HEADLINES

New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

NFL Workout Updates: 10/26/18

October 26th, 2018 at 9:47pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Here are today’s reported tryouts:

Denver Broncos

  • P Brock Miller

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Saints have had some injuries on the defensive line recently, so it makes sense why they’d bring in this group. With this large of an amount of players brought in, they will likely be signing someone soon. The Buccaneers are clearly evaluating their kicking options after Chandler Catanzaro has struggled to start the year. He made a game-winning 59-yard field goal in overtime last week, but missed an extra point and a 40-yarder at the end of regulation before that. Both Ficken and Santos have kicked for the Rams this season.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/24/18

October 24th, 2018 at 8:28pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: G Kofi Amichia

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: G Will House

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Saints Place OL Josh LeRibeus On IR

October 24th, 2018 at 5:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite Josh LeRibeus failing to make the Saints’ roster out of training camp, he re-signed with the team shortly after and made three starts. But the veteran offensive lineman’s season could well be over.

The Saints placed LeRibeus on IR on Tuesday, Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com tweets. They signed former Cowboys lineman Chaz Green to fill the roster spot.

A LeRibeus ankle injury prompted the Saints to make this move. LeRibeus suffered the malady against the Ravens, a game he started at left guard in place of Andrus Peat. Playing in his second season with the Saints, LeRibeus started in Peat’s place in Week 1 and Week 3 as well.

The Saints could bring LeRibeus off IR in Week 16, but with just two IR-return options available to them, that’s obviously uncertain. New Orleans still has four other backup offensive linemen on its active roster.

Green started six games for the Cowboys between the 2016 and ’17 seasons, his most noteworthy outing coming in a game in which he started for Tyron Smith at left tackle and Adrian Clayborn hounded him in a six-sack performance. The 26-year-old Green was a third-round Cowboys pick in 2015.

Breer: Saints Logical Landing Spot For Peterson

October 23rd, 2018 at 9:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Since we learned that Cardinals defensive back Patrick Peterson asked for a trade, we’ve heard that both the Eagles and Saints have inquired on the Pro Bowl cornerback. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News has a new name to add to the list of suitors: the Jets. The reporter tweets that the Jets reached out to the Cardinals about Peterson, but New York isn’t expected to pull off a trade.

[SOURCE LINK]

  • Albert Breer of SI.com doesn’t believe the Cardinals are motivated to move Peterson, and the recent trade request won’t force their hand. The veteran is still one of the top coverage cornerbacks in the NFL, and his salary over the next two seasons doesn’t break the bank. If the team were to make a move, Breer points to the Saints and Chiefs as logical landing spots.
  • Despite the Giants‘ trade of Eli Apple earlier today, head coach Pat Shurmur wanted to make it clear that the team wasn’t giving up on this season. “We’re not throwing in the towel,” Shurmur said (via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY on Twitter). “This will give an opportunity for some young players and newer players to have an opportunity to play.” The Giants sent the cornerback to the Saints earlier today, receiving a 2019 fourth-round pick and 2020 seventh-round pick in return.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/23/18

October 23rd, 2018 at 7:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Oakland Raiders

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Giants Trade CB Eli Apple To Saints

October 23rd, 2018 at 11:47am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants traded cornerback Eli Apple to the Saints, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. In return, the Giants will receive a 2019 fourth-round pick in 2019 and a seventh-round pick in 2020. 

The Saints secondary now features three former Ohio State stars in Marshon Lattimore (2017 first-round cornerbacks), Apple (2016 first round cornerback) and Vonn Bell (2016 second-round safety).

The third-year cornerback was inconsistent in his first two NFL seasons, but has been playing a bit better in 2018. In his five games (all starts), Apple has five pass deflections, one forced fumble, and 22 total tackles. On the flipside, the numbers at Pro Football Focus indicate that his performance has been roughly comparable to last year. Apple is ranked as PFF’s No. 55 cornerback through seven weeks.

Many expected the Saints to explore a trade for Patrick Peterson, but that would have required a much greater expenditure of draft capital. The Saints don’t have much to offer in that regard anyway after sacrificing their 2019 first-round pick in the Marcus Davenport deal and their 2019 third-rounder in the Teddy Bridgewater trade.

In Apple, the Saints get a former No. 10 overall pick who could be a contributor with the right direction. The Giants, meanwhile, get to unload an unwanted salary over the next two years while adding assets to fuel their rebuild. With that in mind, the Giants probably aren’t done dealing and could make more moves between now and the Mischief Night deadline.

Saints, Eagles In On Patrick Peterson

October 22nd, 2018 at 2:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two NFC teams are attempting to pry Patrick Peterson away from the Cardinals. The Saints and Eagles have been calling the Cards for weeks about the three-time All-Pro cornerback, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets.

The Saints, in particular, may be a team to watch. Former NFL cornerback Bryant McFadden, Peterson’s cousin, said New Orleans is the preferred destination (Twitter link). Peterson, of course, went to college at LSU en route to becoming a top-five pick.

New Orleans has 2017 defensive rookie of the year Marshon Lattimore anchoring its cornerback corps but has not received much in the way of consistency on the other side. Patrick Robinson is expected to miss the rest of the season, and Ken Crawley and P.J. Williams are two of Pro Football Focus’ 10 lowest-graded full-time cornerbacks. Peterson sits fourth on this list through seven games.

Philadelphia is obviously not averse to splashy moves, either, and the defending Super Bowl champion is reeling after dropping to 3-4 on Sunday. Ronald Darby is in a contract year, and younger Philly corners Sidney Jones and Rasul Douglas have not exhibited much consistency this season.

The Eagles sit 24th in pass defense; the Saints 28th. Philadelphia restructured Fletcher Cox‘s contract with the purpose of adding 2019 funds to potentially keep more in-house talent long-term. However, that reworking now has the team holding $10MM-plus in 2018 cap space. The Saints have less than $2MM, which would make fitting Peterson’s $6.47MM remaining ’18 cap figure more difficult.

Saints, Eagles Could Be Aggressive At Trade Deadline

October 21st, 2018 at 9:42am CST by Rory Parks

The Saints and Eagles are expected to be among the most aggressive teams in advance of the October 30 trade deadline, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, who adds that the two clubs are interested in a few of the same players.

Interestingly, La Canfora writes that Philadelphia is still monitoring the trade markets for Le’Veon Bell and LeSean McCoy, though recent reports surrounding both running backs suggest that they will be staying with their current teams. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer says it would not cost much to get McCoy, despite what the Bills have been saying, but it does not seem likely that the Eagles will reunite with their former star. Instead, in keeping with previous reports, it sounds as if the Eagles are content with their running back situation, and Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that the team sees a defensive tackle, secondary help, and a field-stretching wide receiver as bigger priorities.

La Canfora also writes that the Eagles are seeking another receiving option and a quality corner, and he says the Saints are looking for upgrades at the same positions. The Raiders are said to be shopping Amari Cooper, who is probably the best wide receiver who could be had at the deadline, but Larry Fitzgerald and Emmanuel Sanders may also be in play. Meanwhile, Eli Apple, Gareon Conley, and Bradley Roby are some of the corners who have been attracting the interest of rival clubs.

The Saints are currently 4-1 and are atop the NFC South, and they are clearly in win-now mode as they hope to bring home another Lombardi Trophy before Drew Brees, 39, hangs up the cleats. The defending champion Eagles are just 3-3 but are very much alive in the wide open NFC East.

Katzenstein: Saints Unlikely To Retain Teddy

October 20th, 2018 at 6:57pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Teddy Bridgewater is also in a walk year, and the timing of the Saints‘ trade to acquire the Jets reserve passer suggests they’ll be interested in attempting to convince the former first-round pick to stay as Drew Brees‘ successor. But next year’s quarterback market doesn’t look to be as strong as this year’s, and Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com doesn’t expect Bridgewater to be with the Saints in 2019. Bridgewater signed with the Jets for one year and $6MM, with an incentive package that can now be classified as NLTBE. Prior to any major cuts, Bridgewater and Tyrod Taylor stand to be the centerpiece attractions in the 2019 free agent quarterback class. Katzenstein expects Bridgewater to wait and sign for far more money than the Saints, with Brees still operating in high gear, will be willing to pay him.
Load More Posts