HEADLINES

New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

Lions To Interview Dan Campbell

January 11th, 2021 at 9:28am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions are set to interview Saints assistant Dan Campbell in the coming days, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The club has also formally scheduled an interview with Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. 

Campbell moved up the coaching ranks soon after retiring in 2021. Starting as a coaching intern with the Dolphins in 2010, he advanced to Miami’s interim head coach in 2015. After impressing in that brief run, he hooked on with the Saints. A few years later, the Dolphins requested an interview, but he had no interest in a South Beach reunion. He did, however, say yes to the Browns, Cardinals, and Packers.

Bowles, who had just 24 wins across four seasons as the Jets’ head coach, reported to be on the Lions’ list a few days ago. Here’s the current list, via PFR’s 2021 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker:

Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara To Return

January 9th, 2021 at 3:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Drew Brees will have his top weapons back. The Saints activated both Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas on Saturday.

Thomas missed the Saints final three regular-season games, going on IR before Week 15 because of a troublesome ankle injury. Kamara is back after contracting COVID-19 last week. The All-Pro running back will end up missing just one game.

The Saints shut down Thomas in hopes he could recover from an injury that has bothered him for months. Thomas suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1, costing him early-season time. That began a complicated season for the perennial Pro Bowler. The Saints handed Thomas a one-game suspension for striking a teammate and then saw him run into a hamstring injury in practice. Altogether, the fifth-year standout missed nine games this season.

Entering 2020, Thomas had missed just two contests. He finished the regular season with with just 40 catches for 438 yards and no touchdowns but will have a chance to end the season on a more positive note.

Kamara contracted the coronavirus shortly after his record-tying Christmas Day performance. Despite not playing in Week 17, the fourth-year running back finished the season with a league-high 21 touchdowns — six of which coming against the Vikings in Kamara’s most recent outing.

New Orleans has been without key cogs throughout the season, losing Brees and Emmanuel Sanders at points as well. Ahead of what could be Brees’ final postseason run, the Saints will have their top guns in uniform.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/9/21

January 9th, 2021 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest NFL minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Signed to reserve/futures deal: QB/WR Joe Webb

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/8/21

January 8th, 2021 at 2:47pm CST by Rory Parks

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves right here:

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Football Team

Saints GM: Brees’ Playing Future Is Up To Him

January 8th, 2021 at 2:17pm CST by Rory Parks

Most believe that Saints quarterback and slam-dunk HOFer Drew Brees will retire at season’s end. New Orleans has prepared for just such a scenario, as it agreed to an extension with Taysom Hill this offseason to keep Hill under club control through 2021.

However, GM Mickey Loomis said in an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio that no decisions have been made one way or another with respect to Brees’ future (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). Loomis added that, if Brees wants to return, the Saints will welcome him back.

“We give him his space, we give him time at the end of the season to determine that, and we’ll see what happens next year,” Loomis said. “I’m not counting him out. It’s going to be entirely up to him.”

If the Saints, who have dealt with heartbreaking playoff exits over the past couple of seasons, are able to capture the Lombardi Trophy this year, it would certainly be a surprise to see Brees come back. After all, he has already signed a deal with NBC Sports, and his transition to the broadcast booth is expected to be a seamless one. But if New Orleans should suffer another difficult defeat, perhaps the soon-to-be 42-year-old will try one last time for a second championship ring. Like Hill, he is under contract through 2021.

Brees has clearly lost some arm strength, but he continued to play at a high level in 2020, even though he and star wideout Michael Thomas were only on the field together in three games. Brees once again completed over 70% of his passes and threw for 24 TDs against just six interceptions en route to a 106.4 quarterback rating. He missed just four games despite suffering 11 fractured ribs and a collapsed lung, and he will lead his troops against the Bears on Sunday afternoon, a matchup in which the Saints are heavily favored.

Jets To Interview Aaron Glenn, Robert Saleh

January 7th, 2021 at 12:57pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have requested permission to interview Saints secondary coach Aaron Glenn for their head coaching job, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Glenn, who played for the Jets in his first eight NFL seasons, has impressed as a lieutenant to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. 

The Bengals were interested in hiring Glenn as their DC in 2019, before the Saints blocked their interview request. In this case, Glenn is in the clear, since teams cannot block assistants from discussing head coaching opportunities. The move to HC would slingshot Glenn up the ladder, but it wouldn’t be an unprecedented leap.

The Jets are also set to interview 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for the position, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Saleh — who is also in the mix for the Falcons, Lions, Jaguars, and Chargers — appears to be one of the hottest candidates in this cycle.

Even though much of the talk in New York is centered around the quarterback position, the Jets could use the defensive expertise of someone like Glenn or Saleh.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/6/21

January 6th, 2021 at 10:19am CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of the latest minor moves here:

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Jets, Falcons, Lions To Interview Eric Bieniemy

January 4th, 2021 at 10:38am CST by Zachary Links

It’s shaping up to be a busy week for Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. He’ll conduct virtual interviews with the Lions and Falcons on Monday afternoon, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Meanwhile, the Jets have officially requested an interview of their own.

Head coaching candidates whose teams are in the playoffs aren’t allowed to interview until after wild-card weekend. But, for Bieniemy, there’s a loophole, thanks to the Chiefs’ first-round bye. The same goes for 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who is also slated to meet with the Lions. The Lions’ latest round of interview requests also includes Saints AHC/TE coach Dan Campbell and Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

Saleh, a Dearborn, Michigan native, may be poised for a homecoming. Still, the Lions have a candidates list in the double digits, so he’ll have lots of competition. Bieniemy, of course, is one of the hottest coaches on the block, and he has the offensive acumen the Lions need to get the most out of their talent.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/2/21

January 2nd, 2021 at 5:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed off Jets’ practice squad: G Blake Hance
  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Karl Joseph
  • Promoted: G Cordell Iwuagwu, LB Montrel Meander, T Alex Taylor

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Promoted: DB John Brannon

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Alvin Kamara Tests Positive For COVID-19

January 1st, 2021 at 5:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

A week after his record-tying Christmas Day performance, Alvin Kamara faces the prospect of missing the Saints’ playoff opener.

The star running back tested positive for COVID-19 Friday, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football (on Twitter). Kamara took another test, and it came back positive, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Kamara did not practice Friday.

Kamara is not symptomatic, according to Underhill (on Twitter). The Saints went to the playoffs in each of Kamara’s first three seasons; he did not miss any of those games. The former third-round pick has only missed three regular-season games in his career.

Should Kamara remain asymptomatic, he will be cleared to play in New Orleans’ first playoff game — should that game occur on Sunday, Jan. 10, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The NFL has a new playoff schedule this year; three wild-card games will occur on Saturday and Sunday. Should the league slot the Saints as a Sunday team — if, in fact, they do not obtain the No. 1 seed — Kamara has a chance to play.

The Saints have a chance at home-field advantage in the NFC, which becomes more important now. The Saints have won one road playoff game in franchise history, but securing the bye now would limit the chances Kamara misses a postseason game. A three-way tie atop the conference between the Saints, Packers and Seahawks would give New Orleans its second No. 1 seed in three seasons. This would mean a Green Bay loss and a Seattle win Sunday, in addition to New Orleans defeating Carolina. However, the Packers are favored to beat the Bears this week and clinch the top spot.

Kamara rushed for six touchdowns in Week 16, tying Ernie Nevers‘ 91-year-old record, and leads the NFL with 21 total TDs. He battled ankle trouble in 2019 but missed just two games. He has played all 15 of the Saints’ contests this year and established a new career high with 1,688 scrimmage yards. The Saints earning the No. 2 seed — which they would if the current spots hold — would mean a matchup with the Rams, Cardinals or Bears in Round 1. As it stands, Latavius Murray (656 rushing yards; five total TDs) would start in that game.

The Saints, however, have navigated this season without key players at multiple junctures. Michael Thomas remains on IR and has missed much of the season due to ailments and a suspension. Drew Brees missed four games because of cracked ribs and a punctured lung but has since returned. This Kamara situation will be more of the same for New Orleans, which endured a first-round upset with Kamara, Brees and a healthy Thomas last season.

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