Saints sign 16 free agents
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The New Orleans Saints on Thursday announced the signing of 16 college free agents to contracts.
Headlining the list of signees are LSU linebacker Luke Sanders, a two-year starter for the reigning BCS national champions; Stanford quarterback T.C. Ostrander; and UNLV defensive end Jeremy Geathers, the son of former Saints defensive lineman James “Jumpy” Geathers.
Also signing were wide receivers Todd Blythe (Iowa State) and Evan Moore (Stanford); offensive linemen Jason Boone (Utah), Nate McManus (Georgia Tech), Akim Millington (Illinois) and Kevin Tuminello (Georgia Tech); and linebacker JoLonn Dunbar (Boston College).
Other signees were running back Lynell Hamilton (San Diego State); punter Waylon Prather (San Jose State); safeties David Roach (TCU) and Rocky Schwartz (Houston); long snapper Ryan Senser (Ohio U.); and fullback Olaniyi Sobomehin (Portland State).
The 16 players will join the six players chosen in the NFL draft last weekend for a three-day rookie minicamp to be held May 9-11 at the team’s training facility in Metairie.
“Each of the last couple of years, we’ve been able to a find a player through free agency,” Saints coach Sean Payton said after the draft ended on Sunday. “Our message to those guys is no different than to any draft pick once they are on board: it doesn’t really matter to us how they got here, they have an opportunity to make the team.”
Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis also announced that defensive end Josh Cooper, defensive tackle McKinley Boykin, running back Jamaal Branch and wide receiver Carlton Brewster have been waived.
Cooper played in 21 games with three starts over the last two seasons.
He had 1 1/2 sacks in his career with the Saints, playing mostly as a backup to Will Smith and Charles Grant.
Boykin played in three games in 2007 and Branch appeared in four before both finished the season on injured reserve. Brewster was signed as a free agent earlier this offseason.
