Saints Sign Darryl Tapp, Travaris Cadet
After being cut this weekend, a pair of Saints are returning to the active roster. Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate tweets that the Saints have signed defensive end Darryl Tapp and running back Travaris Cadet. The team has also placed defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins on the injured reserve.
Tapp joined the Saints in July after having played the past two seasons with the Lions. The 31-year-old, who has been in the league since 2006, has never missed more than five games in a season, and he’s compiled 27.5 career sacks in ten NFL seasons. Tapp played in all 16 games with Detroit in 2015, finishing with 19 tackles and two sacks.
Cadet re-signed with the Saints in March. The 27-year-old spent the 2015 season with the Patriots, 49ers, and Saints, finishing with 28 yards on 11 attempts. He also hauled in 16 catches for 212 yards and a touchdown.
Rankins, a defensive tackle out of Louisville, was the Saints first-round selection in this past year’s draft. The rookie was expected to compete with Nick Fairley, Tyeler Davison, and John Jenkins for playing time.
Saints To Sign Paul Kruger
TODAY, 4:30pm: Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate has the details on Kruger’s deal with the Saints.
While the deal is for three years and is accompanied by a $2.1MM signing bonus, the final two years of the contract can be voided. Therefore, in reality, the deal is really for one season.
Kruger will make a base salary of $900K in 2016, and (if he sticks around) will see that salary increase to $1MM in 2017 and 2018. The signing bonus will remain $700K through each of the three years, and the cap hit will decrease from $1.6MM in 2016 to $700K in 2017 and 2018.
AUGUST 31, 8:05am: Former Browns pass-rusher Paul Kruger is signing with the Saints, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Kruger visited with New Orleans and Kansas City this week but ultimately chose to join up with Sean Payton & Co. 
A few years ago, Kruger was a top target of the Saints in free agency. However, they were outbid by the Browns who gave him a five-year free agent deal worth $40.5MM, including $13MM guaranteed. Years later, they have acquired Kruger at a much lower price.
After notching 11.0 sacks in 2014, Kruger only had 2.5 sacks in 2015. Apparently, he struggled on the practice field this summer, prompting Cleveland to release him. Still, the Saints are hoping that Kruger can get back to his 2013/2014 form as they deal with injuries in the front seven.
“He still affects the passer,” Payton said on a teleconference Tuesday when asked about Kruger visiting (via Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune). “You see a pressure player. He rushes with power. I think you see a high motor and a guy that plays extremely strong.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Saints, Max Unger Agree To Extension
MONDAY, 3:50pm: Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate passes along details of Unger’s contract. In total, the contract holds an average annual value of $7.4MM while also including a $7MM signing bonus and $14.3MM in guaranteed money.
Unger’s base salary will be at $850K in 2016, and it increases to $1.7MM (2017, fully guaranteed), $4.5MM (2018, $1MM guaranteed), and $5.1MM (2019, no guarantee). The cap hits, meanwhile, increase from $4.35MM in 2016 to $7.4MM (2017), $8MM (2018), and $8.7MM (2019)
FRIDAY, 9:15am: The Saints and center Max Unger have agreed to a three-year extension, as Herbie Teope of The Times-Picayune writes. The new three-year deal will give Unger an annual salary of $7MM+. 
Unger, 30, started all 16 games for New Orleans last season after the Jimmy Graham trade brought him in from Seattle. Prior to his new deal, Unger was slated to play out the 2016 season for a $4.45MM base before entering the free agent market.
Unger was obviously not the focal point of the Seahawks-Saints trade last year, but he did offer an impressive pedigree of his own. Over the course of his career, the Oregon product has earned two Pro Bowl nods (2012, 2013) and one First-Team All-Pro selection (2012) with 83 games (all starts) on his resume. Meanwhile, Graham went from one of the league’s best tight ends to something of an afterthought in Seattle. He is now trying to get back on track after undergoing serious knee surgery.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC South
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day. All links go to Twitter unless otherwise noted:
Atlanta Falcons
- Claimed:
- WR Taylor Gabriel (link via Mike Florio of PFT)
- Waived:
- Signed to practice squad:
- DE Nordly Capi
- CB Devonte Johnson
- DT Joey Mbu
- WR J.D. McKissic
- S Sharrod Neasman
- QB Matt Simms
- TE D.J. Tialavea
- RB Gus Johnson (Twittler link via D. Orlando Ledbetter)
- CB Deji Olatoye (Twittler link via D. Orlando Ledbetter)
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed:
- DE Lavar Edwards (Link via PFT)
- Waived:
- DE Wes Horton (Link via David Newton)
- Signed to practice squad
- CB Zack Sanchez (Link via Adam Caplan)
- S Marcus Ball
- LB Brian Blechen
- DT Eric Crume
- WR Keyarris Garrett
- TE Beau Sandland
- RB Jalen Simmons
- DE Larry Webster
- OL David Yankey
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to practice squad:
- OL John Fullington (Link via Josh Katzenstein)
- CB Brian Dixon (Link via Mike Triplett)
- DE Bobby Richardson
- LB Tony Steward
- FB Austin Johnson
- C Jack Allen,
- TE Garrett Griffin
- WR Jake Lampman
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to practice squad:
- RB Russell Hansbrough (Link via Jim Thomas)
- WR Jeremy Butler (Link via PFT)
- LB Josh Keyes (link via Greg Auman)
- RB Peyton Barber (story via Auman)
- OL Josh Allen
- OL Ben Gottschalk
- CB Javien Elliott
- S Isaiah Johnson
- LB Micah Awe (Link via Auman)
- WR Freddie Martino
Waiver Wire Priority For All 32 NFL Teams
Yesterday was the 53-man roster deadline, but the madness will continue today as teams pick through the waiver pile for talented discards. Priority is dictated by the reverse standings with tiebreakers where necessary, which is to say that it will be the same as the 2016 draft order before all the trades. Unlike your fantasy league’s waiver wire, a team does not go to the back of the list upon making a successful claim. That means that the league’s worst teams from 2015 have a significant advantage today as they make late roster additions.
Here is the complete waiver priority order:
1. Titans
2. Browns
3. Chargers
4. Cowboys
5. Jaguars
6. Ravens
7. 49ers
8. Dolphins
9. Buccaneers
10. Giants
11. Bears
12. Saints
13. Eagles
14. Raiders
15. Rams
16. Lions
17. Falcons
18. Colts
19. Bills
20. Jets
21. Redskins
22. Texans
23. Vikings
24. Bengals
25. Seahawks
26. Packers
27. Steelers
28. Chiefs
29. Patriots
30. Cardinals
31. Panthers
32. Broncos
Josh Sitton To Visit Bears; Saints Also?
After the Packers cut Josh Sitton loose on Saturday, upwards of ten teams expressed interest in the Pro Bowl guard. Now, he has his first visit lined up with the division-rival Bears, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Saints could be next on the docket for him, Schefter adds. 
Sitton, 30, is a three-time Pro Bowler who has long been considered one of the best — if not the best — guards in the NFL, so the Packers’ willingness to move on from him certainly came as a surprise. In eight seasons in Green Bay, Sitton appeared in 121 games, starting 112, while delivering dominant results on the interior of the offensive line.
Last year, Sitton graded out as the sixth-best guard in the NFL, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. He received a strong 91.1 pass blocking grade (tied for fourth-best in the NFL) with a still respectable 81.2 mark against the run.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Saints Move Roster To 53
The Saints have now announced their full list of transactions that bring them down to 53 players.
Cut:
- OL Khalif Barnes (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate)
- OL Tyrus Thompson (Twitter link via Herbie Teope of NOLA.com)
- OT Tony Hills (Twitter link via Underhill)
- FB Austin Johnson (Twitter link via Underhill)
- S Trae Elston (Twitter link via Joel Erickson of the Advocate)
- DE Bobby Richardson (Twitter link via Underhill)
- CB Brian Dixon (Twitter link via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com)
- C Jack Allen (Twitter link via Underhill)
- K Connor Barth (Twitter link via Underhill)
- RB Travaris Cadet (Twitter link via Underhill)
- TE Garrett Griffin (Twitter link via Erickson)
- DE Darryl Tapp
- DL C.J. Wilson
- WR Jordan Williams-Lambert
- G John Fullington
- LB Jeff Schoettmer
- WR Jake Lampman
- C Marcus Henry
- LB Davis Tull
- DE Chris McCain (story)
Placed on IR:
Barnes signed with the Saints last Sunday, meaning his stay in New Orleans lasted less than a week. In 11 NFL seasons, the 34-year-old has seen action in more than 150 games (117 starts) with the Jaguars and Raiders. Barnes lost his starting job in Oakland last season, but still appeared in 14 games.
Saints To Waive Chris McCain
The Saints will cut defensive end Chris McCain, a source tells Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com (Twitter link). New Orleans had just acquired McCain from the Dolphins days ago.
McCain, 24, is entering his third season in the NFL, but hasn’t contributed much during his first two years in the league. He’s appeared in 19 games, but he’s been more of a special teams player than a defensive stalwart. McCain picked up a sack and a forced fumble in 2015, but only played on 113 total snaps (43 on defense), and wasn’t ticketed for a larger role this year.
The Dolphins will not acquire a conditional draft pick from Miami given that McCain did not make the roster.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Saints Waive Dillon Lee
- The Saints waived linebacker Dillon Lee, as Nick Underhill of The Advocate tweets.
Details Emerge On Saints' Paul Kruger Deal
- The Saints‘ deal with Paul Kruger is a one-year, $3MM pact worth up to $5MM with incentives, a league source told ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Before his release, he was under contract through next season at $6.5MM this year and $7MM next year with Cleveland. The Saints will have to carve out some cap space to make way for Kruger’s deal and they’ll likely do that through contract restructuring.