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This Date In Transactions History: Saints Sign Dez Bryant

November 7th, 2021 at 3:38pm CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2018, Dez Bryant agreed to join the Saints. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned for the one-time Cowboys star.

Bryant’s one-year, $1.25MM pact was modest, considering the three Pro Bowls on his resume. However, at that juncture of his career, it made sense. The former first-rounder was coming off of three straight down years, culminating in his Cowboys release.

Bryant reportedly favored the one-year deal over longer commitments — the veteran figured he could restore his value before re-entering free agency in the offseason. He famously rejected a three-year, $21MM offer from the Ravens, only to languish in free agency for the first half of 2018.

In New Orleans, Bryant was expected to provide Drew Brees with another talented weapon behind Michael Thomas, Cameron Meredith, and Tre’Quan Smith. The organization had also worked out wideouts Brandon Marshall and Kamar Aiken, but they seemingly preferred Bryant’s upside. We’ll never really know if New Orleans’ inkling was correct; only two days after signing his contract, Bryant tore his Achilles tendon at practice, ending his season before it could even begin.

Bryant hit free agency in 2019, but never signed. He finally got a second chance in 2020, joining the Ravens’ practice squad at the age of 32. Bryant eventually made it to the active roster, but registered just six receptions for 47 yards and two touchdowns.

In early 2021, Bryant said that he wanted to continue playing. But, with the season more than halfway over, we haven’t heard his name mentioned. After celebrating his 33rd birthday last week, it’s possible that we’ve seen Bryant play his final NFL snap.

Latest On Browns’ OBJ Agreement

November 6th, 2021 at 6:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a turbulent week, the Browns and Odell Beckham Jr. agreed to separate. The disgruntled wide receiver is not set to be waived until Monday, but he did not practice this week and is effectively done as a member of the Browns. It took some negotiating to complete this transaction.

A Friday agreement paved the way to the sides’ impending divorce, and some interesting details surfaced regarding Beckham’s status Saturday. While the Browns tweaked Beckham’s deal to make him a 2022 free agent (instead of a 2024 UFA, which the wideout’s Giants-constructed contract previously called for), his salary if he is claimed on waivers would go unchanged. A team that is awarded Beckham on waivers would be hit with the receiver’s $7.25MM in remaining salary. Beyond that, Cleveland made more changes.

If no one claims Beckham, the Browns will only be on the hook for $4.25MM of that salary, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Browns converted some of Beckham’s salary into a roster bonus, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. The NFLPA signed off on Cleveland’s restructure, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets.

The bonus would be another team’s responsibility if it claims OBJ, increasing the likelihood he will go unclaimed Tuesday. Claims are due by 3pm CT Tuesday. Beckham will lose out on that $3MM bonus if no team claims him, further illustrating his desire to hit free agency. The Browns trimming years off the contract and using a roster bonus stands to help OBJ while saving the team some cash.

The Browns could have converted much of Beckham’s salary to a signing bonus, reducing the base to the point it would increase the likelihood a team claims him. This ran the risk of Beckham being claimed by a team near the top of the waiver priority list, a scenario the scuffling wideout almost certainly wants to avoid. The nature of this restructure also increases the chances Beckham will end up with a contender of his choosing.

AFC teams like the Chiefs, Patriots or Raiders could show interest, but NFC squads are also preparing to pursue him. The 49ers, Saints and Seahawks are expected to show interest in Beckham, in the likely event he hits free agency Tuesday afternoon. The Raiders also appear to prefer DeSean Jackson to Beckham. The Saints made a series of calls on receivers — Beckham and Darius Slayton among them — at the deadline, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. New Orleans’ lack of a proven quarterback figures to hurt its chances, however. Beckham was also intrigued by the 49ers a while back, Fowler adds. The 49ers were linked to Beckham via trade before the Browns acquired him in 2019.

OBJ has pocketed a considerable amount of cash over the course of his career, but he turned 29 this week and has seen his value crater in Cleveland. The former Giants Pro Bowler has been unable to consistently show that form with the Browns, with injuries and a limited rapport with Baker Mayfield impacting this decline. None of OBJ’s issues in Cleveland stemmed from off-field matters, according to ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter, who adds Beckham and Mayfield were not at odds off the field. But on it, the two failed to click for most of the three-time Pro Bowler’s three-year Cleveland stay.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/6/21

November 6th, 2021 at 6:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

Saints To Start Trevor Siemian In Week 9

November 5th, 2021 at 2:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Trevor Siemian‘s surprise cameo in Week 8 is expected to lead to a start Sunday. The will use their previous third-string quarterback as their starter against the Falcons, Sean Payton confirmed Friday.

While Siemian has more experience than Taysom Hill as a starter, this is still a surprise move. Hill and Jameis Winston competed for New Orleans’ starting job throughout the offseason. Hill did take reps at quarterback this week, per NFL.com’s James Palmer, and should be ticketed for occasional QB work Sunday (Twitter link). Payton confirmed Hill will be in uniform against the Falcons.

[RELATED: Torn ACL Sidelines Winston For Year]

Hill has missed the past three games due to a concussion, but he was a full participant in practice this week. The Saints turned to Hill ahead of Winston when Drew Brees suffered broken ribs last year, and Hill fared well in four games as a starter. The former UDFA-turned-gadget player completed 73% of his passes and averaged 7.7 yards per attempt last season, throwing four touchdown passes and rushing for eight TDs.

The versatile player is in the second season of his 2020 extension, which came after the Saints used a first-round tender to cuff him as a restricted free agent. Siemian, who has started one game since the start of the 2018 season, is attached to a veteran-minimum salary. This is an interesting turn of events for the 5-2 team. Brees confirmed he would not come out of retirement to reclaim the job, though Philip Rivers said he would listen if the Saints called him about the post.

Siemian’s run as the Broncos’ starter ended when they traded him to the Vikings in 2018, following a Case Keenum signing. Since, Siemian has started one game, which came in Week 2 of the 2019 season. The former seventh-round pick suffered a season-ending injury during his one game as a Jet. He spent the 2020 season with the Titans and Saints but did not play. For his career, the Northwestern product has completed 59% of his passes.

Saints, 49ers, Seahawks Among Potential OBJ Suitors

November 4th, 2021 at 10:36pm CST by Ben Levine

If Odell Beckham Jr. ends up getting cut by the Browns, it sounds like he’ll have a list of potential suitors. Sources tell Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com that the Saints, 49ers, and Seahawks would be among the teams interested in adding OBJ.

The Saints were mentioned as a landing spot for Beckham prior to the trade deadline, but the two sides were unable to hammer out a deal. New Orleans’ need for a wideout was exacerbated following news that Michael Thomas won’t play this season. Running back Alvin Kamara currently leads the team in receptions, and the team will continue to look toward the waiver wire and free agency for reinforcement, regardless of how the OBJ saga unfolds in Cleveland.

The 49ers have plenty of talented wideouts in Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Mohamed Sanu, and they’ll get another big target back once tight end George Kittle returns to the lineup. However, considering the offense’s inconsistency, you can’t blame the 49ers for wanting to add another player at the position. The Seahawks are another team that are hoping to make a late run towards the playoffs in the tough NFC West. Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf won’t be bumped from atop the depth chart, but OBJ would provide Russell Wilson with another reliable option (once the QB returns from injury).

Florio mentions that the Packers could make sense as a suitor, but the team has “yet to emerge as a viable destination.” Further, Florio notes that the Buccaneers would make sense considering Tom Brady‘s ability to recruit receivers to Tampa Bay, but it doesn’t sound like they’ve been mentioned as a suitor.

Saints Tried To Acquire Giants WR Darius Slayton

November 3rd, 2021 at 10:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Odell Beckham Jr. wasn’t the only wideout who the Saints considered trading for. According to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, New Orleans tried to pull off a trade for Giants receiver Darius Slayton. However, the two side were unable to agree to a deal before the deadline.

[RELATED: Saints, Browns Discussed Odell Beckham Jr. Trade]

The Saints quest to add a receiver made a lot more sense once we learned that Michael Thomas will end up sitting out the entire 2021 campaign. Of course, even if Thomas was in the lineup, the team still could have used some reinforcement at the position, especially with quarterback Jameis Winston now done for the season. The Saints leader in receptions this season is running back Alvin Kamara, and the team’s receivers depth chart is currently led by Marquez Callaway, Tre’Quan Smith, Kenny Stills, and Deonte Harris.

Slayton wouldn’t have necessarily been an upgrade, but he would have provided the Saints with another dependable target. The 24-year-old has struggled a bit in 2021, collecting only 190 receiving yards in five games. However, in both 2019 and 2020, Slayton exceeded 700 receiving yards.

We heard yesterday that Slayton was generating some interest ahead of the trade deadline. The wideout’s low-cost contract still has another full year to go, a factor that held appeal to potential suitors.

Saints’ Michael Thomas Done For Year

November 3rd, 2021 at 9:04am CST by Zachary Links

Michael Thomas‘ season is over. On Wednesday, the Saints star announced that he will not be able to return from his multiple ankle injuries in 2021. 

“I’ve always been a man of faith and these past few months my faith has truly been tested,” Thomas tweeted. “As many of you know, early last season I injured my ankle and worked extremely hard over the next few months to get back in time to finish the season. Unfortunately, the rehab didn’t go as planned and earlier this offseason it was apparent I would need to have a procedure to repair the injury.

“Since then, the team and I have worked diligently, day and night to rehab and get me back on the field. Unfortunately, there has been another small setback which we will have to address. To my displeasure, I will not be able to make it back in time for this season but will do everything in my power to get back to the player I have always been.”

Thomas fought through ankle trouble last year but still only managed to suit up for seven games. The Saints then urged him to undergo surgery ASAP, but he waited until the summer to go under the knife. That course of action didn’t pay off — Thomas will have to spend the remainder of the year rehabbing with an eye on 2022.

The wide receiver likely knew his season was over sometime before today. Ditto for the Saints, who worked diligently to trade for a wide receiver before Tuesday’s deadline. Had the rest of the league known Thomas’ status, the asking price would have been significantly higher. Turns out, the market was already too rich for the Saints’ blood — they tried to deal for Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and others, but couldn’t make a deal before the buzzer.

Entering 2020, Thomas had missed just two career games. Then, in Week 1 of last year, Thomas’ high ankle sprain — coupled with a mid-season hamstring injury — changed everything. The last couple of years have been tumultuous to say the least. Health aside, the Saints also had to bench Thomas after he struck a teammate in practice.

Thomas capped his 2020 with just 40 catches for 438 yards, plus five receptions for 73 yards and one score in the Saints’ playoff win over the Bears. This year, he’ll close with a 0/0/0 line. Thanks to his five-year, $100MM deal, he remains under club control through 2024.

Saints’ Michael Thomas Dealing With New Ankle Injury

November 3rd, 2021 at 8:20am CST by Zachary Links

Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is dealing with a new ankle malady, according to sources who spoke with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). That would help to explain why the Saints explored trades for wide receivers on Tuesday, including Browns star Odell Beckham Jr.

[RELATED: Saints Tried To Trade For OBJ]

Thomas recently became eligible to return off of the PUP list, but it’s not clear when he’ll actually be able to suit up. Even with Tre’Quan Smith back in action, the Saints’ offense clearly misses Thomas. Marquez Callaway currently stands as the Saints’ top receiver with 284 yards, ahead of Smith, Deonte Harris, Ty Montgomery, Kenny Stills, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey (currently on the COVID list).

Thomas’ original ankle injury limited him to seven games last year, a disappointing follow-up to consecutive first-team All-Pro seasons, including 2019 when he set the all-time single-season reception record with 149 grabs.

Meanwhile, the Saints will also be without quarterback Jameis Winston for the rest of the season. That’ll leave either Trevor Siemian or Taysom Hill under center — not old foe Cam Newton or the retired Drew Brees.

Saints, Browns Discussed Odell Beckham Jr. Trade

November 2nd, 2021 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns and Saints discussed a trade that would have sent Odell Beckham Jr. to New Orleans (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Kimberley A. Martin). Ultimately, the two sides couldn’t get a deal done, largely due to OBJ’s salary.

No offers came in that would have made sense for the Browns, per Dianna Russini of ESPN.com. Although there are no post-2021 guarantees in Beckham’s Giants-constructed contract, the eighth-year wide receiver is due more than $7MM in base salary for the rest of this season. He has also struggled (again) to carve out a steady role in Cleveland’s offense this season.

Beckham hasn’t been totally healthy since 2019, when he notched 74 catches for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns for the Browns. Meanwhile, he’s spent much of his Cleveland tenure at odds with coaches and management. Today, his camp seems to have stoked the flames of a potential trade sending him elsewhere.

Odell Beckham Sr. posted a video on Instagram of his son breaking open on various routes that did not produce targets from Baker Mayfield. The elder Beckham also appeared to endorse a comment that read “[Mayfield is] either hating on Odell or he just doesn’t want him shining,” via ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter. LeBron James weighed in on OBJ’s status as well, dropping a #FreeOBJ into a tweet supporting a player who has never truly fit in the Browns’ offense.

Cleveland acquired Beckham in March 2019, sending Jabrill Peppers and a first-round pick (which ended up being defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence) to New York. Beckham made three Pro Bowls as a Giant and totaled four 1,000-yard seasons in five years with his initial team, but in addition to never fitting in with the Browns, the soon-to-be 29-year-old weapon has been frequently hurt. He played through injuries in 2019 and suffered an ACL tear in 2020 — one that kept him out for the first two games of this season. In six games upon returning, Beckham has only topped the two-reception mark twice. He caught one pass for six yards in the Browns’ Week 8 loss to the Steelers.

The Saints are still waiting for All-Pro Michael Thomas‘ return from a late-offseason surgery, though they have since seen fourth-year contributor Tre’Quan Smith return. No Saints pass catcher has topped 300 yards this season, with Marquez Callaway leading the way with 284 yards — a chunk of those coming on a Hail Mary reception in Washington. The Saints cleared more than $100MM in cap space earlier this year, so adding Beckham’s base salary likely would not have been a deal-breaker for a team perpetually up against the salary ceiling. But the sides could not agree on terms, ensuring OBJ will finish a third season in Cleveland.

Philip Rivers Open To Joining Saints

November 2nd, 2021 at 1:16pm CST by Zachary Links

If the Saints call, Philip Rivers says he’ll pick up the phone (Twitter link via Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times). The former Chargers and Colts quarterback hasn’t heard from Sean Payton & Co. yet, but he’s at least open to coming out of retirement. 

Rivers announced his retirement back in January, choosing to coach high school football rather than return for an 18th NFL season. However, the 39-year-old (40 in December) did say that he would stay in shape in case he had a change of heart in October or November.

“It’s a long shot at best. But gonna be ready just in case,” Rivers told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen in August (Twitter link). “…Will not even consider until our season is over no matter what. And like I said, somebody has to want ya.”

Rivers spent 16 years with the Chargers before spending the 2020 season with the Colts. All in all, the former No. 4 overall pick tallied 63,440 yards, 421 touchdowns, and nine Pro Bowl nods. He could, in theory, add to those totals with the Saints, but it’s not clear if the interest is mutual.

For now, the Saints are prepared to move forward with some combination of Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill under center. Free agent Cam Newton is not under consideration and future Hall of Famer Drew Brees has already said that he’s not coming out of retirement.

Even without Winston, Siemian and the Saints still managed to beat the Bucs 36-27 on Sunday. Now at 5-2 on the year, it remains to be seen whether they’ll give Rivers a ring.

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