NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 19: Manti Te'o #51 of the New Orleans Saints reacts after stop on third down during the second half of a game against the Washington Redskins at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 19, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)With the NFL Playoffs almost here, one of the top teams in the NFC is looking to add depth to its linebacker corps. On Tuesday, former Notre Dame legend Manti Te’o reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints.
Te’o appeared in five games for the Saints in 2018. He couldn’t find a suitor earlier this season, but that finally changed with four weeks left in the year.
Sean Fazende of FOX 8 New Orleans is the first to report the news that Te’o is signing with the Saints.
This will be his second stint in the Big Easy.
Saints have signed LB Manti Te'o, league source confirms to @FOX8NOLA
— Sean FazendeFOX8 (@SeanFazendeFOX8) December 3, 2019
It makes sense for New Orleans to add Te’o to its roster, especially after losing Kiko Alonso and A.J. Klein to injuries on Thanksgiving.
Learning a playbook this late in the season has to be tough, but luckily for Te’o he spent roughly two years in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s system.
Te’o performed well for the Saints back in 2017, totaling 62 total tackles and seven tackles for loss. His best attribute is stopping the run, which is ideal for this team since it ranks third in that department.
We’ll see if Te’o suits up on Sunday when the Saints host the San Francisco 49ers in a potential playoff preview.
