New Orleans Saints Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Glennon, Pats, Panthers, S. Moss

May 2nd, 2015 at 5:19pm CST by Rob DiRe

As soon as the 2015 NFL concludes, there will be a flurry of news related to undrafted free agent signings. Each team will add 10-12 extra players in the coming days, and while we’ll cover each transaction, we won’t rush to get all the information out as quickly as possible. As we did last year at this time, we’ll wait until a club confirms its UDFA moves before we post them — it’s a policy that will make the information a bit more palatable for readers (and surely, for us as well).

With that said, let’s take a look at some notes as the draft wraps up:

Despite their selection of Jameis Winston with the first overall pick, the Buccaneers did not receive any calls about backup quarterback Mike Glennon, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter). As Cummings notes, Tampa has made it clear that Glennon isn’t on the trade block, so it’s not a total surprise that no other clubs expressed interest.
The Patriots selected Navy long snapper Joe Cardona with their fifth-round pick, but might not have the four-year starter when they open up the regular season in September, Cardona has a pending military service commitment, and is required to serve five years as a Naval Officer following his graduation and commission in May, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Cardona will apply for an exemption that will allow him to postpone his service in order to pursue an NFL career.
The Panthers selected linebacker/safety hybrid Shaq Thompson with their first-round pick, but drew some criticism about not trading down and selecting him where he was likely to be available early in round two. General manager David Gettleman defended the pick, noting the value of having the fifth-year option on a first-round pick, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
Washington drafted a pair of receivers in Jamison Crowder and Evan Spencer, but that doesn’t mean the end of the line for Santana Moss, writes John Keim of ESPN (via Twitter). Crowder specifically poses a threat to Moss, at 5’8″ and with speed and value returning punts and kicks. Moss caught only 10 passes for 116 yards in 2014, all in the last five games of the season.
The Saints were prepared to trade up to select linebacker Davis Tull, said head coach Sean Payton, according to Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com (Twitter link). The Chattanooga product ultimately fell to New Orleans in the fifth round.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Saints Acquire No. 167 Pick From Washington

May 2nd, 2015 at 2:14pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Saints have moved back into the fifth round to pick No. 167, finding a trade partner in Washington, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter). That No. 167 pick was originally owned by the Seahawks, who traded it to Washington as part of the package to move up into round three for Tyler Lockett.

The Saints have used that selection to continue to bolster their secondary by drafting cornerback Damian Swann out of Georgia, according to Larry Holder of NOLA.com (via Twitter). The Saints had already added cornerback P.J. Williams out of Florida State in the third round.

Washington will receive a a sixth-round pick in this draft (No. 187) along with a sixth-round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft to move back, according to Jones (via Twitter).

NFC Quotes: Payton, Thompson, Kelly, Jones

May 2nd, 2015 at 9:42am CST by Ben Levine

It’s been a busy past few days in NFL front offices, and some of the draft selections by the league’s front offices have left pundits befuddled. The league’s reporters made sure to follow through with those curious selections, and we have some of the more notable responses below…

Saints coach Sean Payton, who opined yesterday that La’el Collins would be drafted in the second or third round, on why his team passed on the embattled lineman (via ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett):

“I don’t know that we would consider that right now until we had more clarity. And it seems like there’s a rush for everyone. And one of the things I said this morning was, ‘Man, we’re right down the road. Are we able to get some information the other teams don’t have yet?’ And so I haven’t had that or gotten that information yet to answer that as a yes.”

Packers general manager Ted Thompson on his team not selecting an inside linebacker (via Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com):

“It’s a simple plan, but we wanted to make sure we got football players. And we think we got a couple more tonight…We’re going to address [inside linebacker] just like we address all other positions and try to make it as strong as we can.”

Eagles coach Chip Kelly on the team’s decision to select linebacker Jordan Hicks despite having greater needs (via Les Bowen of Philly.com):

“He was our highest-rated guy by far. We had him rated in the second round. We had great exposure to Jordan; he was the individual we saw the most this offseason.”

Kelly on how the Hicks selection could impact Mychal Kendricks‘ role on the Eagles (via Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com):

“We’re excited to get him back here. I know he spent the draft with his brother, which we understand. He said he should be back here next week, but I think you’re always gonna draft players, and when you bring ‘em in here, the one thing you want is you want competition at positions. We knew going in at the end of last year that with just Mychal and DeMeco that we really had to shore up the inside linebacker spot. “

Jerry Jones on the Cowboys selecting Randy Gregory with the No. 60 pick (via NFL.com’s Marc Sessler):

“I think it gives us enough confidence that we can work through some of the issues that have basically caused him to drop and maybe improve on that. That’s certainly the plan and have us a heck of a contribution to winning.”

NFC Notes: Eagles, Bennett, Collins, Boone

May 1st, 2015 at 11:23pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The latest from the NFC as Friday comes to a close:

Eagles coach and football czar Chip Kelly said he hasn’t received any calls regarding linebacker Mychal Kendricks, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The Eagles have been shopping the three-year veteran, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported earlier this week.
In other Eagles linebacker news, one scout called their selection of Texas’ Jordan Hicks in the third round (84th overall) a “stupid pick,” per Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. However, the Bengals would’ve taken him with the next pick, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Further, Kelly says the Eagles had a second-round grade on Hicks and saw him more than any other prospect prior to the draft, reports the Inquirer’s Zach Berman (via Twitter).
Despite all the recent rumors surrounding his team, Kelly claims he hasn’t talked to anyone during the draft about trading players, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (Twitter). What’s more, Kelly had to call multiple players recently to tell them that they weren’t trade bait, per USA Today’s Lindsay Jones (Twitter link). Mosher reports (Twitter link) that Kendricks and cornerback Brandon Boykin did not receive calls, while defensive end Vinny Curry did.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace says tight end Martellus Bennett has not requested a trade, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). However, Biggs notes that Bennett might want more money. Bennett, who amassed 90 catches and six touchdowns in 2014, has two years left on his contract, but no guaranteed money left. He was said earlier this week to be on the trade block.
Saints head coach Sean Payton says the team hasn’t taken LSU offensive tackle La’el Collins off its board, per Sean Fazende of Fox 8 (Twitter link). On the possibility of using a seventh-round pick on Collins, Payton went on to state, “I don’t know that we would consider that right now until we get more clarity.” Collins, whom Baton Rouge police wish to question regarding the murder of his ex-girlfriend, has seen his draft stock drop precipitously in recent days, and may not sign with a team that drafts him tomorrow.
General manager Trent Baalke says the 49ers haven’t spoken with guard Alex Boone or his agent, tweets Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Boone, who is entering the final year of his contract, will skip all voluntary offseason activities. Baalke referred to that as a “non-issue.”
Before the Rams swung a deal Friday to swap second-round picks with the Panthers (going from 41st to 57th) and acquire a pair of other selections, St. Louis had discussions with five other teams, per Howard Balzer (Twitter link), who says the team was willing to move down so far in the second round in order to pick up a third-round pick. Coach Jeff Fisher said the Rams were comfortable moving down because they felt they’d still be able to get one of the offensive linemen they liked, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner (Twitter link). That proved true, as they ultimately took Wisconsin offensive tackle Rob Havenstein.
Trading up could be a possibility Saturday for the Cardinals. Their general manager, Steve Keim, mentioned the possibility twice Friday, reports Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link).
The Cowboys would be comfortable taking a running back in the fourth round, tweets Rapoport.

Draft Rumors: Gregory, AP, Wilkerson

May 1st, 2015 at 5:43pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory is regarded as one of the most talented players in this year’s NFL draft, but he remains available after the completion of the first round because of off-field issues. Gregory voiced his disappointment about his current undrafted status to Yahoo! Sports’ Rand Getlin on Friday (via Twitter).

“I feel like I let my family and the people who believe in me down, and I’m sorry for that,” said Gregory. “But I’m going to use this as fuel. The franchise that drafts me won’t have to worry about me off the field, but the teams that didn’t select me will have to worry about me on the field.”

Gregory went on to state that he is “the best defensive player in the draft.”

Here’s more as the second round of the draft draws nearer:

If the Jets are going to trade defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, it could take multiple first-round picks to land him, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. However, La Canfora notes that, after having drafted Leonard Williams with their first-round selection, the Jets would have a loaded defensive line even without Wilkerson. That may lead to a reduction in their asking price, and the likes of the Browns and Raiders could be possible destinations should the Jets move Wilkerson.
Friday could be the last real chance for the Vikings to trade Adrian Peterson, per LaCanfora. Peterson might fetch the Vikings a second-round pick if he’s willing to take a pay cut to play elsewhere.
Florida State defensive tackle Eddie Goldman won’t stay on the board for long tonight, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport notes that Goldman is viewed as a first-round talent by many teams.
Indiana’s Tevin Coleman could be the first running back taken tonight, according to Rapoport (Twitter link). A team tried to trade up for Coleman last night, Rapoport notes.
The first half of the second round could see several running backs and offensive lineman selected, according to La Canfora. Conversely, La Canfora doesn’t expect any tight ends to go for a while, noting that South Carolina’s Rory Anderson or Rutgers’ Tyler Kroft could be the first one taken.
La Canfora writes that Baylor’s Bryce Petty will likely be the first quarterback drafted Friday. The Bills, Rams, Saints and Chargers are among the teams that have done their homework on Petty.

NFC Draft Notes: 49ers, Thompson, Bucs, Gregory

May 1st, 2015 at 1:12pm CST by Ben Levine

NFL.com’s Marc Sessler explores which teams could move up during Friday’s portion of the draft. The Cowboys and Cardinals top the list, as the writer believes the teams could make a move for a targeted running back. The Lions are a candidate to move up and grab a defensive lineman, while the Saints could target a young quarterback.

Let’s take a look at some more draft notes from the NFC…

49ers GM Trent Baalke told reporters (video link on 49ers’ website) that he didn’t draft defensive end Arik Armstead as insurance against Justin Smith‘s possible retirement. Smith’s status for 2015 and beyond is still up in the air but Baalke has said all along that his uncertain status wouldn’t affect the team’s draft plans.
If linebacker Shaq Thompson hadn’t been selected by the Panthers at pick No. 25, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times says (via Twitter) the Cowboys were ready to “pounce” at No. 27.
Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times says (via Twitter) the Buccaneers are “thrilled” that offensive tackles Jake Fisher (Oregon) and T.J. Clemmings (Pittsburgh) are still one the board. The writer notes that the team will target one of the lineman with pick No. 34.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Ed Werder says Randy Gregory is on the Buccaneers draft board, which indicates that the embattled linebacker is also being considered at pick No. 34 (Twitter link).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Lions, Saints, 49ers, Cowboys

April 30th, 2015 at 11:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Earlier tonight, we rounded up a few leftover draft-related items out of the AFC. Now let’s shift our focus to the other conference and pass along some NFC notes….

The Lions had three offers to trade back, GM Martin Mayhew tells Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (Twitter link), but the Broncos’ decision to offer Manny Ramirez helped Detroit make its decision.
Had Andrus Peat not been available to the Saints, they would have been fine with choosing Danny Shelton, says head coach Sean Payton (Twitter link via Sean Fazende of FOX 8).
The 49ers had several options in the first round, as GM Trent Baalke tells Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter) that there were still five or six prospects the team “coveted” when the No. 15 pick rolled around. As such, it made sense for the Niners to move back a little.
The Cowboys would’ve thought hard about trading down had Byron Jones not been available, says Dallas exec Stephen Jones (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com). Jones says the club had a couple other players who were in play at the back end of the first round.
Texas defensive tackle Malcom Brown was still on the board when the Patriots grabbed him with the last pick of the first round, and it sounds like Brown himself thought he’d be picked sooner — according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link), the newest Pat was told he could have gone as high as No. 7 to the Bears.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: K. Johnson, Hundley, Peters

April 30th, 2015 at 7:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest draft notes…

The ceiling for Wake Forest corner Kevin Johnson is the Dolphins at pick No. 14, while his floor is the Steelers with the 22nd pick, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
With the Browns considered likely to select a quarterback at some point in the draft, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com tweets that the club showed “absolutely zero interest” in UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley.
The Saints have been trying to trade up for a pass rusher, and might have Vic Beasley in mind, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Marcus Peters is not on the Cowboys’ draft board, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Draft Rumors: Gurley, Saints, K. Johnson

April 30th, 2015 at 6:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Three teams who pick in the top ten are considering Georgia running back Todd Gurley, according to Todd McShay of ESPN (Twitter link). The Dolphins are also known to be in on Gurley, but it sounds like he may not last that long.

Here are some more rumors as we approach the start of the draft:

A “high-level” Saints source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that the club doesn’t intend to take a quarterback in the first round. Previous reports had indicated that New Orleans would be interested in Baylor QB Bryce Petty at No. 31.
Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson is expected to be off the board by the time the Ravens pick at No. 26, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who notes that the Dolphins, at pick No. 13, could consider Johnson.
It’s possible that we see a run on offensive tackles near the end of the first round, which could cause the Broncos to consider trading up. However, Denver won’t give up a second-rounder to do so, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
The Lions recently called Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi to double-check his contact information, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). That might not mean much on its face, but at least we know Ogbuehi, who is recovering from an ACL injury, is still on Detroit’s board.
The Rams have received calls from teams interested in moving up to the tenth pick, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Extra Points: Brees, Saints, Bucs, Collins

April 30th, 2015 at 2:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Saints GM Mickey Loomis says he may take a quarterback in this year’s draft, but he doesn’t see the end of the line for Drew Brees anytime soon either, ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett writes. “That’s a good question,” Loomis said. “I think you’re always looking to get a young quarterback in the program. We’ve got one in Ryan Griffin that we like. And if an opportunity presents itself, hey, we may take another one here. But I don’t see the end for Drew Brees on the short-term horizon. At least I certainly hope not. But it does take time for these quarterbacks to develop. And we’re conscious of that. We evaluate the quarterbacks. And obviously if an opportunity presents itself to take one at the right time, we’re not afraid to do that.” More on that and other news from the NFL..

If the Saints draft Bryce Petty, it’ll be a clear indication that Jeff Ireland is already calling the shots there, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets.
Ed Werder of ESPN (via Rob Demovsky on Twitter) says the Buccaneers may be looking to move up into the bottom of the first round. The Bucs currently pick at No. 34 and Demovsky wonders if the Packers at No. 30 could be a match.
Multiple teams have removed LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins from their draft boards, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Bills GM Doug Whaley called Kentucky defensive end Za’Darius Smith a “perfect fit” for the type of scheme they run, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW tweets.
Army running back Raymond Maples has been granted administrative leave to attend team activities if he’s drafted or signed, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets.
With so few quality safeties available, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that James Sample (Louisville) and Damarious Randall (ASU) will go higher than most people think.

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