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Draft Notes: Sternberger, Jets, Thorson

By | at March 31, 2019 12:23 pm

The Patriots are on the lookout for tight end help in the wake of Rob Gronkowski‘s retirement, and the club will have a top-30 visit with Texas A&M TE Jace Sternberger, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The Pats could use their No. 32 overall pick on a tight end, and while that may be a little high for Sternberger, top prospects Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson may be off the board by that point. Alabama’s Irv Smith Jr. could be available, though, and there is no reason why New England, which has deployed two tight ends to great effect in the past, could not use several of its 12 picks in this year’s draft on the tight end position.

Now for more draft-related rumblings from around the league:

  • In addition to the Patriots, Wilson reports that Sternberger has visits lined up with the Chiefs, Packers, Lions, Cowboys, Vikings, and Seahawks.
  • Brian Costello of the New York Post does not believe that the Jets will invest high-end draft capital on the WR, RB, or TE positions this year in light of their free agent expenditures, but he still thinks the club could bolster those units with collegiate prospects. He suggests that Gang Green could use a middle- or late-round selection on a wideout, particularly if that player offers return ability, and he thinks a Day 3 blocking tight end and power back could also be in the cards. Of course, with only six draft picks at the moment, New York may need to focus on areas of greater need.
  • Penn State DE Shareef Miller will visit with the Ravens, Cardinals, and Jets, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Miller currently projects as a Day 3 pick, but all three clubs could use pass rushing help, and Miller has the raw ability to succeed as a 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB.
  • The Broncos may be hosting some of the top QBs in this year’s draft class, but they’re looking at more under-the-radar passers as well, as Mike Klis of 9News.com tweets that Denver will be working out Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson in early April. Thorson is expected to be a middle-round selection.
  • Valdosta State CB Stephen Denmark has top-30 visits lined up with the Browns and Saints, per Wilson (via Twitter).
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Bears Eyeing Toledo CB Ka'dar Hollman

By | at March 30, 2019 12:54 pm

  • Toledo cornerback Ka’dar Hollman also had a private workout with the Texans, reports Wilson. The defensive back has also had visits and workouts with the Dolphins, Saints, Bears, Colts, Eagles, Lions and Browns. While Hollman has boosted his draft stock following a strong Pro Day, he’s still at best a sixth- or seventh-rounder.

    [SOURCE LINK]
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Saints Notes: Loomis, Easton

By | at March 27, 2019 7:59 pm

  • Saints general manager Mickey Loomis will no longer be involved in running the NBA’s Pelicans, reports Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com (Twitter link). Loomis, who’s been the Saints’ GM since 2002, took over as the Pelicans’ executive vice president of basketball operations in 2012. However, there was reportedly some concern within the Saints’ franchise that Loomis was being “spread too thin,” according to Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk. The Pelicans are in the process of hiring a new GM, one who will report directly to Saints/Pelicans owner Gayle Benson.
  • Nick Easton‘s four-year deal with the Saints is worth $22.5MM but contains only $4MM in guaranteed money, tweets Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune, who adds Easton received a $2MM signing bonus. As Mike Triplett of ESPN.com suggests (via Twitter), Easton’s deal is essentially a one-year deal with a series of options in 2020 ($5MM), 2021 ($6MM), and 2022 ($7.5MM).
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Saints To Sign Jared Cook

By | at March 26, 2019 11:42 am

The Saints are close to a deal with free agent tight end Jared Cook, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). When the deal is inked on Tuesday, it’ll be a two-year contract worth $15.5MM, including $8MM fully guaranteed in Year 1, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). With incentives, Cook can earn up to $19MM between now and the end of the 2020 season.

Cook, 31, just wrapped up the best season of his NFL career, leading the Raiders in receptions (68), receiving yardage (896), and receiving touchdowns (6). Cook ranked as a top-five tight end league-wide in all three of those categories, while Pro Football Focus grades him ninth at his position. Additionally, Cook finished fifth among NFL tight ends in Football Outsiders’ DYAR — which measures value over a replacement level player — and 11th in DVOA, which quantifies value on a per-play basis.

The Saints are losing Ben Watson to retirement, but still have Josh Hill, Garrett Griffin, and Dan Arnold at tight end. Cook, clearly, would represent an upgrade over any of those options, and would project to see the majority of snaps and targets at the position in New Orleans.

A number of free agent tight ends — Jesse James, Tyler Kroft, and Nick Boyle among them — received multi-year deals worth $6-7MM annually, and Cook managed to top figures. Heading into free agency, he was widely viewed as the top tight end available on the open market.

New Orleans originally hosted Cook when the free agent market opened last Wednesday. At the time, both the incumbent Raiders and the Patriots were believed to be “monitoring” Cook’s market. There was some speculation that the Patriots would circle back to Cook in the wake of Rob Gronkowski’s retirement, but Cook kept his word and remained committed to the Saints.

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Jared Cook Remains Committed To Saints

By | at March 25, 2019 11:08 am

Rob Gronkowski is retired – we think – and that leaves the Patriots with a serious void at tight end. Some have speculated that the Patriots could convince Jared Cook to back out of his not-yet-signed commitment to the Saints, but that won’t happen, according to Peter King of NBC Sports. 

Cook will not reconsider his decision, according to King. That’s disappointing news for the Pats’ front office, especially since they aggressively pursued the former Raiders tight end.

Cook would not have been a true “replacement” for Gronkowski, but he would have given the Patriots a quality pass-catcher to keep the offense moving. Last year, the 31-year-old started 14 of his 16 games, hauling in 68 receptions for 896 yards and six scores. It was the most productive season of Cook’s career, though he has topped 50 catches in three other seasons.

Instead, Cook intends to still sign with the Saints, where he has an opportunity to fill a role similar to the one occupied by Jimmy Graham years ago. Drew Brees tends to spread the ball around in the New Orleans offense, but Cook could be an opportunity to assert himself as one of the very best tight ends in the NFL, especially now that Gronk is focusing on non-football endeavors.

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Saints Notes: Bridgewater, Moreau, Draft

By | at March 22, 2019 2:56 pm

Teddy Bridgewater had a dramatic free agency. He appeared all set to return to the Saints, when the Dolphins swooped in with a last second offer to be their starting quarterback. But in the end, he decided to return to New Orleans, potentially setting him up to take over for Drew Brees. In a recent interview with WWL Radio, Bridgewater elaborated on his decision to stay in the Big Easy, per Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Bridgewater indicated it mostly had to do with how much he enjoyed his time in New Orleans, rather than about potential playing time.

“I told my agents every time that I talked to them that I haven’t stopped smiling since I arrived,” Bridgewater said. They made playing football fun, they made learning the game fun … and that’s something I appreciate. I was able to be part of that for 18 weeks last season, and it was nothing but positive things that occurred,” he continued. It sounds like Bridgewater has bought in to whatever the Saints are promising, and they clearly think very highly of him if they’re giving him $7.25MM to be their backup quarterback.

  • The Saints are reportedly close to a deal that would bring Jared Cook to New Orleans, but they might not be done adding to their tight end group. The team is “paying close attention” to LSU tight end Foster Moreau today at his pro day, Larry Holder of The Athletic is told (Twitter link). Moreau caught 22 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns at LSU last year.
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Contract Details: Vaccaro, Callahan, Okafor

By | at March 21, 2019 10:20 pm

Let’s take a look at the details of a few recently-signed NFL contracts, with all links going to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle’s Twitter account:

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Saints To Sign Marcus Sherels

By | at March 21, 2019 4:46 pm

The Saints have agreed to sign return specialist Marcus Sherels to a one-year deal, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Sherels spent the previous nine seasons with the Vikings and he’ll look to carve out a role with another promising NFC team. 

Sherels, an undrafted player out of the University of Minnesota, joined up with the Vikings in 2010. Before today’s signing, Sherels tied Everson Griffen as the team’s longest tenured player. Griffen will stay put after agreeing to a revised contract, but Sherels is headed south.

Last year, Sherels averaged 12 yards per punt return, marking the fourth time he’s eclipsed 11 yards per try in his career. Without him, the Vikings will have to look into other punt return options and they may have a few in-house between cornerback Mike Hughes and wide receivers Chad Beebe and Brandon Zylstra. Also, as Tomasson notes, new running back Ameer Abdullah volunteered his services, even though he has yet to return a punt at the pro level.

The Saints, meanwhile, seem to have an affinity for ex-Vikings. In the last week, the Saints have also signed running back Latavius Murray and offensive lineman Nick Easton.

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Saints’ Cameron Meredith Takes Pay Cut

By | at March 21, 2019 8:55 am

Saints wide receiver Cameron Meredith has agreed to a pay cut, reducing his base salary from $3.4MM to $1.3MM for 2019, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Meredith missed ten games due to a knee issue last season, so it was a logical move for both sides. 

With that, Meredith’s cap number will decrease from $6.45MM to $4.15M, creating additional cap room for New Orleans. This will, in part, help to offset the expense of adding tight end Jared Cook.

Meredith was not involved in the Saints’ offense outside of Weeks 3-5 last year, though he dressed in the weeks leading up to his injury. When he was on the field, Meredith had nine catches for 114 yards and a touchdown in total.

Meredith, 27 in September, exploded in 2016 with 66 catches for 888 yards and four touchdowns. He was primed for an even bigger 2017 with the Bears, but a torn ACL and MCL in the preseason wiped out the entire year. The Saints still saw plenty of upside in Meredith, however, and inked him to a two-year offer sheet as a restricted free agent.

Drew Brees tends to spread the ball around, but Meredith will have an opportunity to assert himself in one of the league’s most potent offenses in 2019. If he can stay healthy and produce, he’ll have an opportunity to cash in next March as an unrestricted free agent.

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Saints, Nick Easton Hit Snag

By | at March 20, 2019 4:07 pm

Center/guard Nick Easton is set to join the Saints’ offensive line – unless he isn’t. On Wednesday, Easton’s contract was “disapproved,” according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (Twitter link) hears that it’s a minor issue and that everything is still on track for Easton to play for the Saints.

Reading between the lines, it sounds like the contract was turned down by the league office, but the reason behind it is unclear. Typically, if a contract is rejected by NFL execs in New York, it signals a salary cap issue or language-related snafu.

The Saints agreed to sign Easton earlier this week after losing Max Unger to retirement. The plan was for Easton to man the center position, filling a major void in the front five.

As far as we know, that’s still the plan in New Orleans, though there are other options for the Saints to explore if worst comes to worst.

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