Free Agency News

By Rod Walker | The Advocate

Tristan Blewett is already a member of one professional New Orleans franchise.

Can he become a member of another one?

Blewett, who plays rugby with the New Orleans Gold, had a private workout with the Saints on Monday, according to a source.

The 22-year old from South Africa also got invited to the team's minicamp, which begins Tuesday and ends on Thursday, according to the source. Blewett is listed at 5-foot-10, 191 pounds on the Gold roster. He plays outside center and wing in rugby.

Full Story - The Advocate

By James Parks | 247 Sports

The New Orleans Saints have spent this offseason doing their due diligence on players and most recently, the team has expanded their scouting even beyond the game of football.

On Monday, the organization hosted former NOLA Gold rugby player Tristan Blewett for a work out, according to a report from FOX 8 (New Orleans).

What particular position the Saints may be testing Blewett for was not made known, but former rugby players have been featured on NFL teams at linebacker, tight end, and defensive back.

Blewett has experience at centre, winger, and fullback in rugby, positions which entail running with the ball, fielding kicks, and a position similar to safety on defense.

A native of Pietermaritzburg in South Africa, Blewett attended Hilton College until 2014, when he joined the Sharks Academy, a professional rugby club in his native province. He also was a fixture for the University of KwaZulu Natal in the Varsity Shield competition.

Full Story - 247 Sports

By John Sigler | Saintswire

The New Orleans Saints still have room to improve before the long summer stretch until training camp. Any free agents signed at this point in the offseason have been overlooked by teams (including the Saints) for months, so there’s going to be issues about their injury history, scheme fit, or simply how much longer they can play. Few teams are going to find starting-material prospects this late in the process.

With that in mind, here’s four free agents still on the market who could immediately compete for a spot on the Saints’ roster.

WR Michael Crabtree, Baltimore Ravens

There’s no question that Crabtree is on the downturn of his career. But he’s still a productive player thanks to his ability to run clean routes and separate from opponents before the catch. He finished the year ranked second in receptions (54) and receiving yards (607) in Baltimore, and offers more to the Saints than other veterans they tried to work in last season like Brandon Marshall and Dez Bryant. Considering their receiving corps is much the same as it was last year — when it wasn’t good enough — it wouldn’t hurt to try him out...

By Roy Anderson | WhoDatDish

Still working on their 90-man training camp roster, the Saints had CBs Kayvon Webster, Coty Sensabaugh and Prince Charles Iworah in for visits on Wednesday, Jun 5.

With OTAs underway, the Saints aren’t taking a break from kicking the tires on new players who could stand to contribute in 2019. Today, Wednesday, Jun 5, they had in three veteran cornerbacks, Kayvon Webster, Coty Sensabaugh and Prince Charles Iworah for tryouts.

The starting two CBs for the Saints this season are presumably Marshon Latimore and Eli Apple. After them, P.J. Williams and Patrick Robinson are candidates for the slot though P.J. Williams will likely be serving a suspension for DUI and Patrick Robinson is recovering from an injury that kept him out most of last season.

Behind those players, only...

By John Sigler | Saintswire

The New Orleans Saints are hosting three free agent cornerbacks on visits, per multiple reports. These players will likely get an opportunity to try out during Wednesday’s organized team activity practice, as the Saints typically do this time of the year. Back in 2016, the team landed veteran defensive end Darryl Tapp on exactly this sort of tryout basis, and he ended up seeing plenty of snaps in the rotation. Those are the sorts of players the Saints are working out today.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that free agent cornerback Kayvon Webster (5-foot-11, 193 pounds) scheduled a visit with the Saints on Wednesday, following previous interest from the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears. Webster rose to prominence as the dime cornerback in Wade Phillips’ Denver Broncos defenses, and followed Phillips to the Los Angeles Rams. But an Achilles injury cut his time there short after 11 games and Webster signed with the Houston Texans in 2018. Quadriceps and thigh injuries limited him to just two game appearances.

Full Story - Saintswire - USA Today

By Reuters | Yahoo News

Interest from the Cleveland Browns is being reciprocated by free agent defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who will be in Berea, Ohio, at team headquarters on Friday.

McCoy will take his first-ever free agency visit with the Browns, and he informed other suitors of the pecking order on Thursday.

McCoy, the third overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday with three years left on his contract. The deal called for him to make $13 million in base pay this season. The original contract was for six years and $95.2 million.

Cleveland general manager John Dorsey confirmed he'd host McCoy on Friday. Dorsey, speaking Thursday after organized team activities, said he will continue to "turn over every rock." Of McCoy, Dorsey said he is "a good player the Browns want to get to know a little better."

Full Story - Yahoo News

By Luke Johnson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

The New Orleans Saints announced several roster moves, one of which included beefing up their offensive line room with the signing of veteran offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse.

The Saints also announced the signings of center Ryan Groy and safety Terrell Williams Jr. Wednesday (May 22). To make room for them, New Orleans waived guard Mike Herndon and wide receiver Micah Wright, and terminated the contract of offensive tackle Derek Newton.

Full Story - NOLA.com

By James Parks | 247 Sports

The New Orleans Saints are doing their due diligence when it comes to offensive linemen.

On Wednesday, the organization worked out three potential blockers and already decided to sign two, acquiring veteran offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse and center/guard Ryan Groy.

Newhouse was originally a fifth round draft pick by the Green Bay Packers nine years ago. He spent three seasons with that organization before signing a one year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals before the 2013 season.

He then joined the New York Giants for two seasons before being acquired by the Oakland Raiders, who signed him to a two year contract worth $3.5 million. Ultimately, the Raiders released him prior to the 2018 season.

Buffalo acquired Newhouse to play a backup role at tackle before deciding to trade him to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a conditional seventh round draft pick in 2021.

Full Story - 247 Sports

By James Parks | 247 Sports

Not long after Gerald McCoy and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers mutually agreed to part ways, the NFL’s speculation machine went into overdrive looking for a new team for the player.

The veteran defensive tackle is in the market to play for a contender, and the defending NFC South champion New Orleans Saints seem likely a probable destination for him.

Especially given his friendship and offseason working relationship with Drew Brees.

The Saints quarterback was recently asked about the proposition of the team acquiring McCoy to play on their defensive line, and it certainly sounds like he would support the idea.

“He’s a stud,” Brees said of McCoy, via KATC (Lafayette). “He’s a great player. I mean, you’re basically asking me if I would love having a Pro Bowl defensive tackle that I’ve spent the last eight years trying to run around and avoid and not have hit me join our team. Yeah, of course.”

Full Story - 247 Sports

By James Parks | 247 Sports

The defensive end position has become a focus of attention for the New Orleans Saints after they watched veteran Alex Okafor leave the team this offseason as a free agent.

Now, the organization has another player to put into that rotation, signing former Carolina Panthers defensive end Wes Horton to a contract, announcing the move in a statement on Tuesday.

This marks the second time in the last few offseasons that the Saints expressed interest in Horton, hosting him for a try out prior to the 2016 season after he was waived by Carolina.

Ultimately, he re-signed with the Panthers, but this year, the Saints got him.

Originally an undrafted free agent acquisition by Carolina from Southern California six years ago, Horton has 94 career tackles, 15.5 sacks, one pass breakup, six forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 77 appearances for the club, 38 of which were starts.

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By John Sigler | Saintswire

The New Orleans Saints are hosting free agent special teams ace Bryden Trawick on a visit Tuesday, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Trawick, listed as a safety, was selected for the 2017 Pro Bowl after leading the Tennessee Titans with 17 special teams tackles. A year earlier, he led the Oakland Raiders with 14 tackles on punts and kickoffs.

Trawick is as experienced as they come on special teams. He logged more snaps there over the last two years for Tennessee (399 in 2017, and 341 in 2018) than any other player. However, he’s appeared on defense just four times in that span. If he makes the squad, it would likely be purely in this capacity.

Full Story - Saintswire - USA Today

NewOrleansSaints.com

The New Orleans Saints have signed DE Wes Horton and waived LB Darrell Williams, it was announced by Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

Horton, 6-5, 265, comes to New Orleans after his first six NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers. Originally signed by the Panthers as an undrafted free agent out of Southern California in 2013, Horton has posted career totals of 94 tackles (65 solo), 15.5 sacks, one pass defensed, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 77 regular season games played with 38 starts. In three postseason contests with two starts, Horton’s added three tackles (two solo) and one forced fumble.

Full Story - NewOrleansSaints.com