The New Orleans Saints brought in more than a dozen candidates, but failed to find a convincing number-two option to pair with All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas on the starting offense. The door’s not yet shut on a potential combination with former Dallas Cowboys superstar Dez Bryant, who briefly signed up with the Saints last year on a near-minimum salary before going down with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Bryant recently spoke with Jane Slater of NFL Network about his lengthy recovery from that injury, and his expectations for the 2019 season. Bryant still feels he can contribute and is confident about his health moving forwards.
“I’m way better than I was before I went to the Saints last year,” Bryant said in an interview with Slater. “Mid-October is when I’m going to be trying to get back in the league.”
Bryant has said earlier this summer that while teams have reached out to gauge his interest, he won’t sign with anyone until his body and mind are ready to take on the toll of an NFL season. He’s also said that he’d like to give the Saints an opportunity to sign him before anyone else, having enjoyed his brief experience in their locker room and feeling he owed them for taking a chance on him in the first place.
You can see a highlight cut-up of Bryant working out in his comeback bid and speaking with Slater in the video embedded below, or by following this link:
The Saints currently have six wide receivers on their 53-man roster, but that’s subject to change. Behind Thomas, their receiving corps is made up of veteran Tre’Quan Smith, second-year pros Tre’Quan Smith and Keith Kirkwood, reserve Austin Carr, and rookie returns specialist Deonte Harris. There’s absolutely room for someone with Bryant’s pedigree in that group. There aren’t many other 30-year-old, repeat Pro Bowlers with 70-plus career touchdown catches on the free agent market.
