re: Updated roster, cap #'s, & F.A. needs

The New Orleans Saints signed running back Matt Dayes to a one-year deal on Tuesday (May 28), according to league sources.

The Saints will likely announce a corresponding roster move later Tuesday. They have to cut a player to be at the roster limit of 90 players.

If I had to take a guess, I'd say we end up cutting a WR or O-Lineman. Lots of guys to choose from at those positions.

I updated the remaining free agents at our possible positions of need. I really like Liuget (if healthy) at DT.

WR LINK
04 - Dez Bryant, WR, Saints. Age: 30.
10 - Michael Crabtree, WR, Ravens. Age: 31.
12 - Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Chiefs. Age: 28.
26 - Pierre Garcon, WR, 49ers. Age: 33.
30 - T.J. Jones, WR, Lions. Age: 27.
32 - Mike Wallace, WR, Eagles. Age: 33.
33 - Martavis Bryant, WR, Raiders. Age: 27.
34 - Terrance Williams, WR, Cowboys. Age: 29.
44 - Brandon LaFell, WR, Raiders. Age: 32.

OT LINK - If Newhouse doesn't work out.
07 - Jermey Parnell, Jaguars. Age: 33. RT
08 - Donald Penn, Raiders. Age: 36. LT
16 - Chris Clark, Panthers. Age: 33. RT
31 - Garry Gilliam, 49ers. Age: 28. RT
37 - Arie Kouandjio, Redskins. Age: 27. OG/OT
39 - Byron Bell, Packers. Age: 30. RT
45 - Corey Robinson, Jaguars. Age: 27. RT
47 - Austin Howard, Redskins. Age: 32. RT

DT LINK - Looks like Liuget is the only legit 4-3 option.
07 - David Irving, DT, Cowboys. Age: 26. Basically quit football to smoke herb
08 - Muhammad Wilkerson, DE/DT, Packers. Age: 29. (3-4 DE)
16 - Corey Liuget, DT, Chargers. Age: 29. (4-3 DT...I think)
20 - Allen Bailey, DE/DT, Chiefs. Age: 30. (3-4 DE)
22 - Bennie Logan, NT, Titans. Age: 29. (3-4 DT)
23 - Domata Peko, NT, Broncos. Age: 34. (3-4 DT)
27 - Dominique Easley, DT, Rams. Age: 27. (3-4 DE)
30 - Tom Johnson, DT, Vikings. Age: 35. (4-3 DT)

DE LINK - Hayes, Ealy, & Branch are 4-3, but I'm not sure they are upgrades.
08 - Derrick Morgan, DE/OLB, Titans. Age: 30. (3-4 OLB)
10 - Nick Perry, DE/OLB, Packers. Age: 29. (3-4 OLB)
17 - William Hayes, DE, Dolphins. Age: 34. (4-3 DE)
20 - Kony Ealy, DE/OLB, Raiders. Age: 27. (4-3 DE)
27 - Dion Jordan, DE, Seahawks. Age: 29. Suspended 10 games for violating the league's PED policy.
29 - Andre Branch, DE, Dolphins. Age: 30. (4-3 DE)
30 - Frostee Rucker, DE, Raiders. Age: 35. (3-4 DE)
34 - Derrick Shelby, DE, Falcons. Age: 30. (4-3 DE)
38 - Jacquies Smith, DE, Raiders. Age: 29. (4-3 DE)

CB LINK - If Crawley doesn't work out.
08 - Morris Claiborne, CB, Jets. Age: 29.
21 - Brent Grimes, CB, Buccaneers. Age: 36.
23 - Sam Shields, CB, Rams. Age: 31.
26 - Captain Munnerlyn, CB, Panthers. Age: 31.
29 - Orlando Scandrick, CB, Chiefs. Age: 32.
32 - Coty Sensabaugh, CB, Steelers. Age: 30.

Update on our 2019 udfa's. 6 out of 19 have been cut so far. About what I expected at this point.

Swing & a miss with the CB's. Hopefully we can hit on 1 of the WR's, 1 of the DE's, & Ozigbo. Anything else would be a cherry on the top.

01 - RB Devine Ozigbo
02 - RB Darnell Holland - cut
03 - WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey
04 - WR Deonte Harris
05 - WR Emmanuel Butler
06 - TE Jake Powell - cut
07 - OT/OG Ethan Greenidge
08 - OG Mike Herndon - cut
09 - OT/OG Derrick Kelly
10 - LS Nick Moore
11 - DT Kenny Bigelow
12 - DT Shy Tuttle
13 - DE Carl Granderson
14 - DE Porter Gustin
15 - DE Corbin Kaufusi
16 - LB Chase Hansen - placed on NFI
17 - LB Darrell Williams - cut
18 - CB Jordan Wyatt - cut
19 - CB Darius Williams - cut

Very possible, b/c the top 7 CB's are likely to make the team imo. I don't see how any of these guys get cut unless Crawley sucks or if Sherels gets beat out by Deonte Harris at returner.

Marshon Lattimore - #1 outside
Eli Apple - #2 outside
Patrick Robinson - slot
PJ Williams - backup slot/backup outside
Ken Crawley - backup outside
Marcus Sherels - ST/returner
Justin Hardee - ST

Considering that PRob, PJ Williams, & CGJ can play the slot...the only way for another CB to make the team is to beat out Crawley on the outside imo.

Mandatory mini camp starts tomorrow.

Buck Allen's contract has been added. 2019 cap # - 690 k

Saints signed CB Kayvon Webster & cut CB David Simmoms Jr.

Saints signed WR Chad Hansen & placed LB Chase Hansen on the NFI (non-football injury list).

We're at the 90 player roster limit after these moves.

3 contracts have been released.

Rishard Matthews 2019 cap # - 645 k Spotrac

Chad Hansen 2019 cap # - 570 k Spotrac

Kayvon Webster 2019 cap # - 645 k OverTheCap

The following contracts haven't been released yet
FB Michael Burton
DE Geno Grissom
OG Ryan Groy
DE Wes Horton
OT Ulrick John
LB Colton Jumper
OT Marshall Newhouse
DT Sylvester Williams

Saints make two rookie roster moves ahead of training camp LINK

A pair of New Orleans Saints rookies are the subject of roster moves ahead of training camp.

Defensive end Carl Granderson was placed on the reserve/did not report list and wide receiver Emmanuel Butler was added to the non football injury list, according to the NFL transaction wire.

Granderson’s absence doesn’t come as a surprise after the former Wyoming edge rusher was sentenced to six months in jail last week after he pleaded no contest to one count of sexual battery and another count of unlawful conduct, relating to an alleged incident in college.

Granderson and his representatives originally agreed to a plea deal that would have included one year of unsupervised probation and a mental evaluation, but the trial judge rejected that proposal and ultimately handed down the six month sentence to be served in Wyoming.

As a result, Granderson will miss the entirety of training camp, the preseason, and the regular season for the Saints, who are among a short list of Super Bowl favorites in 2019.

During his collegiate career, Granderson was projected by national analysts to be, at best, a third day selection in the NFL Draft, but ultimately he was not selected by any team.

New Orleans then went after him as one of their priority undrafted free agent players and gave him a signing bonus of $15,000 and a base salary of $70,000, all of which is guaranteed.

Those numbers were the largest signing bonus and the biggest guarantee in terms of money that the Saints gave to any of their rookie free agent acquisitions, according to reports.

A former two star recruit from the state of California, according to the industry generated 247Sports Composite, Granderson impressed as a high school prospect in Sacramento, grabbing 172 tackles and 15 sacks prior to enrolling at Wyoming.

As a freshman in college, Granderson was a prominent reserve as a weak side defensive end, picking up six tackles for loss and a sack. He started the first six games of his sophomore campaign, grabbing four sacks on the defensive line before a season ending injury.

In his junior year, Granderson returned to health and started all 13 games, earning first team conference honors after recording 16 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, scoring two defensive touchdowns, and two pass breakups. He had three sacks and a pick in 11 starts during his senior season.

Over his entire collegiate career, Granderson had 173 tackles, 35.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles in his 42 games with Wyoming over the past four years. At his rookie minicamp showing, he impressed onlookers with his edge rushing technique.

Butler played in 45 games during his five year career at Northern Arizona, finishing with 187 receptions for 3,217 yards (17.2 avg.) and 33 touchdowns.

The Saints’ rookies reported to training camp on Thursday, July 18, while veterans report to camp on Thursday, July 25, and the first day of the annual camp begins on on Friday, July 26.

We should be able to add 2 more players now.

LINK

The Saints are on track to have a full deck of wide receivers for training camp, which kicks off Friday.

Rookie wide receiver Emmanuel Butler was designated Monday as passing his physical, according to the NFL Transactions report.

Butler landed on the non-football injury list with an undisclosed ailment last Thursday when the rookies reported early for training camp, but his current designation signals he should be fine going forward.

Assuming Butler is back on the roster...that puts us at 89 total players. We can add 1 player.

T.J. Green's contract has been released Spotrac

2019 cap # - 720 k