Saints Sign Ex New England Patriots RB – NFL Tracker

DEC. 12 SAINTS SIGN EX-PATRIOTS RUNNING BACK The New Orleans Saints have added to their running back room with the

signing of former New England Patriot James Robinson. Per a report from KPRC’s Aaron Wilson, the Saints signed Robinson after

hosting workouts with three other running backs in addition to Robinson, which also included fellow former Patriot Ty Montgomery.

The Saints become the third team that Robinson has joined this season following his brief stint with the Patriots, which saw him

released before the start of the mandatory minicamp in June after signing with the team in March. Robinson’s most recent stint prior

to the Saints was with the Green Bay Packers, where he bounced between the practice squad and the 53-man roster before being

released in early December. DEC. 11 DRAKE MAYE DECLARES FOR NFL DRAFT – It’s officially Maye Day for the NFL: University of

North Carolina quarterback Darke Maye officially announced his intentions to enter the NFL Draft on Monday after two years as the

Tar Heels’ starter. Maye is expected to be one of the top passing prospects at next spring’s draft, where the Patriots to due to hold their

highest pick in years. “This is the best decision for me and my future,” said Maye, per Pete Thamel of ESPN. “It was my lifelong dream

to play quarterback at North Carolina, and I get a chance to check off another dream and play quarterback in the NFL.” Maye will not

play in the Tar Heels’ Dec. 27 bowl game, the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, against West Virginia. He ends his Chapel Hill career with 8,018

passing and 63 touchdown passes, both of which rank in the top five in North Carolina passing history. As it stands, the Patriots (3-10)

currently hold the second picks on the active draft leaderboard. DEC. 6 JETS RECOMMIT TO ZACH WILSON – The post-Aaron

Rodgers New York Jets are right back where they started: head coach Robert Saleh announced that Zach Wilson would be reinstated

as the team’s starting quarterback when it faces the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m. ET, CBS). Per Brian Costello of the

New York Post, Saleh said that “God willing,” Wilson will be the starter for the rest of the season, which ends on Jan. 7 with a Week 18

showdown at Gillette Stadium. The Jets’ post-Rodgers quarterback carousel became a rollercoaster this week: reports emerged that

Wilson was unwilling to return to the starter’s role, a rumor that the second overall pick of the 2021 draft denied on Wednesday. New

York (4-8) had Tim Boyle start at quarterback in each of the last two games but he was released earlier this week. Wilson was the third

quarterback behind Boyle and Trevor Siemian in losses to Miami and Atlanta. Wilson has posted a 53.4 passer rating in five starts

against the Patriots, all losses.

DEC. 5 49ERS SIGN FORMER PATRIOTS TWO-TIME SUPER BOWL CHAMP – While the glory days for the 2-10 Patriots continue to

disappear in the rearview mirror, reminders of their dynasty are all around the NFL. Seeking reinforcement for a banged-up

secondary, the NFC-leading 49ers are signing former New England two-time Super Bowl champ Logan Ryan. Ryan was drafted by the

Pats in the third round in 2013 and helped them to two titles. The 32-year-old takes plenty of big-game experience to San Francisco

after playing in 16 postseason games. After leaving Foxboro, Ryan played with the Titans, Giants and Buccaneers. The Niners recently

suffered injuries to safeties Talanoa Hufanga and George Odum.

DEC. 4 STEELERS SIGN EX PATRIOTS QB – Considering the Patriots’ historically horrible offense, you wouldn’t think signing one of

their cast-offs would be savvy strategy. Nonetheless, the Steelers are desperate for warm bodies in the wake of losing Kenny Pickett to

injury so they’re signing former New England quarterback Trace McSorley. Pickett underwent ankle surgery Monday morning and will

Thursday’s game against the Pats. He will be replaced by Mitch Trubisky and backed up by Mason Rudolph, with McSorley signed to

the practice squad … for now. McSorley spent two weeks with the Patriots during the preseason, throwing one pass and getting sacked

once in the team’s preseason finale against the Titans. He was cut three days later. He spent a month on the Bears’ practice squad

before being released late last month. He has only started one game in the NFL over three seasons on 53-man rosters.

DEC. 4 STEELERS’ STARTING QB OUT VS. PATRIOTS THURSDAY NIGHT – The NFL has already kicked the 2-10 Patriots off of

Monday Night Football later this season. But Thursday night on Amazon Prime, because of demotions and injuries, football fans will

be treated to an offensive matchup featuring Bailey Zappe vs. Mitch Trubisky. Steelers’ starting quarterback Kenny Pickett underwent

surgery on his ankle Monday morning and coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that Trubisky will start in his place vs. New England. The

Patriots, meanwhile, will give a second start to Zappe despite the offense being shut out by the Chargers last weekend. First to three

points wins? In response to Trubisky starting against a Patriots’ offense that is tying records for futility set in 1938, the over/under

betting total for the game at Acrisure Stadium has been lowered to only 30 points. The NFL record-low is 28, set for Bears-Lions in

1993. In comparison, Sunday night’s Eagles-Cowboys’ NFC East showdown is 53.