METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints agreed to terms on a one-year deal with exclusive-rights free agent guard Senio Kelemete, a league source confirmed Monday.
Since Kelemete, 24, has just two years of NFL experience, all the Saints had to do was offer the one-year minimum deal of $585,000 to maintain his rights. It’s no surprise that they did, since the Saints seemed to value the 6-foot-3, 300-pounder as a versatile backup last season.
Kelemete played seven offensive snaps, because veteran starters Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs were so durable. But he was active for 10 games, and he spent some time cross-training at both center and offensive tackle in practices in case he was ever needed there.
Kelemete began his NFL career as a fifth-round draft pick with the Arizona Cardinals out of Washington in 2012. But he played in only one game as a rookie before being cut in 2013 and eventually landing on the Saints’ practice squad.
The Saints’ guard position is under the microscope right now, because Evans and Grubbs showed signs of drop-off last season and are due $7.5 million and $6.6 million, respectively, in salary and bonuses.
It would be an awfully big leap to project Kelemete in serious contention for a starting job as early as 2015, but he should get an opportunity to develop into an eventual replacement candidate.
The guess here is that the Saints will bring back Evans and Grubbs. Or if they do let one of them go, they will likely bring in an experienced veteran or high draft pick to compete for the job.
