New Orleans Saints Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Minor Moves: Friday

March 20th, 2015 at 6:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the league, with the latest minor moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:

The Seahawks have re-signed long snapper Clint Gresham, announcing the move on his Instagram account, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). His contract includes $300,000 signing bonus, with the veteran minimum salaries of $745,000, $760,00 and $900,000 over three year, according to Condotta (via Twitter).

Earlier Updates:

The Saints have re-signed reserve swing tackle Bryce Harris to a one-year contract, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). The 26-year-old played a career-high 393 offensive snaps in 2014, starting at left tackle for the Saints down the stretch, but he ranked just 72nd out of 84 qualified tackles, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Harris may play a similar role in 2015, but he probably isn’t a lock to make the roster.
Former Northern Arizona punter Andy Wilder, who went undrafted last spring, has signed a contract with the Buccaneers, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter). Wilder and Chase Tenpenny may get the opportunity to challenge incumbent punter Michael Koenen for the job this summer.

Extra Points: Holmes, Steelers, Cards, Willis

March 20th, 2015 at 12:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Wide receiver Santonio Holmes isn’t getting any bites this offseason and he told SI Now (video link) that he doesn’t understand why he’s out of a job.

“It baffles me a little to know that I’m not a part of any organization,” Holmes said. “It is a gift and a curse at the same time. And I say that because the gift of playing and the opportunity to be a figure in the National Football League. I enjoyed my time. And the curse of having one injury in my entire career that people are now looking at me as if Santonio Holmes is not the guy anymore.”

Many feel that Holmes is no longer the same player after suffering a Lisfranc fracture in 2012 with the Jets. It also doesn’t help that he has a reputation as a difficult locker room presence.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

The Steelers haven’t exactly been aggressive in free agency so far, and that approach won’t change anytime soon. Team president Art Rooney II said today that Pittsburgh continues to look at available options, but he isn’t expecting much in the way of upcoming free agent signings, as Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review outlines.
The Cardinals have been a bit more active in free agency than Pittsburgh, having signed Mike Iupati to a lucrative long-term deal. However, for the most part, GM Steve Keim is on the lookout for bargains, writes Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com.
Appearing on NBC Sports Network on Thursday, speaking to former teammate Takeo Spikes, Patrick Willis said he’s having no second thoughts about his decision to retire, and adamantly stated there’s no chance he attempts a comeback. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com has the details and quotes.
Former Dolphins quarterback Pat White has announced his retirement, according to the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos (on Twitter). White only played in the CFL in 2014 and didn’t see the field much with the Eskimos as there were multiple quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart. Former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland drafted White No. 44 overall in 2009 but the West Virginia product did very little on the NFL gridiron.
The Cowboys, Saints, Chiefs, and Texans will have some cap work to do between now and the summer, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap (Twitter links). Meanwhile, the Browns, Jaguars, Titans, and Buccaneers figure to have lots of cap space leftover (Twitter link).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Vikings, Mays, Ireland, Saints

March 20th, 2015 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

In addition to stressing once again that the Vikings want Adrian Peterson back for the 2015 season, GM Rick Spielman addressed the Mike Wallace trade in a conversation with Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune, calling it “a great deal for both teams.”

“We had to take on the contract, which plays a part in it,” Spielman said. “But we felt, from a draft compensation standpoint, we didn’t lose any picks. We had two fifth-round picks because of the move we made with Buffalo [the Matt Cassel trade], so that’s why you have to keep as many draft picks as possible, and even on draft day, because that gives you the ability to move around on draft day. It gives you the ability to do the move we were able to get accomplished.”

Here are a few more end-of-week items from around the NFC:

Free agent safety Taylor Mays left Winter Park without a deal with the Vikings, as Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune writes. Mays, who played for coach Mike Zimmer with the Bengals, arrived in town on Wednesday and checked out the team’s facility on Thursday. In five NFL seasons with two teams, the 27-year-old made 98 tackles, recorded one sack and forced one fumble.
It was initially believed that former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland was hired to be the head of college scouting for the Saints, but it turns out that he’s actually serving as the team’s assistant GM, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
While Sam Bradford said earlier this month that he suspected for a few weeks that he might be traded, Nick Foles tells Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com that he didn’t have an inkling he wouldn’t be with the Eagles until the second he got the phone call from Chip Kelly informing him of the deal with the Rams.
The Buccaneers worked out long snapper Avery Rigg on Thursday but did not sign him, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). Rigg could join the team after the draft and rookie minicamp, however.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Saints Shopped Keenan Lewis

March 19th, 2015 at 8:56pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints and cornerback Keenan Lewis struck agreement on a new deal earlier today, but he potentially could have been changing uniforms instead. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter) hears that New Orleans only re-did Lewis’ deal after shopping him to several teams and after word got out.

Earlier this month, Lewis demanded that the Saints either guarantee the remaining three years on his deal or cut him loose. Soon after, he walked those comments back and said that he wanted to retire in black and gold. Now, it turns out that he might have been pretty close to changing teams this offseason.

Lewis ultimately agreed to reduce his 2015 base salary from $1.8MM to $850K and his 2016 base salary from $4.25MM to $2.7MM. The reduced portions of those salaries have been converted to a signing bonus, which appears to be worth $2.85MM. All in all, Lewis receives an extra $10.4MM in guarantees, and his cap hit dips from $4.85MM to $4.5MM for ’15, creating a tiny bit of extra flexibility for the Saints.

Last season, Lewis graded out as the No. 98 cornerback in the NFL out of 108 qualified, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). That’s a far cry from his production in the year prior when he ranked as PFF’s 27th best cornerback in the NFL or in 2012 when he placed at No. 38.

Saints Redo Keenan Lewis’ Contract

March 19th, 2015 at 8:29am CST by Luke Adams

8:29am: Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has more specifics on Lewis’ new deal, reporting that his signing bonus is actually worth $3.9MM, since his per-game roster bonuses for the next two seasons have been removed. The cornerback’s base salaries for 2015 and 2016 are now fully guaranteed, and $3MM of his $4.75MM salary for 2017 is guaranteed as well (all Twitter links).

8:08am: Amidst a recent mini-exodus of his teammates, cornerback Keenan Lewis told the Saints that he wanted to either have the rest of his contract guaranteed or be released. While the Saints didn’t guarantee Lewis’ entire remaining salary, the team has shown its commitment to him by redoing his contract, adding more guaranteed money, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune has some details on the move, reporting that Lewis has agreed to reduce his 2015 base salary from $1.8MM to $850K and his 2016 base salary from $4.25MM to $2.7MM. The reduced portions of those salaries have been converted to a signing bonus, which appears to be worth $2.85MM. All in all, Lewis receives an extra $10.4MM in guarantees, and his cap hit dips from $4.85MM to $4.5MM for ’15, creating a tiny bit of extra flexibility for the Saints.

The Saints’ re-commitment to Lewis comes at a time when the club appears to be redirecting its resources to the defensive side of the ball to some extent. New Orleans has traded tight end Jimmy Graham, guard Ben Grubbs, and wide receiver Kenny Stills this month while stockpiling early-round draft picks.

Lewis, signed over from the Steelers two years ago, has started 16 games in each of the past two seasons, posting six interceptions. He’s expected to play opposite newly-signed cornerback Brandon Browner in the team’s starting lineup in 2015.

Extra Points: Saints, Greenway, Tebow, Eagles

March 18th, 2015 at 5:00pm CST by Zachary Links

After years of loading up on salary, the Saints have now swung back in a far different direction – shedding veterans who make too much money and loading up on draft picks, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora wondered if coach Sean Payton is loading up on draft picks to make a play for Marcus Mariota and he spoke with football execs who felt that the Oregon quarterback would be a terrific fit with what he wants to do at the quarterback position. While the Saints have Drew Brees under center, 2015 could be the last go ’round for the veteran in New Orleans.

Let’s round up a few more notes from across the league….

Veteran linebacker Chad Greenway tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link) that his agent and the Vikings are working on a new contract that would keep him in Minnesota for the 2015 season.
In the wake of Tim Tebow‘s workout with the Eagles earlier this week, Albert Breer of the NFL Network takes a closer look at the former first-round pick’s efforts to get back on an NFL roster.
The Eagles have made a lot of moves this offseason but their wide receiver situation remains a bit murky, as Sheil Kapadia of Philadelphia Magazine writes. The group of remaining free agents is not very interesting, headlined by Greg Jennings, Michael Crabtree and Dwayne Bowe. Given that the Eagles don’t have a ton of cap space to work with, it seems unlikely that they’re going to sign a wide receiver, Kapadia writes.
Following Chris Borland‘s surprise retirement, Matt Bowen of Bleacher Report, a former NFL player, spoke to a handful of fellow NFL veterans, and most of them said the rewards of playing in the NFL outweigh the risks. However, Borland’s decision “definitely has heightened awareness that the balance could be shifting.”
For now, it seems that the Dolphins‘ offense has taken a step backward, Chris Perkins of the Sun Sentinel writes. Assuming that Charles Clay leaves for Buffalo, Miami is left with question marks when it comes to touchdowns in the red zone, even with Jordan Cameron in the fold. Meanwhile, there are also some uncertainties surrounding the power running game, the deep passing game, and even the quarterback (to an extent).
The Jaguars have signed president Mark Lamping to a five-year contract extension, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (on Twitter). Lamping’s deal was set to expire in a few weeks, so the new pact has been in the works for some time (link).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Contract Details: Revis, Cromartie, Spiller

March 18th, 2015 at 4:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are a few notable details from some of the contracts signed by free agents within the last several days:

AFC deals:

Darrelle Revis, CB (Jets): Five years, $70MM base value. $39MM fully guaranteed. Options for 2018 and 2019 (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
Antonio Cromartie, CB (Jets): Four years, $32MM base value. Can be worth up to $35MM (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
Marcus Gilchrist, S (Jets): Four years, $22MM base value. $3.5MM fully guaranteed. $3.125MM cap number in 2015 (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com).
Tramon Williams, CB (Browns): Three years, $21MM base value. $10MM fully guaranteed. $1.5MM signing bonus. $2MM roster bonus due this month (Twitter links via Wilson).
Scott Chandler, TE (Patriots): Two years, $5.3MM base value. $2MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald).
Christian Ponder, QB (Raiders): One year, $2.25MM base value. $1.5MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Bill Williamson of ESPN.com).

NFC deals:

C.J. Spiller, RB (Saints): Four years, $16MM. $7.3MM fully guaranteed. $2MM available in escalators. Voids after three years if Spiller makes it to two Pro Bowls (link via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).
Rashean Mathis, CB (Lions): Two years, $3.5MM base value. $750K signing bonus (Twitter links via Wilson).
Chykie Brown, S (Giants): Two years, $1.8MM base value. $200K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
Tyrunn Walker, DT (Lions): One year, $1.75MM base value. $550K signing bonus (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).

Dannell Ellerbe Accepts Pay Cut

March 17th, 2015 at 1:25pm CST by Luke Adams

1:25pm: According to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter links), the restructure of Ellerbe’s contract actually came before the deal with the Saints was finalized, meaning Miami will carry $7.8MM in dead money for the linebacker on, rather than just $4.2MM.

8:21am: According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Ellerbe’s new deal includes a $1.5MM signing bonus and a $2.1MM roster bonus for 2015. That roster bonus will be paid out in April, and his $1.1MM base salary is fully guaranteed, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Ellerbe will also have annual $100K workout bonuses and $1MM in annual roster bonuses for 2016 and 2017, tweets Wilson.

8:09am: When the Saints and Dolphins agreed to a swap last week that sent wide receiver Kenny Stills to Miami in exchange for linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and a third-round pick, reports indicated that Ellerbe had agreed to rework his contract as part of the deal. NFLPA records suggest that change to the linebacker’s contract has now taken place, according to Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Per Woodbery, Ellerbe’s base salary for 2015 has been sliced from $8.5MM to a mere $1.1MM. The salaries for the final two years of his deal have also been reduced — 2016’s figure has gone from $6.45MM to $4.1MM, while 2017’s salary is also now $4.1MM (from $6MM).

Typically, as part of this sort of agreement, a player will receive something in return for agreeing to reduce his salary. That could mean getting an up-front signing bonus, having a portion of his salary guaranteed, or being able to earn back some or all of his lost salary in incentives. In Ellerbe’s case, those details haven’t been reported yet, but I expect they’ll surface eventually — it wouldn’t make sense if he simply agreed to take such a significant pay cut without being compensated in any way for it.

In New Orleans, Ellerbe appears poised to assume the inside linebacker spot vacated by Curtis Lofton, who was cut by the Saints and has since landed with the Raiders.

Sunday Roundup: Ngata, Cameron, Rams

March 15th, 2015 at 12:38pm CST by Rory Parks

We have seen one major signing thus far today, as Michael Johnson and the Bengals agreed to reunite. As we wait for more free agent dominoes to fall, let’s take a look at a few more notes from around the league:

Justin Rogers of MLive.com looks at how the Lions might work out an extension for newly-acquired DT Haloti Ngata. It is still unclear whether Detroit will even approach Ngata about an extension–the team may view him as a one-year stopgap, although the draft picks they sent to Baltimore suggest that is not the case–but Rogers believes a new three-year, $26MM deal might work well for both sides. Ngata himself said he believes he has three good years left, and such an extension would give Detroit a little more cap space for 2015 while creating manageable $7.5MM cap numbers in 2016 and 2017.
Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com says the Browns‘ strategy in attempting to re-sign Jordan Cameron did not make much sense. The Browns could have put the transition tag on Cameron for cheaper than the deal they offered, but they did not use the tag before the deadline and then made Cameron an offer for more than the tag value.
Despite the team’s flurry of activity in the first week of free agency, the Rams have a few major holes to fill, and most of those holes are along the offensive line. As Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes, the team has about $11MM in cap space, which should give them enough room to sign two out of the three of Stefen Wisniewski, Justin Blalock, and Joe Barksdale.
Speaking of the Rams‘ offensive line, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com writes that recently-released Jake Long could be back as the team’s right tackle on a shorter, cheaper deal, but that likely would not happen until after the draft. As far as the team’s quarterback situation is concerned, Wagoner believes all options in the draft–trade up, trade down, etc.–are on the table, despite the acquisition of Nick Foles.
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (via Twitter) lauds the 49ers‘ signing of Reggie Bush, who will pair with Carlos Hyde to create a strong 1-2 punch in the backfield. Miller adds that the team’s acquisitions in free agency will allow them to once again pursue the best player available in the draft rather than drafting for need.
Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the Ravens had interest in Mike Wallace before he was traded to Minnesota. Baltimore thought that Miami might cut Wallace, thereby making him an unrestricted free agent.
There is no new deal in place between the Saints and Keenan Lewis, but Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets that Lewis feels better about his long-term security with the club after meeting with unspecified team officials this week.
While they will not receive any compensatory picks in this year’s draft, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com points out that the Bills are in line for multiple compensatory selections next year.

Extra Points: Robinson, Manning, Romo, House

March 14th, 2015 at 11:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Former Saints cornerback Patrick Robinson will visit the Steelers on Sunday, Dale Lolley of the Washington (Pa.) Observer Reporter notes on Twitter. The sixth-year corner’s drawn interest from several teams thus far into his initial free agency opportunity.

Some other notes from Saturday …

The New York Post’s Paul Schwartz points out that Ben Roethlisberger‘s latest extension sets the bar for 2004 first-round peer Eli Manning, with $20MM per year being the possible floor for the 12th-year Giants quarterback. Set to count $19.75MM against the Giants’ cap this year, Manning’s entering the last year of the $97.5MM megadeal he signed in 2009. The Giants may have to do another extension with Manning as major deals come to pass for younger signal-callers, according to Joel Corry of CBS Sports.”You are going to see the market escalate if reports are correct that Seattle’s prepared to make Russell Wilson the highest-paid player,” Corry told Schwartz. “And there are reports about Indy doing something uncharacteristically early with Andrew Luck, which would make him the highest-paid player. The market’s gonna go up, and usually people benefit from a trickle-down effect. That’s not even taking Cam Newton into consideration.”
More on the subject of market-steering QB accords: Tony Romo‘s 2014-inked contract that features a staggering $27.77MM cap number has restrained the Cowboys thus far in free agency, the Dallas Morning News’ Rainer Sabin writes. Beyond the departure of reigning rushing champion DeMarco Murray to the Eagles, the Cowboys have lost Henry Melton, Jeremy Parnell, Bruce Carter and three others in the opening week of player movement. The Cowboys’ brass remain hesitant to reduce Romo’s figure to prevent ramifications down the road, scenarios they’ve dealt with in the recent past.
New Falcons coach Dan Quinn identified team speed as his top priority upon watching film of his new team, Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes as part of a lengthy Q&A session with Quinn and Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff.
The Jaguars are betting free agent acquisition Davon House has “another level of upside” despite coming in with scant starting experience with the Packers, the Florida Times-Union’s Ryan O’Halloran writes. Their primary reason behind this faith that led to House receiving $10MM in guaranteed money was his film against top receivers like Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones, which O’Halloran analyzes.

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