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New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

Saints’ Mark Ingram To Fight Suspension

May 9th, 2018 at 10:18am CST by Zachary Links

[UPDATE: Ingram’s appeal has already been heard and denied. However, it sounds like his camp may explore further options to fight the ban.]

Saints running back Mark Ingram will fight his four-game suspension, according to a press release from his agents. Ingram, it seems, will argue against the validity of the test results.

“At the end of the 2017 season, as a result of a NFL mandated random drug test, Mark Ingram tested positive for a substance that was not a performance enhancing substance, nor an illegal substance, but a substance in fact permissible with the proper use exemption with the NFL,” the statement reads. “He has vigorously challenged the test results through the arbitration process. The arbitrator’s opinion is due on or before Wednesday, May 16. Upon having the opportunity to review the arbitrator’s opinion, we will explore what further options are needed.”

Ingram’s reps also note that the substance in question is permitted to be used by players with a thereputic use exemption, but it doesn’t seem that Ingram had a TUE for whatever it was. The real crux of their case will come down to their challenge of the test results. In the past, players have questioned the handling of samples as well as the methods for testing.

For now, Ingram is scheduled to miss games against the Buccaneers and Browns and road contests against the Falcons and Giants. If the ruling stands, he will not play until Week 5 against the Redskins.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/8/18

May 8th, 2018 at 4:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Claimed: WR Ka’Raun White (from Seahawks)

Detroit Lions

New Orleans Saints

Saints Open To Trading Mark Ingram?

May 8th, 2018 at 4:42pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints “may” have been shopping running back Mark Ingram this offseason, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The Saints may have to wait a bit to trade Ingram following his four-game suspension for PEDs, but it sounds like they could explore a deal once he is cleared to play. 

Rapoport hears that Ingram has been staying away from team in order to push for new deal. He is still after a new contract as he heads into his walk year, despite the ban, which he and his new representatives have been aware of for weeks.

Ingram was largely overshadowed by rising star Alvin Kamara last year, but he still turned in a solid season with new career highs in all major categories. Ingram also ranked seventh in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA, meaning he was effective on a per-play basis, and also finished as a top-15 pass-blocker among running backs, per Pro Football Focus.

Considering that Ingram is a 29-year-old running back who is entering a contract year and won’t be available to play for the first month of the season, there probably won’t be much of a market for his services. However, their reluctance to give him a new deal and willingness to trade him probably means that there won’t be a long-term future for him in New Orleans.

NFL Suspends Saints RB Mark Ingram

May 8th, 2018 at 3:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL has suspended Saints running back Mark Ingram four games. Ingram, per a league announcement, has violated the league’s PED policy. 

Per the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Ingram will be permitted to take part in all of the Saints’ offseason work, training camp, and the preseason, but he will not be able to practice or play in the first four weeks of the season. Ingram did not show up for the Saints’ voluntary offseason workouts to this point, so he could be rather rusty by the time the fifth game of the season rolls around.

Ingram posted arguably the best campaign of his seven-year career in 2017. Pairing with dynamic rookie Alvin Kamara, Ingram managed career-highs in carries (230), yards (1,124), rushing touchdowns (12), and receptions (58). Ingram ranked seventh in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA, meaning he was effective on a per-play basis, and also finished as a top-15 pass-blocker among running backs, per Pro Football Focus.

Fortunately for the Saints, they have Kamara to pick up the slack in Ingram’s absence, though they may want to take a closer look at other running backs to help bridge the gap in reserve. Trey Edmunds, Daniel Lasco, Jonathan Williams, and sixth-round pick Boston Scott are also under contract.

For Ingram, it’s a bad look as he heads into his contract year. He was already looking at an uphill battle given that he is entering his age-29 season and the free agent market for running backs is weaker than most other position groups.

Ingram will miss games home games against the Buccaneers and Browns and road contests against the Falcons and Giants. He’s now slated to make his season debut in a Week 5 contest in New Orleans against the Redskins.

Details On Coby Fleener's Release

May 7th, 2018 at 9:18pm CST by Ben Levine
  • The Saints released tight end Coby Fleener earlier today, and ESPN’s Field Yates tweets that the team designated the transaction as a post-June 1st release. That means New Orleans will clear $3MM in cap space on June 2nd. The veteran’s $3.4MM base salary became guaranteed in February, and the team could have saved $3.2MM against the cap by releasing him prior to that date.

    [SOURCE LINK]

Saints Waive Four Players

May 7th, 2018 at 7:34pm CST by Ben Levine

The Saints cut bait with four players today, according to The Advocate’s Nick Underhill (on Twitter). New Orleans waived tight end Alex Ellis, linebacker Shayne Skov, offensive guard Nate Theaker and offensive tackle John Theus. The move was made to open roster spots for undrafted free agents, which the team has yet to announce.

Theus, who was waived with an undisclosed injury, is the most notable name in the group. The 2016 fifth-round pick was claimed off waivers from the Panthers back in February. The 24-year-old, who also had a stint with the 49ers, has appeared in four career games (one start). His 2017 campaign ended on the injured reserve.

Ellis, Skov, and Theaker all spent the 2016 season on the Saints’ practice squad. Ellis, a former undrafted free agent out of Tennessee, has three career receptions for 11 yards. Besides New Orleans, he’s also spent time with the Titans and Jaguars organizations. Skov, a Stanford product, has 12 career tackles, and he’s had stops with the 49ers, Buccaneers, and 49ers. Theaker, a former undrafted free agent out of Michigan, has yet to appear in an NFL game.

Saints Release TE Coby Fleener

May 7th, 2018 at 1:34pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have released tight end Coby Fleener, a league source tells Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). The timing of the move is curious since $3.4MM of his base salary became guaranteed in February. The Saints, in theory, could have saved $3.2MM against the cap by releasing him months earlier.

Fleener finished the 2017 on injured reserve due to a concussion and his 2018 salary was guaranteed for injury. It’s possible that Fleener was not medically cleared by his guarantee date in February, which would have prevented New Orleans from shedding his salary. Fleener signed a five-year, $36MM free agent deal with New Orleans in 2016 that was supposed to keep him under control through the 2020 campaign.

Before last year’s concussion, Fleener had not missed a game since his rookie season, suiting up for all 16 of the Colts’ contests from 2013-15 and each of the Saints’ games last season. Last year, he was on the field for eleven games before a big hit from Rams defensive back Blake Countess put him on the sidelines.

Fleener wasn’t a primary target of Drew Brees in 2017, but he was the Saints’ leading receiver at tight end at the time of his injury. From 2013-2016, Fleener averaged a healthy 52 catches and four touchdowns per season.

The Saints signed Benjamin Watson in March and he now projects as the team’s leading TE. Behind him, the Saints have a group of tight ends including Josh Hill, Michael Hoomanawanui, Garrett Griffin, and Alex Ellis that will jockey for playing time and roster spots.

Saints Considering Taysom Hill As QB2?

May 5th, 2018 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Brandon Coleman‘s Saints contract is worth a maximum of $1MM, Larry Holder of NOLA.com reports. Coleman re-signed with New Orleans after not being tendered as a restricted free agent. Had the Saints applied the low-end tender to Coleman, he would have made $1.9MM this season. After the Saints selected Tre’Quan Smith in the third round, Coleman and return specialist Tommylee Lewis could be battling for a roster spot, Nick Underhill of The Advocate writes.
  • On the subject of Saints position battles, Underhill notes the Saints are high enough on Taysom Hill that they might be ready to cut Tom Savage and carry just two quarterbacks if Hill beats him out for the backup job. They also brought in J.T. Barrett this month. Hill served as the Saints’ third-string quarterback last season behind Drew Brees and Chase Daniel. It would cost the Saints just $100K if they released Savage.

Saints Receive Roster Exemption

May 3rd, 2018 at 6:10pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Part of an NFL initiative for overseas players being placed on NFC South practice squads, defensive end Alex Jenkins remains with the Saints going into what could be his second year after signing a reserve/futures contract. And the team will again receive a roster exemption, Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com reports (on Twitter). The England native won’t count against the Saints’ 90-man offseason roster and would be an 11th man on the practice squad if he can’t make the team’s 53-man roster out of camp.

Saints Sign QB J.T. Barrett

May 1st, 2018 at 1:14pm CST by Zachary Links

J.T. Barrett did not hear his name called during last week’s draft, but at least one team believes highly in his potential. The Saints have signed the former Ohio State quarterback to a three-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 

The deal comes with no guarantee, according to Nick Underhill of The Advocate (on Twitter), so the Saints can drop him between now and the fall without fiscal penalty. Before signing with New Orleans, Barrett also had an invite to try out for the Colts and had interest from other clubs, so there was a decent market for three-time First Team All-Big Ten player.

Barrett may have a real chance at making the Saints’ final cut given that Tom Savage and Taysom Hill are the only other QBs behind starter Drew Brees. Savage, a former fourth-round pick out of Pittsburgh, began the 2017 season as the Texans’ starter but quickly lost the job to Deshaun Watson. He regained the starting job when Watson went down, but, unfortunately, his most memorable moment of the year came when he was allowed to continue playing in a game after a scary concussion that left him shaking on the ground. He finished the year with 1,412 yards and five touchdowns against six interceptions.

Barrett completed 63.5% of his passes over four years at Ohio State with 104 touchdowns against 30 picks.

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