NEW ORLEANS, LA (WVUE) -- The New Orleans Saints announced Wednesday that the team has parted ways with veterans Will Smith, Jabari Greer, Roman Harper and Jonathan Vilma. Each player was a member of the 2009 team that won Super Bowl XLIV. Smith, a 1st-round pick in 2004, was the longest tenured Saint on the roster. Vilma joined the squad in 2008 after being traded from the New York Jets. Harper was a 2nd round pick of the Saints in 2006 and his 17 careers sacks are the most by a defensive back in team history. Greer, a 10-year veteran, signed with the Saints as a free agent in 2009.
"I would like to thank Jabari, Roman, Will and Jonathan for their contributions on and off the field for the New Orleans Saints over the past several years," said Saints Owner/Chairman of the Board Tom Benson. "All four of them played important roles in the success of our club and were great players and teammates. In addition, all of them made a significant impact in our community, especially with our youth and helping serve the less fortunate. On behalf of our organization and our fans, we appreciate everything that they have done for us and wish them continued success."
"These were not easy decisions to make," said Loomis. "Since we acquired them, Jabari, Roman, Will and Jonathan have all been excellent players on the field for us. Each of them were integral parts in turning this program around and winning a Super Bowl. They were a great example to our players as team leaders in the locker room as well. Will and Roman were two of the better draft picks we have made. Jonathan Vilma has been one of our best trades ever and Jabari Greer has been one of our best free agent signings. These are the kinds of players and people you hope to acquire. However, a new NFL year is about to begin and, with the start of free agency in March, these difficult moves allow us to position our team under the salary cap to move forward for 2014."
Showing posts with label Jonathan Vilma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jonathan Vilma. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Saints place linebacker Jonathan Vilma on injured reserve
When he spoke to reporters in October about practicing for the first time since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery a couple of months earlier, Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma sounded certain about only one thing pertaining to his future.
He’d prefer to finish the last year of his contract with New Orleans on season-ending injured reserve if he discovered he hadn’t fully healed rather than risk his long-term health for the sake of appearing in a few more games.
“I want to be able to walk ... when I’m 50 or 60 years old,” he said that day.
Vilma lined up for his first dozen snaps of the NFL season in the Saints’ 26-20 loss at the New York Jets on Sunday, and he recorded his only statistic when he tackled running back Bilal Powell at the end of a 6-yard gain in the second quarter.
It wasn’t clear Wednesday whether the knee Vilma was operated on bothered him. He apparently wasn’t at the Saints’ training facility in Metairie, and coach Sean Payton hardly talked when he was asked about Vilma.
All that was clear was that Vilma had been placed on year-ending IR, and he may never again make another play in either the NFL or for the team with whom he won New Orleans’ first major pro sports championship.
He’d prefer to finish the last year of his contract with New Orleans on season-ending injured reserve if he discovered he hadn’t fully healed rather than risk his long-term health for the sake of appearing in a few more games.
“I want to be able to walk ... when I’m 50 or 60 years old,” he said that day.
Vilma lined up for his first dozen snaps of the NFL season in the Saints’ 26-20 loss at the New York Jets on Sunday, and he recorded his only statistic when he tackled running back Bilal Powell at the end of a 6-yard gain in the second quarter.
It wasn’t clear Wednesday whether the knee Vilma was operated on bothered him. He apparently wasn’t at the Saints’ training facility in Metairie, and coach Sean Payton hardly talked when he was asked about Vilma.
All that was clear was that Vilma had been placed on year-ending IR, and he may never again make another play in either the NFL or for the team with whom he won New Orleans’ first major pro sports championship.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma not hurrying return to field
After being on short-term injured reserve since early September, New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma won’t lie — he wants to suit up and play as soon as he’s eligible to against the New York Jets in Week 9.
But Vilma on Tuesday also said he won’t lie if the knee he had arthroscopic knee surgery on in mid-August at any point before then tells him he’s not ready to play football again. He’d rather land on season-ending IR this year than rush back and hurt his knee in a way he’ll regret when he’s a sexagenarian.
“You look at a lot of the older guys ... and I want to be able to walk ... when I’m 50 or 60 years old,” said Vilma, who, during his remarks, alluded to Earl Campbell, a workhorse running back for the Houston Oilers and the Saints in the 1970s and 80s who now copes with severe arthritis and back pain.
“You start hearing about guys and how they’re not really living — they’re just surviving. I don’t want to be one of those guys.”
But Vilma on Tuesday also said he won’t lie if the knee he had arthroscopic knee surgery on in mid-August at any point before then tells him he’s not ready to play football again. He’d rather land on season-ending IR this year than rush back and hurt his knee in a way he’ll regret when he’s a sexagenarian.
“You look at a lot of the older guys ... and I want to be able to walk ... when I’m 50 or 60 years old,” said Vilma, who, during his remarks, alluded to Earl Campbell, a workhorse running back for the Houston Oilers and the Saints in the 1970s and 80s who now copes with severe arthritis and back pain.
“You start hearing about guys and how they’re not really living — they’re just surviving. I don’t want to be one of those guys.”
Friday, October 18, 2013
Saints' Jonathan Vilma says he’ll practice Monday
New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma tweeted Thursday that, according to coach Sean Payton, he will return to the practice field Monday after the Saints’ Week 7 bye:
Sean says I'm allowed to practice Mon!! After Mon it's the old cliché "one day at a time."
— Jonathan Vilma (@JonVilma51) October 17, 2013
As I mentioned in Thursday's morning report, Vilma is now officially eligible to begin practicing after being placed on injured reserve in Week 1 with a designation to return. He will be eligible to return to the active roster in Week 9.
It remains to be seen how quickly he'll return to the field and how much he'll be involved. The Saints themselves still need to get a good feel for how fully he can recover from a minor clean-up surgery on his knee during the preseason. Vilma, 31, has been hampered by the knee injury since the start of the 2011 season.
Sean says I'm allowed to practice Mon!! After Mon it's the old cliché "one day at a time."
— Jonathan Vilma (@JonVilma51) October 17, 2013
As I mentioned in Thursday's morning report, Vilma is now officially eligible to begin practicing after being placed on injured reserve in Week 1 with a designation to return. He will be eligible to return to the active roster in Week 9.
It remains to be seen how quickly he'll return to the field and how much he'll be involved. The Saints themselves still need to get a good feel for how fully he can recover from a minor clean-up surgery on his knee during the preseason. Vilma, 31, has been hampered by the knee injury since the start of the 2011 season.