- Derek Newton‘s Saints contract is a two-year pact, according to his agency (Twitter link). It appears the Saints will use their upcoming practices to gauge whether the former longtime Texans right tackle is fit enough to the point he could be more than an injury fill-in.
Michael Ola‘s ankle injury will result in the Saints sending the offensive lineman to IR, and it represents an interesting chapter in a long comeback story.
The Saints, per Nick Underhill of The Advocate (on Twitter), will fill Ola’s roster spot with free agent tackle Derek Newton, who has not played football since October 2016.
While Newton’s career was thought to be over, the formerly dependable Texans tackle has participated in workouts during the 2018 season — most recently with the Saints. That audition will land the 31-year-old blocker a job with the 11-2 Saints.
Ola went down with a high ankle sprain during the Saints’ win over the Buccaneers, according to NOLA.com’s Josh Katzenstein (on Twitter). A journeyman who has started one game in the past three seasons, that coming this year for the Saints, Ola will end the year on IR. He has not played for the same team in consecutive seasons since coming into the league, spending time with the Bears, Lions, Chargers, Bills and Saints.
A 2011 seventh-round pick out of Arkansas State, Newton was the Texans’ starting right tackle from 2012’s first game until that career-defining night in Denver. Newton tore both of his patella tendons in that game. The Texans waived Newton via failed physical designation in April, and he field a $500K grievance. But Newton then worked out for the Jets, Cardinals and Saints in the fall. He may soon have a chance to suit up in a game again.
If Newton suits up for the Saints, he will be the first player in NFL history to dress for a game after suffering two patella tendon tears. Former Bears wide receiver Wendell Davis and former Ravens and Browns cornerback Gary Baxter returned to practice but never again suited up for a game after suffering these severe injuries, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter).
The Eagles’ running back room has seen some twists and turns this season, and Corey Clement‘s latest injury provided another Sunday.
As a result, the Eagles are bringing in outside help. Philadelphia signed Boston Scott off New Orleans’ practice squad on Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
A rookie sixth-round pick, Scott has spent the season on the Saints’ taxi squad. He was an initial New Orleans roster cut but landed on the practice squad shortly after cutdown weekend. He has not suited up for a game yet. The Louisiana Tech alum rushed for 1,047 yards as a senior last season.
With the Eagles already employing Clement, Darren Sproles, Josh Adams and Wendell Smallwood, this would point to a Clement IR trip — unless the defending Super Bowl champions are keen on keeping five running backs. Clement missed time earlier this season but resurfaced in Philly’s rotation for productive outings against the Giants and Redskins.
The Saints could make a high- or low-profile IR-return move in the coming days. Both Ted Ginn and offensive lineman Josh LeRibeus remain candidates to return from IR this season, Sean Payton said.
“Rehab is going well. It’s still an option,” Payton said of a return from one of these players (via Fox 8 Live). “Both he (Ginn) and LeRibeus, I would say are on schedule. … I’m encouraged by how both of those guys are doing.”
Only one of these players can return this season. The Saints used one of their IR-boomerang slots on wideout/specialist Tommylee Lewis.
This decision presumably hinges on how Ginn’s recovery looks, with the starting wide receiver a once-integral part of New Orleans’ aerial attack. Ginn underwent surgery in October and is eligible to return from IR this week. But with the 33-year-old deep threat having yet to practice since the IR designation, it’s unlikely he’d be ready to go for Week 15 against the Panthers — even if the Saints use the IR-return spot on him this week.
New Orleans has featured a rotating cast of Michael Thomas sidekicks this season, with rookie Tre’Quan Smith being the most frequent complementary piece deployed. Ginn caught nine passes for 123 yards in the Saints’ first two games and recorded 787 receiving yards last season.
LeRibeus filled in as a spot starter up front in three games this season. He played in 16 Saints games in 2017. The 29-year-old lineman also is recovering from an ankle injury and would seemingly be the backup plan in case Ginn cannot come back.
- The odds that Mark Ingram is a member of the Saints beyond this season are not high, according to Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com. Katzenstein thinks there’s a roughly one in three chance that Ingram is back next year, and writes “it’s sensible business not to pay an aging running back when there’s a young stud already on the roster”, meaning Alvin Kamara. Katzenstein thinks Ingram’s four game suspension to start the year also hurt his relationship with the team, and the Saints will look for a cheaper option next year to split time with Kamara.
Today’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Malachi Dupre, OL Denver Kirkland, DT Pasoni Tasini
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: T Andrew Lauderdale, WR Da’Mari Scott
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: S Kai Nacua, G Ian Silberman, WR DeAndrew White
- Released: CB Josh Thornton
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Mason Gentry, WR Daniel Williams
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Billy Brown, T De’Ondre Wesley
- Placed on injured list: TE Je’Ron Hamm
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: T Isaiah Williams
- Released: QB J.T. Barrett
New York Giants
- Signed: P Brock Miller
New York Jets
- Signed: DB Tyvis Powell
Here is the latest from the workout circuit. All links to NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account, unless otherwise noted.
Buffalo Bills
- C Dillon Day, C Hroniss Grasu (link)
Cleveland Browns
- DB TeVaughn Campbell, C Kyle Friend, DE Mason Gentry, G Landon Turner, WR Jordan Veasy, RB Elijah Wellman, DE Jonathan Wynn (link)
Denver Broncos
- WR Dres Anderson, TE Billy Brown, WR Fred Brown, FB Dimitri Flowers, P Jeff Locke, RB Khalfani Muhammad, T Dakoda Shepley, QB Nic Shimonek, WR DeAndre Smelter, G Salesi Uhatafe, RB Akrum Wadley, WR Ka’Raun White, QB Logan Woodside, WR DeAngelo Yancey (Twitter links)
Detroit Lions
- G Salesi Uhatafe (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- LB Zaire Anderson, TE David Grinnage (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- DT Vincent Valentine (link)
New Orleans Saints
- T Derek Newton, T De’Ondre Wesley, T G Isaiah Williams (link)
New York Giants
- CB Bene Benwikere, S Dezmen Southward (link)
Oakland Raiders
- LB James Burgess, LB Edmond Robinson (link)
Seattle Seahawks
- DE Mackendy Cheridor, TE Cole Hunt, DT Vincent Valentine (link)
Washington Redskins
- LB Marcus Smith (link)
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Thurston Armbrister
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed RB Jeremy Langford
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Nick Keizer
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Francis Owusu, S Chris Lammons
New Orleans Saints
- Released: QB J.T. Barrett
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Mark Thompson
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: LB James Cowser, WR Johnny Holton
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Tyrone Swoopes
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Donnie Ernsberger
- Signed to essentially take Dez Bryant‘s place on the Saints‘ roster, Brandon Marshall signed for the 13th-year veteran’s minimum, Nick Underhill of The Advocate tweets. He signed for $1.02MM and will count $259K toward New Orleans’ cap. Bryant signed for slightly more than the veteran minimum — $1.25MM — with incentives tied to his deal. It’s not known if Marshall has incentives attached to his pact. He’s yet to suit up for the Saints.
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad decisions:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: CB Linden Stephens
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Andre Chachere
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: Arthur Maulet
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: CB Arrion Springs