Saints reduce Meredith amid comeback from damage
METAIRIE, La. — The New Orleans Saints have launched broad receiver Cameron Meredith simply 4 days into his second coaching camp with the staff, coach Sean Payton stated Monday.
The previous Chicago Bears standout hoped to lastly return from a serious 2017 knee damage, however the Saints apparently did not see sufficient to consider comeback could be potential.
“The damage he had set him again, after which a few of these youthful guys now have simply been doing a ok job. And it is laborious with the numbers,” Payton stated. “It is unlucky as a result of he is somebody that has labored laborious, he is labored his tail off. And but it was gonna be laborious for him to catch this group of youthful guys which are competing.”
Meredith was noticed jogging off the sphere early on Sunday and later posted on Instagram, “It has been enjoyable.”
When requested if Meredith had suffered any new soreness or swelling, Payton stated, “Properly, there was at all times that up and down, however he cleared [his physical] and was again full-go. And it was nonetheless a matter of us actually wanting on the roster match.”
The Saints will not save a lot money or salary-cap house by releasing Meredith, who had already agreed to a pay reduce of $2.1 million to stick with the staff in March. He was as a consequence of obtain $1.three million in base wage, with $500,000 totally assured.
Meredith, 26, initially signed a two-year, $9.5 million take care of the Saints as a restricted free agent in 2018, and the Bears determined to not match their provide.
The Bears’ determination raised eyebrows on the time, since Meredith had 66 catches for 888 yards and 4 touchdowns with Chicago in 2016. However Bears common supervisor Ryan Tempo defined that the enter from Chicago’s medical and coaching workers led to the staff’s determination after Meredith tore his ACL and different ligaments through the 2017 preseason.
Sadly for each Meredith and the Saints, the Bears’ outlook proved to be prescient.
Meredith wound up taking part in in simply six video games with the Saints final season, catching 9 passes for 114 yards and one landing earlier than he was positioned on injured reserve due to nagging swelling and soreness within the knee.
Meredith additionally didn’t take part in OTAs and minicamp this summer time, telling ESPN he was being cautious so he could possibly be totally wholesome for coaching camp and a full 16-game season.
“I am sorry that it did not work out with Cam,” Saints common supervisor Mickey Loomis stated Monday on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “He is an incredible particular person; he is a very good receiver. It simply did not work out right here, and it comes all the way down to a numbers sport.”
The Saints’ broad receiver depth continues to be unproven behind projected starters Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr. They do have numerous intriguing candidates for the remaining roster spots, together with Tre’Quan Smith, Keith Kirkwood, Simmie Cobbs Jr., Austin Carr, just lately signed veteran Rishard Matthews and undrafted rookie Emmanuel Butler, who has been the breakout star within the first few days of coaching camp.
Butler, a 6-foot-Four, 220-pounder from Northern Arizona, appears to make one or two standout catches daily in observe and has drawn constant reward from coaches.
The Saints crammed Meredith’s roster spot by signing veteran offensive lineman Patrick Omameh.