After the Saints released controversial linebacker Junior Galette last week, Washington quickly signed him to a one-year, minimum salary deal. General manager Scot McCloughan and head coach Jay Gruden spoke to reporters today, touching on the Galette signing, running back Alfred Morris, and other topics. Lets’ take a look at the highlights:
- McCloughan said Washington got word the Saints were going to release Galette about a week before the transaction actually took place, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter), so the club had plenty of time to conduct research on Galette.
- “There’s a chance” that Galette is in line for a suspension — either because of his arrest earlier this year, or his involvement in an assualt incident captured on video — but McCloughan doesn’t know where the process stands at the moment, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times.
- On the subject of the video: “I did not like the video at all and as a matter of fact when I saw the video it was scary,” McCloughan said, according to John Keim of ESPN.com. “That’s why I wanted to meet with him face to face. That’s why I had to sit down with him and ask him what happened. I got the real story and I’m fine with that.” McCloughan said he spoke to more than 20 people regarding the events on the video, per Keim (Twitter link).
- Washington is giving Galette a second chance, but it won’t give him a third, says McCloughan. “He knows he’s got to walk the line, and he knows if he doesn’t, he’s gone,” said the GM (per Jones on Twitter).
- Both McCloughan and Gruden want Morris to stay in Washington for the long haul, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (Twitter link). “We anticipate Alfred being here for a while,” said Gruden. “I love what Alfred is all about on and off the field.” However, Keim adds (via Twitter) that a deal isn’t expected to come together any time soon. Morris is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
- McCloughan confirmed that he has final say over the 53-man roster, but added that the coaching staff and personnel department would have a hand in formulating the final roster, tweets Boyer.