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New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/9/20

December 9th, 2020 at 4:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: K Lirim Hajrullahu

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers 

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Football Team

Falcons To Interview Rick Smith, Terry Fontenot, Brad Holmes For GM Job

December 9th, 2020 at 3:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons’ reported interest in Rick Smith and Saints assistant GM Terry Fontenot will lead to interviews, and more candidates are surfacing for the post. Rams college scouting director Brad Holmes will join the pair in interviewing for the Falcons’ GM position, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Smith landed an NFL GM gig before recently fired Falcons personnel boss Thomas Dimitroff, rising to that post in Houston in 2006. Smith stayed in that job for 12 years, stepping down after the 2017 season to care for his wife after a breast cancer diagnosis. Tiffany Smith died in January 2019. Rick Smith expressed interest in returning to an executive role late last year and was connected to the yet-to-be-filled Washington GM vacancy earlier this year. A clearer path may emerge in Atlanta.

Fontenot surfaced in the Jets’ GM search last year, interviewing for the job that went to Joe Douglas, and was connected to the Falcons recently. Promoted from Saints pro scouting director to assistant GM earlier this year, Fontenot has been with the Falcons’ top rival for 16 years.

Holmes has lived in Atlanta for several years, scouting ACC and SEC talent, and is serving under ex-Falcons exec Les Snead with the Rams. Snead rose to his current role after working under Falcons president Rich McKay from 2009-11. Holmes has been with the Rams throughout Snead’s eight-plus-year tenure.

Should the Falcons hire Fontenot or Holmes, it would lead to the NFL sending draft picks to another NFC team. The NFL passed a recent initiative aimed at increasing minority hires for GM posts. Both Fontenot and Holmes are Black, which would lead to either the Saints or Rams receiving two Round 3 picks if they were hired for the Falcons post. Smith is also Black but does not apply to this newly implemented rule, being an executive free agent.

It is unclear when these interviews will take place, but the Falcons can begin that process sooner than their coaching interview circuit. The Falcons fired Dimitroff and Dan Quinn in October after an 0-5 start.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/9/20

December 9th, 2020 at 1:53pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of the latest practice squad moves here:

Atlanta Falcons 

  • Signed: CB Chris Williamson

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/7/20

December 7th, 2020 at 4:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves from around the league:

Baltimore Ravens

Las Vegas Raiders

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Drew Brees’ Recovery Progressing Well

December 6th, 2020 at 12:46pm CST by Rory Parks

Saints QB Drew Brees is making good progress in his recovery from 11 fractured ribs and a collapsed lung, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com details. The 41-year-old passer is eligible to come off injured reserve for New Orleans’ matchup with the Eagles next Sunday, and there is a chance that he will indeed be back in action then.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network also hears that Brees is approaching full health, though he says that the Saints may hold out the future Hall of Famer until the team’s Week 15 bout with the Chiefs (video link). Regardless, head coach Sean Payton will have a critical decision to make soon.

Payton and the Saints have long considered Taysom Hill to be Brees’ successor, and in his first two games as the team’s starting QB, Hill has not disappointed. In a Week 10 win against the Falcons, he threw for 223 yards on an efficient 18-for-23 passing, and he has scored four rushing TDs on nearly five yards-per-carry over the past two weeks. His Week 13 passing effort was nothing to write home about — nine of 16 for 78 yards and a pick — but he didn’t need to do much through the air for the Saints to roll to a 31-3 win over the QB-less Broncos.

Obviously, Brees will be reinserted into the starting lineup soon, but Hill’s performance has given the Saints the option to be patient with Brees’ return. As of now, it continues to look as though Hill, who signed an extension earlier this year keeping him under club control through 2021, will be New Orleans’ permanent QB next season.

Saints Activate DT Sheldon Rankins

December 5th, 2020 at 3:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the NFL’s best defenses will feature more defensive line talent than it has in recent weeks. The Saints activated Sheldon Rankins from IR on Saturday.

An MCL injury sidelined the contract-year defensive tackle since Week 8. While Rankins’ role has changed since his Achilles tear in the 2018 playoffs, he still represents a key depth piece for the Super Bowl-contending Saints. New Orleans has won eight straight games and now leads the league in total defense.

The Saints have used Rankins as a backup behind David Onyemata and Malcom Brown this season, but the former first-round pick was a full-time starter prior in the two seasons prior to his Achilles malady. Rankins has seen various injuries, including a 2019 ankle setback, affect his NFL status. But he will have a chance to make a final push for a reasonable free agency deal in the weeks ahead.

New Orleans placed wide receiver Marquez Callaway on IR to make room for Rankins. The team also promoted offensive lineman Will Clapp, cornerback Grant Haley, wideouts Juwan Johnson and Tommylee Lewis and defensive lineman Anthony Zettel from its practice squad.

Falcons Interested In Terry Fontenot

December 4th, 2020 at 4:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of four teams who fired their GM in-season, the Falcons have been looking into Saints assistant GM Terry Fontenot, according to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. However, the NFL’s new minority hiring rule may complicate matters. Were the Falcons to hire Fontenot, who is Black, the Saints would receive two third-round picks. Fontenot has been with the Saints longer than Sean Payton and rose from pro scouting director to assistant GM this year.

“How many teams would trade two third-round picks for an unproven GM?” a source familiar with this situation informed La Canfora. “… Is it worth (the Saints) getting two straight extra third-round picks — possible 10-year starters — just to hire their assistant general manager? They like Terry a lot, but I’m telling you, that’s a very real factor in the discussion. I’d be shocked if they (hired Fontenot) based on what I’ve heard.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/28/20

November 28th, 2020 at 4:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

  • Promoted: QB Reid Sinnett

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Placed on IR: G Sua Opeta

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Terron Armstead Confirms Positive COVID-19 Test

November 28th, 2020 at 1:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Taysom Hill will not have his most accomplished blocker in front of him Sunday in Denver. Terron Armstead confirmed reports he has tested positive for COVID-19 (Twitter link).

Armstead learned of his positive test Saturday morning, putting him in line to next week’s game against the Falcons as well. The Saints will be without their starting left tackle and quarterback for a bit. They are already without left guard starter Andrus Peat.

A full-time Saints starter since his second season (2014), the former third-round pick has become one of the league’s best O-linemen. Armstead has served as a vital component of Alvin Kamara‘s breakthrough, making the past two Pro Bowls as the longest-tenured member of New Orleans’ high-end O-line.

James Hurst stands to be the next man up. The former Ravens starter has served as the Saints’ swing tackle this season, starting twice in place of standout right tackle Ryan Ramczyk.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/24/20

November 24th, 2020 at 5:02pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

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

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Vance McDonald
  • Promoted: TE Kevin Rader

Tennessee Titans

The Jets’ addition of Adams makes a lot of sense after rookie running back La’Mical Perine suffered a high ankle sprain that is expected to sideline him for at least a couple games. A 2018 UDFA out of Notre Dame, Adams played a significant role with the Eagles as a rookie, when he started five of 14 games and carries the ball 120 times for 511 yards and three touchdowns. Despite the reasonably productive first season, he was waived at final cuts last year.

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