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New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

Saints Release Keenan Lewis

August 19th, 2016 at 7:21pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Saints have released cornerback Keenan Lewis, Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate was among those to report (on Twitter). If healthy, Lewis figured to play a prominent role in the Saints’ defensive backfield this year, but injuries have hampered him since last season and he’ll now look for work elsewhere.

Keenan Lewis (vertical)

Lewis, 30, spent the first four seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, which took him in the third round of the 2009 draft, before signing a five-year, $26.3MM deal with his native New Orleans in March 2013. The ex-Oregon State standout started in all 16 of the Saints’ regular-season games in both 2013 and 2014, something he had also done in his final year with the Steelers, before injuries held him to a mere six contests in 2015.

Lewis’ season didn’t begin until October as a result of hip surgery in September, and it ended when the Saints placed him on injured reserve in November after he underwent a sports hernia procedure. Notably, Lewis underwent hip surgery again in December. All told, he made only one 2015 start – his lowest single-season total since 2011 – and went without an interception. Lewis appeared in 64 straight regular-season games the previous four years and picked off seven passes, including a personal-best four in 2013.

Earlier this month, the Saints activated Lewis from the physically unable to perform list, but his hip problems have persisted. While he declared last week that he wouldn’t need to go on IR, it seems fair to say his inability to regain health contributed heavily to the end of his Saints tenure.

“I would like to thank New Orleans and all my fans,” Lewis wrote in an Instagram post Friday (via Amos Morale III of NOLA.com). “It’s been and [sic] awesome journey. I’m glad I had the opportunity to play for the city I grew up in and love.”

Even though Lewis has departed the Saints’ roster, he’ll continue to be an important factor in their books. He’s due to count $6.35MM in dead money in 2016 and $3.6MM in 2017, per Underhill. On the field, his ouster leaves the club with a cornerback group featuring No. 1 man Delvin Breaux, P.J. Williams, Brian Dixon, Damian Swann and recent veteran pickup Cortland Finnegan, among others.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Saints’ Sheldon Rankins

August 17th, 2016 at 11:27am CST by Zachary Links

Coach Sean Payton confirmed that Sheldon Rankins‘ injury is not season-ending, Jeff Duncan of The Times Picayune tweets. Still, he said it is too early to speculate on how the team will handle his injury with regards to the roster. Sheldon Rankins (vertical)

[RELATED: Saints’ Sheldon Rankins Suffers Broken Fibula]

The early tests indicated that Rankins suffered a broken fibula. If that’s the case, the believe is that Rankins is a candidate for the IR-DTR list, which would allow for a mid-season return (or, in Rankins’ case, a mid-season debut). Payton would not speak to whether Rankins would be slotted for the IR-DTR, but that should be the resolution for the first-round pick if he is to be sidelined for a significant amount of time. The early word is that the defensive lineman out of Louisville is likely to be sidelined for about six to eight weeks.

Rankins’ absence could spark the Saints to look into defensive line help on the open market. On Tuesday, Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com suggested that Cullen Jenkins, Henry Melton, C.J. Mosley, and Sammie Lee Hill could be players worth consideration. Randy Starks could also be an intriguing name for New Orleans.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Saints Notes: Free Agents, Kuhn

August 16th, 2016 at 8:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Given that the Saints first-round rookie Sheldon Rankins will be out for six-to-eight weeks after suffering a broken fibula, New Orleans could look to the free agent market to augment a defensive line interior that currently includes John Jenkins, Nick Fairley, C.J. Wilson, and Tyeler Davison. One potential replacement — Tony McDaniel — came off the board this weekend when he signed a deal with the Seahawks, but Cullen Jenkins, Henry Melton, C.J. Mosley, and Sammie Lee Hill are among the veteran options that could be on the Saints’ radar, as Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com suggests. One other candidate, from my vantage point, might be former Brown Randy Starks, whom Pro Football Focus assigned the highest grade among unsigned interior defenders.

  • John Kuhn‘s one-year deal with the Saints is worth $985K with no signing bonus, Nick Underhill of the Advocate tweets. As such, the veteran fullback is eligible for the minimum salary benefit, meaning he’ll only count for $600K on New Orleans’ cap.

Saints’ Sheldon Rankins Suffers Broken Fibula

August 15th, 2016 at 11:49am CST by Zachary Links

Saints first-round defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins is believed to have suffered a broken fibula based on the initial tests conducted, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). If that’s the case, the first-round pick is likely a candidate for the IR-DTR list, which would allow for a mid-season return to action.

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that Rankins is likely to be sidelined for about six weeks. Another person familiar with Rankins’ injury said the initial prognosis has him missing 6-8 weeks, Schefter tweets. Sheldon Rankins (vertical)

Rankins has more tests on the docket to learn what other damage there could be besides the broken fibula (link). If those tests come back clean, a return is possible.

Scouting guru and PFR contributor Dave-Te Thomas has been looking forward to Rankins’ debut for some time now.

“Rankins is a strong tackler who will strike and deliver a blow,” Thomas wrote for NFL Draft Report. “He is conscious of wrapping the outside leg of ball carriers to prevent the opponent from leaning forward to gain extra yardage after that initial hit…As a pass rusher, Rankins can beat you with either his speed or power. He has very good body control and excellent hip snap. His hand usage and quick burst off the snap lets him consistently pressure the quarterback. He also has very good confidence in using his rip and club moves on the bull rush and has very good agility to spin away from the initial block and stymie the counter moves.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Drew Brees Doesn't See End In Sight

August 14th, 2016 at 2:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson
  • Though he’s now 37 years old and entering a contract year, Saints quarterback Drew Brees tells Breer that he sees no end in sight. “I don’t think about the end. I don’t,” said Brees. “I do have a great sense of urgency for each year, though, because I understand no matter what your contract says, you’re really on a year-to-year basis. That goes for everybody. You gotta prove it every year.” Brees is set to count a league-high $30MM against New Orleans’ cap before becoming a free agent next spring.

Keenan Lewis Doesn't Believe He's Headed Towards IR

August 13th, 2016 at 11:10am CST by Ben Levine
  • After being activated from the PUP list, Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis missed the majority of this past week’s practices. The veteran admitted that he was relieved that the lingering injury popped up during the preseason, and he added that he doesn’t anticipate a trip to the injured reserve. “I ain’t (going on) IR,” he told Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com. “That definitely ain’t my plan. I worked too hard this offseason. I stayed in New Orleans the whole time and grinded. So, offseason is definitely not on my calendar or in my notebook.”

    [SOURCE LINK]

Saints Sign Cortland Finnegan

August 12th, 2016 at 5:27pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Saints have signed cornerback Cortland Finnegan to an undisclosed contract, reports Sean Fazende of FOX 8 (Twitter link). New Orleans was expected to add Finnegan after he visited with the team Friday, as Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweeted.

The 32-year-old Finnegan announced his retirement in March 2015, but his hiatus from football was fleeting. The veteran signed with the Panthers in November and wound up playing in five regular-season games and all three of the NFC champions’ playoff contests, including Super Bowl 50. Finnegan, who recorded 18 tackles, failed to add to his career interception total (18) for the second straight year.

Finnegan spent 2014 with the Dolphins and appeared in 12 games; his performance that year earned him a 74th-place ranking among 108 qualified corners from Pro Football Focus. Finnegan’s unsuccessful stint in Miami came after a six-year run in Tennessee, where he was a standout, and two seasons in St. Louis. In 2013 with the Rams, PFF ranked Finnegan next to last in output among 110 qualified corners.

The Saints are slated to start Delvin Breaux and P.J. Williams at cornerback, as shown on Roster Resource, with Brian Dixon, Damian Swann, and Keenan Lewis in support. Finnegan’s presence could shake things up at the position and impact Brandon Dixon and Tony Carter, both of whom are fighting to make the team.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Saints Likely To Sign Cortland Finnegan

August 12th, 2016 at 3:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Cornerback Cortland Finnegan is visiting the Saints, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. Barring anything unforeseen, he’s expected to sign today. "<strong

[RELATED: Saints Release Hakeem Nicks]

Finnegan, 32, announced his retirement in March of 2015, but his hiatus from football did not last long. In November, the veteran signed on with the Panthers and wound up playing in five regular season games and three playoff games.

In 2013 with the Rams, Finnegan was one of the league’s worst cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. PFF ranked Finnegan 109th out of 110 qualified corners, with a grade of -19.7 in just seven games. He was a little better for the Dolphins in 2014, but still placed just 74th out of 108 corners, with a -4.4 grade in 2014.

The Saints are slated to start Delvin Breaux and P.J. Williams at cornerback, as shown on Roster Resource, with Brian Dixon, Damian Swann, and Keenan Lewis in support. Finnegan could shake things up at CB and also impact Brandon Dixon and Tony Carter who are fighting to make the team.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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