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New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

Saints Pick Up Andrus Peat’s Option

April 13th, 2018 at 9:54am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have officially exercised the 2019 fifth-year option on offensive lineman Andrus Peat, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Peat has become the first 2015 first round draft pick to formally have it picked up. 

The decision to pick up Peat’s contract for 2019 was something of a no brainer. After previous experiments with the former No. 13 overall pick at left tackle, he switched over to left guard over the past two years and performed well. Peat has 29 starts to his credit between 2016 and 2017.

Per the terms of the fifth-year option, Peat’s 2019 season will be guaranteed for injury only. Should his performance decline, the Saints can get out of the deal with no fiscal penalty.

For first-rounders picked outside the top 10, the option is determined by the determined by the average of the third through 25th top salaries at that position. In time, we’ll know Peat’s exact figure.

Peat finished the year on injured reserve after he suffered a broken ankle in the first round of the playoffs.

Gayle Benson To Run Saints After Husband’s Death

April 12th, 2018 at 5:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Some clarity emerged about the operation of the Saints on Thursday. Gayle Benson, the widow of deceased Saints owner Tom Benson, will run the team.

She announced her late husband’s plan was for her to be the franchise’s controlling owner.

“My husband’s plan and desire was for me to have full voting control of the Saints and to serve as Controlling Owner of the team per NFL rules,” Gayle Benson wrote in a letter to the 31 other teams today (via PFT). “I understood this and want to reassure you that I am fully prepared to assume this role. Moving forward, I too, will provide the Commissioner my very own Ownership Succession Plan of the New Orleans Saints.

“Please rest assured, I will own and operate this franchise until my death and do so with the same drive and focus towards success that my husband displayed throughout his life.”

Tom Benson owned the Saints from 1985 until his death last month. Benson married Gayle, his third wife, in 2004. Her involvement represented a point of contention with some of Benson’s heirs, and Tom Benson changed his will to keep his daughter and grandchildren from a previous marriage out of the ownership picture. The case was settled early last year.

Gayle Benson writes that the Saints are in good financial shape and will continue to play in the Superdome.

Dolphins Meet With Kenny Vaccaro

April 12th, 2018 at 9:45am CST by Zachary Links

Kenny Vaccaro will visit the Dolphins on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This marks Vaccaro’s first known visit of the offseason. 

With the ability to play both safety and slot cornerback, we had Vaccaro ranked as one of the best safeties in this year’s free agent crop. Unfortunately, the market has sagged for that entire position group. Many of this year’s top safeties had to settle for inexpensive deals and a some remain unemployed, including Vaccaro, Tre Boston, and Eric Reid.

Evaluations of Vaccaro’s ability may differ. A first-round pick in 2013, Vaccarro has turned in three exemplary seasons and two lousy years. In 2017, Pro Football Focus rated Vaccaro as the single-worst safety in the league among 87 qualifiers. But, given his draft pedigree and his ability to man the slot, Vaccaro was still expected to land a quality deal.

The Dolphins project to start T.J. McDonald and Reshad Jones at safety, so Vaccaro would be looking at a bench role in Miami.

Zach Line Contract Details

April 11th, 2018 at 9:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson
  • Fullback Zach Line‘s new two-year deal with the Saints is worth $2.2MM, per Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter link). Line will collect a $200K signing bonus, which is the only guaranteed portion of the contract. New Orleans signed Line to replace the injured John Kuhn last October, and the 27-year-old went on to play on 16.3% of the Saints’ offensive snaps (12th among NFL fullbacks) and 27.6% of the club’s special teams snaps.

NFL Draft Rumors: Patriots, Key, 49ers

April 11th, 2018 at 4:09pm CST by Zachary Links

After losing Nate Solder in free agency, the Patriots are on the lookout for offensive tackle help. With that in mind, the Patriots hosted Texas tackle Connor Williams on a visit on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Thanks to the Brandin Cooks trade earlier this offseason, the Pats are armed with two picks late in the first round. Williams could be available when the Pats are called to the podium at No. 23, though the league-wide need for tackles could result in the 6’6″ lineman going higher.

Here’s the latest batch of NFL draft news:

  • LSU outside linebacker/defensive end Arden Key worked out for the 49ers on Wednesday and will move on to the Raiders on Thursday, Rapoport tweets.
  • South Dakota State tight end Dallas Goedert, who could be the first tight end to come off of the board, visited the Dolphins on Wednesday, Rapoport tweets. Miami is reportedly high on him, but he has also met with the Seahawks, Chargers, and Lions, according to Rapoport. As previously reported, the Vikings met with Goedert last week.
  • Cornerback Isaiah Oliver has had workouts/visits with the Eagles, Falcons, Bears, Texans, 49ers, Cardinals, Panthers, Patriots, Saints, Broncos, and Cowboys, sources tell Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Miller personally believes that he would be a great fit for Arizona. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has Oliver ranked as the 36th best prospect in this year’s draft and it would be no surprise to see him go in the first round.
  • Georgia running back Nick Chubb will visit with the Buccaneers on Wednesday, according to Josh Norris of NBC Sports (on Twitter). Chubb has been lauded for his power and ability to run on the inside and figures to be a second round pick.
  • The Lions hosted Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson for a visit on Tuesday, Rapoport tweets. Johnson was recently bumped from Jeremiah’s top 50 but should still garner consideration in the second round.

Saints To Sign Cameron Meredith

April 11th, 2018 at 2:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears have chosen to not match Cameron Meredith‘s offer sheet with the Saints, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Meredith will now join Drew Brees & Co. in New Orleans on a two-year deal.

The Saints inked the restricted free agent to an offer sheet late last week, which triggered a five-day window for the Bears to match. Because Meredith was tendered at the lowest level, the Bears will not receive draft pick compensation.

The Bears, apparently, were skittish about Meredith’s medical situation. The receiver is coming off of a torn ACL and MCL, so there is a bit of risk in the signing for the Saints. However, if he is healthy, this will likely prove to be a brilliant value add for New Orleans.

The Saints now project to start Mike Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr., and Meredith at wide receiver. With Mark Ingram in the backfield, tight end stands as the Saints’ last major need at a skill position. Currently, the Saints have Josh Hill, Coby Fleener, Benjamin Watson, and Michael Hoomanawanui in their TE group. None of those players offer the same upside as, say, Jimmy Graham, whom the Saints tried to sign in March.

The presence of Saints wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson played a big role in Meredith’s relocation to Louisiana. Johnson worked with Meredith in Chicago and fought for him to make the Bears’ final cut in the summer of 2016. Meredith rewarded his confidence by catching 66 passes for 888 yards in just ten starts.

Meredith will now play on a two-year $9.6MM deal with $5.4MM guaranteed. With incentives, the deal could be worth as much as $12.6MM.

[RELATED: Saints Depth Chart]

Saints Host Lamar Jackson

April 11th, 2018 at 12:15pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints hosted former Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson for a visit on Tuesday, sources tell Nick Underhill of The Advocate. The Jackson meeting counts for one of the Saints’ “Top 30” visits.

Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi attended Louisville’s pro day recently and apparently came away impressed by the mobile QB. The Saints are obviously well set at the QB position, but they could consider Jackson as an future heir to Drew Brees.

“I like him. I like him. He’™s athletic. He’s got a magic smile to him. He’s a leader,” head coach Sean Payton recently said. “œWith Lamar, you feel it in the room, and you can tell he can lead. … He’s a special guy. You just have to be around him, interview him, and you can see why he was successful.”

Jackson offers a radically different skill set than Brees, but that doesn’t seem to bother the Saints.

“The trick for a team that takes a quarterback at any point to become or to compete to become a starter, one of our jobs is to look closely at what are the things that player does best,” Payton said. “If he’s your quarterback, you start looking closely at what he did well at Louisville, and you build that way. We’re never wanting to just take any of these players … and enter the game and view them just as Drew entered the game. They’re different athletes.”

Contract Details: Meredith, Matthews, Smith

April 9th, 2018 at 6:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here’s a look at the details of some recent free agent deals:

  • Cameron Meredith‘s two-year, $9.6MM Saints offer sheet can be worth up to $12.6MM, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports. There are $5.4MM in total guarantees. The Bears have not determined if they will match or not.
  • Jordan Matthews‘ rough year with the Bills may have cost him. The former productive Eagles slot receiver signed with the Patriots for one year and $1MM, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. While $700K is available via incentives, this is a team-friendly deal — one that only includes $170K guaranteed.
  • Bennie Logan‘s Titans deal is for one year and worth $4MM in base value, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Incentives can escalate Logan’s haul to $5MM.
  • The Chargers‘ Geno Smith contract is worth $1MM over one year, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets. This comes with a $200K signing bonus.

Saints Host OT Austin Howard On Visit

April 6th, 2018 at 4:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints hosted right tackle Austin Howard for a free agent visit on Friday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Howard has been on the block ever since the Ravens elected not to pick up his option for 2018. 

Howard joined the Ravens on a three-year, $16.5MM free agent deal in March of 2017 after spending the previous three seasons with the Raiders. He’s not a superstar, but he did start in every game for the Ravens at right tackle in 2017. He graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 36 offensive tackle last season, which puts him squarely in the category of a starting caliber outside lineman.

At a time when most teams are scrambling for answers at tackle, the Saints are pretty well set on both sides with left tackle Terron Armstead and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk in the starting lineup. The Saints lost Zach Strief to retirement and saw Senio Kelemete sign with the Texans, but Jermon Bushrod was re-signed for depth. Despite his starting experience, Howard would serve as the top backup and Ramcyzk in New Orleans.

Saints Sign Cam Meredith To Offer Sheet

April 6th, 2018 at 1:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are signing Bears restricted free agent wide receiver Cameron Meredith to an offer sheet, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The Bears will have an opportunity to match, but they will not receive draft compensation if they decline to do so.

The offer sheet is a two-year deal worth $9.6MM ($5.4MM guaranteed), plus incentives, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Considering that the Bears declined to use the second-round tender – a one-year, $2.914MM placeholder – it seems unlikely that the Bears will match.

The Saints have a clear need for WR help given their lack of quality options behind starters Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr. The Saints tendered Willie Snead at the original round level, but he is coming off of a down season and can’t be relied upon even if he is retained. Meredith could replace Snead as the Saints’ slot receiver and provide support alongside Tommylee Lewis, Austin Carr, and Paul Turner.

Meredith, 26 in September, is coming off a torn ACL which cost him all of the 2017 season. In 2016, he caught 66 passes for 888 yards in just ten starts.

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