a diminished role for tight ends even as Hill’s role grows in his third season in New Orleans.

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New Orleans Saints rookies arriving in Metairie on Wednesday

 

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The New Orleans Saints don't officially report to training camp in White Sulphur Springs, W.V., for another week, but rookies begin arriving at the team headquarters in Metairie on Wednesday.

 

The rest of the team will convene at the Greenbrier resort on July 29 and start practices a day later.

 

The rookie sessions in Metairie are not considered part of training camp and are not open to the media or public.

 

Veterans who have accrued at least one year of league service time are not allowed to report until July 29.

 

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Five undrafted rookies with the potential to break out for the New Orleans Saints

 

The New Orleans Saints are known as a team that values undrafted free agents and does not shy away from giving them real opportunities to compete for snaps. 28 of the 90 players on the present-day roster (31.1-percent) began their NFL careers as undrafted free agents.

 

The Saints have seen several undrafted rookies surprise and make the team almost every year under general manager Mickey Loomis and head coach Sean Payton. Here is a list of those that made the opening-day roster in just the last five years:

 

2014: Kasim Edebali, Brian Dixon

 

2013: Tim Lelito, Josh Hill, Khiry Robinson, Glenn Foster, Kevin Reddick, Rod Sweeting

 

2012: Travaris Cadet, Tyrunn Walker

 

2011: Isa Abdul-Quddus

 

2010: Chris Ivory, Junior Galette

 

This doesn’t account for the contributions of players like Pierre Thomas or Lance Moore much less those that moonlighted on the practice squad like Brandon Coleman, Seantavius Jones, Joseph Morgan, and Andy Tanner.

 

 

 

5. Jack Tabb #80, North Carolina Tight End.

Age: 23 (birthday in July).

 

Height, Weight, Arm Length: 6-foot and 2.875-inches, 243-pounds, 32-inches (approximate).

 

Contract Status: Three years, $1,578,000 ($526,000 against the 2015 salary cap).

 

Jack Tabb had the most productive season of his career for the North Carolina Tar Heels, finishing the 2014 season tied for fifth on the team in receptions (26) and receiving yards (257), and tied for fourth in touchdowns (three).

 

He did not show outstanding athleticism or physicality in the predraft process, but Tabb’s short-area quickness (he recorded a 1.65-second ten-yard dash and 7.12-second three-cone drill at North Carolina’s pro day) is intriguing.

 

What helps Tabb’s stock more than anything else is the opportunity left in the wake of Jimmy Graham’s departure. He has already beaten one rival in competition for the third tight end spot (undrafted rookie Harold Spears, now of the Green Bay Packers). The other candidate to win the job is Orson Charles, who has some off-field concerns in his past.

 

Tabb has the talent to play at this level; almost every tight end that the Saints have brought in for training camp in the last few years is currently on an NFL roster – Spears is in Green Bay, Keavon Milton is in Seattle (at guard, somehow), Nick Jacobs is in Jacksonville, and Je’Ron Hamm is in Washington. The Saints know how to scout tight ends.

 

Where He Wins: Tabb is a better blocker than receiver, but his suddenness in motion implies success in the Saints’ scheme that creates open zones in space. He would not be called on to catch many passes if he wins the third tight end role, and the heavier focus on a rushing attack would let him do what he does best.

 

It’s very possible that he could do most of his work as an extra blocker and occasionally getting looks on passing plays as the open man much like Josh Hill has done the last two years. Benjamin Watson is going to be a free agent after the 2015 season, so the Saints would prefer to find a long-term option at tight end sooner than later.

 

 

 

4. Tavaris Barnes #90, Clemson Edge Defender.

Age: 23 (turns 24 in November).

 

Height, Weight, Arm Length: 6-foot and 3.6 inches, 282-pounds, 33.125-inches.

 

Contract Status: Three years, $1,582,000 ($527,500 against the 2015 salary cap).

 

Tavaris Barnes was a part-time player at Clemson, seeing only 277 defensive snaps in his senior year. That was largely due to having highly-talented players ahead of him like Atlanta Falcons draft picks Vic Beasley and Grady Jarrett. In spite of that, Barnes was highly impactful with a Splash Rate score of 1.22.

 

He has impressed with the Saints as both a five- and three-technique lineman with the ability to get upfield in a hurry. He has the long arms coveted at the position and impressive short-area agility, logging a reported 1.63-second ten-yard dash at Clemson’s pro day.

 

The combination of questions surrounding Junior Galette’s availability for 2015 and beyond and the lack of depth on the defensive line that weakened the unit last year gives Barnes a great opportunity.

 

He is most physically similar to Cameron Jordan (6-foot and 4-inches, 287 pounds, 35-inch arms) and could make for a great understudy to compete with third-year lineman Glenn Foster. Foster (6-foot and 3.5-inches, 286-pounds, 32-inch arms (approximately)) is coming off of a serious knee injury that ended his 2014 season abruptly, but it’s not hard to envision the pair of them pushing for snaps in preseason.

 

Where He Wins: Barnes is at his best rushing the passer from the defensive end position, matching up with offensive tackles. He’s skilled at using his length and explosion to beat offensive tackles on the edge, which resulted in three sacks and a pass rush productivity of 8.2, ranking in the top 25 of this year’s draft class.

 

It’s not likely that he will be more than a situational player early for the Saints, but he should benefit from the move to a true four-man front as a bigger-bodied end than teammates Galette, Kasim Edebali, and Hau’oli Kikaha. He will be a player to watch once the pads come on.

 

 

 

3. R.J. Harris #19, New Hampshire Wide Receiver.

Age: 23 (birthday in June).

 

Height, Weight, Arm Length: 5-foot and 11.875-inches, 200-pounds, 33-inches.

 

Contract Status: Three years, $1,580,400 ($526,800 against the 2015 salary cap).

 

Harris had a highly-productive senior year at New Hampshire, accounting for 32.5-percent of his team’s catches; one out of every three completions in 2014 came from him. He turned those catches into great gains, picking up 41.2-percent of New Hampshire’s passing yards by himself, and scored 15 of the team’s 28 passing touchdowns – a rate of one score every 6.6 catches. Harris added ten rushes for another 77 yards and a pair of touchdowns onto his 2014 numbers.

 

With the departures of Kenny Stills and Robert Meachem, Harris is stepping into a great situation after dominating at the collegiate level. He ran 40-yard dash times of 4.49-seconds and 4.53-seconds at his pro day at a hair under six feet in height and weighing in at a compact 200 pounds.

 

He is effectively a bigger, more dynamic Lance Moore (5-foot and 9.2-inches, 177-pounds, 31-inch arms) with an impressive catch radius for his size.

 

He has done well in summer practices so far by demonstrating an ability to haul in catches from a variety of angles – back-shoulder fades, touch passes in the flat, and high-hanging deep tosses.

 

Where He Wins: Thanks to the instability at wide receiver for the Saints, Harris is in a great position to win a job as a depth player or at worst land on the practice squad.

 

He has shown off his ability to make difficult, juggling catches while running clean routes in summer practices. Harris lined up in both the slot and outside throughout his career, using his surprisingly-broad catch radius and ability to go up and compete for catches (37.5-inch vertical jump) to terrorize opponents.

 

The Saints have two, maybe three vacancies at wide receiver and Harris is in great position to compete for one of them.

 

Harris is a dark horse in the race including Nick Toon, Seantavius Jones, and Brandon Coleman, but he shouldn’t be automatically counted out.

 

 

 

2. Sean Hickey #61, Syracuse Offensive Lineman.

Age: 23 (turns 24 in September).

 

Height, Weight, Arm Length: 6-foot and 5.3-inches, 309-pounds, 32.75-inches.

 

Contract Status: Three years, $1,585,000 ($528,333 against the 2015 salary cap).

 

Sean Hickey was a quality starter at Syracuse at both left and right tackle despite some athletic and physical limitations. He has struggled to adjust his feet to edge rushers in space but is at his best “playing in a phonebooth”, where he can use his outstanding strength and mean streak to match any opponent with power.

 

This bodes well for his move to guard, where he is competing for a roster spot with veterans like Mike McGlynn (6-foot and 5-inches, 318-pounds, 32.875-inch arms), Mike Brewster (6-foot and 2-inches, 312-pounds, 31.5-inch arms), and Senio Kelemete (6-foot and 4-inches, 307-pounds, 33.5-inch arms).

 

Hickey’s pass blocking efficiency rating (per the College Football Focus project) was the third-best in college football last year, with fellow rookie Andrus Peat one of the two offensive tackles rating higher.

 

Syracuse rushers who saw 28 or more carries on the season averaged a combined 4.8 yards per attempt, which speaks to both Hickey’s ability as a run-blocker and the team’s offensive line.

 

Hickey was possibly the best player at this year’s East-West Shrine Game for NFL draft prospects, and chosen by the coaching staff to demonstrate every offensive line drill for his peers.

 

Where He Wins: Hickey is very, very strong – he recorded as many as 42 reps on the 225-pound bench press in pre-draft training. This shows up in his pass-protection, where is a difficult blocker to move off of his spot.

 

Hickey has moved inside to offensive guard for the Saints, where he will be able to use his shorter-than-typical arms to devastate opponents in the closer quarters than he found on the outside.

 

With the instability along the Saints’ offensive line this summer, he has a great opportunity to catch on as a depth player ready to compete for starting time in the future.

 

 

 

1. Bobby Richardson #78, Indiana Defensive Lineman.

Age: 22 (turns 23 in November).

 

Height, Weight, Arm Length: 6-foot and 2.5-inches, 283-pounds, 34.625-inches.

 

Contract Status: Three years, $1,580,000 ($436,666 against the 2015 salary cap).

 

Bobby Richardson is surprisingly rangy for a defensive lineman. His long arms and 11-inch-wide hands let him be a constant disruptor, as reflected by his large shares in Indiana’s solo tackles (4.5-percent, leading all defensive linemen), and team-leading tackles for loss (12.3-percent), and sacks (23.9-percent).

 

He was arguably the best player on Indiana’s defense. Richardson was noted as a good Plan B for teams trying to land USC’s Leonard Williams, but fell to the Saints as a prioritized undrafted free agent.

 

A metric unique to my personal analysis is Splash Rate, which reflects how often defenders make impact plays like sacks, forced fumbles, interceptions, tackles for loss, and deflected passes. Richardson’s score in this metric was outstanding at 1.99. To provide context for that, his rating there tops other top rookie defensive linemen like Arik Armstead (4.54), Danny Shelton (3.35), Grady Jarrett (3.03), Leonard Williams (2.86), Henry Anderson (2.35), and Eddie Goldman (2.22).

 

This is just one measure of talent and doesn’t account for the difficulty of opponents faced by these players, but it gives a reasonable barometer of how impactful they were at their respective levels of play.

 

Where He Wins: Richardson is similar to Tyrunn Walker (6-foot and 3.6-inches, 298-pounds, 33-inch-long arms), who the Saints lost to the Detroit Lions this offseason.

 

Like Walker, Richardson is at his best as a one-gapping three-technique who can penetrate and make plays on his own. The Saints have made a move in that direction in summer practices by playing more of a true four-man front nickel defense, which will benefit players like Richardson.

 

He has already been rotating into the starting lineup in nickel and dime sets due to some injuries, so his will be a name to track as training camp wears on.

 

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Saints place three rookies on non-football injury list

 

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on July 23, 2015, 1:31 AM EDT

 

 

The New Orleans Saints have placed three rookies, including fifth-round pick Davis Tull, on the non-football injury list.

 

Rookies report for training camp on Wednesday for New Orleans and the Saints needing to make the moves prior to the start of camp. The team placed Tull, seventh-round running back Marcus Murphy and offensive lineman Antonio Johnson on the non-football injury list.

 

The list is used for pre-existing injuries suffered outside of the NFL environment of games, practices and team organized workouts.

 

Tull missed all of the Saints offseason work with a labrum injury suffered before the draft in March.

 

Players can be activated from the non-football injury list any time during the preseason and count as part of the team’s 90-man roster.