Saints To Re-Sign WR Brandon Coleman
The Saints have agreed to re-sign wide receiver Brandon Coleman, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Coleman was scheduled to hit restricted free agency last month, but New Orleans non-tendered him rather than offer him a contract. An original round tender — the cheapest of the RFA tags — would have cost the Saints just $1.907MM, so they’ve presumably re-signed Coleman at an even cheaper rate.
Exactly how often Coleman will be called on to contribute during the upcoming season is unclear, as the Saints have improved their wide receiving corps over the past month. New Orleans landed Cameron Meredith after inking the former Bear to a restricted offer sheet, one which Chicago declined to match. He’ll likely act as the Saints’ slot receiver between Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr., so Coleman is — at best — the club’s fourth wideout.
Coleman, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers in 2014, has never been all that productive while catching passes from Drew Brees. His target share and overall reception total decreased in each of his three full seasons with the Saints, and he was never able to top 30 receptions or 500 receiving yards during his first go-round with the team.
But there are reasons to be somewhat optimistic about Coleman’s future, and his large stature is one of them. Coleman stands 6’6″ and 225 pounds, meaning he nearly has the frame of a tight end. That size hasn’t contributed to production out of the slot thus far, but Coleman is still only 25 years old. Coleman also fared well in Football Outsiders’ DYAR, which measures value over a replacement-level player — among the 71 wideouts with fewer than 50 receptions in 2017, Coleman ranked a respectable 13th in DYAR.
NFL Draft Rumors: Cowboys, Key, Bills
Wednesday marks the final day for NFL draft visits, and we have some notable ones to pass along. Here’s the latest NFL Draft news:
- LSU linebacker/defensive end Arden Key worked out with the Cowboys on Tuesday and met with the Saints on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
- Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans is visiting the Bills and Texas tackle Connor Williams is visiting the Packers, Rapoport tweets.
- The Patriots are hosting Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley on a pre-draft visit, a source tells Rapoport (on Twitter). The Patriots aren’t known for taking receivers in the first round, but Ridley could be an exception as they look to rebuild that group. Ridley also visited the Bears on Tuesday.
- Maryland wide receiver D.J. Moore seems to be a firm first round prospect, according to Rapoport (on Twitter). For a while, Moore appeared to be a fringe first/second round type, so his stock is improving as the draft draws near. Moore met with the Bills, who pick No. 12 and 22, on Wednesday.
- Ohio State center Billy Price will meet with the Seahawks, Alex Marvez of SiriusXM tweets. Price is recovering from a torn pectoral muscle he suffered during the bench press at the combine. The good news is that Price is expected to be ready in time for training camp.
Former Saints CB Keenan Lewis Seeking Settlement
- Former Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis is negotiating a settlement over an injury grievance he filed while in New Orleans, multiple sources tell Nick Underhill and Ramon Antonio Vargas of The New Orleans Advocate. Lewis was released by the Saints before the 2016 season as he was dealing with a hip injury that has since required multiple surgeries. In a visit before the 2017 season, Steelers doctors found that he had undergone a “failed surgery,” according to Lewis. Lewis’ issue could be tied to former Saints doctors Deryk Jones and Misty Suri, who were fired after misdiagnosing cornerback Delvin Breaux‘s leg injury.
Willie Snead Reports To Saints
Willie Snead‘s status for 2018 remains uncertain, but he is proceeding as though he’ll be with the Saints in 2018. On Monday, the wide receiver reported to the team for workouts, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
Snead was tendered by New Orleans at the lowest level this offseason, giving the Saints the right to match any offer sheet he signs (but no draft compensation). The wide receiver auditioned for the Ravens recently, but did not sign a deal with them. For now, he remains in limbo, but he could be getting close to signing his one-year, $1.907MM placeholder with the Saints.
Snead, 26 in October, was hardly a factor 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 an improved contract and didn’t get it. He’s a long way from that big-money contract he wanted, but he could restore his value this year and look for a better payday next March.
The Saints added Cameron Meredith to their receiver group this offseason, meaning that Snead will have to fight for targets behind Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr., Meredith, and Tommylee Lewis. On the plus side, quarterback Drew Brees tends to spread the ball around and the Saints did not land the high-end receiving threat they were seeking at tight end.
Latest On Dez Bryant
There are four teams that “some believe could show varying levels of interest” in wideout Dez Bryant, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). This grouping includes the Cardinals, Ravens, Bills, and Packers.
The reporter notes that Arizona’s main issue is related to money, as the team is sitting with little cap room. Kent Somers of AZCentral Sports echoes that sentiment (via Twitter), saying the Cardinals won’t pursue Bryant unless he’s willing to take a lesser contract. On the flip side, Schefter observes that the Ravens still have plenty of space, even after having signed receiver Michael Crabtree. Meanwhile, the Packers could be looking for a big-play wideout to replace Jordy Nelson, while the Bills could be looking for a dynamic receiver to pair with Kelvin Benjamin.
The three-time Pro Bowler was released by Dallas yesterday. No teams have definitively been connected to the 29-year-old, although Bryant indicated that he’d like to play for one of the Cowboys’ NFC East foes.
Let’s take a look at some other notes pertaining to the NFL’s newest star free agent…
- ESPN’s Mike Triplett believes the Saints could be a “dark horse contender” for Bryant. New Orleans has focused on improving their receiving core, but they missed out on offseason targets like Nelson and tight end Jimmy Graham. The Saints aren’t armed with a lot of salary cap space, so they’re presumably in a similar situation to the Cardinals. However, there’s no denying that Bryant would provide Drew Brees with another impressive target.
- Bryant was under the impression that some of his teammates and coaches had it out for him, and he believes the lack of support ultimately played a role in his release. “I’m not here to bash anybody, but they know, man,” Bryant told Jane Slater of NFL Network (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “They know. They know. The way this whole situation got handled, I felt like I asked some of them to be a man about some of the situations a long time ago, and they couldn’t…I won’t put no names out, but they know, and I want them to know on this air I know. I’ll shoot them a text message and let them know. Little do they know is they can wear that ‘C’ [for captain] all they want to, but in that locker room, they know who they run and they talk to. They know who they communicate with. Everybody know where the real love is at, and I’m not throwing anybody under the bus, but that’s the difference between me and them.” Williams notes that last season’s captains were Jason Witten, Dak Prescott, Dan Bailey, Tyrone Crawford, Sean Lee and Orlando Scandrick.
- Meanwhile, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer attributes Bryant’s release to “his falling production and “fiery” personality.” As the reporter notes, the “cracks in the relationship” started earlier this offseason, when Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones criticized the receiver’s sideline outbursts. When you couple the attitude with a drop in production, Archer says organizations will have “a difficult time looking the other way.”
Saints Rumors: Meredith, Coleman, Snead
Now that Cameron Meredith is in the fold with the Saints, he still must complete a lengthy rehab process. The wide receiver saw his 2017 season erased because of ACL and MCL tears in his left knee, and he’s not planning to partake in New Orleans’ offseason program. Meredith’s goal is to return by training camp.
“I see myself being 100 percent for at least the season,” Meredith said during a radio interview on ESPN Chicago (via The Advocate’s Nick Underhill). “Training camp is my goal, and I don’t see any reason why I can’t accomplish that. I haven’t had any setbacks. I don’t think anyone had that as a major concern.”
Meredith received multiple offers in restricted free agency, so multiple medical staffs gave teams the go-ahead here. The now-25-year-old wideout fared well for the 2016 Bears, posting 888 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He’ll walk into what’s been the league’s most consistently productive aerial attack over the past 12 seasons and is in line to serve as an auxiliary option for Drew Brees.
Here’s the latest out of New Orleans.
- Meredith opted for the Saints in part because they have former Bears wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson on staff. Now in his second stint as Saints wideouts instructor, Johnson served as the Bears’ WRs coach in 2016 before moving on to New Orleans last year. “C.J. was a big part of my success in Chicago,” Meredith said Friday, via Amos Morale III of NOLA.com. “And getting to rejoin him in New Orleans… (we’ll) get back right were we left off.”
- The Meredith deal likely impacts other recent Brees weapons. A supporting-cast cog with the Saints the past three seasons, Brandon Coleman is now unlikely to return to the Saints and will have to find a gig elsewhere, Larry Holder of NOLA.com notes. New Orleans did not tender Coleman, now a UFA, but did offer an original-round tender to Willie Snead. A more consistent producer than Meredith after two 890-plus-yard seasons with the Saints, Snead saw his production dip dramatically last season (eight catches, 92 yards). Negotiating an extension last offseason, Snead has instead seen his stock drop. He worked out for the Ravens, who preferred Meredith, but has not been connected to another team yet in free agency. He has until April 20 to sign another team’s offer sheet. Holder wonders if the Saints retract their original-round tender ($1.9MM) now that Meredith’s under contract.
- The Saints signed offensive lineman Gabe Ikard to a reserve/futures contract in January, but Ikard has opted to retire, per Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com. Ikard finished last season on the Saints’ practice squad. He last played in two games for the Bills in 2016. The 27-year-old Oklahoma alum is now hosting a drive-time radio show in Oklahoma City.
- Andrus Peat is now under Saints control through the 2019 season. The team exercised the three-year starter’s fifth-year option.
Saints Pick Up Andrus Peat’s Option
The Saints have officially exercised the 2019 fifth-year option on offensive lineman Andrus Peat, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Peat has become the first 2015 first round draft pick to formally have it picked up. 
The decision to pick up Peat’s contract for 2019 was something of a no brainer. After previous experiments with the former No. 13 overall pick at left tackle, he switched over to left guard over the past two years and performed well. Peat has 29 starts to his credit between 2016 and 2017.
Per the terms of the fifth-year option, Peat’s 2019 season will be guaranteed for injury only. Should his performance decline, the Saints can get out of the deal with no fiscal penalty.
For first-rounders picked outside the top 10, the option is determined by the determined by the average of the third through 25th top salaries at that position. In time, we’ll know Peat’s exact figure.
Peat finished the year on injured reserve after he suffered a broken ankle in the first round of the playoffs.
Gayle Benson To Run Saints After Husband’s Death
Some clarity emerged about the operation of the Saints on Thursday. Gayle Benson, the widow of deceased Saints owner Tom Benson, will run the team.
She announced her late husband’s plan was for her to be the franchise’s controlling owner.
“My husband’s plan and desire was for me to have full voting control of the Saints and to serve as Controlling Owner of the team per NFL rules,” Gayle Benson wrote in a letter to the 31 other teams today (via PFT). “I understood this and want to reassure you that I am fully prepared to assume this role. Moving forward, I too, will provide the Commissioner my very own Ownership Succession Plan of the New Orleans Saints.
“Please rest assured, I will own and operate this franchise until my death and do so with the same drive and focus towards success that my husband displayed throughout his life.”
Tom Benson owned the Saints from 1985 until his death last month. Benson married Gayle, his third wife, in 2004. Her involvement represented a point of contention with some of Benson’s heirs, and Tom Benson changed his will to keep his daughter and grandchildren from a previous marriage out of the ownership picture. The case was settled early last year.
Gayle Benson writes that the Saints are in good financial shape and will continue to play in the Superdome.
Dolphins Meet With Kenny Vaccaro
Kenny Vaccaro will visit the Dolphins on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This marks Vaccaro’s first known visit of the offseason. 
With the ability to play both safety and slot cornerback, we had Vaccaro ranked as one of the best safeties in this year’s free agent crop. Unfortunately, the market has sagged for that entire position group. Many of this year’s top safeties had to settle for inexpensive deals and a some remain unemployed, including Vaccaro, Tre Boston, and Eric Reid.
Evaluations of Vaccaro’s ability may differ. A first-round pick in 2013, Vaccarro has turned in three exemplary seasons and two lousy years. In 2017, Pro Football Focus rated Vaccaro as the single-worst safety in the league among 87 qualifiers. But, given his draft pedigree and his ability to man the slot, Vaccaro was still expected to land a quality deal.
The Dolphins project to start T.J. McDonald and Reshad Jones at safety, so Vaccaro would be looking at a bench role in Miami.
Zach Line Contract Details
- Fullback Zach Line‘s new two-year deal with the Saints is worth $2.2MM, per Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter link). Line will collect a $200K signing bonus, which is the only guaranteed portion of the contract. New Orleans signed Line to replace the injured John Kuhn last October, and the 27-year-old went on to play on 16.3% of the Saints’ offensive snaps (12th among NFL fullbacks) and 27.6% of the club’s special teams snaps.