New Orleans Saints Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Saints To Sign QB Ryan Nassib

June 12th, 2017 at 2:08pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are expected to sign quarterback Ryan Nassib, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport adds that the Saints have “always been high on him,” so they’re happy to have him in the fold.

Nassib becomes the fourth quarterback on the Saints’ roster after starter Drew Brees, primary backup Chase Daniel, and Garrett Grayson. It would appear that the Saints are pitting Nassib against Grayson for the QB3 role, though it’s not a certainty that they’ll carry three quarterbacks on the final 53-man roster. If the Saints are planning on having just Brees and Daniel come September, then Nassib and Grayson could wind up as practice squad candidates for New Orleans.

Nassib was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Giants, but the Syracuse product never got to make a start for the G-Men. Nassib received praise from Giants coaches for his work in practice, but the team didn’t try to re-sign him this offseason.

Last year, Nassib’s season ended early thanks to an elbow injury. At this stage, however, he is presumably healthy and ready to compete.

Saints Shopping RB Travaris Cadet

June 10th, 2017 at 10:48am CST by Ben Levine

Travaris Cadet may have re-signed with the Saints this offseason, but it’s sounding like the running back may not be sticking in New Orleans long term. According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), the Saints are currently “exploring trade scenarios” for the veteran prior to training camp.

The Appalachian State product has spent the majority of his five-year career with the Saints. He played the first three seasons of his career in New Orleans, where he contributed mostly in the passing and return game. 2014 was arguably his most productive campaign, as Cadet finished that season with 38 receptions for 296 yards.

The running back had brief stints with the Patriots and 49ers before returning to the Saints in late 2015. This past season, Cadet appeared in 15 games (one start), hauling in 40 catches for 281 yards and four touchdowns. He ended up re-signing with the organization this past offseason.

The Saints are loaded at running back, so it would have been an up-hill battle for Cadet to make the roster, anyway. The 28-year-old will be competing with Alvin Kamara, Daniel Lasco, and Marcus Murphy for carries behind Adrian Peterson and Mark Ingram.

Cadet was reportedly choosing between the Saints, Jets, and Bills during the offseason. New Orleans might be able to find a trade partner in one of those two squads, although it’s uncertain if New York or Buffalo still have interest.

Nick Fairley Awaiting Third Opinion

June 8th, 2017 at 4:41pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Defensive tackle Nick Fairley signed a four-year, $28MM contract to remain with the Saints earlier this offseason, but there’s a chance his heart issue could prevent him from ever playing a down under that deal. Fairley is currently awaiting the results of a third medical opinion, according to head coach Sean Payton, and it could determine whether the 29-year-old will be able to continue his career (via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com).

The first specialist Fairley consulted with informed him that he “shouldn’t play football again,” Payton said Thursday. However, the second opinion Fairley received “was a little different.”

Continued Payton: “The things we know are this — it’s obviously something significant and serious that we’ve gotta pay attention to, obviously both for Nick and for the club. So we’re hopeful, and yet we’re guarded, because of the type of condition we’re talking about.”

Concerns over Fairley’s heart came to light at the time he was undergoing a physical after agreeing to a contract in March, per Payton. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop the Saints from re-upping the six-year veteran. For now, the Saints are leery of paying the half of Fairley’s $8MM bonus that they still owe him, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com). New Orleans wants more “clarity” on Fairley’s situation before it commits the money to him, according to Garafolo, who adds that the club would have a difficult time recouping the money it has already paid him if it attempted to. The reason: All 32 teams have known about Fairley’s condition since prior to the 2011 draft, in which he went 13th overall to the Lions.

Adrian Peterson Wants To Play Until 37

June 8th, 2017 at 10:59am CST by Zachary Links

He might be getting ahead of himself a little bit, but Saints running back Adrian Peterson says that he wants to play several more years. Peterson was sporting No. 37 at a charity softball game this week and he told reporters that 37 might be a good age for him to hang ’em up. “I’d be lying to you say it doesn’t give you a chip [on your shoulder]. Especially being a competitor,” the 32-year-old said, via Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate. “It’s not my main focus. It’s something that drives you a little bit. After 30, because it was the same back then. ‘Oh, he’s 30.’ Then I ended up leading the league in 2015. Same thing the next year. Stuff will continue to repeat itself until I finish.” Peterson inked a two-year deal with New Orleans this offseason.

Saints Had Interest In Elvis Dumervil

June 6th, 2017 at 8:31pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Saints had interest in pass rusher Elvis Dumervil before he signed with the 49ers on Monday, reports Nick Underhill of the Advocate (on Twitter). It took the 33-year-old Dumervil nearly three months to find a new home after the Ravens released him in March, but San Francisco was the only team to bring him in for a workout. Dumervil potentially could’ve helped a New Orleans club whose defense finished just 27th in sacks last season.

Saints Waive Travis Feeney

June 6th, 2017 at 5:34pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Saints have waived linebacker Travis Feeney with an injury designation, tweets Nick Underhill of the Advocate. New Orleans plucked Feeney off the Steelers’ practice squad last December, but the then-rookie sixth-rounder from Washington didn’t see action with either team.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/5/17

June 5th, 2017 at 8:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s minor moves.

The Patriots signed cornerback William Likely and waived defensive end Corey Vereen with an injury designation. A 5-foot-7, 175-pound player, Likely could factor into New England’s return-men competition, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. The rookie UDFA played four years at Maryland and notched six interceptions as a sophomore in 2014.
Former Minnesota Golden Gophers linebacker Jack Lynn signed with the Falcons, who waived fullback Soma Vainuku to make room, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports. He’s a UDFA rookie. Vanaiku’s ouster should pit Derrick Coleman and rookie Tyler Renew against one another at fullback, per McClure.
The Broncos waived rookie UDFA tackle Erik Austell, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post tweets. A Charleston Southern product, Austell was one of the 13 UDFAs the Broncos signed coming out of draft weekend.
The Chiefs added former Texans wideout Tevin Jones, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Jones entered the league as a UDFA out of Memphis last year. He hasn’t seen any game action. The Texans signed Jones to a reserve/futures deal in January but cut him last month.
The Saints signed wide receiver Dan Arnold and cut defensive end Drew Iddings, Nick Underhill of The Advocate reports (on Twitter). Arnold comes to New Orleans from Division III Wisconsin-Platteville. Iddings spent time in camp with the Raiders last year and was with both the Panthers and Saints this spring.
Swapping out interior offensive linemen, the Titans signed center Marc Spelman and waived center/guard Karim Barton. The latter has bounced around for a few years, being signed to reserve/futures deals by the Browns (2015), Texans (’16) and Titans (’17). The 25-year-old has never played in a game. Spelman comes out of Illinois State. He went to the Bears’ rookie minicamp last month.

Latest On Saints' Ryan Ramczyk

June 3rd, 2017 at 8:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints have now signed every member of their 2017 draft class aside from first-round offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk, and the Wisconsin product’s deal is on hold until he can pass a physical, reports Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter links). Ramczyk, the 32nd overall selection, is dealing with a hip issue. New Orleans had been one of two clubs (along with the Rams) that hadn’t signed a draft pick before yesterday, and the reason for that delay was fiscal. The Saints picked up $7.8MM in cap space Thursday when Jairus Byrd‘s post-June 1 release was officially processed, giving the team a bit more breathing room to sign its rookies.

Saints DT Nick Fairley Has Heart Issue

June 3rd, 2017 at 7:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Saints defensive tackle Nick Fairley has been sidelined from the club’s organized team activities with a heart issue that could threaten his career, according to Jennifer Hale of FOX Sports (Twitter link).

Fairley has dealt with this condition for his entire NFL career, as the issue was originally detected during the predraft process in 2011, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). The veteran defensive tackle recently saw a doctor who wanted to run further tests regarding the ailment, says Rapoport. Fairley has reportedly not communicated his health struggles with his New Orleans teammates, as Saints players who regularly speak with Fairley have not heard from him, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.

Fairley, 29, started 16 games and posted 6.5 sacks during his first campaign with the Saints, grading as the league’s No. 34 interior defender among 127 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. He re-signed with New Orleans this spring, inking a four-year, $28MM deal that contains $9MM in guarantees.

Alex Okafor Discusses Signing With Saints

June 3rd, 2017 at 10:23am CST by Ben Levine

The Saints signed linebacker Alex Okafor to a one-year, $3MM deal earlier this offseason. While the money and opportunity were obviously alluring, the former fourth-rounder acknowledged that he was really entice by the opportunity to play with former college teammate, Kenny Vaccaro.

Having started 25 games between 2014 and 2015, Okafor played more of a reserve role for the Cardinals last season. However, the 26-year-old was working with the starters during OTAs, and he’s confident that he can still play a major role on the Saints’ defense.

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