New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland believes Jameis Winston made the right choice by opting to learn behind Drew Brees.

"It's a compliment to Jameis Winston to understand where he's at in this world and sign a one-year deal here and learn behind Drew," Ireland said on The Matt Mosley Show on ESPN Central Texas radio.

Ireland continued:

"Look, there's no better teacher. If Drew never said a word to him, he would observe more than he'll ever learn in football just by learning how Drew does things. He's an incredible leader. He's an incredible studier of the game, how he breaks down his opponents.

"And then you throw in [offensive coordinator] Pete Carmichael, [quarterbacks coach] Joe Lombardi and [coach] Sean Payton on the offensive side of the ball and those creative minds, Jameis Winston will learn more football in a year than he has in his lifetime."

Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson broke the news Sunday that the Saints and Winston were nearing a one-year pact, but the deal is not yet finalized.

Sources tell Yahoo Sports the #Saints are finalizing a 1-year deal with free agent QB Jameis Winston. New Orleans hopes to continue maximizing Taysom Hill's versatility on gameday while mitigating some risk in exposing Drew Brees' backup to injury.

Story: https://t.co/srblaQWfhI pic.twitter.com/D2jNWL2446

— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) April 26, 2020

The 2015 top overall pick "turned down a larger deal elsewhere" to benefit from the expertise Ireland referenced, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

From NFL Now: The focus for free agent QB Jameis Winston was never the money this year, it was always about the next 10 years. The #Saints set him up for that. pic.twitter.com/0b7FJG4cQa

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 27, 2020

Winston played five seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has thus far failed to live up to the expectations attached to him when the Bucs took him first overall out of Florida State.

Last season was the perfect case study for how the 26-year-old's pro career has gone:

Jameis Winston isn't expected to land a starting QB job this season, per @AdamSchefter

Jameis last season:

No. 1 in passing yards
No. 2 in TDs
No. 1 in picks pic.twitter.com/yRrwTRrXK0

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) March 17, 2020

What if I told you...

Jameis Winston is the first player in NFL history to throw 30 passing touchdowns and 30 interceptions in the same season.

His final pass of the season was a walk-off pick six by Atlanta's Deion Jones. pic.twitter.com/yeMTMBS2Po

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 29, 2019

Winston led the league in 2019 with 626 passing attempts, 5,109 yards and 30 interceptions—all of which were also career highs, as were his 33 touchdown passes.

The Buccaneers let Winston explore free agency in order to sign Tom Brady to a two-year contract during free agency last month. Tampa head coach Bruce Arians explained that decision on March 26:

"For Jameis, for me, it was the last two ball games. The regression back to the interceptions... It was disheartening because he had made progress then regressed." @BruceArians tells @TikiandTierney about the decision to move on from Jameis Winston. pic.twitter.com/wTDhYocmU9

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) March 26, 2020

"I think, for him, it's to get into somewhere as a backup right now," Arians added at the time. "It looks like all the starting jobs are done. Get in somewhere where he can sit, learn a system, maybe a year for an older person and take over. Or get in competition with a younger guy because he is a super-talented and a super-hard-working guy."

Winston will get the best of both worlds in New Orleans in learning behind future Hall of Famer Brees while also competing for backup reps against Taysom Hill.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill discussed his brand-new extension with the team, calling it the best move for both parties.

Hill already had a one-year tender on the table for the 2020 season. Now he'll potentially make $21 million, with $16 million guaranteed at signing, between 2020 and 2021, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

"We started a couple of months ago," Hill said. "I think both sides agreed early on that a two-year deal made a lot of sense for everybody, and we kinda mapped out what that would look like."

Taysom on his new deal #Saints pic.twitter.com/86oXDdl23p

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) April 26, 2020

Taysom on why a 2-year deal makes sense for both him and the team #Saints pic.twitter.com/KSvw3haKYS

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) April 26, 2020

Many raised their eyebrows when the terms of the contract were revealed, especially with Schefter reporting New Orleans is in discussions with free-agent quarterback Jameis Winston.

Hill is going to be one of the NFL's highest-paid backup quarterbacks despite the fact he has thrown only 13 passes in the NFL.

Saints sign Taysom Hill to 2-year, $21 million ($16M guaranteed) extension, making him one the highest-paid backup QBs in the NFL.

Highest-paid backup QBs
• Jacoby Brissett (IND): $15 million/yr
• Taysom Hill (NO): $10.5 million/yr
• Marcus Mariota (LVR): $8.8 million/yr pic.twitter.com/roAYC2NsTV

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) April 26, 2020

Calling him a backup is a bit of a stretch as well since Winston would presumably be the guy behind Drew Brees in the depth chart.

Saints beat writer Nick Underhill noted a level of pragmatism was at play with Hill's deal since the team won't have to use the franchise tag on him in 2021. That's important for New Orleans with Alvin Kamara set to hit free agency.

Still, Hill has largely been a situational player since the Saints signed him in 2017. He turns 30 in August, too, so the team is quickly reaching a point where he needs to stop being referred to in hypothetical terms and used in a way in keeping with what is his now lucrative salary.

Maybe general manager Mickey Loomis and head coach Sean Payton will have the last laugh.

For the time being, this looks like a great move by Hill and a questionable investment for the Saints.

New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz is about to find out just how much wearing No. 3 means to Jameis Winston:

Every man has his price! My ears are open #3 ⚜️😏@Jaboowins https://t.co/By18GtAYyx

— Wil Lutz (@wil_lutz5) April 26, 2020

Lutz has worn the No. 3 for the Saints since 2016, while Winston donned the number for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since going No. 1 overall in the 2015 NFL draft.

The Bucs let Winston walk once free agency began in March, opting to sign future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady to a two-year deal, and the 26-year-old is now reportedly finalizing a deal with New Orleans:

Sources tell Yahoo Sports the #Saints are finalizing a 1-year deal with free agent QB Jameis Winston. New Orleans hopes to continue maximizing Taysom Hill's versatility on gameday while mitigating some risk in exposing Drew Brees' backup to injury.

Story: https://t.co/srblaQWfhI pic.twitter.com/D2jNWL2446

— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) April 26, 2020

After it became clear Winston future would not be in Tampa, he announced that he expected to return to the city for Super Bowl LV:

It's been a great 5 seasons as a Buccaneer. All love and respect, I love Tampa and I look forward to seeing y'all again in February. #SBLV #2020Vision #Dreamforever pic.twitter.com/MIPiCfreXW

— Jameis Winston (@Jaboowins) March 21, 2020

His odds to accomplish that would increase significantly by joining the Saints.

The New Orleans Saints may be on the verge of signing Jameis Winston, but that isn't shaking their faith in wanting Taysom Hill around for the foreseeable future.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Saints and Hill agreed to a two-year contract Sunday that will keep him with the franchise through 2021. The deal essentially acts as an extension of the one-year, $4.6 million tender the Saints placed on Hill before the free-agency period.

The #Saints 2-year deal with Taysom Hill is for $21 million with $16 million guaranteed. It also includes another $1 million in earnable incentives. Very, very nice numbers to keep Hill in the fold through the 2021 season.

— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) April 26, 2020

It's unclear if this Hill deal will have any impact on the Saints' negotiations with Winston, which were reported by Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. No announcement was made on the reported one-year pact. 

Regardless, the Saints are making an eye-popping financial commitment to a guy who's mostly been a gadget player in his NFL career. Listed as a quarterback, Hill has thrown only 13 passes in three seasons. As a running back and receiver, Hill has only 86 career touches.

As far as payment-per-touch goes, Hill undoubtedly ranks as the highest-paid skill position player in the sport. The Saints have been mostly effective on plays with Hill on the field, but these are highly scripted and coached package plays, the exact type that tend to be more successful than average calls regardless of situation.

The Saints also drafted Mississippi State quarterback Tommy Stevens, a similarly skilled athlete, in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft. Given the raise handed to Hill here, it's fair to wonder if the Saints were better off waiting until next offseason.

That said, Hill is a clear favorite of coach Sean Payton, who said on Get Up last month that he sees him as a starting quarterback: 

"I think the role is pretty clear, and first and foremost, we still view him as a quarterback, and we spent a lot of time this offseason discussing our vision for him this season at quarterback, but then also at the F-position. And what I mean by that ... that slash, tight end, wide receiver, he's a tremendous blocker, he's physical. I don't think people realize how fast he is. He's probably one of the three or four fastest guys on the team. So, he'll play that F-position, he'll certainly be involved in the kicking game. It's one of the things he takes pride in and is very good at.

"And then the unique situation with our team and with our quarterback, Drew Brees is, he's announced he's coming back for his final season, I think Taysom sees himself as being a starting quarterback in this league and we do too."

If Brees does retire after the 2020 season—he's under contract through 2021—then it appears this deal with Hill is a commitment to giving him a chance to prove himself. 

The New Orleans Saints and Jameis Winston are reportedly nearing an agreement on a one-year contract that would see him join the franchise as Drew Brees' backup.

Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports reported the deal will be "very economical," given the Saints' cap situation. Winston spent his first five seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is coming off a roller-coaster campaign. He led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards to go along with 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions, becoming the first player to throw 30 touchdowns and 30 picks in the same year.

As the #Saints and FA QB Jameis Winston close in on a 1-year deal, worth noting Winston turned down a more lucrative offer elsewhere to learn from some of the best. The former #Bucs starter put the emphasis on his future in a smart choice.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 26, 2020

New Orleans was not considered a likely landing spot for Winston after the team re-signed Brees and placed a first-round tender on Taysom Hill. The expectation was that Hill would be Brees' primary backup for the first time in his career. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported in January the Saints envision Hill as their starting quarterback once Brees retires.

While this may simply be a case of a team taking advantage of a low-cost opportunity, it does cast doubt on the Saints' faith in Hill as a passer. Hill has only thrown 13 passes during his three-year NFL career. The Saints have found their most success with him as a gadget player, particularly when he lines up at wide receiver.

When given the chance to see how Hill would look under center last season, the Saints instead allowed Teddy Bridgewater to start five games. It's likely Winston will slot into Bridgewater's role, sitting out games entirely if Brees is healthy but moving into the starting job if he gets hurt.

Brees signed a two-year, $50 million contract with the Saints in March. He plans to join NBC Sports at the end of his NFL career, per Andrew Marchand of the New York Post.

Winston will look to use the 2020 season to learn under Brees and coach Sean Payton, erasing the memories of his turnover-happy Tampa ways before re-entering free agency in a year. For all the fretting about his turnovers—his 111 turnovers are the most in the NFL since 2015—there are few who deny his talent. He also underwent LASIK eye surgery during the offseason, a move that corrected the nearsightedness he's been playing with his entire career.

There is plenty of reason to believe taking this gap year will be beneficial, and Winston will hit free agency a year from now at age 27 ready to be a starter again.

TE Adam Trautman, Dayton

   

STRENGTHS

—Versatile tight end who has lined up in multiple tight end positions: in-line, slot, move and even receiver. 

—Solid base and hand extension in run blocking. 

—A polished route-runner for a big tight end. 

—Proven talent in the back of the end zone; can go up and over the defender to make a catch at its highest point. 

—Sells his run blocking to get a good release into open space. 

   

WEAKNESSES

—Looked fast on tape against lower-level talent, but his 4.8-second 40-yard dash at the combine will lead to problems separating downfield. 

—Dominated lower-level competition on tape; did not have quite the same performance during the Senior Bowl. 

—Still developing fundamental skills as a tight end; poor hand placement, playing low, exploding through hips in the run game. 

—Gives up on routes too soon; that will not play in this NFL era where plays are often extended. 

    

OVERALL

It's easy to fall in love with Trautman's game. He's physical, tough and versatile, and the arrow is still pointing up on his development. He's good enough to start right away, too, thanks to his catch radius and size. Trautman isn't a groundbreaking athlete, but he's rock-solid.

    

GRADE: 77

PRO COMPARISON: Mark Andrews/Blake Bell

The New Orleans Saints have drafted former Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun with the 74th overall pick Friday. 

Baun likely will add a lot of flexibility to New Orleans' linebacking corps:

            

LDE - Cameron Jordan, Trey Hendrickson

DT - Sheldon Rankins, Malcom Brown

DT - David Onyemata, Shy Tuttle

RDE - Marcus Davenport, Trey Hendrickson

OLB - Alex Anzalone, Colton Jumper

MLB - Zack Baun*, Kiko Alonso

OLB - Demario Davis, Craig Robertson

CB - Janoris Jenkins, Deatrick Nichols

CB - Marshon Lattimore, Patrick Robinson

FS - Malcolm Jenkins, D.J. Swearinger

SS - Marcus Williams, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson

    

Depth chart info provided by Ourlads and Over The Cap.

           

Baun had a breakout 2019 as a senior for the Badgers. The 6'2", 238-pounder notched a career-high 12.5 sacks and 75 tackles (52 solo) across 14 games for 10-4 Wisconsin. He was subsequently named a Butkus Award finalist, given to the nation's top collegiate linebacker, and Bednarik Award semifinalist, given to the nation's best defensive player.

He also became Wisconsin's first consensus first-team All-America linebacker in program history.

Baun started all 27 games during his junior and senior seasons at outside linebacker and played 39 games overall since arriving in Madison.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller listed Baun as the 32nd-best overall prospect and fourth-best linebacker in this class. 

The 3-star prospect, who transitioned from high school quarterback to linebacker in college, shined in January's Senior Bowl:

Zack Baun. Senior Bowl spin-cycle🔁 pic.twitter.com/LHvlznYSLS

— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 22, 2020

Some guys who I think will benefit from this at Senior Bowl:

Javon Kinlaw
Zack Baun
Terrell Lewis

Three players I LOVE watching. Show stoppers. Round 1 players.

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) January 21, 2020

Baun then ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds and recorded 24 bench-press reps during February's combine. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein likened Baun to All-Pro Clay Matthews:

"Ascending prospect whose explosive production on the field has begun to mirror his explosive athletic traits. Baun's twitchy get-off and deep bend at the edge is nightmare fuel for Big Ten tackles, and he's still at the early stages of pass rush development. He is aggressive to flow downhill in run support, has sideline-to-sideline range and is fluid dropping into coverage. He's strong but a little light as an edge-setter, so teams will need to figure out how best to align him. Baun is a scheme-diverse linebacker with high-impact potential whose best days are ahead of him."

Baun will aid the Saints in improving upon a defense that ranked fourth against the run and third with 51 sacks in 2019.

LB Zack Baun, Wisconsin

     

STRENGTHS

—Versatile linebacker prospect who has rushed off the edge in college but shows promise as an off-ball linebacker in the NFL.

—Former high school quarterback with impressive football IQ.

—12.5 sacks in 2019 shows his ability to get to the quarterback with a dip-and-bend move.

—Active in pursuit against the run and does a good job hugging the line of scrimmage.

—Wasn't asked to do it much, but showed up well in coverage; impressed during Senior Bowl drills when asked to move in space.

        

WEAKNESSES

—Lacks size to be an every-down edge-rusher (6'2", 238 lbs) and is inexperienced as a true linebacker.

—Missed 2017 season with a foot injury.

—Play power is missing for him to consistently line up over tackles and win as a rusher/block-shedder.

—Saw a lot of uncontested paths to the quarterback in college.

     

OVERALL

Baun is a project as an off-ball NFL linebacker, but he's a versatile prospect who will add value as a third-down pass-rusher in addition to his upside at the position. He's an impressive athlete with a high football IQ and great motor, which typically adds up to an NFL starter. The key will be whether his defensive coordinator has a plan for using and developing him.

       

GRADE: 88

PRO COMPARISON: Joe Schobert/Haason Reddick

The New Orleans Saints are reportedly looking to make a big move at the top of the second round on Day 2 of the 2020 NFL draft on Friday. 

According to Albert Breer of The MMQB, the Saints have been calling teams with early second-round picks in hopes of landing a selection near the top of the round.

The Saints do not own a second-round pick and are not scheduled to pick again until 88th overall in the third round. Because of that, New Orleans would potentially have to part with one or more 2021 draft picks to make such a trade happen.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noted that the Indianapolis Colts at No. 34 and Miami Dolphins at No. 39 are among the teams that may be willing to move out of their spots. Rapoport also reported that the Saints could be looking for a cornerback or linebacker if they do manage to land a second-rounder.

New Orleans made a somewhat surprising selection at No. 24 in the first round on Thursday when it took Michigan center Cesar Ruiz. The Saints already have a promising, young center in Erik McCoy, but the arrival of Ruiz may lead to him being moved to guard.

With the Saints' offensive line fortified, their biggest remaining needs are on defense. If Rapoport's report regarding New Orleans targeting a corner or linebacker is correct, the Saints would have no shortage of options near the top of the second round.

Utah's Jaylon Johnson, Alabama's Trevon Diggs and LSU's Kristian Fulton are three of the top corners left, while Wisconsin's Zack Baun, Wyoming's Logan Wilson and Oregon's Troy Dye lead the way at linebacker.

The Saints boast a stacked roster and have reached the playoffs in three straight seasons. They went 13-3 in both 2018 and 2019, but their seasons ended in disappointment in the playoffs.

New Orleans is clearly built to win now, and with veteran quarterback Drew Brees on a two-year deal, there is a sense of urgency to get him one more Super Bowl ring before he retires.

The Saints don't have many pressing holes to fill in terms of depth, so trading an abundance of picks this year and next year for the opportunity to select a player they believe can contribute immediately in 2020 would make plenty of sense from their perspective.

Making that happen may be difficult unless they are willing to part with a 2021 first-rounder, but that may be a worthwhile endeavor if they believe that pick will be 32nd overall on the heels of a Super Bowl win anyway.

The New Orleans Saints selected Michigan center Cesar Ruiz with the No. 24 pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Ruiz as the No. 26 player overall and the No. 1 interior lineman in this year's class. Here's a look at where he fits in New Orleans' depth chart:

QB - Drew Brees, Taysom Hill

RB - Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray

WR 1 - Michael Thomas

WR 2 - Emmanuel Sanders

WR 3 - Tre'Quan Smith, Deonte Harris

TE - Jared Cook, Josh Hill

LT - Terron Armstead

LG - Andrus Peat, Derrick Kelly II

C - Cesar Ruiz, Erik McCoy, Nick Easton

RG - Larry Warford, Cameron Tom

RT - Ryan Ramczyk, Ethan Greenidge

Depth chart info provided by Ourlads and Over the Cap.

            

The Wolverines played Ruiz out of position as a true freshman, often lining him up at right guard. He told reporters in April 2018 his mind remained fixated on his true home along the line.

"When I moved to guard, I never stopped snapping or anything like that," he said. "I always knew how to snap. I've been doing it my whole life. I think I was really born to play center."

The Camden, New Jersey, native transitioned back to center for the 2018 season and remained there, showing off why New Orleans made him a first-round pick. 

According to Pro Football Focus, Ruiz allowed only 19 quarterback pressures on 895 pass-blocking snaps between 2018 and 2019. PFF's Michael Renner considered him the third-best interior lineman on the board:

"The lone true junior on this list, Ruiz declared early because he's already shown all the physical tools needed to succeed at center in the NFL. He's so graceful for a 6'4", 320-pound center that you often forget just how big he really is when watching his tape. He's still not quite a power player, though, as indicated by his 64.9 run-blocking grade from last year, but at only 20 years of age, he could still develop a good deal physically."

While Ruiz has made his preference clear, his flexibility will be an asset in the NFL.

He tied for the 10th-fastest 40-yard dash (5.08 seconds) at the NFL Scouting Combine, displaying impressive speed for a 6'3", 307-pound blocker.

.@UMichFootball C Cesar Ruiz runs a 5.08u 40-yard dash.

Ruiz is the No. 37 overall prospect (via @MoveTheSticks)

📺: #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork
📱: https://t.co/vDFxxNddNZ pic.twitter.com/IbqQWpjI7Q

— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2020

Michigan also utilized Ruiz as a puller, a role that's generally left to guards, which further underscores his athleticism. Head coach Jim Harbaugh was particularly impressed by his work in the Wolverines' 45-14 win over Notre Dame last October, per Orion Sang of the Detroit Free Press: 

"He was doing so many athletic things in this ball game. He had a touchdown block. And on that one, where he did pull and got the block on the linebacker, you actually see him checking the gap before he went on his pull. And darndest thing, there was an A-gap blitzer, he gave presence then pulled.

"He made sure that A-gap was secure before he did it. I haven't seen that that often. I haven't seen somebody with the athletic ability, and really the presence of mind to check that gap, and then get the pull accomplished and make the block that springs your back for a touchdown."

Though he isn't the finished product, Ruiz basically checks all of the boxes. He's an excellent pass-blocker and should become better at opening up running lanes as he begins an NFL strength-and-conditioning program.

The Saints got great value by adding Ruiz at this point in the draft.