New Orleans Saints Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Commanders, Saints Had Large Presence At Sam Howell’s Pro Day

April 3rd, 2022 at 3:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

While Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett have garnered most of the attention in terms of top quarterback prospects, North Carolina’s Sam Howell remains a highly-touted option as well. Two of the teams who sent large delegations to see him at his recent pro day were the Commanders and Saints, per Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network (Twitter link).

Pauline notes that the “big turnout” from Washington included executive VP Marty Hurney and several other staffers. The Commanders already have their starting signal-caller in Carson Wentz, whom they traded for days before the start of free agency. The price they paid – both in terms of the draft capital sent to Indianapolis and the fact that they picked up his full salary – signalled a strong commitment to the former No. 2 pick, who is under contract for three more years.

The Saints, meanwhile, had college scouting director Jeff Ireland on hand to see the former Tar Heel in person. After being in the competition for Deshaun Watson, New Orleans re-signed Jameis Winston on a two-year deal. Not long after, they also added a veteran backup in Andy Dalton.

Howell, a true junior, burst onto the scene with 38 touchdown passes in his freshman year. He improved in terms of completion percentage (68.1%) and yards per attempt (11.1) in the following campaign, but took a step back in production in 2021. Following the departure of receivers Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome, along with the team’s dynamic RB duo of Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, Howell had a down year statistically.

As a result, many have dropped the six-foot-one, 220-pounder down a tier or so in this year’s QB rankings. Howell is generally rated closer to the likes of Matt Corral and Desmond Ridder than the aforementioned Willis and Pickett. Still, it wouldn’t come as a surprise for him to be selected at some point in the first round. That could leave the Commanders and Saints (who hold the 11th and 18th picks, respectively) in play for Howell, depending on what they saw of him last week.

Saints To Sign Jaleel Johnson

April 2nd, 2022 at 11:50am CST by Zachary Links

Jaleel Johnson is headed to New Orleans (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). On Saturday, the former Texans and Vikings defensive tackle agreed to a one-year deal with the Saints, adding serious bulk to the rebuilding club.

Johnson, 28 in July, spend the first four years of his career in Minnesota, where he appeared in 53 games for 20 starts. He hooked on with the Texans last year, seeing time in 12 games as a reserve.

While he’s not a household name, Johnson has carved out a role as a serviceable run-stuffer. Listed at 6’3″, 316 pounds, he’s also managed to get to the quarterback on occasion. In 2019, for example, he notched 3.5 sacks from the interior of the Vikings’ line.

The Saints front office is putting in work this weekend, having also re-upped safety P.J. Williams on a one-year deal.

Saints To Re-Sign P.J. Williams

April 2nd, 2022 at 11:50am CST by Zachary Links

P.J. Williams is back. On Saturday, the Saints agreed to a brand-new one-year deal with their veteran defensive back (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com).

Williams has never been a Pro Football Focus darling, but the Saints are fans of his work. This marks his third straight one-year re-up and yet another chance for him to improve his leverage. Last time around, Williams scored a fully guaranteed one-year, $2.3MM deal, up from his $2MM pact in 2020.

The Saints drafted him in the third-round back in 2015, and he’s been with the team ever since. A torn hamstring cost him his entire rookie season, and a serious head injury limited him to only two games in 2016. Fortunately, he’s been able to play in at least 14 games in each of the past five seasons. He’s not a world beater, but he is versatile with extensive experience at both safety and cornerback.

As Williams returns, the Saints will also welcome a new defender in ex-Texans defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson.

Saints To Bring Back G Forrest Lamp

March 31st, 2022 at 4:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints will give Forrest Lamp another opportunity. Although the former second-round pick played just one game with the team last season, he committed to another New Orleans deal Thursday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

A Chargers draft choice in 2017, Lamp has seen injuries largely define his career. He missed all of his would-be rookie season in 2017, suffering a torn ACL during training camp, and went down with a season-ending malady midway through the 2019 season. The Bills placed Lamp on IR during the preseason slate last year, leading him to the Saints.

New Orleans returns its starting interior offensive line — Andrus Peat, Cesar Ruiz, Erik McCoy — and has swingman James Hurst still rostered. Lamp figures to compete for a depth role with the Saints, who allowed longtime left tackle Terron Armstead to join the Dolphins, creating a key question for what has been one of the league’s most stable O-lines.

Lamp, 28, established some momentum by starting all 16 games for the 2020 Chargers, but it did not lead to a key 2021 role. The Western Kentucky alum will nevertheless have another chance to contribute.

Saints Pursuing WR Additions

March 31st, 2022 at 12:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

The performance of the Saints’ pass-catching corps was a large reason why the team missed the playoffs in 2021. It’s not surprising, then, that general manager Mickey Loomis confirmed New Orleans is looking for additions at the position (Twitter link via Katherine Terrell of the Athletic).

“I think we have some work to do yet, so we’re looking”, Loomis said when asked about the WR group. The team recently agreed to terms with Tre’Quan Smith on a two-year deal. His retention means most of the complementary pieces of the WR room – along with the likes of Deonte Harty and Marquez Callaway – will remain in place from the previous season, which saw the team post a league-worst 202 passing yards per game.

The most important news at the position for New Orleans, of course, is the expected return of Michael Thomas. The team made it clear they were not looking to trade the 29-year-old after he missed all of the 2021 campaign. The two-time All-Pro led the league in receptions during each of his two most recent full seasons (2018 and 2019) and is under contract for three more years.

New head coach Dennis Allen echoed Loomis’ views. “We feel good about the position, but yet it’s still a position we want to add to”, he said, as noted by Luke Johnson of NOLA.com. The uncertainty surrounding Thomas’ health, coupled with the lack of production throughout the remainder of the depth chart, has many pointing to the draft as a likely means of bringing in new talent to supplement the current pieces.

New Orleans could turn to the free agent or trade market as well, but few options remain on those fronts. In any event, the team is likely to have at least one significant addition at the position by the time the 2022 season begins.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/31/22

March 31st, 2022 at 11:56am CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves around the NFL:

New Orleans Saints

Signed: DT Shy Tuttle (RFA tender)

Malcolm Jenkins Retires From NFL

March 30th, 2022 at 8:51am CST by Zachary Links

Malcolm Jenkins is calling it a career. In an interview with The Pivot podcast (Twitter link), the longtime NFL safety announced his retirement from football.

Jenkins, a 13-year veteran, entered the league as a first-round pick of the Saints back in 2009. Now, at the age of 34, Jenkins is moving on to a new chapter.

“I recall when we first drafted Malcolm in 2009, he made contributions to a Super Bowl Championship team in multiple positions in the secondary and then pretty quickly developed into an outstanding safety,” said Saints head coach Dennis Allen in a team press release. “The combination of skill, awareness and intelligence allowed Malcolm to be in position to make plays all over the field. To put up the numbers he did for as long as he did speaks both to his talent and his commitment to his craft. He was also a great leader in the locker room and important contributor to the community. I’m proud to say that I had the opportunity to coach Malcolm and congratulate him on an excellent career.”

The Ohio State product began his career in New Orleans and became a full-time starter in his second season. After five years with the Saints, he moved on to the Eagles, where he enjoyed a successful six year run and three Pro Bowl nods (2015, 2017, and 2018). If Saints head coach Sean Payton could have done it differently, he never would have let Jenkins get to Philly.

“Probably one of the bigger mistakes that we’ve made, and you have to ask yourself how did that happen? Letting him out of the building certainly wasn’t a smart decision,” Payton said in 2020.

The Saints signed Jenkins that year, enabling him to finish his career where it all started. Jenkins exits the field with 1,044 career tackles, 21 interceptions, eleven fumble recoveries, seven defensive touchdowns, and 199 games played. He’s also got quite the jewelry collection, having won two Super Bowl rings for the 2009 and 2017 seasons.

We here at PFR wish Jenkins the best in retirement.

Saints’ Taysom Hill Likely Done At QB

March 29th, 2022 at 6:27pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Taysom Hill‘s stint as a quarterback has come to an end. Speaking with reporters at the owners meeting, Saints head coach Dennis Allen said Hill will primarily play tight end in 2022.

“A lot more of the F-tight end, a tight end type of role,” Allen said (via WDSU.com). “I think that’s the direction we need to move with him. Because I think he may be one of the better players in the league in that role.”

According to Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com (on Twitter), it was always the Saints’ plan to move Hill to a full-time tight end. The player’s four-year extension was designed to pay him like a tight end, and the escalators were only in place for the slim chance that Hill returned to the quarterback position.

Hill flirted with the quarterback position early in his career, and he had opportunities to show what he’s got while filling in for Drew Brees in 2020 and filling in for Jameis Winston during the post-Brees 2021 campaign. While the Saints have gone 7-2 when Hill has started under center, he’s still only tossed eight touchdowns vs. eight interceptions while completing 64.2 percent of his passes.

Of course, Hill has also shown the ability to be a game-changer in a Swiss Army Knife-type role. Over the past four years, Hill has collected 1,571 yards from scrimmage and 23 touches on 255 touches.

Saints To Sign Andy Dalton

March 29th, 2022 at 11:55am CST by Adam La Rose

Andy Dalton has found his next home in the NFL. The veteran is signing with the Saints on a one-year contract worth up to $6MM, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The deal includes $3MM in guaranteed money.

[RELATED: Bears Sign QB Siemian]

The 34-year-old has settled into life as a backup after nine years as the starter in Cincinnati. He held the No. 2 job in Dallas in 2020, though he made nine starts as a result of injuries to Dak Prescott. He went 4-5 in that stretch, tossing 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions. That was followed by another one-year contract, this time in Chicago.

Dalton was named the starter for the Bears last April, though the team drafted Justin Fields later that month. The former ended up making six starts in the Windy City, putting up almost identical passing stats to his time the year before. With Fields having taken over as the QB of the present and future by the end of the year, though, it became clear Dalton would be on his way out.

In New Orleans, the TCU alum will replace Trevor Siemian, who recently joined the Bears. The Saints have re-signed Jameis Winston as their starter, but his injury history could open the door to playing time for Dalton. If that ends up happening, it would continue his recent streak of getting notable snaps despite spending long stretches as a backup. At a minimum, the three-time Pro Bowler is in line to extend his career for one more season.

Saints To Re-Sign Tre’Quan Smith

March 28th, 2022 at 1:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tre’Quan Smith is set to remain in New Orleans. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (on Twitter) that the Saints are bringing him back on a two-year, $6MM deal. He adds that there is another $4.5MM available in incentives.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo also notes that $2MM is guaranteed (Twitter link). That means this deal represents a notable raise over the compensation he received from his rookie contract. Smith has spent all four years of his career with the Saints after they drafted him in the third round in 2018. He hit free agency this offseason despite four void year being added to his deal as a result of a 2021 restructure.

The 26-year-old has been a consistent complimentary piece to the Saints’ offense during his time there. He had a career year in 2020, posting 34 catches for 448 yards and four touchdowns. That led many to believe he would have a breakout campaign in 2021, given the absence of Michael Thomas. However, between injuries to himself and quarterback Jameis Winston, and the overall struggles of the team’s offense, he put up underwhelming numbers (32 receptions, 377 yards, three touchdowns).

The UCF product drew interest from the Falcons earlier this month, as they hosted him on a free agent visit. Instead of joining New Orleans’ divisional rival, though, he will remain with the Saints as they look to have a healthier and more productive season on offense in 2022.

New Orleans Saints News & Rumors