Saints release Larry Warford

[PurpleCrush]

After the Saints drafted interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz in the first round of the draft, Saints head coach Sean Payton said that he didn’t know if Ruiz or last year’s center Erik McCoy would wind up moving to guard but strongly suggested that one of them would be there because “we weren’t drafting someonethat high to come in and be a backup.”
With left guard Andrus Peat freshly signed to a five-year deal, right guard would be the spot Ruiz or McCoy moved to and Payton said they’d compete with veteran Larry Warford. The Saints have had a change of heart about holding such a competition, however.
The Saints announced on Friday that they have released Warford. The move will clear $7.75 million in cap space while leaving $5.125 million in dead money.
Warford started 44 games for the Saints since joining the team as a free agent in 2017. He made the Pro Bowl in all three seasons with the team and should draw interest from teams looking for help on their offensive line.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/05/08/saints-release-larry-warford/

[Guest]

Rick, drop some dimes brah, lets get elflein to swing IOL stat

[Guest]

NO is such a well run org. That Oline is badass

[Guest]

Per PFF:
Larry Warford in 2019 received:
 75.8 overall grade
 71.4 pass block grade
 76.6 run block grade
 32 pressures allowed

If the #Vikings are interested in signing him he would immediately become the highest graded offensive lineman on the team in overall grade
#SKOL

A Pro Bowl guard (and great run blocker) next to Ezra Cleveland might be the the best way to help develop our new tackle. Sign Warford... cut Rieff and the Viking might have the enough money to resign Cook.  

[Guest]

Twenty eight year old pro bowl guard, as much as I have a loyal affinity for Elflein as a drafted Vike.  Gotta say thanks for that rookie year, but I like Larry more.

[Guest]

Three words: zone blocking scheme.

Three more words: not a fit.

[Guest]

So we want to pay for a pro bowl free agent right guard and have him switch sides in a season that looks to have limited offseason reps

and to help pay for him we are going to cut our starting left tackle in hopes that a developmental LT project will be ready week   one....again in a season that will have very limited practice reps.

[Guest]

I think Kline is 1) a better fit and 2) much cheaper.  I would rather see us bring him back to compete at LG.

[Guest]

Warford has some NFL starts under his belt at left guard and even left tackle. So it's not like the left side is completely new for him.

The Saints started running zone blocking concepts 6 years ago.
This is what Saints Wire had to say after signing Devine Ozigbo:

He flourished in an offense that leaned heavily on outside zone blocking, which the Saints also use to great effectiveness.

I wouldn't mind seeing Kline resigned, but that hasn't happened yet and may not. Rieff's cap hit next year is a big problem. 

Ezra Cleveland is one of the strongest guys in his class and Boise State runs a similar system. He is one of our top 5 OL right now! 

It doesn't make sense to start Cleveland at left guard for one year? Or does it?

I will admit Warford is probably not the answer,.. but the Vikings have a couple question marks on the OL that need answered. 

I guess I will just need to be patient. 

[Guest]

@Carl Knowles said:
Warford has some NFL starts under his belt at left guard and even left tackle. So it's not like the left side is completely new for him.

The Saints started running zone blocking concepts 6 years ago.
This is what Saints Wire had to say after signing Devine Ozigbo:

He flourished in an offense that leaned heavily on outside zone blocking, which the Saints also use to great effectiveness.

I wouldn't mind seeing Kline resigned, but that hasn't happened yet and may not. Rieff's cap hit next year is a big problem. 

Ezra Cleveland is one of the strongest guys in his class and Boise State runs a similar system. He is one of our top 5 OL right now! 

It doesn't make sense to start Cleveland at left guard for one year? Or does it?

I will admit Warford is probably not the answer,.. but the Vikings have a couple question marks on the OL that need answered. 

I guess I will just need to be patient. 

You say Cleveland is one of the strongest in this class,  yet, iirc, so many predraft analysis of him talked about the need to add core strength to play at the next level, suggesting that he is not yet strong enough for the NFL.

The Vikes are currently under their cap with enough to cover their draft picks and then some,  Reiffs contract is only an issue for those that think there is a better answer at LT on the roster or somebody that can come in and do the job better for less,  I havent seen that player yet.  Hes still the second best OL we have on the roster and plays the most important position outside of QB in the game..