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New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

Bengals Notes: Eifert, Staff, O-Line

February 24th, 2019 at 6:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Tyler Eifert has been one of the most injury-riddled players in the NFL over the past few seasons, he may still have an avenue back to Cincinnati. The Bengals may be able to bring him back on a cheaper, incentive-laden deal than the one he signed last year, Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes. Eifert decided between the Bengals and Rams last year, and with Zac Taylor coming from Los Angeles to Cincinnati, he may view Eifert as a possible target. Eifert received more than $4MM last year but did not trigger any performance incentives. The 28-year-old tight end posted a workout video on Twitter recently, showing he has made significant strides since breaking his ankle last season. Eifert, though, has missed an astounding 34 games since his 2015 Pro Bowl season. His previous backups, Tyler Kroft and C.J. Uzomah, are also free agents. So, the Bengals will have to make a few moves to solidify this position this offseason. Jared Cook, Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Jeff Heuerman highlight a thin tight end free agent group.

Here is the latest from southwest Ohio:

  • The Bengals are interested in giving Saints defensive assistant Michael Hodges a promotion. The team submitted a request to interview Hodges for its vacant linebackers coach position, Alex Marvez of Sirius XM Radio tweets. A two-year New Orleans staffer, Hodges primarily works under Mike Nolan in working with linebackers. Nolan and Saints DC Dennis Allen were linked to the Bengals’ now-filled DC job, but the franchise clearly likes what the Saints have done to revamp their defense. The Bengals were also interested in Chargers assistant defensive line coach Eric Henderson, a Bengal from 2006-08, but he accepted a job with the Rams instead, Marvez adds (via Twitter).
  • While the Bengals have a new coaching staff, which is still being filled out, their front office remains unchanged. That will mean a similar approach in free agency. The Bengals are not expected to be players for big-name UFAs, Dehner notes. Cincinnati is one of the more conservative franchises on this front, but Dehner does expect more roster changes than the team has seen in recent years. This may mean being connected to second-tier free agents. With a new coach in place for the first time since 2003, that can be assumed.
  • Cordy Glenn and Billy Price came in last year to fill spots on Cincinnati’s offensive line, but the team is still expected to pursue upgrades — either through free agency or the draft — for the right side of the front, Dehner notes. The Bengals’ 2015 draft choices of Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher did not end up working out. The former never found his footing and the latter started just one game in 2018. Taylor coached Ja’Wuan James with the 2015 Dolphins, potentially creating a possible landing spot for the UFA right tackle. However, Dehner expects the team select a right tackle with one of its first two picks.

Extension Candidate: Michael Thomas

February 24th, 2019 at 12:45pm CST by Rory Parks

Saints star receiver Michael Thomas has been sensational since New Orleans selected him in the second round of the 2016 draft. Yes, he has benefited from having a Hall of Fame quarterback throwing him the football, but his hands, route-running, and athleticism suggest that he would excel in almost any offensive attack.

Through the first three years of his career, Thomas is averaging a whopping 107 receptions per season to go along with 1,262 yards and nearly eight touchdowns. His yardage and reception totals have improved each year, and he finished the 2018 campaign with 125 catches (on 147 targets) for 1,405 yards and nine scores. The advanced metrics value his work as well, as Pro Football Focus rated him as the No. 2 receiver in the league last season, and among receivers with at least 50 targets, he ranked third in the league in Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement, which is Football Outsiders’ receiving metric.

And, now that he has completed the third year of his rookie contract, he is eligible for a long-term extension. He is due a comically low $1.148MM salary on the final year of his rookie pact in 2019, but both player and team would like to get a new contract hammered out this offseason. To that end, Thomas recently signed with agent Andrew Kessler of Athletes First after cutting ties with David Mulugheta in November.

Thomas and Mulugheta reportedly had a “difference of opinions,” and Thomas has now changed agents twice in his three professional seasons. It is unclear what exactly Thomas and Mulugheta did not see eye-to-eye on, but Thomas is set to cash in with his new representation.

The former Buckeye turns 26 next month, and he may reset the top of the receiver market. Presently, Odell Beckham Jr. is the top earner among wide receivers, as his recent extension is worth $90MM overall, has an $18MM average annual value, and includes $40.959MM in total guarantees. Antonio Brown ranks second in AAV with a $17MM/year mark (though he wants to redo his deal), and Mike Evans‘s contract has the second-highest total value ($82.5MM).

There was some chatter that OBJ could be the first receiver to hit the $100MM mark, and he may have gotten there if not for some injury and off-field issues. Thomas, who does not have any notable health or character red flags, could be the guy. It would not be surprising to see him land a five-year, $100MM pact with a $40MM+ guarantee.

Of course, the Saints (as always) do not have much cap space, so they will need to be careful about how they structure Thomas’ extension, assuming the two sides are able to come together on a deal. The guess here is that New Orleans will not risk letting Thomas get away and will hand him a record-setting accord before they even have to think about tagging him.

Saints’ Michael Thomas Hires Agent

February 22nd, 2019 at 10:50am CST by Zachary Links

Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas has signed with agent Andrew Kessler of Athletes First, according to Josh Katzenstein. Thomas was without representation since November of 2018 when he cut ties with David Mulugheta. 

His dropping of Mulugheta in November raised eyebrows since Thomas is in line for a big extension this offseason. However, he has an agent once again with talks about to get underway.

Thomas, 26 in March, topped 1,100 yards receiving in each of his first two campaigns. In 2018, he exploded for a league-leading 125 catches and a career-high 1,405 yards, plus nine touchdowns. The Saints have the former second-round pick under contract through 2019, but there’s no question that both sides would prefer a long-term deal. It’s also clear that the Saints will have to come to the table with a deal that is near the top of the wide receiver market.

Currently, Odell Beckham Jr. leads all wide receivers with deal worth $90MM overall, $18MM in average annual value, and a $40.959MM total guarantee. Antonio Brown ranks second in AAV with $17MM/year and Mike Evans is the closest in total value with $82.5MM.

Saints To Release Kurt Coleman

February 21st, 2019 at 3:08pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are releasing safety Kurt Coleman, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, the Saints will keep the door open to a potential return later on, Garafolo hears. 

Coleman was due $5.5MM in total compensation this year, a figure that was too high for New Orleans. By cutting him loose, the Saints will save $4MM against the cap with a $3MM dead money hit.

The move leaves the Saints rather thin at safety. The club still has starters Marcus Williams and Vonn Bell under contract, but they have a clear need for backup support. Coleman is out of the picture and Chris Banjo‘s status is up in the air as an unrestricted free agent.

Coleman, 30, had two more years to go on his three-year, $16.35MM deal. It’s safe to assume that his next deal will come in at a much lower average annual value. After starting in every one of his appearances for the Panthers from 2015-2017, Coleman lost his starting job to Bell in 2018 and was first-string for just nine games. All in all, he had 32 tackles and one pass defensed last season.

In previous years, Coleman was extremely effective. In 2015, he reeled in seven interceptions for Carolina. He followed that up with four picks in 2016, plus a career-best 95 tackles.

Saints Re-Sign OL Michael Ola

February 19th, 2019 at 2:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Michael Ola is set to return for another season with the Saints. On Tuesday, New Orleans agreed to re-sign the offensive lineman on a one-year deal, according to SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link).

Ola, 31 in April, appeared in seven games for the Saints last year, including one start. Signed in October to add depth behind injured left tackle Terron Armstead and left guard Andrus Peat, Ola suffered a season-ending ankle injury of his own in December and had to be placed on IR.

Terms of Ola’s deal are not yet known, but it’s likely an inexpensive deal of the low/no guarantee variety. If he sticks on the final roster, he’ll avoid putting on the fifth jersey of his NFL career. Previously, Ola suited up for the Chargers, Bills, Lions, and Bears. He’s also had camp/taxi squad deals with the the Dolphins, Seahawks, and Giants.

Saints Hire Phil Galiano

February 17th, 2019 at 3:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson
  • The Saints have hired former Penn State staffer Phil Galiano as an assistant special teams coach, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Galiano has spent most of his career in the collegiate ranks, but work for the Buccaneers from 2010-12. He’ll now assist Darren Rizzi, who was hired as New Orleans’ special teams coordinator last week.

Saints To Block Bengals From Interviewing Aaron Glenn

February 14th, 2019 at 4:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

It appears another Bengals path toward a potential defensive coordinator hire will close. The Saints are planning to block them from interviewing Aaron Glenn, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The Bengals requested a meeting with the Saints’ secondary coach earlier on Thursday. This represents the latest in what’s been a series of barriers impeding a Bengals DC hire.

This is the second Saints coach the Bengals have tried to meet with regarding their DC position. The team sought a meeting with Saints DC Dennis Allen, whose previous contract had expired after the 2018 season, but Allen and the Saints agreed on a new contract.

Cincinnati has been connected to other veterans like Dom Capers, Jack Del Rio, Mike Nolan and John Fox. The team moved forward with Capers and Del Rio. Capers turned the Bengals down, and nothing came to fruition with Del Rio. Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham then looked like the pick, but the Gators are keeping him. The Bengals requested meetings with former Falcons DC Marquand Manuel and Texas A&M defensive boss Mike Elko.

The Rams have granted the Bengals permission to meet with cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant, however. Mere permission on this front, which would make Pleasant a first-time coordinator, could be critical given the way this process has unfolded.

A 15-year NFL veteran as a corner, Glenn has been a coach for five seasons — the past three as Saints DC. As long as he is under contract, the Saints can block him from an interview to become a coordinator.

Bengals Request Interview With Aaron Glenn

February 14th, 2019 at 2:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Aaron Glenn is in the running for the Bengals’ defensive coordinator job. On Thursday, the Bengals requested an interview with the Saints secondary coach, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 

Glenn caught the Bengals’ eye earlier this month after deals with Jack Del Rio and Dom Capers went south. Glenn lacks the previous DC experience of Del Rio and Capers, but he is a highly respected coach with recent playing experience.

Glenn played for the Jets, Texans, Cowboys, Jaguars, and Saints over the course of his 15-year career, which ended in 2008. In 2012, he hooked on with the Jets as a personnel scout and later joined the Browns as their assistant DB coach. The Saints brought him on board as the top DB coach in 2016 and he may now have a chance to vault up the coaching ladder.

The Saints’ secondary has lacked talent in recent years, but Glenn has been lauded for developing the younger players in his group.

The Bengals’ latest would-be DC hire, Todd Grantham, opted to stay with the University of Florida rather than join Cincinnati.

ERFA Signings: 2/11/19

February 11th, 2019 at 8:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

With free agency barely a month away, teams have begun to make moves regarding their exclusive-rights free agents. Here are Monday’s ERFA decisions:

Detroit Lions

New Orleans Saints

Saints To Hire Darren Rizzi

February 11th, 2019 at 11:09am CST by Zachary Links

One of the league’s most respected special teams coaches is headed to New Orleans. The Saints have hired former Dolphins ST coordinator Darren Rizzi, according to Aditi Kinkhabwala and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). New Orleans has officially announced Rizzi’s hiring.

This week, the Saints chose to move on from their previous special teams staff, which was headed by veteran guru Mike Westhoff. Rizzi will now step in after courting interest from multiple clubs around the league, including the the Bills, Jets, Lions, Packers, and Vikings.

In addition to serving as the Dolphins’ ST coordinator, Rizzi also carried the title of Assistant Head Coach. After the firing of Adam Gase, the Dolphins interviewed Rizzi for the job. When Rizzi didn’t get the gig, he resolved to move on.

The Saints’ dismissal of Westhoff was surprising to many, including Westhoff himself. In 2017, Westhoff’s first year with the team, the Saints’ ST unit improved from 25th in the league to 14th, per Rick Gosselin’s annual rankings. In 2018, they ranked second overall.

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