New Orleans Saints Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/29/24

March 29th, 2024 at 8:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Re-signed: LB Tae Davis

New Orleans Saints

Signed: K Charlie Smyth

Davis began the 2023 season in Atlanta, but he made the intra-divisional move to Carolina in November. The 27-year-old made eight appearances with the Panthers, playing exclusively on special teams. He will look to earn a roster spot based on his third phase abilities during training camp.

Smyth will join the Saints on a three-year contract as part of the International Player Pathway. The Newry, Ireland native played goalkeeper in Gaelic football before being selected as a candidate for the IPP program, and he will now look to transition to the NFL. Smyth, 22, joins 2023 UDFA Blake Grupe as the only kickers on New Orleans’ roster.

Latest On TE Jimmy Graham

March 29th, 2024 at 7:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jimmy Graham returned to the Saints on a one-year deal last summer. That came amongst speculation his career was over since he sat out the previous campaign, and once again his playing future is in question.

Graham posted a lengthy message on Instragram Friday. While it stops short of declaring his retirement, the decorated tight end used it to reflect on his time in the NFL, particularly his two separate stints in New Orleans. Graham, 37, is a free agent but it remains to be seen if he will suit up for the 2024 campaign.

“To the city of New Orleans, there are no words to fully express my appreciation for your unwavering support,” Graham’s statement reads in part. “Playing for this city was an honor that transcended the game of football. It was never just about the sport or a paycheck. It was about being part of a community that breathes and lives for football, a community that finds joy, solace and unity in the game.”

After entering the league in 2010, the former third-rounder quickly established himself as one of the league’s top tight ends. Graham earned three Pro Bowl invitations during his five-year stretch in New Orleans from 2010-14, along with a first-team All-Pro nod. The latter honor came in 2013, a season in which he totaled 1,215 yards and a league-leading 16 touchdown receptions.

Graham toured the NFC following the Saints’ decision to trade him. He spent three seasons with the Seahawks, followed by a pair of campaigns with the Packers and Bears. The Miami alum remained a starter and strong red zone threat through much of that time, but he sat out the 2022 season amidst interest from the Saints in a reunion. His low-cost New Orleans deal came after he decided to return to where his career began and put off retirement by at least one year in the process.

“As I look back, I am filled with pride for what we’ve accomplished together,” Graham added. “The city of New Orleans and the Saints organization have given me more than I could ever ask for. I hope I’ve been able to contribute to that legacy in some way.”

While the message notes Graham is “unsure of what the future holds,” his comments certainly suggest a retirement decision will be coming at some point this offseason. He played a small rotational role with the Saints last season, making just six catches (although four of them were touchdowns). The same would likely be true next campaign if he and the team were to reach agreement on another one-year pact.

Presuming Graham hangs up his cleats, his NFL career will end with a number of impressive statistical totals. He currently sits seventh on the all-time tight ends list for receptions (719), eighth in yards (8,545) and fourth in touchdowns (89). Graham has amassed over $82MM in career earnings.

Saints T Ryan Ramczyk In Danger Of Missing 2024 Season

March 26th, 2024 at 9:41am CST by Adam La Rose

Ryan Ramczyk recently underwent a knee procedure aimed at rectifying what has proven to be a lingering issue. The veteran Saints right tackle was believed to be on track to recover at the time, but his situation has taken a turn for the worse.

When speaking at the annual league meeting on Tuesday, head coach Dennis Allen said (via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football) he felt better about Ramczyk’s health at the time of the operation than he does now. Taking the matter further, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the 29-year-old faces the possibility of missing the 2024 season altogether.

Ramczyk said late in the campaign he has been dealing with a cartilage defect for years, admitting it has increasingly become an issue over time. He acknowledged his short-term future was uncertain with respect to undergoing surgery while adding his intention to continue playing. As things stand, though, the former All-Pro could be sidelined for an extended period during the final year in which guaranteed money exists on his contract.

The former first-rounder agreed to restructure his deal and lowered his cap hit to $12.86MM in the process. He is owed $6.5MM guaranteed for 2024 regardless of his health status, but a release or retirement could come into play next offseason without progress in his rehab. Ramczyk is under contract through 2026, and Underhill’s colleague Mike Triplett notes the team would incur $23MM in dead money in either development.

Offensive line is already a priority for the Saints, a team which has question marks on the blindside given Trevor Penning‘s struggles early in his career. Longtime starter Andrus Peat is unsigned, as are Cameron Erving and Max Garcia. Having Ramczyk unavailable for some or all of the upcoming season would add further to the urgency on New Orleans’ part to make multiple additions up front in the second wave of free agency and the draft. The latter’s recovery process will be worth watching as the offseason unfolds.

NFC South Coaching Updates: Marrone, Cooley, Peelle

March 22nd, 2024 at 9:20pm CST by Ely Allen

New Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien is set to take yet another NFL coach onto his new staff. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, former Saints offensive line coach and former NFL head coach Doug Marrone is set to join O’Brien’s staff.

Marrone joins former Patriots tight ends coach Will Lawing at Boston College. Lawing left New England’s NFL team for his first offensive coordinator opportunity at the collegiate level. Both Lawing and Marrone worked under O’Brien at Alabama in 2021.

Bringing his experience as a head coach at Syracuse and for the Bills and Jaguars, Marrone will serve in the role of senior analyst for football strategy/research.

Here are a few other coaching updates from around the NFC South:

The Panthers have granted a promotion to secondary and cornerbacks coach Jonathan Cooley. After one year with the team, Cooley was part of a defensive staff under coordinator Ejiro Evero that was completely retained under new head coach Dave Canales. In his second season with the team, Carolina has made Cooley their defensive passing game coordinator, per Joe Person of The Athletic.
This week, the Buccaneers announced the hire of Justin Peelle as their new tight ends coach. Formerly the tight ends coach of the Falcons, Peelle was not retained after the firing of Arthur Smith and will cross the division to join Liam Coen‘s offensive staff in Tampa Bay. Peelle, a former NFL tight end himself, has had plenty of success during his coaching career, mentoring players like Zach Ertz in Philadelphia and Kyle Pitts in Atlanta. In Tampa Bay, he’ll inherit a position group that features Cade Otton.

Saints Re-Sign S Johnathan Abram

March 20th, 2024 at 10:03pm CST by Ely Allen

The Saints were able to retain a bit more depth at safety today by re-signing Johnathan Abram, according to Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. With a bit of change in New Orleans’ secondary this spring, Abram may have a chance to earn a more prominent role.

A former first-round pick for the Raiders in 2019, Abram’s NFL career got off to a rough start when a torn rotator cuff and labrum put him on season-ending injured reserve after his NFL debut game. Abram rebounded well, starting 27 games over his second and third seasons. In those respective seasons, Abram finished first and second on the team in tackles while also intercepting three passes and recording 10 passes defensed, though he was often criticized for being a liability in coverage.

After Las Vegas declined Abram’s fifth-year option, the team opted to waive him midseason. Abram was claimed off waivers by Green Bay, where he spent three weeks playing special teams before being waived again. He was then picked up off waivers by the Seahawks who started him for a couple games down the stretch of the regular season. After not re-signing in Seattle, Abram joined New Orleans as a free agent.

In 2023, Abram served as a fourth safety option behind Tyrann Mathieu, rookie fifth-round pick Jordan Howden, and Marcus Maye. With Maye’s release being announced in February, Abram should get an opportunity to step into a bigger role as the team’s third option at safety moving forward. He joins Ugo Amadi as the second backup safety to re-sign with the team in as many days.

NFC South Notes: Cousins, Falcons, Ramczyk, Saints, Davis, Evans, Panthers

March 20th, 2024 at 3:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons are under investigation for tampering during their Kirk Cousins pursuit. Cousins said during his Falcons intro presser he spoke with the team’s trainer ahead of his official signing, which would be a violation. Cousins may well have revealed another tampering violation, indicating (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio) he offered to call Darnell Mooney to help close the Falcons’ pitch to the former Bears wide receiver. Mooney committed to the Falcons on Day 2 of the tampering period. With Cousins’ deal not yet official at that point, such recruitment on behalf of the team would be a violation as well.

None of this will result in the Falcons losing Cousins, but a fine and/or a draft choice being stripped would be in play if the team is found to have violated the tampering policy (albeit during a stretch referred to as the legal tampering period). Given the multiple issues here, the Falcons certainly run the risk of being punished.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

In a division with two of the league’s restructure mavens, the Panthers are hoping to avoid such moves under new GM Dan Morgan. The former Carolina assistant GM said (via The Athletic’s Joe Person) he will aim to avoid kicking the can down the road in the form of restructures. Teams have turned to restructures more in the 2020s, as the larger cap spikes have helped clubs manage the bigger cap hits down the road, but both the Buccaneers and Saints have needed to take some medicine at points this decade due to restructures.
Having said that, the Panthers did reach a restructure agreement with Shaq Thompson to both create cap space and retain their longest-tenured player. This will reduce the 10th-year linebacker’s base salary to $3.1MM and clear around $3MM in cap space, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Headed into his age-30 season, Thompson is coming off a two-game campaign halted by a fractured fibula. He is now on the Panthers’ cap sheet at $3.19MM.
Ryan Ramczyk finished last season on IR due to a knee injury that he admitted bothered him for nearly the entire season. A cartilage defect in his knee also brought some ominous comments from the standout right tackle, but he is on track to play an eighth season with the Saints. Ramczyk underwent what Dennis Allen (via NOLA.com’s Matthew Paras) labeled a minor knee procedure; he is expected to be ready for training camp. Additionally, Ramczyk agreed to a reworked contract that guarantees him $6.5MM this season, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. Ramcyzk’s 2021 extension previously had no guarantees left, but it called for a $27MM 2024 cap number. This reworking brought that down to $12.9MM, and NewOrleans.football’s Mike Triplett refers to it as a significant pay cut. Ramczyk is signed through 2026, but no guarantees are due beyond 2024.
The Saints also brought James Hurst‘s cap number down from $6.5MM to $2.9MM, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill tweets. Two void years are present in Hurst’s deal, but the veteran O-lineman, who has been needed to start over the past three seasons, is due for free agency in 2025.
New Orleans’ latest Demario Davis contract (two years, $17.25MM) will bring $13.25MM in guarantees, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell tweets. The team is guaranteeing $2.5MM of Davis’ $6.5MM 2025 base salary, with Terrell adding a $1.75MM roster bonus will be due next year. That roster bonus will be key in determining if Davis plays the 2025 season in New Orleans; the new deal dropped Davis’ 2024 cap hit from $18.1MM to $6.2MM.
Not quite as prolific as the Saints on the restructure front, the Buccaneers have been aggressive here since the Tom Brady signing. Tampa Bay has already restructured Mike Evans‘ deal, per MLFootball, with his $21.8MM roster bonus into a signing bonus. This freed up $17.4MM in cap space, which the Bucs put to good use as they re-signed Baker Mayfield and Lavonte David following the application of Antoine Winfield Jr.‘s franchise tag.
The Panthers‘ Dane Jackson contract is for two years and worth $8.5MM in base value, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. While this NFL period has featured Carolina-to-Buffalo moves, the veteran cornerback will make the reverse trip and do so for $5.12MM guaranteed. The guarantees cover $1MM of Jackson’s 2025 base salary ($3.74MM).

Chase Young’s Neck Injury Affected 2023 Trade Market

March 20th, 2024 at 11:37am CST by Sam Robinson

Chase Young missed only one game last season, coming back from a knee injury that marred the previous two years. But his free agent market underwhelmed. The former No. 2 overall pick settled for a Saints contract that has turned out to be heavy in per-game roster bonuses. His upcoming neck surgery has brought another hurdle.

New Orleans gave Young a $13MM contract, but one that hinges on the former Washington and San Francisco starter suiting up. Young visited three teams — the Saints, Titans and Panthers — over the past week, but SI.com’s Albert Breer notes none would clear the Ohio State alum on his physical. It is not uncommon for players to fail a physical and land a free agency deal, as prior injuries requiring rehab efforts are regularly baked into teams’ pursuits of certain players.

Young sustained a neck stinger during a preseason game last year, causing him to miss Week 1. He returned and played the rest of the way, totaling 7.5 sacks during a season split between the Commanders and 49ers. San Francisco ended up with Young — in exchange for a third-round compensatory pick — because Washington dropped its asking price. The Bears were among the other teams interested in Young, but Breer adds his neck scans provided the NFC North team with enough concern it moved in another direction. This led to Montez Sweat going to Chicago and signing an upper-crust extension (four years, $98MM).

The 49ers were comfortable with Young’s medical sheet, and they were interested in re-signing him. San Francisco hopes at a higher-end compensatory pick will not come to fruition as a result of this contract. The 49ers have moved on, signing Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos. Young will be expected to recover and play opposite Cameron Jordan, with both his 2024 earnings and 2025 free agent market hinging on a smooth recovery from this neck operation.

Previously ticketed for a contract a few tiers north of the one he ultimately received, Young has seen his career hit a crossroads. While returning to full health could reestablish the 25-year-old edge rusher as being worthy of a deal in the Sweat neighborhood, Young has seen injuries sidetrack his career. To prevent another round of one-year offers from coming to pass, the fifth-year defender will need to stay healthy in New Orleans.

Contract Details: Young, Awuzie, Taylor, Rams, Cards, Chargers, 49ers, Lions, Texans

March 20th, 2024 at 10:12am CST by Sam Robinson

With free agency’s first wave in the rearview mirror, here is a look at some of the contracts authorized by teams in the days since the market opened:

Chidobe Awuzie, CB (Titans). Three years, $36MM. Contract includes $22.98MM guaranteed. Awuzie’s 2025 base salary ($11.49MM) is guaranteed for injury at signing, with $7.51MM of that total fully guaranteed. Awuzie being on Tennessee’s roster on April 1 of next year locks in the other $3.98MM. The veteran cornerback is a due a $1MM bonus on April 1, 2026, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
Darious Williams, CB (Rams). Three years, $22.5MM. Commanding a market, the recent Jaguars cap casualty’s second Rams contract can be worth up to $30MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
Chase Young, DE (Saints). One year, $13MM. The deal includes $7.99MM in per-game roster bonuses, CBS Sports Jonathan Jones notes. Including a $2.7MM base salary and a $1.86MM signing bonus, Young’s New Orleans pact is still heavily tilted toward games active. That will make the defensive end’s recovery from neck surgery worth monitoring more closely.
Tyrod Taylor, QB (Jets): Two years, $12MM. Taylor will see $8.5MM fully guaranteed, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets. An additional $6MM in incentives are present in the veteran QB’s deal. Three void years are included here, dropping Taylor’s 2024 cap hit to $2.8MM.
DeeJay Dallas, RB (Cardinals): Three years, $8.25MM. Dallas will see $2.4MM guaranteed, Wilson tweets. The final two base salaries on this contract — both worth $2.4MM — are nonguaranteed. Rushing yards-based incentives run up to $750K per year in this deal.
Javon Kinlaw, DT (Jets): One year, $7.25MM. The ex-49ers first-rounder will receive a $5.5MM signing bonus, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson indicating the deal also includes $1.75MM in incentives.
Gus Edwards, RB (Chargers). Two years, $6.5MM. The ex-Ravens back will see $3.38MM guaranteed, Wilson tweets. Edwards’ $3MM 2025 base salary is nonguaranteed, with Wilson adding he is due a $125K roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2025 league year.
Noah Brown, WR (Texans): One year, $4MM. Brown re-signed with the Texans for $3MM guaranteed, per Wilson. The wideout’s second Houston contract can max out at $5MM.
Jon Feliciano, G (49ers). One year, $2.75MM. Feliciano will receive a $925K signing bonus, and Wilson adds $1.25MM in incentives are present in this accord.
Emmanuel Moseley, CB (Lions). One year, $1.13MM. Moseley will stay in Detroit for the veteran minimum, via the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers. Coming off a second ACL tear in two years, Moseley will receive a $1MM signing bonus. He received $6MM in 2023.

Saints Sign OT Oli Udoh

March 19th, 2024 at 6:29pm CST by Ben Levine

The Saints have added some depth on the offensive line. The team announced that they’ve agreed to terms with offensive tackle Oli Udoh.

The former sixth-round pick spent five seasons with the Vikings to begin his career, appearing in 43 games. He only got an extended look during one of the those campaigns, starting 16 games for Minnesota in 2021. He landed back on the bench in 2022, starting one game (plus a playoff start) while appearing in only 131 offensive snaps.

Udoh re-signed with the Vikings last offseason and earned a starting nod in Week 2. However, he suffered a quad injury in that game, ending his season after only two appearances.

The Saints will be counting on Udoh to provide some depth in 2024. Ryan Ramczyk will be back in the starting lineup, but the team is currently eyeing one of Udoh, Trevor Penning, Landon Young, and Tommy Kraemer for the other starting tackle spot.

The Saints also made a move of the defensive side of the ball, re-signing safety Ugo Amadi. The former Seahawks draft pick spent the 2022 campaign bouncing between the Eagles, Titans, and Chiefs practice squads. He caught on with the Saints last offseason and proceeded to get into all 17 games, collecting 12 tackles while garnering the majority of his snaps on special teams.

Saints DE Chase Young To Undergo Surgery

March 19th, 2024 at 2:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

A knee injury represents a significant reason Chase Young is now with the Saints, after a declined fifth-year option led him to free agency. But the former Defensive Rookie of the Year will spend extensive time rehabbing another issue this offseason.

Young will undergo neck surgery, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who adds the talented edge rusher is expected to be sidelined into training camp. The Saints expect Young to be ready for the season, and while they were comfortable with the fifth-year veteran’s neck issue upon signing him Monday, it will be a while before he is in uniform again.

This procedure helps explain why Young ended up with a “prove it” deal. Even on a market featuring some starter-caliber edge rushers with upside, Young’s talent stood out. But his 2021 knee trouble — a torn ACL and ruptured patellar tendon — sidelined him for nearly all of the 2022 season. With that in his rearview mirror and this nick issue a factor as well, Young did not land a multiyear contract. Though, the Saints did give the former Heisman finalist a $13MM guarantee for the 2024 season. That illustrated other teams were willing to bet on Young now.

The Saints indeed secured exclusive negotiating rights with Young until March 2025. That will give the NFC South team a chance to evaluate a player whose trajectory once seemed to be soaring beyond “prove it” deal territory. But Young lost nearly two seasons due to the knee injury. After he started off well with the Commanders before a midseason trade last year (five sacks), he was unable to display the same form with the 49ers, registering 2.5 sacks in eight games. Still, Young is going into only his age-25 season. He has time to rebuild his value ahead of a potentially lucrative third contract.

That said, this neck surgery will introduce another complication here. It is certainly possible the Saints will want to see an extensive run of Young health before considering an extension. Young also may be interested in proving it to enhance his 2025 market, seeing as he was not planning to discuss a new Commanders deal until after the 2024 season. The Saints will wait on the once-prized prospect for a while, as it now appears less than a lock Young will be ready for Week 1.

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