WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- Thoughts on the New Orleans Saints’ flurry of injury-related roster moves on the eve of training camp:
Nose tackle Brodrick Bunkley’s release isn’t a huge shocker. I just speculated earlier this week that he could be on the roster bubble, especially after being sidelined all summer with an undisclosed injury. And third-year pro John Jenkins should have been ready to make a strong run at unseating Bunkley as the starter this year, regardless.
Still, this wasn’t the Saints’ plan to start the offseason, since they gave Bunkley a $250,000 roster bonus while working out a reduced contract with him for the second straight offseason.
Although Bunkley failed to live up to expectations during his three years in New Orleans after signing a five-year, $22.5 million contract, he was still a solid run-stuffer in a part-time role.
Now, the Saints will be counting on the super-sized Jenkins (6-foot-3, 359 pounds) to realize his sizable potential. Jenkins was very good as a space-eating rookie after the Saints drafted him in the third round out of Georgia. But then he plateaued a bit last year, largely due to a pectoral injury that wiped out his summer. If he can show more consistency, he can be an asset for a defense that needs to get better against the run.
The Saints could also lean on newly-signed 34-year-old Kevin Williams. Williams is no longer the same type of player that he was when he was selected to six Pro Bowls with the Minnesota Vikings. And he’s spent most of his career playing the three-technique tackle position in a 4-3 front. But Williams stepped up last year for the Seattle Seahawks when they needed him as an injury replacement at nose tackle and helped lead them to the Super Bowl.
Bunkley’s release also opens the door for a group of young roster hopefuls, including second-year tackle Lawrence Virgil, undrafted rookie nose tackle Ashaad Mabry and rookie end/tackles Tyeler Davison, Kaleb Eulls, Bobby Richardson and Tavaris Barnes.
The Saints will get a little salary-cap relief after releasing Bunkley (the full amount of the $1.25 million salary he was due this season). But he’ll still count for a total of roughly $3.5 million in “dead money” from past bonuses over the next two seasons -- yet another costly reminder of a big contract that didn't pan out.
In other injury developments Tuesday, the Saints placed receiver Marques Colston, safety Jairus Byrd and defensive end Glenn Foster on the PUP (physically unable to perform list) to start camp.
That’s no reason to panic. They can still be activated at any time. The PUP list is just a formality when players aren’t ready to pass a physical on Day 1. But it would still be preferable to have all three guys at 100 percent.
None of the injuries has been specified by the Saints.
Byrd participated for most of OTAs and minicamp after recovering from a major knee injury, so it’s unclear if the Saints are playing it safe with his recovery or if he suffered a new ailment.
Colston missed most of OTAs and minicamp with an unspecified ailment that he generally described as “veteran rest.” It appears to be more serious than that -- but the Saints have been taking it easy with Colston’s summer workload for years.
Foster, meanwhile, missed all of OTAs and minicamp while recovering from last year’s season-ending knee injury. He could also be returning on a cautious timeline.
Saints coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis are scheduled to speak Wednesday night after players officially report to camp -- though they aren’t required to give out specific injury details in the offseason.
