New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints added another weapon to one of the NFL's best offenses when wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract on Friday, per ESPN's Josina Anderson and Adam Schefter.

Sanders, 33, caught 66 passes for 869 yards and five touchdowns for the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers in 2019. He's entering his 11th NFL campaign after starting his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2010-2013.

The Super Bowl 50 winner has three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt from 2014-2016 and caught a career-high 72.4 percent of his targets in 2018.

With Ted Ginn a free agent (and presumably out of the 2020 picture with the Sanders signing), here's what the Saints offense could look like come September.

           

Saints Offense (3-WR Sets)

QB: Drew Brees

RB: Alvin Kamara

WR1: Michael Thomas

WR2: Emmanuel Sanders

WR3: Tre'Quan Smith

TE: Jared Cook

LT: Terron Armstead

LG: Andrus Peat

C: Erik McCoy

RG: Larry Warford

RT: Ryan Ramczyk

Other Notable Players, Offense: QB/WR Taysom Hill, RB Latavius Murray, TE Josh Hill

      

Analysis

Sanders should fit in as Brees' second target, someone who can find gaps in the defense and help move the chains.

He isn't as much of a deep threat as the talented Ginn, but Sanders has been a reliable wideout for his entire career, acting as a security blanket for quarterbacks when needed.

However, he is capable of dominating and making game-breaking plays at a moment's notice, like when he went off against New Orleans for seven catches, 157 yards and one touchdown (plus a 35-yard touchdown pass) while playing for the 49ers last year.

Perhaps the Saints took notice before signing him, but Sanders is an upgrade over Ginn (30 catches on 56 targets, 421 yards, two touchdowns last year) and therefore a scary component of an offense that finished third in points per game in 2019.

As for the rest of the Saints, the big three of No. 1 wideout Michael Thomas, running back Alvin Kamara and tight end Jared Cook all return, as does the offensive line.

Thomas caught an NFL-record 149 passes last year on 185 targets. With the addition of Sanders, Thomas' weekly burden to carry the passing offense should be decreased a little. Still, the NFL's best wideout in 2019 should still be called upon frequently as the Saints look to win their fourth straight NFC South title.

Kamara had a bit of a down year compared to his first two seasons, but amassing 1,330 scrimmage yards, catching 81 passes (for the third straight year no less) and rushing for 4.7 yards per carry is a great season by most running back's standards.

Still, the ex-Tennessee back is a potent threat any time he touches the ball. The same goes for the reliable and underrated Latavius Murray, who filled in admirably for Kamara when called upon. The ex-Minnesota Viking and Oakland Raider rushed for 637 yards and scored six touchdowns last year.

He notably put the offense on his back in two midseason starts versus the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals, going for 307 scrimmage yards and four scores.

The always dependable Cook has blossomed in a well-oiled offense, going off for a career-high 16.4 yards per reception and nine touchdowns (on just 65 targets) last year. Cook and Brees found a great rapport with each other in the second half of the year, and that should continue into 2020.

The wild card of the group is third-year pro Tre'Quan Smith, who's proved more than capable of delivering big games. The former Central Florida star delivered a three-catch, 111-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Washington Redskins in 2018 before following that up with a 10/157/2 stat line versus the Philadelphia Eagles later that year.

Smith hasn't seen many targets as Brees locks on to players such as Thomas, Kamara and Cook, but he's excellent when called upon. He's snagged 46 of his 69 targets for 661 yards and 10 touchdowns during his career. If he starts seeing four or five targets per game, Smith can offer some excellent production from the third wideout slot.

And then there's Taysom Hill, the jack-of-all-trades who might be the heir apparent to Brees. Until that decision arrives, Hill will split out wide, throw passes, run the Wildcat and make plays on special teams as head coach Sean Payton pleases.

Blocking for all of them is arguably the best offensive line in the game, led by All-Pro right tackle Ryan Ramczyk. The Saints ranked third in adjusted sack rate allowed, per Football Outsiders, as well as first in adjusted line yards.

Ultimately, Sanders is a great find in an offense that looks ready to explode and contend in the playoffs once again.

Emmanuel Sanders had no shortage of opportunities in free agency.

ESPN's Josina Anderson reported the former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver agreed to a two-year deal with the New Orleans Saints on Friday, and according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the 10-year veteran turned down the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers.

Schefter noted Sanders' contract with the Saints is for $16 million but could be worth up to $19 million.

That means Sanders had his choice between two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks in Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers and a two-time Pro Bowler in Dak Prescott—not to mention all three teams are expected to contend for division titles, if not the Super Bowl, in 2020. 

Instead of being Rodgers' second option behind Davante Adams or No. 2 in Dallas behind Amari Cooper, Sanders will team up with Brees, running back Alvin Kamara and star wideout Michael Thomas. 

Sanders joined the Niners last October via a trade from Denver, and he caught 36 passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns with his new team. And that was while sharing targets with tight end George Kittle and Deebo Samuel. 

The 33-year-old wasn't as productive in the postseason, catching five passes for 71 yards with no scores in three games. 

The fact that the Saints offense has so many different weapons and a creative head coach in Sean Payton may have been reason enough for Sanders to feel at home in New Orleans. 

The 2010 third-round pick out of SMU spent his first four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before landing with Denver in 2014. 

Perhaps no active receiver has a better resume of quarterbacks. Sanders went from Ben Roethlisberger to Peyton Manning to Jimmy Garoppolo, and now he gets Drew Brees. He just may pick up his second Super Bowl ring.  

                                                                                                                                      

The New Orleans Saints added another major weapon to their aerial attack Friday when wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders agreed to a two-year deal, according to ESPN's Josina Anderson.

Adam Schefter of ESPN confirmed the length of the agreement and added the contract is for $16 million but could be worth up to $19 million.

Sanders played for two different teams during the 2019 campaign. The Denver Broncos traded him to the San Francisco 49ers in October, and he helped the NFC West team win the division and reach the Super Bowl.

He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers the first four years of his career after they selected him with a third-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft out of SMU. 

While he was a solid playmaker in Pittsburgh, he never topped 740 receiving yards in a single season and had more than two touchdown catches just once. He was far more effective for the Broncos, especially during the best three-year stretch of his career from 2014-16.

He tallied 101 catches for 1,404 yards and nine touchdowns as a Pro Bowler in 2014, posted 1,135 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a Super Bowl champion in 2015 and notched 1,032 receiving yards and five touchdowns as a Pro Bowler in 2016.

Sanders' numbers fell from there as he dealt with injuries and defenses focused additional attention his way, but he experienced something of a resurgence for the 49ers with 502 receiving yards in 10 games after he finished with just 367 receiving yards in seven games with the Broncos in 2019.

Sanders will be 33 years old throughout the 2020 campaign, but he proved he can still be durable by appearing in 17 games last year.

Kyle Madson of USA Today's Niners Wire noted he is just the ninth player since 1930 to appear in that many regular-season games, which was only possible because he was still on the Broncos during the 49ers' Week 4 bye.

Sanders is also playoff-tested in both conferences and can beat single coverage he may face playing alongside Michael Thomas.

His days of tallying more than 1,400 receiving yards in a season may be behind him, but he can still be a productive piece while serving as a veteran leader.

With the Saints coming off several disappointing exits in the playoffs, adding a player with a lot of postseason experience could be what they need to help get over the top.

The New Orleans Saints announced Friday they reached an agreement with offensive lineman Andrus Peat on a five-year contract.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported it's a $57.5 million deal with $33 million in guaranteed money.

Peat has spent his entire career with the Saints, who selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. He's earned Pro Bowl selections in each of the past two seasons.

The 26-year-old Stanford product has recorded 65 appearances (60 starts) in five years with New Orleans.

His approximate value (43) ranks 13th among all offensive linemen since 2015, per Pro Football Reference. He received a lackluster 49.5 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2019, though.

"It's tough to spin this in any way positively for the Saints."

@PFF_Sam on the Saints huge deal for Andrus Peat pic.twitter.com/cFfOTBeNYS

— PFF (@PFF) March 20, 2020

"He's been one of our most versatile o-linemen, because he's played guard, he's played tackle," quarterback Drew Brees told reporters in February. "I can think of many situations, just mid-stream, mid-game where all of a sudden he's flip-flopping to tackle and then he's back at guard or whatever it might be."

Tackles Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk both remain under contract for 2020, so Peat should once again slot in as a starting guard in 2019 along with Larry Warford. Erik McCoy will slot in at center to round out the offensive line.

Football Outsiders ranked the group first in run blocking and third in pass protection in 2019.

Peat's extension does come with some risk since he's never played all 16 games in a season and has missed a total of 15 games in five years because of injuries.

But the Saints' championship window is only guaranteed to stay open for as long as Brees, 41, remains under center, so re-signing Peat to a lucrative contract is a worthwhile chance to take.

The New Orleans Saints picked up fifth-year options for cornerback Marshon Lattimore and offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk, per ESPN's Field Yates.

The options are fully guaranteed under the conditions of the new collective bargaining agreement, which was officially approved by players Sunday.

Lattimore is a two-time Pro Bowler and the 2017 Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year. He had five interceptions during his first season and four forced fumbles in his second campaign. The ex-Ohio State star only allowed 50 percent of targets in his coverage to be completed in 2019, per Pro Football Reference.

Ramczyk, who was named an All-Pro last year, has started all but one game for the Saints since entering the league in 2017 out of Wisconsin. Per Pro Football Focus, the right tackle did not allow a sack in 2019. Ramczyk was also named PFF's run-blocker of the year.

The two players have helped the Saints become one of the best teams in the league after a disappointing 7-9 season in 2016. Since then, New Orleans has won the NFC South three straight years, amassing a 37-11 record during that span.

The phenomenal 2017 draft class has played a big role, with Lattimore, Ramczyk, safety Marcus Williams and running back Alvin Kamara all earning full-time starting gigs.

New Orleans figures to contend once again in 2020 in part because of those contributors, and having Lattimore and Ramczyk back for 2021 at minimum should go a long way toward keeping the Saints atop the NFC South.

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton has become the first confirmed person involved with the NFL to test positive for the coronavirus. 

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Payton announced his diagnosis Thursday "because he wants all people to heed the warnings of government officials, stay inside and behave responsibly."

Commissioner Goodell statement concerning Sean Payton. pic.twitter.com/OAkWdElhpI

— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) March 20, 2020

Payton told Schefter he first began to feel ill Sunday and took a test the following day before receiving results confirming his diagnosis Thursday. 

"This is not just about social distancing. It's shutting down here for a week to two weeks. If people understand the curve, and understand the bump, we can easily work together as a country to reduce it. Take a minute to understand what the experts are saying. It's not complicated to do what they're asking of us. Just that type of small investment by every one of us will have a dramatic impact.

"I was fortunate to [not have] the serious side effects that some have. I'm lucky. Younger people feel like they can handle this, but they can be a carrier to someone who can't handle it. So we all need to do our part. It's important for every one of us to do our part."

According to the latest figures from Christina Maxouris, Steve Almasy and Amanda Watts of CNN.com, only New York (4,152), Washington (1,187), California (894), New Jersey (742) and Florida (384) have had more diagnosed cases of coronavirus than Louisiana (347) in the United States.

The New Orleans Saints and safety Malcolm Jenkins have agreed to a four-year, $32 million contract, according to Jeff McClane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

McClane noted Jenkins' deal includes $16.5 million in guaranteed money and features a $9 million signing bonus, per an NFL source. The contract could reportedly max out at $35 million based on incentives.

Jenkins spent the first five years of his career in New Orleans before playing his last six years with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles informed him Tuesday they would not pick up his option for 2020, making him an unrestricted free agent.

"Malcolm Jenkins has been an outstanding player for us and we are proud of everything he accomplished both on and off the field during his time in Philadelphia," the Eagles said in a statement. "Malcolm was a great teammate and leader, as well as one of the toughest and most reliable players to ever play in our city."

Jenkins started 96 straight games with Philadelphia, earning three Pro Bowl selections during this stretch.

He led the team with 81 tackles in 2019 and matched a career high with 2.5 sacks. Per Pro Football Reference, he blitzed 75 times from the safety spot last year.

The versatility could be valuable to a New Orleans defense that struggled with consistency last season, finishing 20th against the pass.

With safety Vonn Bell also a free agent this offseason, the Saints have decided to bring in a veteran who has won two Super Bowls in his career—one with New Orleans and one with Philadelphia. 

The addition could help turn the secondary into a strength going into 2020:

Saints currently have Marshon Lattimore and Janoris Jenkins at perimeter corner. Marcus Williams and Malcolm Jenkins at safety. And 2019 4th rounder CJ Gardner-Johnson and Patrick Robinson as slot options. Loaded secondary.

— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) March 18, 2020

After three straight disappointing playoff exits, the Saints will hope this move puts them over the top.

Linebacker Kiko Alonso will be returning to the New Orleans Saints on a pay cut, per Katherine Terrell of The Athletic.

Kiko Alonso will be staying w/ the Saints and will be taking a pay cut w/ the ability to earn the money back through playtime incentives, I'm told. It was almost inevitable they would have to address his salary as his cap hit was he was due $7.85 million coming off an ACL injury

— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) March 18, 2020

Alonso, who will turn 30 in August, played 13 games for New Orleans last year. He amassed 31 tackles and a pair of quarterback hits.

The linebacker helped the Saints make the playoffs after a 13-3 campaign, but he suffered a torn ACL during the team's wild-card loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

The former Buffalo Bill, Philadelphia Eagle and Miami Dolphin is entering his eighth NFL campaign after the Bills took him in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft out of Oregon.

Alonso had a team-high 159 tackles for the Bills as a rookie, but he suffered a torn ACL during a preseason workout that ended his 2014 season before it began. Buffalo then surprisingly traded him in a deal for Eagles running back LeSean McCoy in 2015.

Alonso played one year in Philadelphia before being traded to the Miami Dolphins in a trade that netted the Eagles the eighth overall pick in the draft.

The ex-Duck finally found some stability in Miami, with 355 tackles from 2016-2018 as the team's starting middle linebacker.

Alonso was then traded a third time to the Saints before the 2019 season.

After previously announcing his intention to return to the New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees reportedly sealed the deal Tuesday.

Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Saints agreed to sign their franchise quarterback to a new contract worth $50 million over two years. Rapoport noted Brees "took less to help the team continue to build."

Rapoport reported in January the 19-year veteran wanted to sign a new deal with New Orleans and wouldn't retire even if the team won the Super Bowl. 

The Saints' season ended with a 26-20 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Wild Card Weekend. 

Even though Brees took time to decide if he wanted to play a 20th NFL season, he ended the suspense with an Instagram message Feb. 18: "My feelings about the 2020 season! I look forward to the grind and the journey, for the reward at the end will be worth it!!! Love you #WhoDatNation. Let's make another run at it!"

When Brees' last contract expired after the 2017 season, the Saints let him test the open market. ESPN's Mike Triplett reported in March 2018 there was at least one other team willing to offer the Super Bowl XLIV MVP $60 million guaranteed over two years. 

Brees wound up accepting a two-year offer worth $50 million from New Orleans then as well. 

The Saints still boast one of the NFC's best rosters and can make a Super Bowl run with Brees back in the fold. They won 13 games during the 2019 regular season, tied with the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers for most in the conference. 

Brees missed five games early in the season because of a torn ligament in his thumb, but there were no signs of rust when he returned in Week 8. The 41-year-old led the NFL in completion percentage for the third straight season (74.3), averaged 270.8 passing yards per game and threw 27 touchdowns in 11 starts. 

There will be a point in the not-too-distant future when New Orleans has to replace Brees, but that will wait at least one more season.

Defensive tackle David Onyemata has been with the New Orleans Saints his entire career since they drafted him in the fourth round in 2016, and that reportedly won't change anytime soon.

According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Saints agreed to a three-year, $27 million deal with Onyemata. Garafolo noted the defensive tackle from Nigeria had not even heard of football as recently as a decade ago.

Mike Triplett of ESPN.com noted $18 million of the contract is guaranteed.

Triplett credited Onyemata as "a big reason for the resurgence of New Orleans' run defense, which led the NFL over a two-year span from 2018 to 2019, allowing just 85.8 rushing yards per game."

The 6'4" and 300-pound presence in the middle of the defensive line helps plug holes against the run but has also been a key presence in the team's pass rush of late. He tallied three sacks in 2019 and 4.5 sacks in 2018 all while occupying multiple blockers at times to open up blitzing lanes for those on the outside.

Onyemata is just 27 years old and has proved durable throughout his career, missing just one game in four years because of a suspension.

This deal means he will continue plugging holes in the middle for a team looking to make another run at the Super Bowl after falling short in the NFC playoffs in each of the last three years.