Devonta Freeman signs one-year deal with New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are signing running back Devonta Freeman to a one-year deal, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus. 

After establishing his name as the starting running back for the Atlanta Falcons, Freeman last played for the New York Giants. In 2020, he appeared in five games, rushing for 172 yards and a touchdown.

Freeman joins Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray in a promising backfield for the Saints. While there may not be many carries to go around for Freeman, he provides solid depth behind the two running backs

In addition, Freeman is familiar with the NFC South from his time in Atlanta, but he’s also familiar with Saints quarterback, Jameis Winston. The two played together at Florida State, where they won the 2014 BCS National Championship Game.

That season, Freeman and Winston put up ridiculous numbers for the Seminoles’ offense. Freeman ran for 1,016 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also added on a receiving touchdown for good measure. He became the first Seminole to rush for over 1,000 yards since Warrick Dunn, who did so in 1996. 

On the other hand, Winston was even better. He had one of the greatest freshman seasons of all time, passing for 4,057 yards and 40 touchdowns. His play earned him the Heisman Trophy, and eventually the 2014 Offensive MVP of the BCS National Championship Game. 

After combining to lead Florida State to an undefeated, championship season, Freeman left for the NFL Draft. Surprisingly, he fell to the fourth round of the draft, where the Falcons selected him 103rd overall.

After a quiet rookie campaign, Freeman broke out his sophomore year in the NFL. He led the league in rushing touchdowns with 11, while gaining 1,056 yards along the way. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.

While he would repeat his success the next season, Freeman’s numbers dwindled each year afterward. Finally, the Falcons released Freeman on March 16th, 2020. After a short stint with the Giants and a shorter one with the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad, the Saints are taking a chance on Winston’s former teammate. 

With Freeman in tow, the Saints backfield looks primed for a big season. Of course, Kamara is one of the best running backs in the league, but Murray and Freeman provide the Saints with two capable players behind him.

Plus, if Winston beats out Taysom Hill in the Saints competition to replace Drew Brees, Freeman’s familiarity with the quarterback is invaluable. 

While getting another chance in the NFL is huge, it may not even be the biggest thing that happened to Freeman this week. He graduated from Florida State University this week, finishing his degree in sports management.

Safe to say, it’s been a productive week for Devonta Freeman. Hopefully, it leads to a productive season.

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