Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

Mike Triplett

METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints have never specified the nature of fullback Erik Lorig’s leg injury. But clearly it’s not a minor issue, since Lorig hasn’t even watched a practice in street clothes since first suffering the injury during a scrimmage on Aug. 2.


The fact that the Saints immediately went out and signed veteran fullback Greg Jones was another indicator that they didn’t expect Lorig back quickly.

It’s still unknown when or if Lorig is expected back this season. But coach Sean Payton said the team will prepare as if he’s not going to be ready for Week 1, with Jones and third-year pro Austin Johnson competing to serve as Lorig’s replacement.

"Our preparation's got to be with the idea that, as Erik's rehabbing, we've got to be ready to have a fullback Week 1, with the chance it's not going to be Erik," Payton said. "And so both of those guys are competing.

“Greg’s a veteran player. Austin's been with us now for the better part of a year and a half. And so I think, No. 1, Austin's had a good camp. Greg's been here for two weeks. Both of them will play a lot again this weekend [Saturday night at Indianapolis].”

Payton later added that Johnson is “doing real well.” The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder spent most of last season on the Saints’ practice squad after signing with the team in January 2013. Johnson was actually a linebacker in college at Tennessee, and he signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012. But he didn’t find a permanent home that season.

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New Orleans Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers - ESPN

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

I think we'll be OK with Austin Johnson if Lorig can't go.

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

Does he have hands? I don't remember him playing.

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

From what little I've seen of Austin Johnson I'd say yes, he looked to have soft hands and agile feet.

I know I sound like a broken record but I really like what I've seen from him and think at worst he'd be about equal to Jed Collins and likely much better running and receiving.

And I kinda like that he was a LB turned FB.

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

I really, really like Austin Johnson a lot. When I re-watched the Rams game I noticed him at least 5-6 times with great lead blocks. He's noticeably faster to the hole than Jed was.

We can also use Watson/Hill in the FB spot. Or even somebody like Nic Jacobs down the road.

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

Austin Johnson impressed last preseason aswell

I remember him catching a pass in the flat and bouncing off 3 defenders for a first down, the guy has good hands and doesn't go down easy, also made some great lead blocks for Ingram in the rams game

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

Hat on a hat. No matter your contract. Austin can block and that's what he'll be used for. The longest pass he'll ever catch is ~5yds in the air so I'm not worried

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

With Payton as a coach you never can tell.

I can see it now, third quarter in the Super Bowl, Payton pulls out his super secret double reverse fullback flee flicker.

It could happen.

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

true, but it deserves to be noted that our FB had 29 touches last year. I don't expect any significant increase or decrease in that area

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

Who picked up Jed Collins?

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

Detroit

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

"Run that way and knock over anyone that ain't wearing black and gold."

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

Yeah. Detroit and Chicago seem to watch our FA's and waiver wire pretty closely.

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

he was due a significant raise.
zero % chance we were keeping him

not he can block for Bush & Bell under Lombardi up in New Orleans North

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

Everyone has their preferences. We've done very well watching the Chargers

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

I thought we just didn't want him back. He signed with Detroit for the vet minimum.

His 2013 cap hit with us was 555,000

His 2014 contract with Detroit was 1 year @ 645,000 with a 65,000 signing bonus.

He just wasn't that good.

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

After Payton watched film of Tampa he went after their FB because he stood out in every game........that says a lot about Lorig.

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

we would have had to tender him at over a million, and you're right, he isn't that good

by Larry Hartstein | CBSSports.com
(3/10/14) The Saints did not tender two of their restricted free agents, fullback Jed Collins and receiver Joe Morgan, because they can't justify paying either $1.4 million in 2014, reports the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Both became unrestricted free agents, with the team hoping to re-sign them at a lower price.
Collins is a valuable lead blocker in the running game, and Morgan is a dangerous deep threat when healthy.

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

I liked Jed.

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

Collins wasn't the best blocker; he whiffed quite a bit...

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

I love that so many are asking about our FBs hands. We don't need hands there. We need Ironhead. Oh yea, Ironhead had great hands. RIP Heyward. We miss ya. I think Dallas is gonna cut JC Copeland and as the self-proclaimed biggest Tiger homer on this forum, I'd love to see us pick him up. I heard Garrett complaining about his weight recently. Just like Ironhead! Man I was so excited about us signing Lorig. RBs in Tampa sure thrived running behind hiim. A stud FB would sure help our hopes of improving our running attack.

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers
 

amen brother amen

Re: Saints prepared if Erik Lorig injury lingers