Saints Sign TE Foster Moreau

Foster Moreau‘s Saints visit revealed a concerning health matter for the tight end, but barely a month after his cancer diagnosis, the veteran tight end looks set to resume his career. He is signing with the Saints, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

The Saints are giving Moreau a three-year, $12MM deal, per Fowler, who adds the contract also includes $3MM in incentives. This represents a remarkable comeback for the former Raiders tight end, whose career encountered a brief hiatus after the Hodgkin’s lymphoma discovery earlier this year. The deal includes $8MM fully guaranteed, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter adds (on Twitter).

Moreau’s trip to New Orleans for a free agency meeting in March led to the Hodgkin’s lymphoma finding — revealed during a routine physical — and the four-year veteran stepped away from football as a result. Last month, Moreau said the cancer had spread from its initial location but still indicated positive momentum. Given the timeframe between Moreau’s cancer discovery and this agreement, this marks a stunning turnaround for the former fourth-round pick.

Moreau, who turned 26 last week, has indeed received clearance and expects to play in 2023, Schefter tweets. He is still receiving treatment, according to NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill, who adds the free agency addition will be brought along slowly. But Moreau received a positive diagnosis and is not expected to have limitations upon return (Twitter link).

This will present a homecoming for Moreau, a New Orleans native who caught teams’ attention while playing at LSU, and a reunion with Derek Carr. In between Moreau’s cancer being found and this signing, the Saints traded former third-round pick Adam Trautman to the Broncos. The fourth-year veteran had requested the move. Moreau will join the recently extended Juwan Johnson in the Saints’ tight end room.

Darren Waller served as the Raiders’ starting tight end throughout Moreau’s time with the team, but the younger pass catcher became needed as Waller injuries piled up over the past two seasons. Moreau combined to catch 63 passes for 793 yards and five touchdowns over the past two seasons, stepping in as Waller missed extensive time in that span. Moreau made 34 starts during his Raiders tenure. Pro Football Focus also graded Moreau as a top-15 pass blocker — among tight ends — last season.

Also meeting with the Bengals before his cancer became known, Moreau will join a Saints team that is largely running it back at the pass-catching positions. The team re-signed Michael Thomas and extended Johnson. New Orleans still rosters Tre’Quan Smith and returns Rashid Shaheed as a Chris Olave complement. The team drafted wideout A.T. Perry with the pick obtained in the Trautman deal and signed ex-Raiders receiver Bryan Edwards. This Moreau signing, however, represents the team’s biggest outside addition at a pass-catching spot this offseason.