- Toledo cornerback Ka’dar Hollman also had a private workout with the Texans, reports Wilson. The defensive back has also had visits and workouts with the Dolphins, Saints, Bears, Colts, Eagles, Lions and Browns. While Hollman has boosted his draft stock following a strong Pro Day, he’s still at best a sixth- or seventh-rounder.
[SOURCE LINK]
- Saints general manager Mickey Loomis will no longer be involved in running the NBA’s Pelicans, reports Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com (Twitter link). Loomis, who’s been the Saints’ GM since 2002, took over as the Pelicans’ executive vice president of basketball operations in 2012. However, there was reportedly some concern within the Saints’ franchise that Loomis was being “spread too thin,” according to Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk. The Pelicans are in the process of hiring a new GM, one who will report directly to Saints/Pelicans owner Gayle Benson.
- Nick Easton‘s four-year deal with the Saints is worth $22.5MM but contains only $4MM in guaranteed money, tweets Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune, who adds Easton received a $2MM signing bonus. As Mike Triplett of ESPN.com suggests (via Twitter), Easton’s deal is essentially a one-year deal with a series of options in 2020 ($5MM), 2021 ($6MM), and 2022 ($7.5MM).
The Saints are close to a deal with free agent tight end Jared Cook, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). When the deal is inked on Tuesday, it’ll be a two-year contract worth $15.5MM, including $8MM fully guaranteed in Year 1, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). With incentives, Cook can earn up to $19MM between now and the end of the 2020 season.
Cook, 31, just wrapped up the best season of his NFL career, leading the Raiders in receptions (68), receiving yardage (896), and receiving touchdowns (6). Cook ranked as a top-five tight end league-wide in all three of those categories, while Pro Football Focus grades him ninth at his position. Additionally, Cook finished fifth among NFL tight ends in Football Outsiders’ DYAR — which measures value over a replacement level player — and 11th in DVOA, which quantifies value on a per-play basis.
The Saints are losing Ben Watson to retirement, but still have Josh Hill, Garrett Griffin, and Dan Arnold at tight end. Cook, clearly, would represent an upgrade over any of those options, and would project to see the majority of snaps and targets at the position in New Orleans.
A number of free agent tight ends — Jesse James, Tyler Kroft, and Nick Boyle among them — received multi-year deals worth $6-7MM annually, and Cook managed to top figures. Heading into free agency, he was widely viewed as the top tight end available on the open market.
New Orleans originally hosted Cook when the free agent market opened last Wednesday. At the time, both the incumbent Raiders and the Patriots were believed to be “monitoring” Cook’s market. There was some speculation that the Patriots would circle back to Cook in the wake of Rob Gronkowski’s retirement, but Cook kept his word and remained committed to the Saints.
Rob Gronkowski is retired – we think – and that leaves the Patriots with a serious void at tight end. Some have speculated that the Patriots could convince Jared Cook to back out of his not-yet-signed commitment to the Saints, but that won’t happen, according to Peter King of NBC Sports.
Cook will not reconsider his decision, according to King. That’s disappointing news for the Pats’ front office, especially since they aggressively pursued the former Raiders tight end.
Cook would not have been a true “replacement” for Gronkowski, but he would have given the Patriots a quality pass-catcher to keep the offense moving. Last year, the 31-year-old started 14 of his 16 games, hauling in 68 receptions for 896 yards and six scores. It was the most productive season of Cook’s career, though he has topped 50 catches in three other seasons.
Instead, Cook intends to still sign with the Saints, where he has an opportunity to fill a role similar to the one occupied by Jimmy Graham years ago. Drew Brees tends to spread the ball around in the New Orleans offense, but Cook could be an opportunity to assert himself as one of the very best tight ends in the NFL, especially now that Gronk is focusing on non-football endeavors.
Teddy Bridgewater had a dramatic free agency. He appeared all set to return to the Saints, when the Dolphins swooped in with a last second offer to be their starting quarterback. But in the end, he decided to return to New Orleans, potentially setting him up to take over for Drew Brees. In a recent interview with WWL Radio, Bridgewater elaborated on his decision to stay in the Big Easy, per Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Bridgewater indicated it mostly had to do with how much he enjoyed his time in New Orleans, rather than about potential playing time.
“I told my agents every time that I talked to them that I haven’t stopped smiling since I arrived,” Bridgewater said. They made playing football fun, they made learning the game fun … and that’s something I appreciate. I was able to be part of that for 18 weeks last season, and it was nothing but positive things that occurred,” he continued. It sounds like Bridgewater has bought in to whatever the Saints are promising, and they clearly think very highly of him if they’re giving him $7.25MM to be their backup quarterback.
- The Saints are reportedly close to a deal that would bring Jared Cook to New Orleans, but they might not be done adding to their tight end group. The team is “paying close attention” to LSU tight end Foster Moreau today at his pro day, Larry Holder of The Athletic is told (Twitter link). Moreau caught 22 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns at LSU last year.
Let’s take a look at the details of a few recently-signed NFL contracts, with all links going to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle’s Twitter account:
- Kenny Vaccaro, S (Titans): Four years, $24MM. $11.5MM guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus. $500K annual playtime, playoffs incentives (link).
- Bryce Callahan, CB (Broncos): Three years, $21MM. $10MM guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus (link).
- Alex Okafor, DE (Chiefs): Three years, $18MM. $8.805MM guaranteed. $6MM signing bonus. $2MM annual sack, playtime incentives (link).
- John Miller, G (Bengals): Four years, $16.5MM. $6.5MM guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus (link).
- K.J. Wright, LB (Seahawks): Two years, $14MM. $6.5MM guaranteed. $5MM signing bonus. $1.5MM playtime escalator in 2020 (link).
- Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB (Dolphins): Two years, $11MM. $7MM guaranteed. Up to $5MM via 2020 escalator (link).
- Darius Philon, DT (Cardinals): Two years, $10MM. $5MM guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus. $700K available annually via playtime and sack incentives. $600K playtime escalator in 2020 (link).
- Geoff Swaim, TE (Jaguars): Two years, $6.6MM. $1.25MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. $500K playtime, catches, yards, incentive in 2019 (link).
- Ronald Darby, CB (Eagles): One year, $6.5MM. $4.5MM guaranteed. $3.5MM signing bonus. $2MM available via playtime, playoff, and Pro Bowl incentive. Contract contains four void years from 2020-2023 (link).
- Luke Stocker, TE (Falcons): Two years, $5.5MM. $1.5MM signing bonus. Pro Bowl escalator in 2020 (link).
- Zach Kerr, DT (Broncos): Two years, $5MM. $600K signing bonus. $500K annual playtime incentive (link).
- Mike Pennel, DT (Patriots): Two years, $5MM. $500K signing bonus. $1.5MM annual playtime incentive (link).
- Mario Edwards, DL (Saints): Two years, $4.7MM. $950K signing bonus. $816K sack incentive in 2019. $816K salary escalator in 2020 (link).
- John Simon, DE (Patriots): Two years, $4.15MM. $1.65MM guaranteed. $700K signing bonus. $1.5MM annual playtime incentive (link).
- Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S (Bears): One year, $3MM. $500K signing bonus. $500K playtime, Pro Bowl incentive (link).
- Chandler Catanzaro, K (Jets): One year, $2.3MM. $600K guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. $500K field goal percentage incentive (link).
- Adrian Phillips, S (Chargers): One year, $2MM. $1.25MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. $500K playtime, Pro Bowl incentive (link).
- Bashaud Breeland, CB (Chiefs): One year, $2MM. $1.15MM signing bonus. $3MM playtime, Pro Bowl incentive (link).
- Trevor Siemian, QB (Jets): One year, $2MM. $1MM guaranteed. $750K signing bonus. $1MM available via playtime and team performance incentives (link).
- LaAdrian Waddle, T (Bills): One year, $2MM. $400K signing bonus. $500K playtime incentive (link).
- Max Garcia, G (Cardinals): One year, $2MM. $400K signing bonus. $1MM playtime incentive (link).
- Ryan Allen, P (Patriots): One year, $1.5MM. $100K signing bonus. $50K Pro Bowl incentive (link).
The Saints have agreed to sign return specialist Marcus Sherels to a one-year deal, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Sherels spent the previous nine seasons with the Vikings and he’ll look to carve out a role with another promising NFC team. 
Sherels, an undrafted player out of the University of Minnesota, joined up with the Vikings in 2010. Before today’s signing, Sherels tied Everson Griffen as the team’s longest tenured player. Griffen will stay put after agreeing to a revised contract, but Sherels is headed south.
Last year, Sherels averaged 12 yards per punt return, marking the fourth time he’s eclipsed 11 yards per try in his career. Without him, the Vikings will have to look into other punt return options and they may have a few in-house between cornerback Mike Hughes and wide receivers Chad Beebe and Brandon Zylstra. Also, as Tomasson notes, new running back Ameer Abdullah volunteered his services, even though he has yet to return a punt at the pro level.
The Saints, meanwhile, seem to have an affinity for ex-Vikings. In the last week, the Saints have also signed running back Latavius Murray and offensive lineman Nick Easton.
Saints wide receiver Cameron Meredith has agreed to a pay cut, reducing his base salary from $3.4MM to $1.3MM for 2019, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Meredith missed ten games due to a knee issue last season, so it was a logical move for both sides. 
With that, Meredith’s cap number will decrease from $6.45MM to $4.15M, creating additional cap room for New Orleans. This will, in part, help to offset the expense of adding tight end Jared Cook.
Meredith was not involved in the Saints’ offense outside of Weeks 3-5 last year, though he dressed in the weeks leading up to his injury. When he was on the field, Meredith had nine catches for 114 yards and a touchdown in total.
Meredith, 27 in September, exploded in 2016 with 66 catches for 888 yards and four touchdowns. He was primed for an even bigger 2017 with the Bears, but a torn ACL and MCL in the preseason wiped out the entire year. The Saints still saw plenty of upside in Meredith, however, and inked him to a two-year offer sheet as a restricted free agent.
Drew Brees tends to spread the ball around, but Meredith will have an opportunity to assert himself in one of the league’s most potent offenses in 2019. If he can stay healthy and produce, he’ll have an opportunity to cash in next March as an unrestricted free agent.
Center/guard Nick Easton is set to join the Saints’ offensive line – unless he isn’t. On Wednesday, Easton’s contract was “disapproved,” according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (Twitter link) hears that it’s a minor issue and that everything is still on track for Easton to play for the Saints.
Reading between the lines, it sounds like the contract was turned down by the league office, but the reason behind it is unclear. Typically, if a contract is rejected by NFL execs in New York, it signals a salary cap issue or language-related snafu.
The Saints agreed to sign Easton earlier this week after losing Max Unger to retirement. The plan was for Easton to man the center position, filling a major void in the front five.
As far as we know, that’s still the plan in New Orleans, though there are other options for the Saints to explore if worst comes to worst.
With the Dolphins’ permission, Robert Quinn looks to be on his way to meet with another team. After his Cowboys meeting concluded, Quinn is on his way to visit the Saints, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets.
The Cowboys are not yet close on an agreement to acquire the Dolphins defensive end, Calvin Watkins of The Athletic adds (on Twitter). The Saints expressed interest in Quinn earlier Tuesday.
The Dolphins are willing to eat some of Quinn’s salary, which as of now is $11.8MM in 2019, in order to acquire a draft choice for the veteran defensive end. New Orleans holds just more than $19MM in cap space but will almost certainly not be paying all of Quinn’s salary, in the event a trade agreement is reached.
New Orleans lost Alex Okafor to Kansas City but still has Marcus Davenport in line to be Cameron Jordan‘s edge sidekick. Quinn would likely be a rotational presence. Hybrid defensive lineman Mario Edwards also signed with the Saints last week.
Although he is not on the same level he was when he earned All-Pro acclaim in St. Louis, with a 19-sack season that included seven forced fumbles, Quinn still has compiled 15 sacks over the past two seasons. Both the Saints and Cowboys use a 4-3 defense, which has been where Quinn has been the most productive in his eight-year career. Despite Quinn entering his ninth season, he will only be 29 by Week 1.