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Saints ‘ Ben Watson To Miss NFC Title Game

January 18th, 2019 at 3:03pm CST by Zachary Links

Saints tight end Ben Watson won’t play this week against the Rams, a source tells ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell (on Twitter). Watson missed two practices due to appendicitis and the painful malady will prevent him from taking the field.

Watson has been able to avoid surgery so far, but anyone who has dealt with appendicitis knows that it’s debilitating, at least in the short term. But, should the Saints reach the Super Bowl, Watson will have a couple of weeks to rest up and get ready for the big game.

The 38-year-old has been incredibly durable throughout his 15-year career. Watson appeared in at least 12 games in 13 of his 15 seasons, and he had at least 20 receptions in 12 of those campaigns. The 2004 first-round pick spent the first six years of his career with the Patriots, including New England’s Super Bowl run in 2004 (although he won on the IR during their playoff run). Watson then spent three seasons in Cleveland before finding a home in New Orleans; the tight end has spent four of his past six seasons with the Saints (he also had a two-year stint with the Ravens).

Watson has been particularly productive during his tenure with New Orleans, including a 2015 campaign where he compiled a career-high 825 receiving yards. Watson re-joined the Saints on a one-year, $2MM deal back in March, and he appeared in all 16 games for the team in 2018, compiling 35 receptions for 400 yards and two scores. The first score was extra special as it was Drew Brees‘ 500th career touchdown pass.

Saints Workout Three

January 16th, 2019 at 9:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Saints To Sign DT Tyrunn Walker

January 15th, 2019 at 1:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have agreed to sign defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Walker will provide support in the wake of Sheldon Rankins’ season-ending torn Achilles. Rankins has been formally placed on IR.

Walker first broke into the league with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He made the roster in his first year, but was a healthy scratch throughout his first pro season. He finally saw the field in 2013 and managed 2.5 sacks in ’14 as a nose tackle for New Orleans. Since then, he’s had stints with the Lions and Rams, but did not see live action in the 2018 season.

Walker, in all likelihood, will not see time in the NFC Championship Game unless he is absolutely needed. Instead, the Saints figure to use interior defenders such as Tyeler Davison, David Onyemata, and Taylor Stallworth to make up for Rankins’ absence.

Rankins, 24, played the most snaps of any Saints defensive tackle in 2018, managing 40 tackles (12 for loss), eight sacks, and 15 quarterback hits in the process. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, graded Rankins as the No. 23 interior defender among 119 qualifiers.

Andrus Peat Broke Hand In Week 17

January 14th, 2019 at 6:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Andrus Peat committed four penalties during the Saints‘ divisional-round win over the Eagles, and part of the reason for his struggles surfaced. The veteran guard suffered a broken hand in Week 17, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. NOLA.com’s Josh Katzenstein notes the Saints’ starting left guard broke his right hand. The injury during New Orleans’ meaningless regular-season finale led to Peat undergoing surgery during the bye week, Schefter adds. Against the Eagles, Peat played through “serious pain.” It is unclear if or how much Peat aggravated his injury on Sunday, and it’s not certain if he will be available to face the Rams. Though, Peat’s postgame comments do not point to him resting against Los Angeles. He played through ankle and quadriceps injuries this season and suffered a concussion. This was also the second straight year the Saints’ playoff opener has involved a Peat injury. The former first-round pick suffered a broken fibula during New Orleans’ wild card-round win last year and missed the Saints’ divisional game in Minnesota.

  • Speaking of playing through injury, Eagles wideout Alshon Jeffery played through cracked ribs against the Saints, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. An MRI last week revealed the injury. Jeffery dropped a Nick Foles pass that ricocheted into Marshon Lattimore‘s arms. This setback likely will not be nearly as troublesome for Jeffery to surmount as the one he played through in 2017. Jeffery’s previous shoulder issue caused him to miss all of Philadelphia’s offseason program and sidelined him into the 2018 season.

Mark Ingram Wants To Stay With Saints

January 14th, 2019 at 5:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mark Ingram is either one or two games from free agency, but he would prefer the Saints keep him off the market.

The late-blooming NFL standout experienced a tumultuous 2018, from being denied the chance to be a free agent last year to drawing a four-game suspension and skipping part of New Orleans’ offseason program. But he wants to stick around as Alvin Kamara‘s backfield complement.

“I was drafted here. I met my wife here. My children were born here,” Ingram said (Twitter link via Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune). “I’m not looking just to up and leave New Orleans. My squad, you know we got a good squad. I feel like we could do this type of thing for many more years. I’m not looking to just to bail out of New Orleans.”

After struggling to live up to his first-round billing during his first three seasons in New Orleans, Ingram broke out in 2014 and soon re-signed on what became a team-friendly, four-year, $16MM deal. He became a two-time Pro Bowler and enjoyed his best season in 2017 — when he (1,540 yards from scrimmage, 12 touchdowns) and Kamara became the first running back teammates to each surpass 1,500 scrimmage yards in a season.

Sean Payton immediately reinstalled Ingram as a key Saints contributor upon returning from suspension this season. Ingram only rushed for 645 yards this season, but he averaged 4.7 per carry — just shy of his 4.9 mark last season — and will continue to play a key role going into the NFC championship game.

Of course, the Saints may not be willing to pay Ingram as much as another team would. He is wrapping up his eighth season and will be 30 by the time 2019 is over, and the Saints stand to hold barely $17MM in cap space. Katzenstein previously pegged Ingram’s chances of being back next season at less than 50 percent. If Ingram hits the market, he stands to join Le’Veon Bell and Tevin Coleman as its big names south of 30.

Saints Fear Sheldon Rankins Has Torn Achilles

January 13th, 2019 at 4:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints believe defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins suffered a torn Achilles in today’s Divisional Round matchup against the Eagles, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).

If the diagnosis is correct, Rankins will obviously miss the rest of the postseason. New Orleans is currently losing to Philadelphia, but if the club is able to come back and secure a victory, it would have to face the Rams in the NFC Championship Game without Rankins. A potential Super Bowl against either the Chiefs or Patriots would also be all the more difficult without Rankins available.

Rankins, 24, played the most snaps of any Saints defensive tackle in 2018, managing 40 tackles (12 for loss), eight sacks, and 15 quarterback hits in the process. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, graded Rankins as the No. 23 interior defender among 119 qualifiers.

With Rankins sidelined, the Saints will call on fellow defensive tackles Tyeler Davison, David Onyemata, and Taylor Stallworth to play more snaps. Those three are the only other interior defenders on New Orleans’ roster, but the team could promote either Henry Mondeaux or Tomasi Laulile from its practice squad.

2019 Proven Performance Escalators

January 13th, 2019 at 1:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time cumulatively during that period.

If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s lowest restricted free agent tender — that figure should be around $2MM in 2019. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.

Here are the players who will see their salary rise in 2019 courtesy of the proven performance escalator:

Bears: RB Jordan Howard, LB Nick Kwiatkoski

Bengals: LB Nick Vigil

Broncos: G Connor McGovern, S Will Parks, S Justin Simmons

Browns: S Derrick Kindred, LB Joe Schobert

Buccaneers: G Caleb Benenoch, DE Carl Nassib, CB Ryan Smith

Chargers: LB Jatavis Brown

Chiefs: CB Kendall Fuller, WR Tyreek Hill, S Eric Murray, WR Demarcus Robinson

Colts: QB Jacoby Brissett, T Joe Haeg

Cowboys: CB Anthony Brown, DT Maliek Collins, QB Dak Prescott

Dolphins: RB Kenyan Drake

Eagles: CB Jalen Mills, T Halapoulivaati Vaitai

Falcons: LB De’Vondre Campbell, TE Austin Hooper, G Wes Schweitzer

Jaguars: DE Yannick Ngakoue

Jets: LB Jordan Jenkins, CB Rashard Robinson, T Brandon Shell

Lions: C Graham Glasgow

Packers: LB Kyler Fackrell, DE Dean Lowry, LB Blake Martinez, LB Antonio Morrison

Patriots: G Joe Thuney, LB Elandon Roberts

Rams: G Austin Blythe, TE Tyler Higbee

Ravens: DE Matt Judon, OL Alex Lewis, CB Tavon Young

Saints: DT David Onyemata

Steelers: DT Javon Hargrave

Texans: DT D.J. Reader

Titans: S Kevin Byard, WR Tajae Sharpe

OverTheCap.com was essential in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. 

Saints Make Three Roster Moves

January 12th, 2019 at 5:49pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Ahead of their divisional round playoff game, the Saints made several roster moves today. The team promoted tight end Garrett Griffin from the practice squad to the active roster, and placed receiver Simmie Cobbs on injured reserve to make room for him, according to Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate (Twitter link). Quarterback J.T. Barrett was re-signed to the practice squad to take Griffin’s place.

The moves aren’t likely to make any major impact on the Saints’ season moving forward, but are still notable. Cobbs, a rookie from Indiana, had been on the Redskins’ practice squad after going undrafted. The Redskins were reportedly high on him, but the Saints signed him away last month. The return of Ted Ginn Jr. from injured reserve made Cobbs no longer necessary as a depth piece.

Griffin signed with the Saints as an UDFA back in 2016, and has bounced between the practice squad and active roster ever since. He’s caught just one pass in his NFL career. Barrett the rookie who set records at Ohio State, has been signed and released from the team’s practice squad on a seemingly weekly basis.

 

Dan Campbell Not Interested In Dolphins Return

January 4th, 2019 at 3:16pm CST by Zachary Links

Saints assistant head coach Dan Campbell is not interested in returning to the Dolphins, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets. Campbell served as the Dolphins’ interim head coach in 2015 and is still highly respected by team ownership, but he apparently does not want to go back down that road. 

From the sound of it, the Dolphins wanted to speak with Campbell about their vacancy, but they’ll have to concentrate on other candidates instead. That list includes fellow Saints assistant Dennis Allen, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, and maybe even current Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.

Campbell, meanwhile, still has a full plate. In addition to prepping for the Saints’ upcoming playoff game, he’ll chat (or has chatted) with the Cardinals, Browns, and Packers.

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