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Brandin Cooks Brandin Cooks Headed back to New Orleans
Fri, Mar 21, 2025, 1:06 PM
The Saints are slated to sign Cooks, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, the wideout's reported deal is a two-year pact worth $13 million. Cooks, who joined the NFL as a 2014 first-round pick of the Saints, is thus poised to return to New Orleans, where he'll add speed and experience to a WR corps which is led by Chris Olave and also includes Rashid Shaheed. In 10 regular-season games with the Cowboys in 2024, Cooks recorded 26 catches for 259 yards and three touchdowns on 54 targets, but with his looming change of scenery, a bounce-back campaign could be in order for the 31-year-old, with a path to steady snaps seemingly on tap for him in 2025. |
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Cedrick Wilson Cedrick Wilson Accepts reduced salary
Wed, Mar 19, 2025, 9:48 AM
Wilson has reworked his contract with the Saints, reducing his 2015 base salary from $3.4 million to $1.17 million, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: The new salary is league minimum for a player with Wilson's service time. This improves his chances of earning a roster spot, and the contract is still scheduled to void after the 2025 season. The 29-year-old played 15 regular-season games for the Saints in 2024, catching 20 of 27 targets for 211 yards and one touchdown while mostly serving as the team's third or fourth wide receiver. Wilson's role in 2025, or lack thereof, will partially depend on the health of Chris Olave (head) and Rashid Shaheed (knee). |
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Velus Jones Velus Jones Heading to New Orleans
Sat, Mar 15, 2025, 9:20 PM
Jones signed a contract with the Saints on Saturday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Jones played three regular-season games (two with the Bears, one with the Panthers) in 2024 and logged two carries for 11 yards and one catch for eight yards over that span. He's got an outside shot at consistent reps out of the Saints' backfield, but he could earn a spot on the 53-man roster for 2025 as a return specialist. |
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Jack Stoll Jack Stoll Lands in New Orleans
Thu, Mar 13, 2025, 9:07 AM
Stoll agreed to terms Thursday on a one-year contract with the Saints, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Stoll played seven regular-season games in Philadelphia last year before being waived, then being claimed by Miami and making four more appearances. He'll now get a chance to compete for a depth gig in New Orleans, where he boasts familiarity with new head coach Kellen Moore. |
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Juwan Johnson Juwan Johnson Re-signs for three years
Tue, Mar 11, 2025, 2:41 PM
Johnson and the Saints agreed to terms Tuesday on a three-year, $30.75 million contract, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: The initial report suggests the deal maxes out at $34.5 million and includes $21.25 million guaranteed. It looks like an overpay relative to other tight ends with similar receiving production, especially when considering how little Johnson offers as a blocker. A weak free-agent class may have been a factor, as Johnson would've been one of the better options amongst a weak crop if the Saints hadn't locked him up before he hit the open market. The 28-year-old averaged 2.6-2.8 receptions and 28-33 receiving yards per game each of the past three seasons, buoyed by strong finishes in 2023 and 2024 after not doing much for most of the year. |
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Dante Pettis Dante Pettis Returning to NOLA for 2025
Sun, Mar 9, 2025, 3:42 PM
The Saints signed Pettis to a one-year contract Sunday, Ari Merov of The 33rd Team reports.
Analysis: Pettis signed with the Saints' practice squad in October after being let go by the Bears with an injury settlement in early September. He was elevated from the practice squad three times before being signed to the active roster in December and saw an increased role in the Saints' offense over the last four games of the regular season, during which he logged nine catches (on 22 targets) for 98 yards and one touchdown. Now under contract for one more year, Pettis will look to earn an even bigger role for himself for the 2025 campaign under new head coach Kellen Moore. |
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Derek Carr Derek Carr Restructuring contract with NOLA
Sat, Mar 8, 2025, 5:06 PM
Carr (hand) and the Saints are working towards converting most of his money into a signing bonus to create salary cap space, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Carr and the Saints spent multiple weeks discussing options on how to reduce the quarterback's salary cap hit. Converting Carr's salary to a signing bonus appears to be the route the two sides are going and will clear up about $30 million in cap space, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, and all but guarantees that the 2014 second-round pick will return to New Orleans for a third season. Carr missed seven games in 2024 due to a left oblique injury and a fractured left hand, and he finished the regular season completing 67.7 percent of his passes for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions across 10 games. |
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Derek Carr Derek Carr Viewed as starter
Wed, Feb 26, 2025, 3:26 PM
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said Wednesday that he views Carr (hand) as the team's starting quarterback heading into the 2025 season, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Loomis said that he believes the Saints "can win with" Carr, echoing the tone of new head coach Kellen Moore, who said earlier this month that the 33-year-old is a "tremendous starting quarterback in this league." Regardless of New Orleans' enthusiasm, Carr's $51.4 million cap hit for 2025 poses a significant hurdle that the team will have to address in order to maneuver properly in free agency. Terrell reports that restructuring Carr's contract could free up $31 million in cap space for the 2025 season, at the cost of making his cap hit in 2026 -- the final year of his contract -- roughly $69 million. Carr is recovering from an injury-riddled campaign in which he most notably missed the final four games of the season due to a broken bone in his non-throwing hand. |
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Derek Carr Derek Carr Offseason cut candidate?
Tue, Feb 25, 2025, 3:54 PM
Carr (hand) is scheduled to make $40 million in 2025, with one-fourth of the money already guaranteed and the other three-fourths becoming guaranteed if he's still on the roster in mid-March, ESPN's Dan Graziano reports.
Analysis: Paradoxically, the Saints' perennially disastrous cap situation may actually make them more likely to retain Carr, as the easiest way to achieve cap compliance is by renegotiating and extending veterans' contracts. They can release him before mid-March with a post-June 1 designation to push most of the dead-money charge to 2026, but that wouldn't free up 2025 cap space until June (even if the transaction is made long before). Carr will turn 34 in March, following a 2025 campaign in which he suffered numerous injuries and eventually missed the final four weeks with a broken bone in his non-throwing hand. |
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Clyde Edwards-Helaire Clyde Edwards-Helaire Staying in New Orleans
Thu, Feb 13, 2025, 4:28 PM
Edwards-Helaire signed a reserve/future contract with the Saints on Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Analysis: Edwards-Helaire started the 2024 season on the Chiefs' reserve/non-football illness list. He was activated from the NFI list Oct. 15 but was a healthy scratch for the next nine games and was ultimately waived by Kansas City in mid-December. He signed with the Saints' practice squad two days later and was elevated for the final two games of the regular season, during which he logged 13 carries for 46 yards while adding three catches (on five targets) for 24 yards. By signing a future contract, Edwards-Helaire will be on the Saints' 90-man roster for the start of the new league year March 12. He'll be able to participate in OTAs, minicamp and training camp and will look to earn a spot on New Orleans' 53-man roster for the 2025 season. |
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Taysom Hill Taysom Hill Future in New Orleans uncertain
Wed, Feb 12, 2025, 10:12 AM
Hill (knee), who is recovering from a torn ACL and carries nearly an $18 million cap hit for the 2025 season, could be a cap casualty for the Saints this offseason, John Hendrix of AthlonSports.com reports.
Analysis: Ian Rapoport of NFL Network speculated Wednesday that the Saints "have a decision coming" this offseason on Hill, with Rapoport noting that it's "hard to imagine" the 34-year-old will be back in New Orleans in 2025. Hill faces a recovery timetable of at least nine months after undergoing surgery in December to repair ligament damage in his left knee, making him a likely candidate to miss at least part of the upcoming campaign. Of Hill's cap hit for 2025, Ross Jackson of Louisiana Sports reports that the $10 million base salary is not guaranteed, leaving New Orleans with a direct avenue to potentially restructure his deal. Jackson also notes that Hill could opt to retire. |
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Bub Means Bub Means Medically cleared
Thu, Feb 6, 2025, 3:13 PM
Means (ankle) received medical clearance late January and will enter the offseason at full health, Jeff Nowak of WWL Radio reports.
Analysis: Means missed the final nine regular-season games of his rookie campaign due to a high-ankle sprain sustained Week 8. He was cleared to resume practicing early December, but then suffered a setback in his recovery. Across seven regular-season appearances as a rookie, Means secured nine of 15 targets for 118 yards and a score. |
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Dallin Holker Dallin Holker Serves as TE3 in 2024
Mon, Jan 13, 2025, 6:03 AM
Holker appeared in 12 regular-season games for New Orleans in 2024, nabbing three of four targets for 21 yards.
Analysis: Holker did not play in the first four games of the season before appearing in 12 of the final 13 contests. The undrafted rookie out of Colorado State was buried on the depth chart behind veteran tight ends Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau (knee) for much of the season, but he got some more opportunities after Taysom Hill suffered a season-ending ACL tear Week 13. Holker recorded three catches over the final five games of the season, including two receptions during the 27-19 loss to Tampa Bay in Week 18. Johnson is currently set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and the 34-year-old Hill has just one season remaining on his contract with the Saints. Holker could have a path to a more significant role if the Saints don't bring back Johnson and/or Hill for the 2025 campaign. |
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Mason Tipton Mason Tipton Fades in depleted WR corps
Mon, Jan 13, 2025, 6:01 AM
Tipton tallied 14 receptions (on 26 targets) for 99 yards across 11 regular-season appearances for the Saints in 2024.
Analysis: Tipton saw action right away as a rookie and seemed to be growing into a larger role by the midway point of the year. The undrafted wideout peaked when he caught six of nine targets while playing 82 percent of snaps Week 7. But, his production quickly faded with only two catches over the next three games, and he was ruled a healthy scratch for six of the final seven contests. This was somewhat surprising, as top wideouts Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) were sidelined for the final nine and 11 games of the regular season, respectively. The Saints instead relied upon its tight ends and a patchwork group of journeymen wideouts, including Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kevin Austin, Cedrick Wilson and Dante Pettis. Tipton will likely compete for a reserve role heading into the 2025 season. |
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Cedrick Wilson Cedrick Wilson Quiet first season in New Orleans
Mon, Jan 13, 2025, 6:00 AM
Wilson appeared in 15 regular-season games for the Saints in 2024, totaling 20 catches (on 27 targets) for 211 yards and one touchdown.
Analysis: Wilson saw consistent playing time as the third or fourth wideout for the Saints this season. The 29-year-old joined New Orleans on a two-year, $5.2 million contract in March after spending his previous two seasons in Miami. Wilson was expected to provide some veteran depth behind top wideouts Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee), but he never made much of an impact even though the duo missed the final nine and 11 games of the season, respectively. Wilson logged more than three receptions in just one game, and he ultimately finished with less than 25 catches for the third season in a row. He'll likely have to compete for a reserve role once again heading into the 2025 season. |
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Kevin Austin Kevin Austin Plays eight games in 2024
Mon, Jan 13, 2025, 5:57 AM
Austin collected 11 of 22 targets for 151 yards across eight regular-season appearances for the Saints in 2024.
Analysis: Austin started the regular season on New Orleans' practice squad and didn't see the field until being called into action Week 10. He went on to play in the final eight games of the regular season, as the Saints' receiving corps was extremely depleted while wideouts Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) were sidelined for the final nine and 11 games of the season, respectively. Austin played at least half of the offensive snaps in all but one of his eight appearances, but he never logged more than three receptions in any of these contests. Instead, wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling and tight ends Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau (knee) all commanded more targets than Austin over this stretch. Austin is slated to become an exclusive rights free agent following the 2025 season. |
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Jake Haener Jake Haener Logs one subpar start in 2024
Mon, Jan 13, 2025, 5:55 AM
Haener completed 18 of 39 passes for 226 yards with one touchdown and one interception during eight regular-season appearances for the Saints in 2024. He also recorded 11 rushing attempts for 22 yards.
Analysis: Haener failed to impress during any of his significant opportunities this season. The second-year quarterback came in for mop-up duty during back-to-back blowouts in Week 1 and Week 2, and he stepped in when QB1 Derek Carr suffered an oblique injury Week 5. But, the Saints started rookie Spencer Rattler when Carr missed the following three games. Haener didn't get his first chance to start until the Week 15 loss to the Commanders, in which he was benched after completing four of 10 passes for 39 yards and an interception in the first half. Haener never saw the field again for the rest of the season, as New Orleans started Rattler for the final three games. In two seasons, Haener has thrown just one touchdown and has passed for over 100 yards once. The Saints don't appear to have a surefire long-term plan at quarterback after back-to-back underwhelming seasons with the 33-year-old Carr. Given Haener's apparent lack of growth and production, it's unlikely he'll be anything more than a QB2, or possibly even QB3, for the Saints moving forward. |
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Xazavian Valladay Xazavian Valladay Inks deal with NOLA
Mon, Jan 6, 2025, 6:49 PM
The Saints signed Valladay to a reserve/future contract Monday.
Analysis: Valladay was cut from the Jets' practice squad mid-September, but he caught on with the Saints in early November and remained on the practice squad for the rest of the 2024 regular season. Valladay last saw NFL regular-season action in 2023 with the Jets, during which he played in Week 18 against the Patriots and played 12 snaps on special teams. The 26-year-old running back out of Arizona State is set to spend time with the Saints during OTAs and minicamp and will attempt to earn a roster spot during training camp next summer. |
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Foster Moreau Foster Moreau Surgery ahead
Mon, Jan 6, 2025, 12:55 PM
Moreau, who suffered a knee injury in Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers, will have to undergo surgery, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Analysis: Moreau was carted off the field after sustaining a blow to his leg late in Sunday's matchup. It's still unclear what the injury he suffered is, or if he is in danger of missing any time next season. The 27-year-old still has one year left on his contract, although there is likely no guarantee he'll be in a Saints uniform next season. |
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Dante Pettis Dante Pettis Catches TD to cap off season
Sun, Jan 5, 2025, 10:31 PM
Pettis had two receptions (on six targets) for 16 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's 27-19 loss to the Buccaneers.
Analysis: Pettis caught his first touchdown of the season when he hauled in a five-yard pass in the end zone from rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler in the second quarter. The 29-year-old signed with the Saints on Dec. 7 after the team underwent a rash of injuries at wide receiver. With starters Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) both on IR down the stretch of the season, Pettis helped augment the receiver room behind Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who led the team with 16 catches (on 34 targets) for 380 yards and four touchdowns over the final eight weeks. Meanwhile, Pettis totaled 12 catches (on 28 targets) for 120 yards and one touchdown over this stretch. Pettis will likely look to sign a reserve/future contract with the Saints heading into this offseason. |
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