And this was quick: Former Falcons’ standout Devonta Freeman and the Saints now have reached agreement on a one-year deal, per his agent @DrewJRosenhaus. Freeman reunited with his former college teammate, Jameis Winston. https://t.co/jhg4BXjLLM
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 31, 2021
ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported that the New Orleans Saints were meeting with free agent running back Devonta Freeman, and minutes later added that Freeman and the Saints had agreed to a one-year deal. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirmed news of the pickup.
Freeman, a college teammate of Jameis Winston ay Florida State, was voted an All-Pro while playing with the Atlanta Falcons. It isn’t immediately clear how or if he will get many looks on offense; the Saints returned their entire running backs room from 2020, and all of them were full participants in training camp practice on Saturday, July 31.
But this make sense if Freeman signs at the veteran minimum, as recent acquisitions like Chris Hogan and Brian Poole have done. He may not even qualify for the salary cap’s top 51 contracts threshold, but that remains to be seen. New Orleans lost much of its roster’s middle class to free agency and salary cap cuts this offseason, so adding players like Freeman at low cost does a lot to raise the talent level across the team. Having someone with his accomplishments competing with Ty Montgomery and Dwayne Washington for a roster spot is impressive. Stay tuned for updates.
