APRIL 15: The Saints’ signing of Hightower has been processed, and is now official, tweets Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune.
APRIL 8: After successfully revitalizing his NFL career last year with the Saints, running back Tim Hightower is returning to New Orleans. A source tells Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com that, after meeting last week, Hightower and the Saints have agreed to initial terms on a new deal.
A fifth-round pick in 2008, Hightower spent three seasons with the Cardinals and a fourth with Washington, but for several years, it looked like his brief stint in D.C. in 2011 might represent the end of his playing career. Having missed three full seasons, Hightower got a chance to return to the field in 2015 for the Saints, and made the most of it.
In eight games (three starts) for New Orleans last season, Hightower ran for 375 yards and four touchdowns on 96 carries, adding another 129 yards through the air on 12 receptions. Although the veteran back will turn 30 in May, he doesn’t have a ton of mileage on his legs due to his time away from the game — he has totaled just 619 career carries.
If Hightower hopes to continue his comeback story with the Saints during the 2016 season, he may have to beat out some competition to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. Mark Ingram, C.J. Spiller, and Travaris Cadet currently sit atop the depth chart in New Orleans, with players like Vick Ballard and Marcus Murphy in the running back mix as well.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.