Saints waive James Laurinaitis

[CGI_Ram]

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2016/11/saints_put_linebacker_james_la.html

The New Orleans Saints put linebacker James Laurinaitis on injured reserve, according to the NFL transaction report Saturday.

The move was one of several for the Saints, as they also activated defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins from injured reserve, waived offensive tackle Khalif Barnes and promoted linebacker Chris McCain from the practice squad.

The placement of Laurinaitis on injured reserve marks the end of his first season with the Saints. He signed a three-year deal worth up to $8.25 million in the offseason.

Laurinaitis never missed a start in seven seasons with the St. Louis Rams, and he extended his games started streak to 115 when he started his first three games with the Saints.

He returned from a quad injury in Week 7 and played sparingly over two games, before the team ruled him out for Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, again with a quad.

The Saints cited the veteran leadership and experience shown by Laurinaitis at middle linebacker as a reason for his signing in the offseason.

Craig Robertson, who began the season at weak-side linebacker, filled the middle linebacker spot starting in Week 4, and his 66 tackles lead the team.

 

[Legatron4]

One of the best moves of this current FO was relaeasing JL55 and Chris Long at just the right times.

 

[DaveFan'51]

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2016/11/saints_put_linebacker_james_la.html

The New Orleans Saints put linebacker James Laurinaitis on injured reserve, according to the NFL transaction report Saturday.

The move was one of several for the Saints, as they also activated defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins from injured reserve, waived offensive tackle Khalif Barnes and promoted linebacker Chris McCain from the practice squad.

The placement of Laurinaitis on injured reserve marks the end of his first season with the Saints. He signed a three-year deal worth up to $8.25 million in the offseason.

Laurinaitis never missed a start in seven seasons with the St. Louis Rams, and he extended his games started streak to 115 when he started his first three games with the Saints.

He returned from a quad injury in Week 7 and played sparingly over two games, before the team ruled him out for Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, again with a quad.

The Saints cited the veteran leadership and experience shown by Laurinaitis at middle linebacker as a reason for his signing in the offseason.

Craig Robertson, who began the season at weak-side linebacker, filled the middle linebacker spot starting in Week 4, and his 66 tackles lead the team.

Sorry to hear this about JL! He was an "Iron Man" starting for the Rams. Maybe our letting him go was Timely, IDK! I wish him well!!

 

[CGI_Ram]

One of the best moves of this current FO was relaeasing JL55 and Chris Long at just the right times.

Hard to say, but it does feel like we got their best years.

 

[OntarioRam]

One of the best moves of this current FO was relaeasing JL55 and Chris Long at just the right times.

How is Long doing in New England? Not saying I was wanting to keep either player at their price-tag. But part of me wonders if Long's decline in recent years was due to his inability to stay healthy. This year he has actually managed to stay on the field. Has his performance been good? We could have used an extra DE the first half of this season.

 

[RamWoodie]

JL had began the downslide of a solid career. The Rams let him go at the right time. He was good but not great...THANKS JL!!!

 

[Prime Time]

How is Long doing in New England?

He's listed as playing in every game. Don't know how many games he's started though. 13 tackles, 8 assists, 1 sack. The good news for him is that he's finally on a team headed for the playoffs.

 

[ramsince62]

He's listed as playing in every game. Don't know how many games he's started though. 13 tackles, 8 assists, 1 sack. The good news for him is that he's finally on a team headed for the playoffs.

More likely the S.B.

 

[Prime Time]

More likely the S.B.

Yeah, the evil two-headed Brady/Belichick monstrosity, aided by the refs, the media, and dumb luck will jam the Super Bowl trophy in Goodell's face to get even for Brady's 4-game suspension.

 

[jap]

Yeah, the evil two-headed Brady/Belichick monstrosity, aided by the refs, the media, and dumb luck will jam the Super Bowl trophy in Goodell's face to get even for Brady's 4-game suspension.

I was hoping the Horns would meet them in the SB to execute poetic justice, but the Man with the Golden Arm may not be ready just yet.

 

[jrry32]

Yeah, the evil two-headed Brady/Belichick monstrosity, aided by the refs, the media, and dumb luck will jam the Super Bowl trophy in Goodell's face to get even for Brady's 4-game suspension.

Not if Mark "The Executioner" Barron ends Brady's season.

 

[LesBaker]

One of the best moves of this current FO was relaeasing JL55 and Chris Long at just the right times.

JL wasn't even average for his last two seasons with the Rams and was a serious liability covering a TE or RB. Long was mostly just dinged up and not worth the contract $$$ anymore. He's been an injury risk. I love the guy, he's a great dude, but I understand why they let him go.

Hard to say, but it does feel like we got their best years.

See above, with JL his best was average. It was a draft pick that IMO falls into the "it was OK I guess" category.

How is Long doing in New England? Not saying I was wanting to keep either player at their price-tag. But part of me wonders if Long's decline in recent years was due to his inability to stay healthy. This year he has actually managed to stay on the field. Has his performance been good? We could have used an extra DE the first half of this season.

I read on another board that he is playing OK and seems to be 100% healthy. Good for him, I hope he loses the SB though. Or maybe a playoff win then a playoff loss.

 

[Ram65]

With or without JL teams are running right up the middle on the Rams.

JL will make a great coach on day. Not positive but, I imagine he would want to coach after his playing days.

 

[den-the-coach]

Not if Mark "The Executioner" Barron ends Brady's season.

Good thought, however, when it comes to Tom Brady and NFL Officiating

 

[BonifayRam]

We could have used an extra DE the first half of this season.

True.... with injuries to starting DE's (Quinn/Hayes) for most of the first half of this 2016 season but Fisher went with signing veteran Eugene Sims to be the third DE & Ethan Westbrooks as the 4th.

DE Sims played more DE than any other Ram DE's & much more than both starters Quinn & Hayes this first half season. To Sims credit he has remained fully healthy something Chris Long could not do for the last two seasons, but Sims performance 10 tackles & 0.5 sacks has done nothing much to bail out this exterior DL. Sims is working towards another below averaged 20 tackles 1 sack season much like last season. Not going to help you win many games with that Fisher solution.

The younger DE Ethan Westbrooks has 9 tackles & 1 full sack while playing much less than Sims has. Ethan Westbrook is the much better bargain to retain after this loosing season concludes (IMO). I would hope that both Matt Longacre & Morgan Fox can replace the non producing Sims in 2017.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/11/15/report-laurinaitis-could-become-a-free-agent/

Report: Laurinaitis could become a free agent
Posted by Zac Jackson on November 15, 2016

Injured Saints linebacker James Laurinaitis could become a free agent soon.

NFL Network reported Tuesday that Laurinaitis will visit with a doctor this week and, if he’s deemed healthy enough to resume football activities, could be cut from the Saints’ injured-reserve list. That would make him free to sign with a team potentially looking for linebacker help over the season’s final weeks.

Laurinaitis, who turns 30 next month, signed with the Saints after being cut by the Rams in the offseason. He had played in six games for the Saints, starting four, before suffering a quad injury.

He was placed on the Saints’ injured-reserve list earlier this month when the team needed a roster spot to activate first-round pick Sheldon Rankins.

 

[OntarioRam]

I'd gladly take him back on a deal for not too much $$$ if he has no other suitors and understands his role will be primarily for depth and veteran leadership.

The Rams are extremely thin at LB and don't have all their picks this year. Which means we might have to turn to free agency for a year or two to re-stock said depth. You could do worse than JL55 in that role. And he knows the system.

 

[Boston Ram]

How is Long doing in New England? Not saying I was wanting to keep either player at their price-tag. But part of me wonders if Long's decline in recent years was due to his inability to stay healthy. This year he has actually managed to stay on the field. Has his performance been good? We could have used an extra DE the first half of this season.

He has been pretty average. He has been getting decent pressure causing some hurries but nothing special or impactful in the passing game. He has struggled in the run game. Overall he should be more a rotational player but they got him playing a majority of the snaps.

He has been good not great.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/11/17/report-saints-waive-james-laurinaitis/

Report: Saints waive James Laurinaitis
Posted by Josh Alper on November 17, 2016

Getty Images

There was a report earlier this week that Saints linebacker James Laurinaitis would visit a doctor for an evaluation of the quad injury that landed him on injured reserve early this month with the possibility that he’d be waived by New Orleans if he was deemed healthy.

It appears all went well with that examination. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Laurinaitis has indeed been waived ahead of Thursday night’s game against the Panthers.

Laurinaitis signed a three-year deal with the Saints this offseason after he was released by the Rams. He played in five games and had 17 tackles before getting shut down by the injury.

Laurinaitis is a vested veteran, but it’s after the trade deadline so he can be claimed by any team in the league off of waivers. He will become a free agent if he goes unclaimed and could land with a team in need of linebacker help down the stretch.