Saints Looking To Trade Up In NFL Draft
The Saints have “made plenty of calls about making a big leap up” from their No. 27 pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. It’s not clear who the Saints are targeting, however. 
Rapoport wonders aloud if the Saints might be doing due diligence in case a certain player, perhaps a quarterback, falls on draft night. Usually, an aggressive move up the board is done to secure a QB, so the Saints could be eyeing one of this year’s top QBs as a successor to Drew Brees. In any event, they’ll be well-prepared to move up if their desired target slides.
The Saints don’t have a ton of ammo to make a trade since they sent this year’s second-round choice to the 49ers last year in order to select running back Alvin Kamara. The Saints’ next pick doesn’t come until the third round (No. 91), so they may have to dip into next year’s draft in order to make an aggressive move.
Browns, Colts Lead League In Cap Space
The Browns and Colts have the most cap room of any team in the NFL heading into draft, as Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. Here’s the official rundown of every team’s cap space for 2018 on the eve of draft weekend:
- Browns – $69.5MM
- Colts – $59.8MM
- 49ers – $43.8MM
- Titans – $35.8MM
- Texans -$35.6MM
- Bears – $24.1MM
- Jets – $21.9MM
- Bills – $19.4MM
- Jaguars – $18.6MM
- Cardinals – $18.1MM
- Redskins -$17.1MM
- Bengals – $16.8MM
- Packers – $16.2MM
- Vikings – $15.5MM
- Broncos – $14.6MM
- Patriots – $13.8MM
- Buccaneers – $12.3MM
- Cowboys -$11.9MM
- Chargers – $11.4MM
- Lions – $9.4MM
- Giants -$9.4MM
- Ravens – $8.8MM
- Seahawks – $7.6MM
- Chiefs – $6.7MM
- Saints – $5.7MM
- Panthers – $5.2MM
- Dolphins – $2.9MM
- Eagles – $2.2MM
- Steelers – $2MM
- Raiders – $1.8MM
- Falcons – $1.3MM
- Rams – $264K
Saints Believe Cameron Meridith Will Participate In Minicamp
Newly-signed Saints wide receiver Cameron Meredith may be able to partially participate in the team’s minicamp, Sean Payton said to Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate.
The Saints signed Meridith to a two-year offer sheet worth $9.6 MM ($5.4MM in guarantees) earlier this month after spending the first three seasons of his career with the Bears. The 25-year-old former undrafted free agent missed the entire 2017 regular season due to a torn ACL. There were indications that his knee injury might take longer to heal than expected, which played into the Bears’ decision to not match the Saints’ offer sheet.
Saints coach Sean Payton seemed content with the team’s decision to pick up Meridith and his rehab from the injury.
Meridith was set to enter the 2017 season as a starter in the Bears’ receiving corps. He’s currently projected to serve as the Saints’ No. 3 wideout behind Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr [via Roster Resource].
Willie Snead To Join Ravens
Willie Snead is officially a member of the Ravens. The Saints informed the wide receiver on Monday morning that they will not be matching his offer sheet (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). 
The Saints used the low level tender on Snead this offseason, which tagged him with only a one-year, $1.907MM placeholder. The move came as something of a surprise, but the Saints did not want to pay him upwards of $2.9MM via the second round tender after a forgettable 2017.
Right at the deadline for restricted free agents, the Ravens inked Snead to a two-year, $7MM offer sheet with another $3.4MM in incentives. After the Saints signed an RFA wide receiver of their own in Cameron Meredith, there was no real scenario in which they would have matched.
The Ravens upgraded their wide receiver stable by adding Michael Crabtree and John Brown in March. They were expected to target a WR3 type in the draft this weekend, but the addition of Snead will allow them to prioritize other areas of need.
Snead virtually disappeared from the Saints’ offense last year, but he averaged 70 catches for 940 yards and four touchdowns between 2015 and 2016. He won’t turn 26 until October, so the Ravens see serious potential in the former UDFA.
Saints Could Target Lamar Jackson
- Speaking of Jackson, NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock (article via Edward Lewis of NFL.com) believes the former Heisman Trophy winner will not only be a first-round pick, but that he could go in the top-10 (he also believes a team could trade up into that territory to land him). But if Jackson is not selected in the first 20 picks, Mayock says the Saints and Patriots would be two clubs that could target him, as they have the offensive minds to harness Jackson’s talent.
Saints Not Planning To Match Ravens’ Willie Snead Offer Sheet
After four years in New Orleans, Willie Snead looks like he will head north. The Saints are not planning to match the Ravens’ offer sheet, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (Twitter link), which will send the RFA wide receiver to Baltimore.
The Ravens only submitted this two-year offer sheet on Friday, but as of Saturday, it doesn’t look like the Saints are planning to retain Snead. This could have been expected after the Saints signed Cameron Meredith to a two-year, $9.6MM RFA offer sheet and agreed to bring back Brandon Coleman. This seemingly locks in a 2018 top four of Michael Thomas/Ted Ginn/Meredith/Coleman and left Snead without a surefire role.
He figures to have one with the Ravens, who continue to overhaul their receiving corps. The 25-year-old pass-catcher joins Michael Crabtree and John Brown as new Raven receivers, and this could well affect the franchise’s potential pursuit of Dez Bryant. Thus far, they’ve been the only team to express interest in the former Cowboys Pro Bowler.
Although, this two-year, $7MM deal, with some incentives, would have been a major discount based on Snead’s 2015 and ’16 seasons. But after a vast production dip in 2017 (eight receptions, 92 yards), Snead will earn a raise nonetheless. This through-2019 contract could double as an audition for Snead, who was negotiating with the Saints for a new deal last offseason. But he’ll be departing the league’s most consistent passing attack for one that hasn’t enjoyed as much success in recent years, so it will be interesting to see how Baltimore pieces together its new-look aerial group.
The former UDFA’s best work came during his age-23 and age-24 seasons, when he totaled 141 receptions for 1,895 yards and seven touchdowns between them. The Ravens are obviously hoping he can move closer to that form instead of the one that relegated him to a surprising afterthought in 2017.
QB Luke McCown Retires From NFL
Longtime NFL quarterback Luke McCown is calling it quits. On Friday, the 36-year-old announced his retirement from football. 
“Today I am officially retiring from the NFL,” McCown wrote. “It’s bittersweet to leave the game I love and the craft I’ve worked at since the second grade.”
McCown first entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Browns in 2004. He started in four games as a rookie for Cleveland before a draft weekend deal shipped him to Tampa Bay. He did not see the field for the Bucs until 2007, when he made three starts for the team. Between ’07 and ’15, McCown started only three more contests.
Even though he didn’t see much playing time over the years, McCown earned enough on contracts with the Browns, Bucs, Jaguars, Saints, Falcons, and Cowboys to retire comfortably. We wish the QB and former Verizon spokesperson the best in the next chapter of his life.
La Canfora On Draft, Raiders, Miller, Patriots
UCLA tackle Kolton Miller could be a target for the Raiders if they trade down from the No. 10 overall pick, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com hears. However, they probably can’t move back all that far if they hope to land him. Evaluators and offensive line coaches that have spoken with JLC believe that Miller – and not Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey – is the best tackle in this year’s class. Plenty of teams in the teens are eyeing the 6’9″ prospect and McGlinchey is more likely to go in the late teens or early 20s, La Canfora hears. The Lions at No. 20 could be Miller’s floor as they would plug him in on the right side.
Here’s more draft buzz from JLC:
- The Patriots are entertaining the possibility of moving up in the teens if the right quarterback falls, La Canfora writes. The Dolphins and Bills are exploring QBs at Nos. 11 and 12, so the Raiders could potentially find value by trading down from No. 10. Josh Rosen, in JLC’s estimation, appears to be the most likely of the big four QBs to slide. I’d agree with that assessment as the Browns, Giants, and Jets are reportedly not high on the UCLA product.
- The Broncos say they are open to moving down from No. 5 and JLC believes that linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is very much on their radar. The likely trade scenario, he believes, would see the Bills moving up to get Josh Rosen if Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield come off of the board in the top four. The Bills own the Nos. 12 and 22 picks in the draft.
- The Bengals at No. 21 could be the floor for Arkansas center Frank Ragnow. Ragnow is climbing up boards around the league and has a good chance of going in the first round.
- The Ravens are looking for a tight end, but they would rather not select one at No. 16. La Canfora hears that the Ravens, ideally, would like to move down 5-7 spots to get South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst. The Ravens can’t go too far, however, with the Saints sitting at No. 27.
- Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who won’t turn 20 until after the draft, is a lock to go in the top 10, JLC hears. He also wouldn’t be shocked to see him go as high as No. 6 overall, depending on how the first five picks shake out.
- Florida defensive tackle Taven Bryan could go just outside the top 10 and JLC believes his worst case scenario is No. 26.
- Florida state defensive lineman Josh Sweat could sneak into the late first round and seems very possible for the second round.
Ravens Sign WR Willie Snead To Offer Sheet
Saints restricted free agent wide receiver Willie Snead is signing an offer sheet with the Ravens, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a two-year, $7MM offer sheet with another $3.4MM in incentives. The deal also includes a $2MM signing bonus. Per league rules, the Saints have five days to match. 
This week, Snead reported to the Saints even though he did not have a deal in place with the team. Some took this as a sign that his market in restricted free agency hadn’t drawn much in the way of interest but, apparently, he did draw a sizable offer sheet from at least one team. Friday marks the deadline for RFAs to sign offer sheets and the Ravens have put the squeeze on the Saints at the buzzer.
Snead was tendered at the lowest level this offseason, giving the Saints the right to match any offer sheet. However, they will not receive any draft compensation in that event. Snead now stands to earn a significant bump over his one-year, $1.907MM placeholder, regardless of what the Saints do over the next five days.
The Saints will probably take their time in making a call on Snead, but it would be a surprise to see them match. After inking another RFA in former Bear Cameron Meredith, New Orleans will probably allow Snead to walk.
Meanwhile, for the Ravens, the move is an indication that they will not be signing Dez Bryant. The Ravens were among the clubs with interest, but they may have sensed that Bryant is on the verge of signing elsewhere.
Snead, 26 in October, was not a major contributor in the Saints offense last year. However, he averaged 70 catches for 940 yards and four touchdowns over the previous two seasons. Last year, as an exclusive rights free agent, he pushed for a better deal and didn’t get it. Now, based off of past performance and potential, he’ll be moving up a level.
The Ravens have upgraded their wide receiver stable by adding Michael Crabtree and John Brown in March. Neither Chris Moore nor Breshad Perriman did a whole lot last season, so the Ravens are looking to provide Joe Flacco with another weapon. The addition of Snead would give the Ravens a formidable trio at receiver and allow them to focus on other areas in the draft.
Saints RB Mark Ingram Changes Agents
Saints running back Mark Ingram is entering a contract year, and he’ll now have a new agent to work out his next deal. Ingram has hired VIP Sports Management to replace Joel Segal of Lagardere Sports and Entertainment, according to Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com.
Ingram will earn a base salary of $4MM in 2018, but he could have potentially become a free agent this offseason. The 28-year-old Ingram’s contract contains a clause that would have voided the final year of the deal had he been named as a first-team All-Pro. That didn’t happen, as Todd Gurley and Le’Veon Bell were the NFL’s All-Pros at running back and “flex,” respectively.
Although he didn’t earn All-Pro honors, Ingram still posted arguably the best campaign of his seven-year career. Pairing with dynamic rookie Alvin Kamara, Ingram managed career-highs in carries (230), yards (1,124), rushing touchdowns (12), and receptions (58). Ingram ranked seventh in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA, meaning he was effective on a per-play basis, and also finished as a top-15 pass-blocker among running backs, per Pro Football Focus.
Ingram was excellent last season, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to cash in next spring. Not only will he be entering his age-29 campaign, but the running back market hasn’t seen a significant price jump since Ingram signed his last contract. New Orleans’ interest in re-signing Ingram is also unclear, especially since the club may believe Kamara can be an every-down back.