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Latest On Talks Between Saints, Drew Brees

June 3rd, 2016 at 7:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although negotiations between the Saints and Drew Brees haven’t taken place in more than a month, significant issues figure to crop up when the two sides do engage once again, as Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports details. The most important point in talks, unsurprisingly, will be guaranteed money, and two league sources tell Robinson that Brees could see in excess of $65MM in guarantees on a four-year contract worth between $95MM and $100MM in total.Drew Brees

[RELATED: Free agent safety Roman Harper an option for Saints]

That potential price tag is one reason that New Orleans and Brees’ agent Tom Condon haven’t dialogued in awhile, a source tells Robinson. Additionally, the Saints are more than willing to stomach Brees’ 2016 cap charge of $30MM, having already put in work during the offseason to ensure that they could fit that number into their budget. Letting Brees play out the 2016 season under that figure will ensure that New Orleans doesn’t lock up its veteran quarterback only to see his play fall off during the upcoming year.

Condon, for his part, could play a large role in talks (aside from his obvious contributions as Brees’ counsel). The longtime NFL agent negotiated two deals between Peyton Manning and the Colts, both of which were hammered out after Manning’s previous deal had expired — that experience could prove beneficial if Brees does in fact play out the 2016 season without reaching an extension. Moreover, per Robinson, the relationship between Condon and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis is strong, as the duo have already worked out two Brees contracts.

The other key factor in talks could be whether the Saints feel that they can find a suitable successor to Brees if the two sides can’t agree on a long-term deal. There were conflicting reports as to whether New Orleans attempted to trade for the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, as well as whether the club was interested in Paxton Lynch, but Robinson confirms that the Saints were indeed interested in selecting a quarterback this year.

2015 third-round pick Garrett Grayson could prove to be an option down the line, but sources tell Robinson that the former Colorado State Ram isn’t yet ready to direct an NFL offense. Brees and backup quarterback Luke McCown are such experts in the New Orleans offense that Grayson is often lost in QB meetings, stuck trying to master the basics of the scheme while the veterans are light years ahead.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Battle, Broncos, Saints, Jags

July 4th, 2015 at 6:59pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

There is a strong chance that former Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle will be taken in Thursday’s supplemental draft, which allows NFL clubs to select players who for some reason (academic trouble or disciplinary issues are a couple of examples) were unable to enter the standard draft. If a team does choose Battle, it should be the Eagles, Jets or Giants, opines Mark Eckel of the Star-Ledger.

Battle – who is in need of further seasoning – could learn behind established tackles in the Eagles’ Jason Peters or the Jets’ D’Brickashaw Ferguson before eventually taking over for either, writes Eckel. Meanwhile the Giants have two recent first-round tackles in Justin Pugh and Ereck Flowers, but Eckel believes they’d be wise to follow the example of NFC East rival Dallas and try to stock up even more along the O-line. 

Landing Battle would likely cost any of the above teams a third-round pick, per Eckel, with the Falcons ahead of them in the draft order. Atlanta is the leading candidate to pick the 22-year-old, on whom it could use a fourth-rounder.

More from around the league:

  • Broncos running back C.J. Anderson burst on the scene in 2014, his second season, with nearly 1,200 total yards (849 rushing, 324 receiving) and eight touchdowns in his first true taste of NFL playing time. Anderson enters this season as Denver’s starting back, but Mike Kils of 9News writes that the 24-year-old isn’t resting on his laurels. “I’m going to keep my head down, keep grinding every day and keep pushing. What happened last year, happened last year. That’s completely over and done with,” said Anderson, who will try to fend off Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman for reps.
  • Saints rookie quarterback Garrett Grayson is glad he ended up in New Orleans to serve as Drew Brees‘ apprentice, though the third-round pick from Colorado State also would’ve been happy if the Cowboys or Broncos selected him. “There were three teams that I said I’d love to end up at, and that was the Saints, Cowboys and Broncos,” Grayson told NFL.com, per Christopher Dabe of NOLA.com. “They’ve all got older QBs. Two of them are first-ballot Hall-of-Famers.”
  • Speaking of Brees, the 14-year veteran’s arm hasn’t shown any real signs of decline, ESPN’s Mike Triplett writes. According to Triplett, Brees attempted 35 throws of 40-plus yards from 2009-11 and completed only seven for 356 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. Compare that to 2012-14, when Brees went a far better 15-of-35 for 773 yards, seven scores and no picks, and it’s obvious the 36-year-old can still get the ball downfield. That said, in 2014 Brees did put up his lowest yardage and TD totals since 2007 on throws that traveled 20-plus yards, Triplett notes.
  • Although new Jaguars offensive coordinator Greg Olson is tasked with helping turn around a unit that finished last in points and second last in yardage a year ago, he’s encouraged with the results so far.  “Actually, it’s gone a little bit better than I hoped,” Olson said after minicamp, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. “It’s a really intelligent football team from position to position and that’s made the transition much smoother for them and me.” For what it’s worth, the Olson-led Raiders were the only team to amass fewer yards than the Jaguars last season, and they managed a mere 15.8 points per game compared to the Jags’ 15.6.

NFC Notes: 49ers, Armstead, Briggs, Saints

May 24th, 2015 at 8:16pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here’s a look at the latest regarding a pair of NFC teams:

  • The 49ers are hoping their roster is so deep that first-round defensive end Arik Armstead doesn’t start contributing on the field until 2016, according to of Paul Gutierrez ESPN.com. Armstead might have to make his mark this year, though, as the 49ers’ defensive line took a big hit with the recent retirement of Justin Smith. Veteran Darnell Dockett is expected to be San Francisco’s No. 1 right end, which could leave the left side open for Armstead, Gutierrez notes.
  • Smith’s retirement freed up cap room for the 49ers, but Gutierrez doesn’t necessarily think they’ll use it this year. The team could sign free agent linebacker Lance Briggs, whom it has expressed interest in, but Gutierrez doesn’t expect it to happen unless Briggs comes cheap. Moreover, the Niners have 13 players entering contract years – Aldon Smith, Alex Boone, Anquan Boldin, and Vernon Davis among them – so they have to watch out for the long term.
  • Quarterback Ryan Griffin‘s roster spot with the Saints is in jeopardy after they used a third-round pick on Garrett Grayson. Nonetheless, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com believes Griffin still has a chance to beat out Luke McCown as one of the team’s top three QBs. The winner of the Griffin-McCown battle will likely be the No. 2 behind Drew Brees, leaving Grayson to develop as a No. 3, while the Saints are expected to be cut the loser.
  • Free agent wide receiver Kris Durham told Sirius XM NFL Radio that he worked out for the Saints, writes Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. It was reported earlier this week that Durham worked out for the Cowboys. The four-year veteran has played for the Seahawks, Lions, and Titans during his career, hauling in 55 passes and three touchdowns.

Saints Reach Deals With Six Draftees

May 12th, 2015 at 9:55am CST by Luke Adams

The Saints have signed four of their 2015 draftees and agreed to terms with two more, according to a press release from the club. The two players to reach agreements with the team are the more notable ones — second-round linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha and third-round quarterback Garrett Grayson.

In addition to striking deals with Kikaha and Grayson, the Saints have signed linebacker Davis Tull, defensive tackle Tyeler Davison, cornerback Damian Swann, and running back and return specialist Marcus Murphy. Murphy was a seventh-round pick, while the other three players were all selected by New Orleans in the fifth round earlier this month.

All six rookies will count for less than $1MM against the Saints’ cap in 2015, with Kikaha $958K cap number representing the biggest hit among the group. The deals leave New Orleans with just three draft picks left to sign — first-rounders Andrus Peat and Stephone Anthony, along with third-round cornerback P.J. Williams.

To keep tabs on which teams have locked up their 2015 draftees and which players remain unsigned, be sure to check out our tracker.

Pauline’s Latest: Mannion, Grayson, Sample

May 1st, 2015 at 6:03pm CST by Luke Adams

With day two of the NFL draft getting underway, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net points out a few players to keep an eye on tonight. Here are the highlights from Pauline:

  • The representatives for Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion are “pretty confident” he’ll come off the board quickly in the second round, writes Pauline. As for Garrett Grayson, there’s a chance he lands in the third round — the Bills and Jets are looking hard at Grayson, and the Rams, Broncos, and Washington are also in the mix.
  • According to Pauline, many people believe Florida Atlantic cornerback D’Joun Smith will be selected in the second round tonight, which would be much earlier than expected.
  • Safety James Sample, who is receiving interest from the Seahawks and Ravens, could also come off the board earlier than anticipated, per Pauline.
  • South Carolina guard A.J. Cann likely won’t last long tonight. The Dolphins would love to nab Cann at No. 47, but the Jets have him graded highly and pick 37th, writes Pauline.

NFC South Notes: Winston, Bucs, Saints

April 29th, 2015 at 9:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that the Buccaneers will not inform the player they’re picking of their decision until they’re on the clock Thursday night. Get ready for some nail biting from this year’s top two prospects. Here’s more from the NFC South..

  • There’s a rumor that Buccaneers players have been told that Jameis Winston will be the pick, but Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) hears that’s false based on conversations with four Tampa Bay players.
  • The Saints worked out quarterback Garrett Grayson on Monday, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Today was the final allowable day for workouts of draft prospects. The Saints have been previously linked to Grayson.
  • Texas A&M corner Deshazor Everett worked out for the Buccaneers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The speedster also auditioned for the Chargers, Bengals, Dolphins, and Jets.

Dolphins Rumors: Parker, Draft, QBs

April 29th, 2015 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few Wednesday updates on the Dolphins, who hold the No. 14 pick in tomorrow’s draft….

  • Todd Gurley has been generating plenty of buzz as a Dolphins’ target recently, but Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link) says he keeps hearing the team is interesting in selecting a wide receiver in the first round.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) takes Marvez’ report a step further, writing that he’s hearing the Dolphins are interested in moving up for wideout DeVante Parker. According to La Canfora, the Rams at No. 10 would be a logical trade partner, since St. Louis has interest in moving down.
  • Recognizing that they need depth at the position behind Ndamukong Suh and Earl Mitchell, the Dolphins have done a lot of homework on defensive tackles in this draft, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. While Miami may not address the position in the first round, the team brought in several potential second-round picks for pre-draft visits.
  • According to Jackson, the Dolphins have been “aggressive” as they consider adding a developmental quarterback to the roster, privately working out Garrett Grayson, Connor Halliday, Chris Donner, and Andrew Hendrix. While they won’t necessarily select one in the draft, the Dolphins are a good bet to add a rookie QB after the draft.
  • Within Jackson’s piece, several draft experts weigh in on what the Dolphins should do with the 14th overall pick.

NFC South Notes: Saints, Falcons, Panthers

April 23rd, 2015 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few Thursday items from around the NFC South….

  • The Saints are preparing to transition from Drew Brees to a new quarterback at some point in the next three or four years, and could kick-start that process by drafting a QB early this year, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). According to Cole, New Orleans is eyeing Bryce Petty, who recently worked out for the club, and Garrett Grayson, and figures to select a signal-caller in the first three or four rounds next week.
  • Within the same video, Cole adds that the Saints intend to use their two first-round picks to land players whose commitment to football is unquestioned. That means the team may decide to pass on a top prospect who has run into off-field problems, like Randy Gregory or Marcus Peters.
  • Florida running back Matt Jones made a pre-draft visit to New Orleans to meet with the Saints on Wednesday, the final day teams were allowed to host prospects, writes Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune.
  • Indiana running back Tevin Coleman visited the Falcons on Wednesday, and tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that he enjoyed the visit quite a bit.
  • Mississippi State linebacker Benardrick McKinney has a workout with the Panthers today, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter). With just one week left until the draft, teams can no longer host prospects on pre-draft visits, but they can still privately work them out.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Davis, Panthers, Johnson, Wilson

April 17th, 2015 at 10:39am CST by Luke Adams

After working out a new contract with veteran tight end Greg Olsen last month, GM Dave Gettleman indicated that linebacker Thomas Davis would be the next longtime Panther in line for an extension. The two sides have engaged in discussions since then, and while no deal has been finalized yet, Davis tells Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review that he’s not worried about it at all, and expects to finish his career in Carolina.

“We’re trying to get something worked out. It’s a process, but I’m not stressing over it one bit,” Davis said. “Really and truly, I just want to be here. I want to play football here. If I’m not playing here, I’m not playing football.”

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (all Twitter links) supplies the details on George Johnson‘s new deal with the Buccaneers, reporting that the defensive end will earn a base salary of $750K in year one, with a $2MM roster bonus due next week. Johnson’s base salaries for 2016 and 2017 are $2MM and $2.5MM respectively. However, those numbers can increase via escalators if the ex-Lion plays at least 46% of Tampa Bay’s snaps ($500K) and/or records at least six sacks ($500K) during the next two seasons.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com dives deep into the Russell Wilson contract talks, reiterating in the wake of comments from GM John Schneider that it’s possible the Seahawks won’t lock up their quarterback this year. As La Canfora observes, there seems to be a gap between the two sides at this point regarding what Wilson’s next deal should look like.
  • Mike Jones of the Washington Post adds Miami offensive tackle Ereck Flowers to the list of prospects visiting Washington next week.
  • The Rams, who appear to be keeping a very close eye on this year’s crop of quarterback prospects, are putting Oregon State QB Sean Mannion through a workout today, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune and Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter links) pass along Bears updates, reporting that the team hosted Portland State offensive lineman Cornelius Edison on an official visit this week, and will host Colorado State quarterback Garrett Grayson today.
  • After having met with the Broncos recently, William & Mary receiver and returner Tre McBride visited the Lions today, writes Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.

Draft Notes: Rams, Winston, Vikings, Saints

April 16th, 2015 at 7:09pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Despite already having a starting-caliber quarterback in Nick Foles, the Rams are doing their due diligence with the position as the NFL draft nears. They worked out Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota for roughly an hour Thursday, tweets the NFL Network’s Albert Breer. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweeted earlier Thursday that, in addition to Mariota, the Rams will work out Florida State’s Jameis Winston, Baylor’s Bryce Petty, Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson and UCLA’s Brett Hundley in the coming days. Mariota and Winston should be long gone by the time the Rams’ first-round selection, the 10th overall pick, rolls around, while the rest are viewed as options in the second round and beyond.

More draft-related news:

  • NFL teams were already aware of Jameis Winston’s latest legal troubles before the news broke Thursday and those issues won’t affect his draft status, per Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link).
  • The Vikings have done their homework on a pair of safety prospects, Louisville’s James Sample and Central Florida’s Clayton Geathers, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). Both are projected as mid-round picks.
  • Although West Virginia defensive end Shaquille Riddick wasn’t among the 323 prospects invited to February’s scouting combine, he has drawn pre-draft interest from the Giants, Cardinals, Eagles, Texans, Saints, Bears and Chiefs, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Riddick told Ulrich that is using the combine snub as motivation. “Wherever I go, I’m going to be a surprise that they’re going to benefit from,” said Riddick. “And whoever doesn’t select me, they’re going to have to worry about me terrorizing their quarterbacks.”
  • The Saints will host their local pro day on Friday, according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. Per Woodbery, at least a dozen players will participate. Only those who grew up within a 40-mile radius of New Orleans or attended college within the same distance are eligible to partake.
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