HEADLINES

New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

Saints Restructure Junior Galette’s Contract

March 9th, 2015 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Saints have restructured Junior Galette‘s contract, converting his $12.5MM roster bonus into a signing bonus worth the same amount, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The move spreads the bonus over five years, at a rate of $2.5MM per season, meaning the team cleared $10MM in cap room for 2015, which should be enough to get under the cap in advance of tomorrow’s deadline.

The move all but guarantees that Galette will remain on the Saints’ roster for at least the 2015 season, which wasn’t necessarily a sure thing. The pass rusher ran into some legal troubles in recent months, and recent reports have suggested head coach Sean Payton and the Saints wouldn’t have been opposed to moving on from Galette if they could find a taker.

Galette’s off-field issues and his huge $12.5MM roster bonus, which had been due this Thursday, likely discouraged any potential suitors from seriously pursuing a deal, assuming the Saints even explored a trade themselves.

Having already cut Curtis Lofton and restructured Galette’s contract today, the Saints will likely have more cap-clearing moves on the way if they want to have a shot at adding any players in free agency this week. Marques Colston, Ben Grubbs, Jahri Evans, and David Hawthorne are among the Saints whose contracts may be addressed in some form, whether it be via restructure, pay cut, or an outright release.

Saints Release Curtis Lofton

March 9th, 2015 at 2:35pm CST by Luke Adams

After coming up empty in an effort to move Curtis Lofton in a trade, the Saints are releasing the veteran linebacker, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the move has already been made, which would make Lofton an unrestricted free agent immediately.

Lofton, 28, has been one of the most dependable and durable pieces on the Saints’ defense in recent years, starting all 48 regular season contests for the team since arriving in New Orleans in 2012. In 2014, he racked up 145 tackles to go along with a forced fumble. However, while his stats looked solid on the surface, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him as a bottom-five inside linebacker, out of 60 qualified players.

There were still three years remaining on Lofton’s contract, so the $5MM left in dead money on his deal will all accelerate to 2015, unless the team designates him as a post-June 1 cut. The post-June 1 designation wouldn’t allow New Orleans to free up any cap space immediately, however, and the team needs to get under the threshold by tomorrow afternoon, so I’d guess it’s just a standard release for Lofton. The move will create $4.25MM in cap savings.

Contract Details: Lynch, McCoy, Ingram, Paul

March 9th, 2015 at 11:36am CST by Luke Adams

There were some conflicting – or at least confusing – reports on Friday night about the value of Marshawn Lynch‘s new contract with the Seahawks, and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun provides some clarity today, via Twitter. According to Wilson, Lynch’s new three-year pact is worth $31MM, which features $15MM in guaranteed money, including a $7.5MM signing bonus.

Wilson has plenty more numbers on new contract agreements, so let’s round up those updates, with all links going to his Twitter unless otherwise indicated:

AFC Rumors: Cameron, Bulaga, Langford, Raiders

March 8th, 2015 at 11:16pm CST by Rob DiRe

Tight end Jordan Cameron has become one of the most sought after free agents in the league during this “legal tampering” period, drawing interest from the Browns, Raiders, Broncos, and Seahawks, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The Jaguars would also be in the mix if they are unable to sign Julius Thomas.

Here are some other rumors from around the AFC:

  • One name the Bills could target heavily in free agency is versatile offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga, writes Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (via Twitter). Graham writes there will be plenty of competition for his services.
  • The Broncos have scheduled a visit with defensive tackle Kendall Langford, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The 29-year old veteran would provide a stout body for either a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense.
  • In addition to Denver, Langford is scheduled to visit the Colts, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN (via Twitter). Langford already met with the Lions, Jets, and Saints.
  • The Raiders are interested in Cameron to fill their tight end woes, but are also targeting Jermaine Gresham, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN (via Twitter). The team is trying to work out a deal with the former Bengal by Tuesday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • Williamson also wrote an overview of the Raiders’ free agent options after top targets Ndamukong Suh and Randall Cobb agreed to deals this Sunday.
  • With Cobb and Jeremy Maclin signing big money deals, and Torrey Smith leaning towards the 49ers, the Raiders will have to look at veterans released to fill their wide receiver woes, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com (via Twitter). Percy Harvin, Andre Johnson, and Dwayne Bowe could all be options for the Raiders.
  • The Titans have expressed interest in pass rusher Brandon Graham, reports Paul Kuharsky of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • The Titans are also targeting a number of players, and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean dives into ten topics the team will address this offseason. Among other things, Wyatt mentions the team needs to continue to pursue cornerbacks, writing that the team has expressed interest in Cary Williams, and could also chase Tramon Williams and Buster Skrine.

NFC Rumors: Iupati, Weatherspoon, Hill, Blalock

March 8th, 2015 at 10:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

Mike Iupati has been a staple of the 49ers’ offensive line for his entire career, imposing his will on defensive linemen and linebackers in the running game, but his time with the team is likely coming to an end, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). The Raiders, Jets, and Bills seem to be the front runners for Iupati if he does not return to San Francisco.

Here are some more rumors from some NFC teams:

  • The Falcons are preparing to lose linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, as the Cardinals are expected to offer him a two-year contract somewhere between $3MM and $4MM annually, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN. He writes that the Falcons were close to a deal on Friday but talks fell apart.
  • The Vikings and quarterback Shaun Hill have mutual interest, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN (via Twitter). There are other teams in the mix as well, but Hill is believed to have serious interest in joining the Vikings.
  • Two of the other teams that have expressed interest in Hill are the Rams and Buccaneers, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
  • The Rams have also shown interest in guard Justin Blalock, writes Thomas (via Twitter).
  • Linebacker David Hawthorne could be a possible cap casualty for the Saints, writes Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).

Cards, Saints Vying For Sean Weatherspoon

March 7th, 2015 at 11:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

11:16pm: According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Cardinals have some competition for Weatherspoon. Florio reports that the veteran linebacker is expected to eventually land with either the Cards or the Saints.

5:45pm: Former Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon is considering a move to Arizona to join the Cardinals, tweets Yahoo Sports’ Rand Getlin.

Weatherspoon, a 2010 first-round pick, missed most of the past two seasons with Achilles and foot injuries, respectively, but was seen as a priority (Twitter link) for Atlanta. The Falcons remain interested in keeping their injury-prone tackler, however, per the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

After playing both inside and outside in the Falcons’ 4-3 scheme, Weatherspoon would be a fit inside in the Cardinals’ 3-4 look. The former Missouri linebacker had 86 tackles and four sacks in 2011, but that was the only season Weatherspoon played all 16 games.

The Cardinals have just $13MM+ in cap space, per OverTheCap, with nose tackle Dan Williams set to draw a healthy raise as free agency nears.

Saints, Mark Ingram Agree To Deal

March 7th, 2015 at 7:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints have re-signed running back Mark Ingram to a four-year deal, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Ingram’s new deal is worth $16MM, according to Pro Football Talk on Twitter.

This deal puts Ingram in the top 20 among running backs on a per-year basis, per OverTheCap, and pushes the Saints further onto the salary cap cliff.

Despite having the worst cap situation in the league at more than $16MM over before Ingram’s second contract was agreed upon, New Orleans will keep the bruising 25-year-old runner who is coming off his best season, one which ended in his only Pro Bowl selection.

Ingram rushed for a career-best 964 yards last season and played a much bigger role in the Saints’ offense at a career-high 226 carries. After not appearing to fit in the Saints’ up-tempo attack for three years, Ingram proved he could be a weapon last season.

The Saints have until Tuesday afternoon when the new league year officially begins to finally get back under the salary cap. New Orleans made moves to do so earlier this week when it restructured the contracts of longtime No. 1 wideout Marques Colston and 2014 free agent prize Jairus Byrd. They still need to trim a substantial amount in less than three days, however. Only two other teams — the Patriots and Chiefs — are over the cap, but those organizations are a beacon of financial restraint compared to the Saints’ current standing (OverTheCap).

 

NFC East Notes: Washington, Giants, Spiller

March 6th, 2015 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing today on the NFL Network, Brian Orakpo left the door open for a return to Washington, but didn’t sound overly optimistic about the possibility, as Mike Jones of the Washington Post details.

“There’s obviously a chance. Obviously the window is still there. The sides are still talking, but it’s very minimal right now,” Orakpo said. “It’s always the numbers. Numbers have to make sense for both sides. And I understand, me coming off of injury, they have to look out for themselves, and I have to look out for myself. So, if we can come up with something that works out for both sides, who knows?”

Jones hears from sources that Orakpo’s return to Washington is unlikely, and Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington (Twitter link) reports the same thing, even more definitively. It looks like Orakpo will be on the lookout for a new NFL home very soon, and the veteran linebacker said today during that NFL Network appearance that he’d have some interest in playing for a team in his home state of Texas.

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

  • With no progress on a long-term deal for restricted-free-agent-to-be Kai Forbath, Washington will likely just offer the kicker a one-year tender, a source tells Jones (Twitter link).
  • If the Ravens and Justin Forsett don’t work out a deal within the next few days, the veteran running back will have an interesting market, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, Washington is ready to make a play for Forsett, and the Saints will likely be among his suitors as well.
  • In addition to having interest in Devin McCourty, as he previously reported, the Giants also figure to explore the possibility of signing safety Rahim Moore, says Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. All three of New York’s top safeties from 2014 are eligible for free agency, so there figures to be some turnover at the position next week.
  • Sources close to Chip Kelly tell Russini (Twitter link) that the Eagles head coach wasn’t willing to rework LeSean McCoy‘s contract, especially considering the running back was looking for a raise. I’d be surprised if McCoy thought the Eagles – or the Bills – would increase his $9.75MM base salary for 2015, but perhaps he wanted to renegotiate his deal to include more guarantees beyond ’15.
  • As for the running back McCoy is replacing in Buffalo, C.J. Spiller appears to be campaigning to sign with the Eagles, writes Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com.

Saints Re-Sign Sanford, Retain Bunkley

March 6th, 2015 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Saints have re-signed safety Jamarca Sanford, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, citing agent Drew Rosenhaus (via Twitter). According to the PFT report, the former Viking has agreed to a one-year deal to remain in New Orleans.

Sanford, 29, started 41 games for the Vikings from 2011 to 2013, but was cut by the team in August and had trouble finding regular work for the 2014 season. After a short stint in Washington, Sanford landed with the Saints in November, and appeared in six games down the stretch for the team, logging 14 tackles.

Financial terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but I’d expect a modest salary for Sanford, who should have the chance to compete for playing time on the Saints’ defense this summer.

Here’s more out of New Orleans:

  • A year ago, defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley accepted a pay cut in return for a $300K roster bonus and a spot on the Saints’ roster, and it appears he has made a similar concession this time around. Mike Triplett of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that the team is bringing back Bunkley on a reduced salary, and Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune (Twitter link) confirms that the agreement is a “mirror image” of last year’s, and will create about $3MM in cap savings for the club.
  • The Saints have been “quietly” looking for trade partners for Junior Galette, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. However, as Getlin notes, a deal is unlikely (Twitter links). Galette has been involved in some off-the-field legal issues recently and has a $12.5MM roster bonus on the way next Thursday, making him a pretty unappealing trade chip, despite his on-field production.
  • Head coach Sean Payton is high on Reggie Bush, who is currently a free agent, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora adds that the still has interest in re-signing Mark Ingram, but is keeping an eye on other running backs as well.

Saints, Marques Colston Restructure Contract

March 6th, 2015 at 9:52am CST by Luke Adams

After releasing Pierre Thomas and restructuring Jairus Byrd‘s deal earlier this week, the Saints continued to pare down their 2015 cap number today, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the team restructured the contract for Marques Colston. The veteran wideout had been viewed as a possible candidate to be cut, but he’ll be sticking around New Orleans on a reworked deal instead.

Colston, who has two years left on his deal with the Saints, had been set to earn a base salary of $6.9MM in 2015, with a cap hit of $9.7MM. A simple restructure of the contract would have helped New Orleans create immediate space, though it also would have pushed more dead money onto his 2016 cap hit. We’ll have to wait for the full details of the move to find out whether Colston accepted a pay reduction, or if the two sides merely converted some base salary into a signing bonus.

As our Zach Links wrote in his preview of New Orleans’ offseason, Drew Brees and the Saints love to spread the ball around, but Colston still sits atop the depth chart at wide receiver after all these years. Still, Colston – a Saint since 2006 – caught just 59 balls for 902 yards in 2014, the lowest totals of his career if you throw out an injury-plagued 2008 campaign. With the Saints needing to get under the cap, carrying the 31-year-old at a cost of $9.7MM wasn’t realistic.

The Saints figure to address a few more contract situations before Tuesday, in some form or other — Jahri Evans, Ben Grubbs, Junior Galette, and Curtis Lofton are among the candidates to be traded, cut, or restructured.

Load More Posts