Michael Floyd Reportedly Signs Contract with Saints
July 31, 2018
The New Orleans Saints and wide receiver Michael Floyd came to terms on a deal Tuesday.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the agreement between Floyd and the Saints.
Floyd signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings last May. The Saint Paul, Minnesota, native released a statement about trying to get his career back on track after pleading guilty to extreme DUI in February 2017, which led to a sentence that included 24 days in jail. Per Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune, it read:
"I am very excited to come home and play for the Minnesota Vikings. I have been training extremely hard this offseason in addition to taking responsibility and paying the consequences for my mistake. Although I cannot change my past decisions, I have definitely learned from this experience and look forward to making valuable contributions to the Vikings organization and the Minnesota community, both as a player and a person. Time to go to work."
The 28-year-old Notre Dame product failed to make an impact after serving a four-game suspension.
He made just 10 catches for 78 yards with no touchdowns across 11 regular-season appearances. It marked his first professional season without finding the end zone at least once.
Those numbers represent a steep decline from the wideout's peak years with the Arizona Cardinals, who selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. His best season came in 2013, when he tallied 65 grabs for 1,041 yards and five scores.
In the end, Floyd is on the move again as he attempts to reinvigorate his career. While he established himself as a useful weapon during his first few years, his drop-off in play over the last two seasons combined with the off-field problems have dropped his stock considerably.
The Saints are an excellent organization for Floyd to attempt to rebuild his value. Their offense is among the best in the NFL, led by quarterback Drew Brees. They had four different players with at least 50 receptions in 2017.
Floyd will likely be competing with undrafted rookies Keith Kirkwood and Josh Smith for a spot on the receiver depth chart during training camp.