METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints will sign linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar after working him out on Thursday, according to a league source. They also brought in cornerback Brandon Dixon for a tryout.
Dunbar spent his first four seasons with the Saints from 2008 to 2011 before spending the past three-plus years with the St. Louis Rams. Dixon, who was recently released from the New England Patriots’ practice squad, is the twin brother of Saints cornerback Brian Dixon.
Dunbar was released by the Rams for the second time this season earlier this week.
The Saints apparently needed to sign a linebacker with veterans Dannell Ellerbe and David Hawthorne both nursing injuries.
Ellerbe (hip) and Hawthorne (hamstring) both missed practice for the second straight day on Thursday, leaving their statuses in doubt for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. The Saints also re-signed undrafted rookie linebacker Henry Coley to their practice squad earlier this week in case they need to activate him on Sunday. Coley was with the Saints all summer before missing the final 53-man roster cut.
Dunbar, 30, started 27 games with the Saints after making the team as an undrafted rookie out of Boston College in 2008. He was on the 2009 Super Bowl team, though he finished that year on injured reserve.
The 6-foot, 235-pounder was then a starter for most of his first three years in St. Louis before he was cut this year in September, re-signed in early October and released again earlier this week.
Dunbar did not appear in any games for the Rams this year.
Dunbar, who was also a special-teams standout for much of his time in New Orleans, has 349 career tackles with 6.5 sacks and two interceptions.
