Rapoport: Interest in FA LB James Laurinaitis is Strong

[RamBill]

Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet
The interest in FA LB James Laurinaitis is strong, and #Saints want to get a jump on things. NO hoping to bring him in for a visit next week

 

[ReddingRam]

Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet
The interest in FA LB James Laurinaitis is strong, and #Saints want to get a jump on things. NO hoping to bring him in for a visit next week

Good for James! I hope he lands at a spot and does well.

 

[RamBill]

Saints hope to visit with LB James Laurinaitis

By Kevin Patra
Around the NFL writer

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...aints-hope-to-visit-with-lb-james-laurinaitis

James Laurinaitis might not be out of work long.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports that the New Orleans Saints are hoping to bring the linebacker in for a visit next week.

The interest in Laurinaitis is strong, Rapoport adds, noting that the Saints want to get a jump on possibly locking down the linebacker's services.

The Los Angeles Rams cut their all-time leading tackler last week in a purge of veteran contracts. Laurinaitis earned 109 total tackles last year -- his seventh straight season with more than 100 -- but his play has fallen off sharply in recent years. He was one of the worst inside linebackers in the NFL last season, especially struggling against the run.

The Saints are once again heading into the offseason trying to revamp a disappointing defense. Asshole Face has some good young talent in Stephone Anthony, Hau'oli Kikaha, Delvin Breaux and Kenny Vaccaro to go along with the likes of Cameron Jordan.

Last offseason the Saints brought in Brandon Browner to add veteran leadership and experience to the defense. If New Orleans dips into the veteran pool again, hopefully the results are much different.

 

[Ramrasta]

He is better than what several teams have. No way doesn't get signed.

 

[CGI_Ram]

29yrs old, won't be 30 until December.

He's a good find still.

 

[Mackeyser]

Too many people forget he ironman'd it with a bum wing for 10 games because Tree went down early.

I highly doubt he plays as much with that injured elbow if Tree was healthy.

A healthy JLau is a very solid Mike.

I really hope this isn't another London Fletcher sitch.

 

[Mojo Ram]

As long as he signs outside of the division it's all good. He's going to help another team immediately.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

the saints have their own young gun at lber in anthony they threw into the fire last season at mike. they may want jl to show him how to it's done for a year or two.

.

 

[blackbart]

Really going to hate seeing him tear it up for someone else. He gets a lot of criticism for doing a great job on a defense the was missing 2 of its main players nearly the whole year and being dinged himself. I would have kept him and cut Saffold. AO has not proved he can stay on the field or play in the middle in the NFL depending on him to suddenly be able to do that is not a great plan.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

Still a good, but not great player, hopefully he gets on a contender.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Still a good, but not great player, hopefully he gets on a contender.

My thoughts exactly.

Not sure I'd consider the Saints, if I were him.

 

[Mikey Ram]

Still a good, but not great player, hopefully he gets on a contender.

Seems to me that a decent sized vocal group wanted him gone...Now it seems a decent sized vocal group wanted him to stay...Guess the fans here are pretty much split down the middle...

 

[Rams Until I Die]

Man I'm still in hurting about James (and Chris) getting cut... this news just makes me sick. I just bought my 8 month old baby girl a JL55 jersey a couple months ago but I got it in a bigger size so she could wear it next season...

 

[Dodgersrf]

Man I'm still in hurting about James (and Chris) getting cut... this news just makes me sick. I just bought my 8 month old baby girl a JL55 jersey a couple months ago but I got it in a bigger size so she could wear it next season...

Wear it proud anyway.

 

[Shawnbb158]

Wear it proud anyway.

I got me a JL55 jersey before last season and I'll wear it proudly this year too. (bc we won more when I wore it than when I wore the tavon jersey I got this season too)

 

[Mojo Ram]

Seems to me that a decent sized vocal group wanted him gone...Now it seems a decent sized vocal group wanted him to stay..

There's alot of that going around. Especially concerning Fisher and the moves he's either made or not made. This weird phenomenon started when everyone wanted Foles benched, then when he got benched there was alot of WTF? Why?

 

[BriansRams]

Seems to me that a decent sized vocal group wanted him gone...Now it seems a decent sized vocal group wanted him to stay...Guess the fans here are pretty much split down the middle...

Nah. He really needed to go. He was playing terrible all year. Not a force to be reckoned with at all. At the salary he was due, he needed to go. Don't worry about it. We'll be just as good or better at LB this year.

 

[Rams Until I Die]

Wear it proud anyway.

She will! And I'll continue to rock my CL91 jersey and plan on getting 55 if nfl shop ever restock my size which seems unlikely now...

 

[A.J. Hicks]

In a way I feel like he should just retire. I love James and he was a great Ram and good at football too, for a long time.

I also read this and thought right away that this feels like tampering or something. . .

 

[jrry32]

Great guy. I'm sure the locker-room will miss him. But he wasn't getting it done on the field anymore. I wish him the best.