Saints guard Carl Nicks wants his next contract to be among the most lucrative at his position. While it stands to reason Nicks, a two-time All-Pro, would receive a big pay day on the free-agent market, it seems less likely he will land that kind of contract from the Saints. Nicks told Sirius XM NFL radio Tuesday that his next contract should be worth more than the seven-year, $56.7 million deal teammate Jahri Evans signed in 2010. But the Saints have a laundry list of high-priority free agents, starting with franchise... [Read More]
The Saints and quarterback Drew Brees have yet to reach accord after more than a year of discussions. There is no hint of rancor at this point, but it remains perplexing that a contract with clear definition in terms of money, time and necessity has yet to be concluded. If GM Mickey Loomis can't complete talks with Brees and his handlers in time, there is a possibility he could designate Brees the Saints' franchise player. One possible knot: Brees could be looking for $100 million in his deal, according to various... [Read More]
Nearly a dozen former NFL players living in Louisiana have sued the NFL, the latest players to accuse the league of failing to protect players from the risks associated with concussions. Several former New Orleans Saints players, including John Fourcade, are among the 11 ex-players named as plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in New Orleans. The lawsuit says each of them has developed mental or physical problems from concussions or concussion-like symptoms. Football helmet manufacturer... [Read More]
98 percent of the New Orleans Saints season-ticket holders will pay the same price in 2012, James Varney of The Times-Picayune reports. A small segment of season-ticket holders in the upper corner of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome could see a decrease in their price, while construction in the plaza end zone area could result in a slight increase for next season. The Saints have not officially announced any price changes for next season.
Free agent linebacker Lofa Tatupu visited the New Orleans Saints on Monday, Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network reports. Released by the Seattle Seahawks last August after declining to restructure his contract, the three-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker drew interest from the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders, but spent the season out of football. Tatupu missed 11 games in 2009 with hamstring and pectoral injuries and underwent surgery on both knees following the 2010 season. In 84 career games, Tatupu has 549... [Read More]
It’s possible Marques Colston will be a former Saint in the near future as the team has made no attempts to re-sign the star wide receiver up to this point. The front office has been pre-occupied with trying to work out a new deal for Drew Brees. If the Saints can’t sign Brees, they likely will use the franchise tag on him, giving them one less way to retain Colston. Also complicating the issue is the pending free agency of guard Carl Nicks. Given the cash outlay this team will be facing, the Saints may have to choose... [Read More]
A Michigan man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge he phoned in a bomb threat to the Superdome during the New Orleans Saints' playoff win over the Detroit Lions on Jan. 7. The charge brought Friday against 34-year-old Shawn H. Payton, of Jackson, Mich., carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The FBI arrested Payton last month on a criminal complaint. He was freed on bond. Payton, who is charged with sending threatening communications, is scheduled to make his initial... [Read More]
In another move to plug a coaching staff hole, the New Orleans Saints announced Tuesday that Andre Curtis had been hired as the new assistant secondary coach. Curtis becomes the third new member of Coach Sean Payton's staff since the end of the 2011 season. Curtis joins the New Orleans staff after serving as defensive backs/safeties coach with the Rams from 2009-2011. Prior to that, Curtis spent three seasons as a defensive quality control coach with the New York Giants from 2006-08. The Beaverdam, Va. native came to... [Read More]
Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been named the 2011 Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Brees set an NFL single-season records with 5,476 passing yards, 468 completions and a 71.2 percent completion percentage in 2011. Brees also led the NFL with 46 touchdown passes and was second in the NFL with a 110.6 passer rating in leading the Saints to a 13-3 record and an NFC South title. In two post-season, Brees completed 68.9 percent of 106 pass attempts for 928 yards with seven touchdowns and two... [Read More]
The 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame class was announced Saturday night, and it was nearly as notable for who wasn't elected than who was. DB Jack Butler, C Dermontti Dawson, DE Chris Doleman, DT Cortez Kennedy, RB Curtis Martin and T Willie Roaf were all selected for enshrinement this summer in Canton, Ohio. Among those who will have to wait at least another year are Head Coach Bill Parcells, RB Jerome Bettis, WR Cris Carter, WR Andre Reed and DE/OLB Charles Haley.
The Oakland Raiders were denied permission to interview defensive line coach Bill Johnson for their defensive coordinator position, James Varney of The Times-Picayune reports. Johnson, 56, has spent the last three seasons with the Saints and has spent 11 of his 31-year coaching career in the NFL. Before working for the Saints, Johnson coached defensive lines with the Denver Broncos (2007-08) and Atlanta Falcons (2001-06). Raiders head coach Dennis Allen coached with Johnson in both New Orleans and Atlanta, where Allen... [Read More]
Saints QB Drew Brees made an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show earlier in the day and mentioned that he expects to have a long-term agreement in place before the start of free agency. “There is no doubt in my mind (a contract will be done),” Brees said. “It’s pretty straight up and should be done in the next 4-5 weeks.” Even if the Saints and Brees don’t have a long-term agreement in place, New Orleans can use their franchise tag on him to prevent him from hitting the open market. The issue here is that the Saints... [Read More]
The New Orleans Saints have hired Ken Flajole to be their defensive backs coach, James Varney of The Times-Picayune reports. Flajole replaces Dennis Allen, who is now the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. The 58-year-old Flajole coached defensive backs with the Seattle Seahawks in 1999 and from 2001-02. Flajole has also coached linebackers (Seahawks, 2000) and Carolina Panthers (2003-08) and was the St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator the last three seasons. Flajole follows former Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo to... [Read More]
Saints quarterback Drew Brees capped off a record-setting season by winning the FedEx Air Player of the Year Award on Wednesday at Super Bowl XLVI. Brees beat out Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers and New England's Tom Brady for the honor, which is based on fan voting. It's the fourth time Brees has won the award since its inception in 2003, he also was honored in 2006, 2008 and 2009. Brees did not attend the award presentation but said in a recorded acceptance speech that he was especially gratified to win considering the... [Read More]
The New Orleans Saints have numerous free agents to sign this offseason. First on the list is quarterback Drew Brees. Among the remaining free agents priorities is All Pro left guard Carl Nicks. Nicks says he would love to stay in New Orleans according to Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune alhtough he realizes the Saints have a lot of free agents to sign. Nicks, a fifth-round draft pick in 2008 has developed into the best guards in the NFL.
