Saints Make Several Roster Moves
- The Saints waived safety Michael Caputo and quarterback Griffin Neal after this weekend’s rookie minicamp, Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune tweets. According to Wilson (on Twitter), the team has also cut receiver Shane Wynn.
- In a related move, the Saints inked linebacker Tony Steward (Twitter link via Woodbery). Steward played at Clemson and was a fifth-round pick of Buffalo in 2015.
- The Saints signed Jake Lampman, Wilson tweets. The Ferris State product caught 52 passes for 731 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
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Saints Sign Thompson, Griffin, Pruitt
- The Saints are signing undrafted rookie cornerback Jimmy Pruitt, according to the player’s agency (on Twitter). Pruitt, a four-year starter at San Jose State, racked up four interceptions over the course of his collegiate career.
- Air Force tight end/long snapper Garrett Griffin has signed with the Saints, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- The Saints have signed offensive lineman Tyrus Thompson, per a tweet from his agent Ken Sarnoff. Selected by the Vikings in the sixth round of the 2015 draft, Thompson, who can play both tackle positions, spent time on the practice squad rosters of both the Jaguars and Lions last season.
Barth, Wilson Try Out For Saints
- Kickers Connor Barth and Nate Freese tried out for the Saints today during a workout that consisted of 44 tryout players, Evan Woodberry of NOLA.com reports. Freese was a seventh-round Lions draft choice in 2014. The Saints have Kai Forbath and Josh Scobee on their roster. New Orleans also worked out former Packers seventh-round defensive lineman C.J. Wilson, who played with the Packers from 2010-13, saw short stints with the Raiders and Lions the past two seasons. Entering what would be his age-29 season, Wilson has made 19 career starts and 6.5 sacks.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/14/16
Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.
- Washington signed cornerback Mariel Cooper after a minicamp tryout, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (on Twitter). Cooper attended The Citadel after transferring from South Carolina State following a four-year stint there.
- The Saints signed UDFA cornerback De’Vante Harris, Evan Woodberry of NOLA.com tweets. Hopefully, there weren’t any paperwork-related issues since former Appalachian State offensive lineman Davante Harris is in New Orleans trying out for the team. De’Vante Harris suited up at cornerback for Texas A&M and deflected 21 passes over the past three seasons in College Station.
Saints Work Out De'Runnya Wilson, Davante Harris
- ESPN’s Mike Triplett passes along two rookies trying out for the Saints this weekend: Mississippi State wideout De’Runnya Wilson and Appalachian State University offensive lineman Davante Harris (Twitter links).
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Trio of Veterans Audition for Saints
- ESPN’s Mike Triplett passes along (via Twitter) a trio of veterans auditioning for the Saints: kicker Connor Barth and defensive linemen Matt Shaughnessy and C.J. Wilson.
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Matt Shaughnessy To Visit Saints
- Veteran free agent outside linebacker Matt Shaughnessy will work out for the Saints this weekend, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Shaughnessy, a third-round pick in 2009, has appeared in 75 total NFL contests for Oakland and Arizona, but missed the entire 2015 campaign due to injury.
Condon: Saints Seem Content With Brees' Cap Number
For most of the offseason, NFL observers have assumed that the Saints and Drew Brees will negotiate an extension that locks up the quarterback beyond the 2016 season and frees up some cap room for the team. However, agent Tom Condon said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show that the Saints seem to be satisfied with Brees at his current cap number, per Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate.
According to Over the Cap’s data, New Orleans currently has less than $2MM in cap room, and that appears to be without factoring in the team’s draft picks. There are ways that the Saints could lock up all their picks and get through the 2016 season without reworking Brees’ deal, but it would almost certainly require adjusting another contract or two.
Brees, who is entering the final year of his deal, currently has a $30MM cap charge, with only one other player on the Saints’ books for a number larger than $6.35MM in 2016 — Jairus Byrd has a $10.9MM cap hit, which could be reduced via a restructure, if necessary.
- Defensive lineman David Onyemata has been drafted for the second time in two weeks, writes Christopher Dabe of NOLA.com. After being selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Saints, Onyemata came off the board in the fourth round of the CFL draft as well, snatched by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Of course, Onyemata went 120th overall in the NFL draft, as opposed to 35th in the CFL draft, and he would have gone higher in the CFL draft had the Saints not selected him last month — he was viewed as the No. 1 Canadian prospect for 2016, but the Roughriders won’t get him as he long as he remains with New Orleans.
Saints Sign Vonn Bell
- The Saints announced that the signing of second-round safety Vonn Bell, as Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune tweets. With Bell in the fold, fourth-round defensive tackle David Onyemata stands as the team’s only unsigned pick. When describing Bell’s game, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer once remarked, “He has the skill set of a corner. How many safeties can cover a No. 2 receiver?,” (link via NFL.com).
Broncos Claim Toben Opurum From Saints
- Fullback Toben Opurum was claimed by the Broncos after he was waived by the Saints, Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune writes. Opurum, 25, has been with the Saints since the end of the 2014 season. In a related move, the Broncos have waived tight end Anthony Norris, Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets.