Last season, the New Orleans Saints finished 7-10, which was third in the NFC South. Heading into 2023, the Saints know they need help at linebacker and running back. That is why the team signed two of the top free agents at their position today according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini.
New Orleans is expected to sign RB Kareem Hunt and LB Anthony Barr. Hunt spent 2022 with the Cleveland Browns and Barr was on the Cowboys last season. Both players met with the team at the Saints’ facility and will be signed, pending their physicals coming back clean.
The Saints knew they needed to add some veteran depth at RB and LB for their 2023 roster
The New Orleans Saints are expected to sign both Kareem Hunt and Anthony Barr, if both players pass their physicals and are in shape, per sources.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) August 8, 2023
Currently, starting LB Demario Davis is out with a calf injury. Backup LB Andrew Dowell’s season is finished after tearing his ACL at camp. With these injuries on their roster, the Saints knew they needed to add some depth at that position. Signing Anthony Barr was a way to ensure that they have solid backups if more starters go down.
Barr was drafted 9th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2014 NFL Draft. He spent the first eight years of his career with the Vikings and was on the Dallas Cowboys last season. In the 2020 and 2021 seasons combined, Barr only played in 13 games due to injury. He bounced back with the Cowboys last season playing in 14 games and making 10 starts.
Update: The #Saints are expected to sign RB Kareem Hunt and LB Anthony Barr, per @diannaESPN
More here:https://t.co/0BecIZLwLE pic.twitter.com/J5nkEo69L9
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 8, 2023
On top of signing Anthony Barr, the Saints also signed veteran RB Kareem Hunt. He was a third-round draft pick by the Chiefs in 2017 and played two seasons with Kansas City. Hunt was on the Browns for the last four seasons and had been a solid one-two punch with RB Nick Chubb. As an unrestricted free agent, he was able to sign with anyone this offseason and he came to an agreement with the Saints.
Alvin Kamara is suspended for the first three games of the season. Kareem Hunt, along with Jamaal Williams and rookie Kendre Miller, will take over the duties at RB while he’s out. Eno Benjamin is on the IR with a ruptured Achilles. The Saints are trying to ensure they have depth as the 2023 season quickly approaches. Anthony Barr and Kareem Hunt are solid additions at this point in the pre-season.
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