SaintsReport.com - Home Page

The Saints' star quarterback is returning for his 20th season, and the team can afford him because they've had so many hits in the draft in recent years. Plus, mailbag questions on teams that could trade back, where Chase Young might land and a few prospects Albert Breer can't take his eyes off.

By Albert Breer | Sports Illustrated

A lot to get to in this week’s mailbag—on the cap situations of a number of teams, who goes where at the top of the draft and, of course, the fate of Tom Brady—but we have to start with Tuesday’s news that Drew Brees is coming back for a 20th NFL season, and why the Saints have to be breathing a pretty healthy sigh of relief. And that’s even though they may have seen this one coming from a mile away.

This’ll sound strange, but you can boil it all down to Vonn Bell and David Onyemata.

You’ll have to follow me here. Over the last four years, the Saints have caught fire in the draft. They’ve hit on first-rounders (Sheldon Rankins, Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk, Marcus Davenport), they’ve found studs later in the draft (Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, Marcus Williams, Erik McCoy), and found plenty of valuable role players too (Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Tre’Quan Smith, Trey...

By Bob Rose | SI

The linebackers of the New Orleans Saints were a prohibitive weakness during the team’s defensive struggles from 2014 to 16. Too often, we were witness to them surrendering a big play in a crucial moment by being caught out of position or not being able to keep up with an opposing running back or tight end. Over the past few seasons, the Saints have rebuilt the unit through smart free agent signings and a key draft pick along with superior coaching from Mike Nolan. Nolan departed at the conclusion of the year for a defensive coordinator position with the Dallas Cowboys. While filling Nolan’s spot is key to continued success, the Saints are also faced with some important personnel decisions at the position.

LINEBACKERS

Free Agents: Stephone Anthony, A.J. Klein, Josh Martin, Manti Te’o

Under Contract: Kiko Alonso, Alex Anzalone, Demario Davis, Kaden Elliss, Chase Hansen, Craig Robertson

Full Story - SI

Drew Brees continuing to play quarterback for the New Orleans Saints means our 2020 fall is more than likely to be very fun and interesting.

By Ralph Malbrough / Contributing Writer | WWL TV

NEW ORLEANS — The most amazing thing about 41-year-old Drew Brees announcing he was going to play a 20th season in the NFL and 14th with the New Orleans Saints was how unremarkable it all felt.

The entire sports world seemed to shrug and say, “Of course Brees was coming back,” and then 10 minutes later moved on to the Houston Astros cheating scandal or back to looking at Tom Brady's Instagram for hidden messages to try and guess where Tom will play in 2020.

Drew Brees is about to become just the sixth player to throw 30 passes in a game at 41 or older. By the way, only Tom Brady has done it more than seven times. Drew Brees has been so extraordinary the last 14 years in New Orleans I wonder if a portion of Saints fans clamoring for Taysom Hill to be the Saints full-time quarterback is a product of watching Brees be so good for so long we've forgotten just how hard great quarterbacking is.

There are Saints fans graduating college whose entire experience of a non-Drew Brees Saints quarterbacking is watching Teddy Bridgewater go 5-0 in 2019.

Full Story - WWL TV

By Mike Greger | Heavy

The Eagles built a reputation on trick plays in 2017 and rode gadget concepts to a Super Bowl title. Maybe it’s time they got back to their roots.

Doug Pederson was lauded for his aggressive play-calling, routinely going for it on fourth-and-whatever while dialing up the gutsiest play of all-time in the biggest game of his life. Yet the Eagles have strayed from that kind of mindset in recent years in attempting to turn Carson Wentz into a pocket passer.

They have abandoned a lot of the RPO (run-pass option) schemes and gone more conservative. It could be due to former offensive coordinator Frank Reich’s absence or maybe just a bit of sitting on their own laurels. Whatever the reason, it’s time to bust out the trickeration again.

One sure-fire way to do that would be by making a move for Taysom Hill. The Saints’ gadget-play specialist — and third-string quarterback — is a restricted free agent and probably will receive quite a few looks on the open market.
...

By Gabriella Killett | The Maroon

President of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans Dennis Lauscha, a New Orleans native, took on the role of Saints chief financial officer before becoming the president of the NFL and NBA teams in 2012 upon the purchase of the New Orleans Pelicans.

“It was kinda cool for a kid from Marrero,” he said.

Lauscha, a Jesuit High School graduate and a Loyola University New Orleans graduate school alumnus, left home after high school to attend the University of Alabama for a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management.

Lauscha thought he was going to work in a hospital one day and moved back to New Orleans after his college graduation to look for work in the city’s healthcare industry. Once back home, Lauscha decided to go back to school.

Full Story - The Maroon

By John Sigler | Saints Wire

The New Orleans Saints will consider pending free agents from every team around the league, so we’re surveying the potential free agent class in a daily series that will run up to the beginning of the signing period. Today’s entry focuses on the Houston Texans, who offer the Saints some interesting options at a few key positions:

• CB Bradley Roby
• CB Johnathan Joseph
• CB Phillip Gaines
• CB Vernon Hargreaves
• DT Brandon Dunn
• DT D.J. Reader
• FS Mike Adams
• ILB Dylan Cole (RFA)
• K Ka’imi Fairbairn
• LS Jon Weeks
• LT Chris Clark
• OLB Barkevious Mingo
• OLB Tyrell Adams
• QB A.J. McCarron
• QB Joe Webb
• RB Carlos Hyde
• RB Lamar Miller
• RB Taiwan Jones
• SS Jahleel Addae
• TE Darren Fells
• T Roderick Johnson (ERFA)
• WR Deandre Carter (ERFA)

Full Story - Saints Wire - USA Today