New Orleans Saints Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Saints Open To Bringing Back Dez Bryant

November 11th, 2018 at 12:27pm CST by Rory Parks

Saints WR Dez Bryant suffered a brutal blow when he tore his Achilles just two days after signing with the club, thereby shelving him for about eight months. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link) noted that Bryant’s recovery timeline could make his 2019 foray into free agency just as complicated as his 2018 one, though RapSheet does report in a separate piece that the Saints are open to bringing Bryant back next season (which Jay Glazer of FOX Sports [video link] also hears). Rapoport also says that Saints head coach Sean Payton fully expects Bryant to continue his playing career, and that Saints players quickly got to know Bryant and were stung by the injury (Twitter link). Given that, and given that Bryant made a concerted effort to improve his route running this offseason, perhaps he will still end up playing for New Orleans.

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com details (via Twitter) the $500K in incentives (all tied to receptions) that were built in to Bryant’s contract with the Saints, which is obviously a moot point now. Earlier today, Schefter reported that the Saints are expected to pursue Brandon Marshall now that Bryant is on IR.

Saints To Pursue WR Brandon Marshall

November 11th, 2018 at 9:47am CST by Rory Parks

When Dez Bryant tore his Achilles during a practice with the Saints just two days after signing with them, it was reported that New Orleans could turn to another veteran wide receiver to fill the void. Prior to signing Bryant, the Saints brought in 34-year-old Brandon Marshall for a workout, and they were apparently quite impressed with him. Now, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes that the Saints are expected to circle back to Marshall and could sign him in short order.

Marshall hooked on with the Seahawks this offseason, and while he found the endzone in Week 1 of the regular season, his playing time quickly diminished and he was targeted just twice during his last three games with Seattle. He was released on October 30.

Marhsall also auditioned for the Lions after the Seahawks cut him loose, and apparently the Saints — who now have five receivers on IR — were considering bringing Marshall aboard even if Bryant had not gotten hurt. Given the state of New Orleans’ wide receiver depth chart, Marshall would likely see a fair amount of playing time if he ends up signing with the Saints.

He would also likely see postseason action for the first time in his career. Although he is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and has six seasons with at least 100 receptions, Marshall has never been fortunate enough to be on a playoff team during his 13 seasons in the league. The 7-1 Saints, though, have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, so Marshall could finally get his chance as his excellent career draws to a close.

Saints Place Dez Bryant On IR

November 10th, 2018 at 1:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The bad news coming out of New Orleans on Friday turned out to be true. Dez Bryant did tear an Achilles’ tendon, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Bryant’s rehab timeline is tentatively set at eight months, per Schefter.

The Saints are placing their recently acquired wide receiver on IR, per Nick Underhill of The Advocate (on Twitter). They will end up promoting a wideout from their practice squad, with Underhill tweeting Keith Kirkwood will make the move up to the 53-man roster. This move was expected prior to Bryant’s injury, per Underhill (on Twitter).

New Orleans previously housed only three healthy wideouts — Michael Thomas, Tre’Quan Smith and Austin Carr. Bryant, who was a member of this healthy contingent for less than two days, joins Ted Ginn, Tommylee Lewis and Cameron Meredith on the Saints’ IR list. Although, Lewis has resumed practicing and could be activated soon.

This development, interestingly, shouldn’t affect the Saints too much, which is rare for a sequence featuring a high-profile player going down. They’ve won seven straight games and were betting Bryant could provide a boost of some sort. But the Saints have a top-10 offense that will take the field in Cincinnati featuring the same cast that spearheaded a 45-35 win over the Rams last week.

Bryant’s trajectory, obviously, has been significantly altered after going down on the final play of his second Saints practice.

Instead of going into free agency on the heels of being a cog in a Drew Brees-led passing attack, he’ll have a months-long rehab effort to complete before being ready to contribute again. He won’t be ready by the time the new league year begins and may have to wait deep into the 2019 offseason to sign.

Bryant’s most recent work sample, a 16-game season with the 2017 Cowboys, featured his fewest yards per game (52.4) since his rookie season. This injury certainly won’t have teams aggressively pursuing him. It’s a brutal blow for a player who spent months as an outspoken free agent and one who hoped to have a better shot at cashing in next year.

Kirkwood has yet to play an NFL down. He played at Hawaii and Temple from 2013-17, finishing his career with back-to-back 600-yard receiving seasons, totaling 11 aerial touchdowns in those years.

Saints 'Pretty Sure' Dez Tore Achilles

November 9th, 2018 at 5:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Friday’s top news thus far affected Dez Bryant. The veteran wide receiver and Saints employee for barely a day is feared to have torn one of his Achilles’ tendons. This would put him out for the season and impact his free agency. This reality appears to be in motion. The Saints are “pretty sure he tore it,” Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. While Michael Crabtree did buck the trend of Achilles injuries taking up to a year and more to recover from when he came back in six months to join the 2013 49ers late that season, Bryant is now 30 and was already dealing with damaged stock based on his recent work. Bryant doesn’t appear to be considering retirement and sounds ready to go through a rehab process (Twitter link). It’s possible Bryant could have to accept another one-year deal in the event he recovers from this injury, and that contract may not arrive until he recovers. He may well be back in a similar situation he was this year, when the Cowboys irked him by releasing him well after potential free agency suitors had spent on wideouts.

Saints Fear Achilles Tear For Dez Bryant

November 9th, 2018 at 3:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dez Bryant was helped off the Saints’ practice field Friday. The team fears the ninth-year wide receiver suffered a torn Achilles, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com report on Twitter.

Bryant is getting an MRI now, and Rapoport and Pelissero report he will seek a second opinion after that scan is complete. This would be a brutal turn of events for a player who spent months in free agency and one who hoped to land an impact deal next year.

This injury occurred when Bryant was running a routine route, Jane Slater of NFL.com tweets. It is believed to have taken place on the final play of New Orleans’ practice, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). It was indeed a non-contact play, veteran reporter Ed Werder tweets.

While the Saints’ injury report lists Bryant as questionable with an ankle malady, that designation could soon change.

The recently acquired wideout was not supposed to be ready to play in the Saints’ Week 10 game against the Bengals, Pelissero notes (via Twitter). The longtime Cowboy was in the process of acclimating to a new system and presumably would’ve been ready to play in Week 11. While the Saints’ machine figures to hum along as it has for years, this may be a late-career-defining setback — if, in fact, Bryant has actually torn one of his Achilles’ tendons — for the receiver.

The Saints ended Bryant’s free agency stay by choosing him over fellow Tuesday-workout participants Brandon Marshall and Kamar Aiken. The former impressed the Saints, per Schefter (on Twitter), and could well be an option if Dez ultimately has severely damaged an Achilles. New Orleans placed Cameron Meredith on IR this week, and if its new acquisition can’t go, only has three healthy receivers on its roster. Meredith followed Saints wideouts Tommylee Lewis and Ted Ginn to IR, though Lewis has since resumed practicing and could be activated soon.

Dez turned down offers from the Ravens — a three-year, $21MM pact — and Browns (worth less than $5MM). He landed a $1.25MM deal with the Saints that contained incentives. Achilles tears represent one of the toughest injuries to overcome, and given the timing of this, Bryant’s rehab would take him into the free agency period. It would undoubtedly affect his market, particularly after the former All-Pro showed signs of decline during his final years in Dallas.

Details On Dez Bryant’s Deal With Saints

November 8th, 2018 at 11:18am CST by Zachary Links

Dez Bryant’s one-year contract with the Saints is technically worth $1.25MM and will pay him $600K in base salary for rest of season, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). However, the wide receiver has the ability to add another $500K in incentives, meaning that he could theoretically earn $1.1MM for the remainder of the season.

It’s a big step down from what Bryant could have earned had he signed in the offseason. The Ravens offered him a three-year deal worth roughly $21MM, but Bryant held out in hopes of finding a lucrative one-year deal that would allow him to reach the open market in the spring. Bryant will be able to test free agency in 2019 under the terms of his Saints deal, but he lost out on more than $6MM for 2018.

On the plus side, Bryant is joining up with one of the league’s most dynamic offenses and has a real chance to showcase his skills. With Cameron Meredith headed to IR, Bryant ranks as one of the team’s top three wide receivers alongside star Michael Thomas and rookie Tre’Quan Smith.

Bryant’s production trailed off in 2017, but he’s not far removed from a 2016 season in which he averaged a career-high 15.9 yards per catch. Soon, we’ll find out whether Bryant can still stretch the field.

Saints’ Cameron Meredith Done For Year

November 8th, 2018 at 8:52am CST by Zachary Links

Saints wide receiver Cameron Meredith will be placed on injured reserve with a knee injury, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The injury helps to explain the club’s signing of Dez Bryant, which will be formally completed on Thursday.

Meredith is no stranger to the IR list after tearing his ACL and MCL before the 2017 season. This time around, the knee injury is not believed to be as serious, but it’s enough to rule him out for the year.

Meredith has not been involved in the Saints’ offense outside of Weeks 3-5, though he’s dressed for the last few weeks. When he was on the field, Meredith had nine catches for 114 yards and a touchdown.

The 26-year-old’s injury opened the door for rookie Tre’Quan Smith, who has flashed some serious potential. Smith figures to play a big role on Sunday behind Michael Thomas since Bryant is not a lock to suit up against the Bengals, but the power balance may shift towards the veteran later in the year.

The Saints are left with four healthy wide receivers after losing Meredith and adding Bryant, so another signing is possible.

Dez Bryant Still Eyes 2019 Free Agency

November 7th, 2018 at 5:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

A six-plus-month stay in free agency ended for Dez Bryant earlier Wednesday, but the new Saints wide receiver is still looking to return to the market in 2019. Bryant wants to prove himself on a contending team and become a free agent again, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com notes. This has been Bryant’s plan all along, and he’ll likely join Tre’Quan Smith as a key complementary receiver for Drew Brees.

Saints Adjust Terron Armstead’s Contract

November 7th, 2018 at 1:37pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are expected to restructure offensive tackle Terron Armstead’s 2018 salary, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The revised deal will turn the rest of Armstead’s $10.2MM base salary into a signing bonus and create room for the addition of Dez Bryant.

Armstead, 27, is under contract through 2021 thanks to the five-year, $65MM extension he inked back in 2016. He counts for a $13.5MM cap charge this year, a $15MM charge in 2019 and 2020, and a $12.75MM figure in ’21.

Armstead in the midst of another brilliant season and ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 ranked tackle in the NFL. If he keeps it up through the second half of the year, he may finally secure the first Pro Bowl nod of his career.

The Saints, with Bryant in the fold, will look to extend their seven-game winning streak when they face the Bengals on Sunday.

Saints To Sign Dez Bryant

November 7th, 2018 at 10:23am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have agreed to sign Dez Bryant, according to Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter). It’s a one-year pact that Bryant will formally ink on Thursday, according to Ian Rapoport and Jane Slater of NFL.com (Twitter link). The two sides started negotiating shortly after Bryant’s workout on Tuesday afternoon and reached agreement on Wednesday morning.

The deal brings Bryant’s lengthy unemployment to an end. The Cowboys released Bryant in April, after most of the league’s free agent dollars were already spent. Weeks later, the veteran rejected a three-year, $21MM offer from the Ravens, a decision that has been panned by many. Bryant ultimately got what he wanted, a short-term deal that will allow him to test free agency again in 2019. However, he missed out on the first half of the season and significant cash.

Bryant averaged 91 catches for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns between 2012 and 2014, but his averages plummeted to 50 catches for 678 yards and six TDs over the last three years. He also missed ten games due to injury between 2015 and 2016, and some say he wasn’t giving 100% towards the end of his run in Dallas. Some say that Bryant isn’t the player that he once was, but the veteran is motivated to prove the doubters wrong.

All in all, the Saints believe he’ll offer more than Brandon Marshall or Kamar Aiken, two receivers who also worked out for New Orleans on Tuesday. Jeremy Kerley was also scheduled to audition, but weather interfered with his flight.

The Saints haven’t lost since their season opener against the Buccaneers and lead the NFC South with a 7-1 record. After losing supporting receivers Ted Ginn Jr. and Tommylee Lewis to injury earlier this year, Bryant is expected to provide a boost behind talented starters Michael Thomas, Cameron Meredith, and Tre’Quan Smith.

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