The New Orleans Saints signed veteran guard Mike McGlynn on Wednesday, according to ESPN NFL Insider Field Yates, adding some depth and veteran competition at the left guard spot. Third-year pro Tim Lelito is the current front-runner for that job, with fourth-year pro Senio Kelemete also in the mix.
McGlynn, who spent last season with the Kansas City Chiefs, was essentially traded for veteran Ben Grubbs. The Saints' left guard job became open when they traded Grubbs to the Chiefs this offseason for a fifth-round draft pick.
McGlynn, 30, started 13 games for the Chiefs at left guard last season but struggled in the role. Pro Football Focus had the 6-foot-4, 325-pounder rated last among all NFL guards last season, crediting him with six sacks allowed.
PFF clearly isn't a fan of McGlynn's work. They also had him as the league’s lowest-rated guard in 2012 and in the bottom 10 in 2013, both of which were spent with the Indianapolis Colts. However, McGlynn has continued to last as a journeyman. He began his career with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2008-2010 and the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011 and has made 61 career starts. He spent last offseason with the Washington Redskins before being released and picked up by the Chiefs.
To make room, the Saints released longtime practice squad receiver Andy Tanner, which signals the end of a long run for the popular longshot. Tanner was extremely popular with teammates over the years and became a fan favorite while shining in preseason games and training camp practices from 2010-2014. But the 6-foot, 183-pounder never appeared in a regular-season game.
The Saints have added several new receivers to the roster in recent days. As previously reported, they signed veteran Josh Morgan and undrafted rookie Kyle Prater on Monday following weekend tryouts. Then they added fourth-year receiver Lance Lewis on Tuesday.
Lewis (6-2, 207) has bounced around the NFL since being undrafted out of East Carolina in 2012, making two stops with the Washington Redskins, one with the Dallas Cowboys and one with the San Francisco 49ers. He has appeared in only three games -- with the Redskins in 2013 -- with no receiving statistics. He spent last season on the 49ers' practice squad.
