New Orleans Saints Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Free Agent Rumors: Jaguars, Bengals, Ravens

March 8th, 2016 at 12:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Jerricho Cotchery is not in the Panthers’ 2016 plans, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. Cotchery, 34 in June, hauled in 87 passes for 1,065 yards and four touchdowns over the last two seasons with Carolina. The veteran has said that he would only continue playing if it were with the Panthers, so it’s possible that the former Jet will retire this offseason. Cotchery is effectively a free agent with a contract that will automatically void tomorrow.

The latest free agent rumors:

The Jaguars are not close to done after agreeing to terms with Malik Jackson, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) hears. The Jags are still interested in top pass rushers and corners.
Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter) senses that the Bengals‘ priority guys are safety George Iloka and wide receiver Marvin Jones. Breer hears there is about $15MM budgeted for unrestricted free agents, which may not leave much room for others.
Saints free agent tight end Ben Watson is getting “strong, strong interest” from the Ravens, sources tell Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The Dolphins are in pursuit of defensive end William Hayes, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. There is a strong market for Hayes, however, so Miami will have some competition to deal with.
Running back Lamar Miller wants an annual salary in the range of $6MM or more, which is more than the Dolphins would like to offer, Jackson writes.
The Vikings have checked in on Lions free agent linebacker Tahir Whitehead, per Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter).
The Raiders are working to retain wide receiver Andre Holmes but the sense is that he’ll get decent interest elsewhere, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets.

Saints To Re-Sign Michael Hoomanawanui

March 8th, 2016 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

The Saints have agreed to terms on a new contract for pending free agent Michael Hoomanawanui, a source tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Marvez reports that it’ll be a three-year deal for the veteran tight end.

[RELATED: Saints to re-sign CB Kyle Wilson]

Hoomanawanui, 27, joined the Saints in late September last season, coming over from New England in a trade that sent defensive lineman Akiem Hicks to the Patriots. Upon his arrival in New Orleans, Hoomanawanui started eight of his 12 games for the club, and displayed a knack for finding the end zone — three of his 11 receptions went for touchdowns.

Among Saints tight ends, Hoomanawanui ranked third in total offensive snaps, behind Ben Watson and Josh Hill. However, both of those players are eligible for free agency this week – Watson is unrestricted and Hill is restricted – and Hoomanawanui still played a decent amount (366 snaps). Locking him up gives New Orleans a little certainty at the position as the team decides what to do with Watson and Hill.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Free Agent Rumors: Osweiler, Texans, Ivory

March 8th, 2016 at 10:20am CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos and Texans are shaping up as the two primary potential landing spots for free agent quarterback Brock Osweiler, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Broncos have reportedly offered Osweiler a three-year contract worth ~$39MM, but the Texans are also expected to make a competitive offer. Could they offer up more than Denver? While we await the answer, here’s more of the latest free agent news:

Chris Ivory is on the Texans‘ radar as the new league year approaches, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. Ivory, who will celebrate his 28th birthday in a few weeks, set career highs last season in carries (247), rushing yards (1,070), and total touchdowns (eight). If the Jets do not retain Ivory, he will stand as one of the more appealing free agent running back options of the offseason.
The Vikings are not pursuing Browns free agent tackle Mitchell Schwartz, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). It was reported on Monday that the Vikings were pursuing Schwartz along with the Buccaneers, Giants, and Falcons. Since the Browns took Schwartz in the second round of the 2012 draft, he has appeared in and started 64 straight games. For his work last season, the 26-year-old ranked sixth out of 77 qualifying tackles by Pro Football Focus’ standards (subscription required).
Marcus Sherels wants to return to the Vikings and the interest is mutual, though it has to be at the right price for Minnesota, Tomasson tweets. However, there’s no agreement yet and a few teams are eyeing the cornerback.
The Saints are working to bring back running back Tim Hightower, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Hightower started three games for the Saints last year after being years removed from the NFL.
Linebacker Junior Galette took to Twitter earlier today and shot down a follower’s suggestion that he should sign a deal for the veteran’s minimum with big incentives. Galette also restated his interest in playing for Washington.

Saints To Re-Sign Kyle Wilson

March 7th, 2016 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Pending free agent cornerback Kyle Wilson won’t hit the open market on Wednesday, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network, who reports (via Twitter) that the Saints and Wilson have agreed to terms on a one-year contract that will keep him in New Orleans.

Wilson, a former first-round pick, spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Jets before heading to New Orleans for the 2015 season. While he didn’t live up to expectations in the Big Apple, Wilson played well as the Saints’ third cornerback last season, picking up 27 tackles and an interception. Pro Football Focus ranked him 47th out of 111 qualified players at the position.

Despite re-signing Wilson and retaining Delvin Breaux, the Saints will likely be in the market for help at the cornerback position this offseason. The team reportedly intends to cut Brandon Browner from its roster when the new league year begins on Wednesday, after Browner ranked dead-last among PFF’s cornerback rankings in 2015.

Free Agent Rumors: Sean Smith, Niners, Raiders

March 7th, 2016 at 1:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The very latest free agent news:

The 49ers have discussed Chiefs free agent cornerback Sean Smith, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter). He adds that Smith has been on the Niners’ radar in the past as well. The Chiefs have not reached out to Smith since the start of the tampering period, but they have talked with his agent since the Combine, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes.
The Chiefs know they will have to raise the current offer to Smith in order to retain him, but it’s not clear if they will, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets. The Raiders will also be in play for his services, he adds.
The Chiefs have expressed interest in former Raiders receiver Rod Streater, Paylor writes. Streater’s best season came in 2013 when he hauled in 60 catches for 888 yards and four scores.
Seahawks free agent guard J.R. Sweezy is generating a ton of early interest with at least ten teams expressing serious interest, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. The Buccaneers, Falcons, Lions, Dolphins, Saints, 49ers, Jaguars, Bears, and Jets, have all made it known that they will be suitors (link).
Donald Penn’s agent met with the Raiders but the tackle is expected to hit the free agent market on Wednesday, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets.
The Cardinals have expressed interest in Rams free agent defensive end William Hayes, according to Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter). The eight year vet has racked up 21.5 sacks over the last four years.

Saints Re-Sign Senio Kelemete

March 6th, 2016 at 6:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Set to be a restricted free agent, Senio Kelemete will stay with the Saints on a two-year extension, NOLA.com’s Evan Woodberry reports.

The deal could be worth up to $4MM, according to the NFL Network.

The fifth-year offensive lineman’s been with New Orleans for the past three seasons — spending the first of which on the team’s practice squad — after initially entering the league as a fifth-round selection of the Cardinals’. He made his first start last season in place of Jahri Evans and broke with the Saints’ starting linemen in four additional games before Evans returned.

The Saints cut Evans after 10 seasons and will have an opening at his right guard slot as a result. A University of Washington product, Kelemete’s served as a backup center and tackle as well, increasing his value to the Saints.

New Orleans now has seven offensive linemen under contract, Woodberry tweets, but still have to determine whether or not to tender left guard Tim Lelito by Wednesday. Lelito started 13 games for the Saints last season and is a restricted free agent after arriving in New Orleans in 2013 like Kelemete.

Quarterback Notes: Flacco, Brees, Manning

March 5th, 2016 at 12:32pm CST by Ben Levine

Despite what the Ravens may be saying, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio is convinced that Joe Flacco‘s new contract is simply about saving money. The team’s website published an article earlier this week stating that the extension was about winning, not money.

“We did not do a deal to gain cap room,” Newsome had said (via Florio). “We did a deal so Joe Flacco could be on this football team for the next six years.”

However, the quarterback basically admitted that the new contract was intended to create more cap flexibility.

“We’ve got a bunch of good players and we’ve got a great foundation already but with the way the deal was before I mean it might not have been this year but at some point there was gonna be a strain on what we could do and what kind of guys we could bring in,” Flacco said on PFT Live. “You don’t wanna see any of the guys on your team have to be let go because of some issue with the cap and I wanted to play here. I wanted to play here, I want to play here, continue to play here for a long time.”

Let’s check out some other notes regarding several of the league’s top signal callers…

Considering the extra flexibility, Flacco would like to see the Ravens bring in some reinforcement on the offensive line. When appearing on PFT Live, the quarterback also seemed to hint that he’d prefer the team re-sign Kelechi Osemele. “The one thing is I would say we need to get our O-line solidified, see who’s going to be there for sure,” Flacco said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “We’ve got a couple guys, at least one guy who’s out in the open there, whether we’re going to get a contract done with him or not. So once we get those guys nailed down and see who they’re going to be, I think that’s the biggest part of a championship, as far as the offensive side of the ball.”
Drew Brees‘ 2016 cap number will balloon to $30MM in the next several days, and Florio wonders if the 37-year-old will break the recent monetary records set by Flacco. A new deal may benefit each side, especially since the Saints will owe the quarterback $43.2MM if they tag him in 2017.
Even if Brock Osweiler ends up leaving Denver, Mike Klis of 9 News can’t envision the Broncos bringing back Peyton Manning. Despite a successful four years with the franchise, the writer is convinced that it’s time to begin the “post-Manning era.”

FA Notes: Winslow, Hali, Evans, Fitzpatrick

March 5th, 2016 at 11:38am CST by Ben Levine

In January, former first-round pick Kellen Winslow tweeted that he was focused on an NFL comeback. The 32-year-old confirmed this sentiment when he appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week.

“My body feels good enough to come back and play at a high level, even better I think because I’m just a little wiser,” Winslow said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “It was good to get away from the game just to work on me. I want to be a better player than I was before. I think I can.”

Winslow has caught 469 passes for 5,236 yards and 25 touchdowns during his ten-year career, but he hasn’t played an NFL game since 2013. Let’s check out some more notes regarding some of the league’s notable free agents…

The Chiefs didn’t ink impending free agent Tamba Hali prior to the March 4th deadline, meaning the outside linebacker’s contract was automatically voided. According to Terez A. Paylor of KansasCity.com, the Chiefs will be charged $4MM against the cap, even if the 32-year-old ends up returning.
Jerrold Colton, the agent for former Saints guard Jahri Evans, told 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia (including Geoff Mosher) that his client “has [a] good chance” to sign a contract prior to the start of free agency.
Sam Bradford‘s new deal with the Eagles could have an impact on Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s future contract, writes ESPN’s Rich Cimini. Since the Jets presumably wouldn’t want to commit to the 33-year-old longterm, the writer wonders if the quarterback could secure a similar two-year deal.
ESPN’s James Walker mentions three potential destinations for free agent defensive end Olivier Vernon: the Jaguars, Giants, and Cowboys.

RFA Tender Decisions: 3/4/16

March 4th, 2016 at 7:21pm CST by Luke Adams

When teams assign first- or second-round tenders to their restricted free agents, like the Raiders did today with quarterback Matt McGloin, we’ll devote full news stories to those moves. But for the most part, RFAs around the league can expect to be either non-tendered or given a low-end tender worth $1.671MM. We’ll round up the players that fall into that group on Friday in the space below, with the latest updates added to the top of the list throughout the day….

The 49ers have offered linebacker Michael Wilhoite the low-end tender, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. The 29-year-old has started in all 28 of his appearances over the last two seasons. Despite missing four games in 2015, Wilhoite was second on the Niners in tackles (85), though he graded dead last in overall performance out of Pro Football Focus’ 97 qualifying linebackers (subscription required).

Earlier updates:

The Saints aren’t expected to submit an RFA tender to running back Khiry Robinson, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com confirms as much (via Twitter). Robinson, 26, saw his 2015 campaign come to an early end when he suffered a broken leg in November, but he has been a steady contributor in New Orleans’ backfield since 2013, averaging 4.1 yards per carry on 186 total attempts. He’s now on track to reach the open market as an unrestricted free agent.
The Eagles have given RFA offensive lineman Matt Tobin the low-end tender, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Philadelphia now holds the right of first refusal on the 25-year-old lineman, who made 13 starts for the Eagles in 2015. Depending on the moves the team makes in free agency and the draft, Tobin could return to a reserve role in 2016.
One restricted free agent who won’t get a tender offer from the Eagles is offensive lineman David Molk, who has decided to retire rather than continuing his career, according to the team (Twitter link). Molk, who started four games at center for Philadelphia in 2014, is widely believed to be the anonymous author of a book called NFL Confidential: True Confessions from the Gutter of Football, which provides a behind-the-scenes look at life in the NFL.
The Packers have a pair of players eligible for restricted free agency, and according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Twitter), the team won’t be tendering one of them, linebacker Andy Mulumba. Silverstein adds that guard Lane Taylor probably won’t get a tender offer either, which would make both players unrestricted free agents next week.

Saints Sign Josh Scobee

March 4th, 2016 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

The Saints have reached an agreement with free agent kicker Josh Scobee, signing him to a contract, as Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune writes. Scobee himself first broke word of the deal in a Facebook post.

[RELATED: Saints release Marques Colston]

“Excited to announce that I’ve signed with the New Orleans Saints!” Scobee wrote. “Pumped for this opportunity!”

Scobee, 33, served as the Jaguars’ kicker for his first 11 NFL seasons, but was traded to the Steelers prior to the 2015 campaign to replace Shaun Suisham, who tore his ACL last summer. Scobee’s time in Pittsburgh only lasted four regular-season games, during which he missed four field goals (all from between 40-49 yards) and an extra point. He was cut last October and replaced by Chris Boswell.

After dealing with a hip flexor last season, Scobee is healthy now and signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with New Orleans, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The deal comes about a month after the Saints brought in the longtime Jaguar for a workout.

While Scobee is currently the only kicker under contract with the Saints, the team has undergone plenty of changes at the position in recent years, and will likely bring in competition. One possibility is Kai Forbath, who finished the 2015 season as New Orleans’ kicker. A report earlier this week indicated that the Saints were interested in re-signing Forbath.

Photo courtest of USA Today Sports Images.

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