Saints Could Look To Trade Sean Payton
One of the biggest storylines of the past several seasons was the rumor that Saints head coach Sean Payton could be on his way out of New Orleans, possibly via trade. Those rumors were immediately quieted when Payton signed a five-year extension this March that keeps him under club control through the 2020 campaign.
The Saints have shown flashes of improvement this year, but they now sit at 5-8 and are well out of the playoff picture. That reality, coupled with very public ownership issues and the sudden decline of Drew Brees over the past few weeks, has led to renewed trade rumors regarding Payton. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, citing league sources, the Saints would consider dealing Payton after the season, and they would not require especially hefty compensation to move him.
As La Canfora writes, “Moving Payton’s contract would free up about $40MM at a time when owner Tom Benson‘s health and the future of ownership is in question, and that money, along with the $25MM in cash/cap savings that would occur whenever Brees departs, would go a long way to providing an influx of means to rebuild this team.”
The 38-year-old Brees has one year left on his contract, but it could be difficult to work out another one-year extension given his recent struggles. After a terrific start to the 2016 campaign, Brees has thrown nine touchdowns to nine interceptions in New Orleans’ last five games, four of them losses. The franchise may feel that it is time to move on from their two former saviors, adding much-needed draft picks and cash flow in the process.
Despite the fact that the Saints have not posted a winning record since 2013, Payton’s stock as a head coach has not fallen very much, if at all. Any team that acquires him would rightfully view the move as a major success, particularly if, as La Canfora suggests, that team does not have to give up much to get him. The Colts, Rams, and Chargers are all possible landing spots for Payton, who is a California native and for whom a California coaching job could have particular appeal.
Saints Place Terron Armstead On IR
The Saints have placed left tackle Terron Armstead on injured reserve, according to Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate. To take Armstead’s roster spot, the club signed linebacker Jason Trusnik.
Armstead inked a five-year, $64.5MM extension with the Saints last May, but knee and quad injuries limited him to just seven appearances this season. The 25-year-old was once again a bright spot for the Saints when on the field, as he’s currently Pro Football Focus’ 15th-ranked tackle out of 78 qualifiers. Armstead will ultimately miss nine games this year, running his career total up to 25 in four seasons.
The 32-year-old Trusnik hasn’t played this season, though he previously garnered vast experience as primarily a reserve with the Jets, Dolphins, Browns and Vikings from 2007-15. Trusnik has 117 appearances and 25 starts on his NFL résumé.
Saints Notes: Brees, Payton, Young
It’s now 2017 or bust for the Saints‘ power trio of Drew Brees, coach Sean Payton, and GM Mickey Loomis, ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett opines. The Saints have shown gradual improvement over the past two years, but they’re now on pace for their third straight losing season and patience is wearing thin amongst fans. With Drew Brees signed to a one-year extension through 2017 that will really hamper them in ’18, the Saints are poised to go “all-in” next year, but they’ll have to get things right in free agency. In recent years, high-priced additions like safety Jairus Byrd, cornerback Brandon Browner, running back C.J. Spiller, tight end Coby Fleener, and linebacker James Laurinaitis have flopped.
- Offensive lineman Avery Young‘s practice window has expired, meaning the Saints will not be able to activate him from the non-football injury list for the remainder of the season, reports Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter link). As Underhill tweeted last week, New Orleans has agreed to pay Young $10K per week while he’s on NFI. Technically, clubs are not required to compensate players on NFI, but most teams work out deals to pay sidelined players at a lower rate.
Saints Audition CFL Players, Among Others
- Like Denver, the Saints also worked out a large group of players. The full list, per Nick Underhill of the Advocate (all links go to Twitter): quarterback Sean Renfree; running backs Will Ratelle, Darrel Young, and Soma Vainuku; wide receivers Max McCaffrey, Derel Walker, and Kevin Smith; linebackers Khalil Bass and Adam Bighill; defensive end T.J. Fatinikun; defensive tackle Drake Nevis; defensive backs Tony Burnett, Otha Foster, Anthony Gaitor, and Forest Hightower.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/13/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Reshard Cliett
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: OL Blaine Clausell
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Mario Alford
Indianpolis Colts
- Signed: T Pierce Burton
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Kyle Carter, T Marquis Lucas
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Justin Zimmer
New York Giants
- Signed: OL Adam Gettis
- Cut: OL Laurence Gibson, RB George Winn
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Anthony Denham
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Shaquille Riddick
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OT Mitchell Van Dyk
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB David Fluellen
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DL A.J. Francis, DB Shakiel Randolph
- Cut: DL Trevon Coley, DB Lee Hightower
2017 NFL Draft Order Through Most Of Week 14
The final month of the regular season will dictate the playoff futures for teams like the Cowboys, Patriots, Chiefs, and Raiders. For other teams, the postseason is a statistical impossibility. Already, the Jets, Jaguars, Browns, Rams, Bears, and 49ers have been mathematically eliminated. The Chargers, Saints, Panthers, Eagles, Bengals, and Cardinals are not technically out of it, but their chances are remote.
Here’s where those teams and the others not currently ticketed for the playoffs stand in the draft order (Note – Ties are broken by strength of schedule):
- Browns 0-13
- 49ers 1-12
- Jaguars 2-11
- Bears 3-10
- Rams 4-9 (pick belongs to Titans)
- Jets 4-9
- Panthers 5-8
- Chargers 5-8
- Saints 5-8
- Eagles (pick belongs to Browns) 5-8
- Cardinals 5-7-1
- Bengals 5-7-1
- Bills 6-7
- Colts 6-7
- Titans 7-6
- Vikings (pick belongs to Eagles) 7-6
- Packers 7-6
- Redskins 7-5-1
- Ravens 7-5 (Note – The Ravens play their Week 14 game tonight against the Patriots.)
- Dolphins 8-5
Strength of schedule via SB Nation.
Saints Call Up Center From Practice Squad
- To fill Kenny Vaccaro‘s roster spot made available by the safety dropping his appeal of a suspension this week, the Saints promoted center Jack Allen from their practice squad, Christopher Dabe of NOLA.com reports. The Saints initially signed Allen as a UDFA this May out of Michigan State. Max Unger, who has played in all 28 games in New Orleans since being acquired in the Jimmy Graham deal, is questionable with a foot injury.
Saints Place Josh Hill On IR
- As expected, the Saints have officially placed tight end Josh Hill on injured reserve, according to Joel Erickson of the Advocate (Twitter link). The move will clear a roster spot for recently-signed linebacker Travis Feeney.
Saints’ Vaccaro Drops Suspension Appeal
Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro is dropping his appeal, a source tells Nick Underhill of The Advocate (on Twitter). His suspension will begin immediately. 
Roughly one month ago, Vaccaro was hit with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s drug policy by taking Adderall. Conveniently, he is dropping the fight with four games to go in the 2016 season at a time when it seems improbably that the Saints will land a playoff berth.
Now at 5-7, the Saints would have to run the table to have any mathematical chance of qualifying. Even then, they’d have to surpass the 7-5 Falcons and Buccaneers to win the division or leapfrog a host of teams to get an NFC Wild Card spot. The Saints aren’t out, but they are certainly down, and they would rather be without Vaccaro now than have him miss the start of the 2017 season.
According to the advanced numbers, Vaccaro’s play is roughly in line with what he provided in 2015. The Saints have Vaccaro under contract through 2017 after exercising his fifth-year option.
Saints Sign LB Travis Feeney
Yoink. The Saints have plucked linebacker Travis Feeney off of the Steelers’ practice squad, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal will be finalized upon completion of a physical exam. 
The linebacker exploded as a senior at Washington, tallying career highs in tackles for a loss (17.5), sacks (8.0), and forced fumbles (3) to go along with 56 total tackles. In the spring, the Steelers selected him in the sixth-round. Feeney just missed the Steelers’ 53-man cut in September, but he signed on with the practice squad soon after. After patiently waiting to see NFL action in Pittsburgh, he’ll instead get his chance with the Saints, a team that was eyeing him heading into the draft.
Feeney is expected to provide depth and special teams help for New Orleans. If active, he may make his NFL debut against the Bucs on Sunday.