The New Orleans Saints are planning to sign veteran outside linebacker Cheta Ozougwu, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan. Ozougwu, who spent the past two years as a backup with the Chicago Bears, participated in the Saints’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis this weekend.
Ozougwu (6-foot-2, 255 pounds) began his NFL career as “Mr. Irrelevant” in 2011, when the Houston Texans drafted him out of Rice with the final pick of the seventh round. He didn’t crack the Texans’ roster, though, and didn’t make his regular-season debut until he signed with the Bears in 2012.
Ozougwu appeared in nine games with Chicago over the past two years, with a total of eight tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. He also played on special teams.
Ozougwu will face a tough task when it comes to cracking New Orleans’ roster, which is suddenly stacked with outside linebackers now that veteran Victor Butler is back from injury and rookie Ronald Powell was added in the fifth round of this year’s draft out of Florida.
