Saints Extend Assistant GM Jeff Ireland
The Saints have reached a contract extension with assistant general manager/director of college scouting Jeff Ireland, sources tell Nick Underhill of the Advocate.
Ireland, who has worked in NFL personnel offices since 1994, previously served as the Dolphins’ general manager from 2008-13. New Orleans hired him in January 2015, and Ireland began fully contributing to the club’s draft preparations in 2016, per Underhill. The Saints have nailed a number of draft picks over the past two years, adding talented player such as Michael Thomas, Vonn Bell, Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk, and Alvin Kamara since 2016.
Ireland’s previous contract was set to expire after the 2017 campaign, per Underhill. While his new deal won’t prevent other NFL teams from contacting Ireland about general manager vacancies, it will ensure that he remains with the Saints if a GM offer doesn’t come.
Could Saints Be Landing Spot For Tyrod Taylor?
Indeed, aside from the $6MM roster bonus, Taylor is owed a fairly modest $10MM base salary, and it’s not as if the free agent QB market is likely to set the world on fire. Plus, there will be plenty of teams who are unable to address their QB needs in the draft. La Canfora names the Jaguars, Broncos, Cardinals, and Saints as potential landing spots for Taylor, and he says the Bills will be doing their own homework on the 2018 quarterback draft class. He also says the Bills could continue to look to trade Cordy Glenn this offseason.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: FB Joe Kerridge
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Adam Bighill
- Waived: T Bryce Harris
Saints Lineman Have Returned Early From Injury
- The Saints have been one of the hottest teams in football winning their last seven games after dropping their first two at the start of the regular season. A big reason for this has been the emergence of arguably the league’s best 1-2 backfield punch that includes veteran Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara. However, Joel Erickson of the New Orleans Advocate notes that the team has been helped by some notable early returns on their offensive line. Erickson states that three of the team’s starting lineman have returned sooner than expected, including guard Larry Warford, center Max Unger and left tackle Terron Armstead. Warford returned this past Sunday from an abdominal strain, missing only two games, Unger progressed ahead of schedule from offseason Lisfranc surgery and Armstead’s return was premature after suffering a torn labrum. All three lineman have helped the Saints offense change it’s identity to a more ground and pound style, which has been on full display in the past seven weeks.
Details On Jonathan Williams' Deal
- To incentivize running back Jonathan Williams to sign to their active roster, the Saints gave him a $50K signing bonus, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Recently, Williams left the Broncos’ practice squad to join up with the Saints on a two-year deal. He also turned down a similar opportunity with the Falcons. It’s also worth mentioning that the second year of his deal also includes a $25K workout bonus (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The Advocate).
Latest On Saints' Hiring Of Mike Westhoff
- Before he decided to sign with the Saints, running back Jonathan Williams was also offered a contract by the Falcons, New Orleans head coach Sean Payton told reporters, including Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune (Twitter link). Williams had been earning $30K weekly (nearly an active roster rate) while on the Broncos’ practice squad, but he jumped at the chance to be placed on the Saints’ 53-man squad. Atlanta needed another running back while Devonta Freeman deals with a concussion, and it ultimately signed Terrence Magee of the Browns’ taxi squad.
- New Saints special teams assistant Mike Westhoff wasn’t looking to get back into coaching, but New Orleans presented him with an appealing opportunity. “I don’t want to regret something I didn’t try,” he told Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). Westhoff added his new role isn’t a long-term gig, and he’ll only coach for this season. The Saints have struggled on special teams for the past two-plus years, a track record that forced the club to hire a new ST coach (Brad Banta) this offseason. However, New Orleans ranks 27th in special teams DVOA through 10 weeks.
Saints Add Mike Westhoff To Staff
The Saints are beefing up their coaching staff midway through the season. Special teams guru Mike Westhoff is joining New Orleans on the sideline, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). 
The Saints currently have Bradford Banta as their Special Teams Coordinator with Kevin O’Dea and Deuce Schwartz as his top assistant. It’s not immediately clear if any of those three men will be displaced by Westhoff’s arrival or whether they will now be reporting to him.
Westhoff, 69, has built a reputation over the years as one of the league’s most knowledgeable special teams coaches. After serving as the Dolphins’ special teams and tight ends coach from 1986-2000, he joined the Jets in 2001. He retired after the 2012 season, but the coaching itch apparently has not subsided.
The Saints are atop the NFC South with a 7-2 record. Next up for New Orleans is a home contest against the Redskins on Sunday.
NFL Workout Updates: 11/14/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Chicago Bears
- QB Taylor Heinicke; WRs Demarcus Ayers, Canaan Severin, Paul Turner; G Darrell Greene (link)
Cincinnati Bengals
- T Laurence Gibson (link)
Detroit Lions
- DE Armonty Bryant; LB Max Valles; S Duke Ihenacho (link)
Houston Texans
- TEs Brandon Barnes, Gabe Holmes (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- QB Tyler Ferguson; RBs Ka’Deem Carey, Dare Ogunbowale, Juwan Thompson; WRs Dres Anderson, Isaac Fruechte, Alonzo Moore, Tim Patrick (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- LSs Ryan DiSalvo, Andrew East, Drew Ferris (link)
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
- Ks Andrew Franks, Jason Myers (link)
Philadelphia Eagles
- OL Jeremiah Poutasi (link)
San Francisco 49ers
- G Jake Eldrenkamp; C Anthony Fabiano (link)
Seattle Seahawks
- LBs Boseko Lokombo, Jason Thompson (link)
Washington Redskins
- S Lorenzo Jerome (link)
Saints Sign RB Jonathan Williams
The Saints are signing running back Jonathan Williams to a two-year deal off the Broncos’ practice squad, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Williams will take the place of Daniel Lasco, who has been ruled out for the year with a bulging disc.
[RELATED: Saints RB Daniel Lasco Done For Year]
Williams was expected to serve as LeSean McCoy‘s top backup in Buffalo this year. Instead, the Bills made him a surprise cut in early September. He had a fair amount of buzz coming out of Arkansas in 2016, but the new regime in Buffalo might have been upset about some of his off-the-field behavior.
Soon after he was cut, the Broncos made Williams an abnormally high offer to join the practice squad, allowing them to beat out at least three other teams for his services. Williams did not get called up to the Broncos’ varsity team this year, but he may get his chance to see the field with New Orleans.
Williams will likely slot in as the Saints’ No. 4 running back behind Mark Ingram, Alvin Kamara, and Trey Edmunds.
Saints’ Daniel Lasco Done For Season
Saints running back Daniel Lasco suffered a bulging disc that will end his season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, the good news is that his injury is not believed to be a career-ender. 
Lasco was carted off of the field during the Saints’ 47-10 win over the Bills. The running back made a head-first tackle on a kickoff return and wound up lying still on the field after the play. It was a scary scene in Buffalo as his head and body had to be strapped down to a board to limit movement.
Lasco entered the league as a seventh-round pick in the 2016 draft. The Cal product has largely played on special teams, though he did carry the ball 11 times last year for 32 yards.
The Saints may look to add a running back now that Lasco has been ruled out for the year. Mark Ingram, Alvin Kamara, and Trey Edmunds serve as New Orleans’ top 3 RBs.