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New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

Saints, Cameron Jordan Agree To Extension

June 11th, 2019 at 12:28pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints and defensive end Cameron Jordan have agreed to terms on a brand new contract, according to Adam Shafter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The new pact will add three years to his existing deal, tying him to the team through the 2023 season. 

It’s a three-year, $52.5MM extension for Jordan, giving him five years and a maximum of $74.5MM left on his commitment to the team. With Jordan under contract through the 2023 season, the club can turn its attention to a new deal for wide receiver Michael Thomas and other pressing matters.

Jordan, 30 in July, had another outstanding year for the Saints as he notched 12 sacks and 49 tackles. He now has 71.5 sacks dating back to his rookie season in 2011, all with the Saints.

Last year, Jordan ranked as the fifth-best edge defender in the NFL, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. PFF’s stats have bestowed elite grades on Jordan for each of the past three seasons with particularly strong marks for his run defense.

While the Saints D has had its ups and downs over the years, Jordan has been a consistent terror for opposing defenses. He has four Pro Bowl nods to his credit, notching at least ten sacks in each of those campaigns. He also earned his first career First-Team All-Pro selection in 2017 with a career high 13 sacks.

Saints To Sign Kayvon Webster

June 10th, 2019 at 8:35am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have agreed to sign cornerback Kayvon Webster, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Exact terms of the deal are not yet known, but it’s likely a low-cost one-year contract for the 28-year-old and New Orleans. 

The Saints auditioned several cornerbacks last week and apparently liked what Webster brought to the table. Barring injury to one of the team’s other corners, Webster probably won’t be in line for serious playing time. Marshon Lattimore, Eli Apple, Patrick Robinson, and P.J. Williams all rank ahead of him on the depth chart, though he could carve out a role on special teams.

Webster garnered some hype as a backup in Denver, but injuries spoiled what could have been his true coming out party with the Rams. Instead of taking off in old friend Wade Phillips‘ system, his season ended after just eleven games. Last year, he latched on with the Texans, but he was limited to just two games thanks to multiple injuries and two IR stints.

Saints Host Prince Charles Iworah

June 5th, 2019 at 9:54am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are hosting cornerback Prince Charles Iworah on a visit, a source tells NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). The former 49ers draft pick has appeared in just one NFL game, but offers intriguing tools. 

Coming out of Western Kentucky, Iworah posted a 4.32-second 40-yard-dash with a 38.5-inch vertical leap. He has just one NFL appearance to his credit from his 2016 season, but talent evaluators remain curious about his upside.

The Saints are using Wednesday’s practice to kick the tires on several cornerbacks to fortify their depth chart. Former Broncos notable Kayvon Webster and ex-Steeler Coty Sensabaugh are also on hand to show their stuff.

Saints Meet With Coty Sensabaugh

June 5th, 2019 at 9:04am CST by Zachary Links

Free agent cornerback Coty Sensabaugh will visit the Saints on Wednesday, a source tells Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). The seven-year veteran started ten games last season for the Steelers. 

Sensabaugh will meet with New Orleans brass on the same day as Kayvon Webster. Apparently, the Saints are looking for veteran depth at cornerback to support starters Marshon Lattimore and Eli Apple.

Sensabaugh, 30, has 43 career starts to his credit, including ten starts with the Steelers last season. He earned a decent 65.7 overall score from Pro Football Focus last season, positioning him among the top 65 players at the position. And, for what it’s worth, Sensabaugh shined in the Steelers’ regular season finale against the Bengals.

Saints To Meet With Kayvon Webster

June 5th, 2019 at 8:33am CST by Zachary Links

Free agent cornerback Kayvon Webster will visit the Saints on Wednesday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The 49ers and Bears also have expressed interest in Webster recently and it might not be long before he finds a new NFL home. 

Webster garnered buzz early in his career as a talented cornerback with the Broncos who was buried on the depth chart behind more established names. Many expected him to break out upon signing with the Rams in 2017 and reuniting with Wade Phillips, but he didn’t do much in his injury-shortened season. In 2018, injuries hampered him yet again as he tried to reestablish himself with the Texans.

The Saints will start Marshon Lattimore and Eli Apple at the outside cornerback spots with Patrick Robinson, P.J. Williams and rookies Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Saquan Hampton battling for the primary slot role.

8 NFL Teams Have Wrapped Up Their Draft Classes

June 4th, 2019 at 8:25am CST by Zachary Links

Roughly one-quarter of the NFL’s teams have signed every player in their draft class, as shown in PFR’s tracker. The front offices of the following clubs have a little bit less on their plate as mandatory minicamps get underway:

  • Cardinals
  • Falcons
  • Browns
  • Lions
  • Chiefs
  • Saints
  • Eagles
  • Steelers

While the league’s rookie slotting system has been criticized by some, there’s no denying that it has streamlined the signing process for the incoming class. Prominent first-round picks like Joey Bosa and Marcus Mariota have squabbled with teams over offset language in recent years and the third round lacks some structure due to flexibility in base salary, but, on the whole, rookies have been quicker to put pen to paper in recent years.

We’ll likely see several more teams wrap up their draft classes before the week is through. The Bills, Bengals, Cowboys, Packers, Texans, Colts, Dolphins, Vikings, Patriots, Seahawks, Titans, and Redskins each have just one straggler remaining. Unsurprisingly, most of those unsigned players are third-rounders. The Vikings are a notable exception – seventh-round pick Austin Cutting is waiting to find out whether the Air Force will permit him to play instead of immediately fulfilling his two-year service requirement.

Darren Sproles Eyeing Eagles, Saints, Chargers?

May 31st, 2019 at 1:00pm CST by Ben Levine

It was about two months ago that free agent running back Darren Sproles said he’d make a decision regarding his NFL future by May. Well, it sounds like the 35-year-old may need a bit more time making a decision.

During an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Sproles would be willing to wait for the right offer, even if it comes during the latter part of the summer (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). Furthermore, Schefter hinted that the running back would prefer to play for one of his former teams. Specifically, that’d mean the Eagles, Saints, or Chargers are atop Sproles’ list. Of course, Schefter also notes that the running back would be open to other opportunities.

After a broken arm and a torn ACL limited him to only three games during the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning 2017 campaign, Sproles said the 2018 season would be his final year in the NFL. However, Sproles ended up being hampered by injuries once again, limiting him to only six regular season games. He was still relatively productive when he was on the field; he paired 120 rushing yards (and a rushing touchdown) with 15 receptions for 160 yards and two scores.

Of course, Sproles continues to get older; if he plays in 2019, he’d be the second-oldest player at his position (behind Frank Gore). While any team would take a chance on a savvy veteran who possesses some pass-catching prowess, it’s uncertain if any of Sproles’ former teams would have interest.

The Eagles have a crowded depth chart that features Jordan Howard, Corey Clement, Josh Adams, and Wendell Smallwood. The Saints brought in Latavius Murray to serve as Alvin Kamara‘s backup, but the team lacks experience behind that duo. The Chargers’ trio of Melvin Gordon, Austin Ekeler, and Justin Jackson seem to have a solid hold on the top-three spots, but Sproles could theoretically play a return role alongside Desmond King in Los Angeles.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/30/19

May 30th, 2019 at 9:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

New Orleans Saints

Oakland Raiders

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Redskins

Jets Request Interview With Terry Fontenot

May 29th, 2019 at 9:40am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets added a fifth name to their GM search. The Jets put a request in for Saints Director of Pro Scouting Terry Fontenot, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

[RELATED: Jets GM Search Tracker]

Fontenot was not previously connected to the job and doesn’t have the name value of the Jets’ other four candidates. However, as Rapoport notes, he has a strong reputation in the football world and has been credited with improving the Saints’ roster, along with Sean Payton and Jeff Ireland.

Fontenot, 38, has spent 16 years with the Saints and six years as the club’s director of pro scouting. He joins Eagles VP of player personnel Joe Douglas, Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer, Bears assistant director of player personnel Champ Kelly, and Vikings assistant GM George Paton as known candidates for the job.

 

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/28/19

May 28th, 2019 at 9:24pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Cleveland Browns

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Oakland Raiders

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Redskins

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