New Orleans Saints Cut Junior Galette
Oct 30, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) is sacked by New Orleans Saints outside linebacker Junior Galette (93) in the fourth quarter. The Saints defeated the Panthers 28-10 at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Talked to Junior Galette on release: "The worst call they've ever made. It was a terrible call to kick me when I'm down." More coming...
— Evan Woodbery (@evanwoodbery) July 24, 2015
The New Orleans Saints cut Junior Galette, their best pass rusher!
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport got confirmation from a source and broke the story Friday. Galette recorded 22 sacks over the last two seasons, 10 last year, signed a four-year extension for $41.3 million last year. And after receiving $17.95 million this past year alone the Saints went ahead and cut him.
According to Rapoport NFL officials are looking into two off-the-field incidents involving Galette. So it appears that the Saints have had enough of him while they’ve been trying to shed salary all offseason. In January, Galette it was domestic violence and simple battery charges the charges were eventually dropped.
Galette was a productive edge-rusher on a team that finished No. 25 in the NFL in sacks in 2014. The Saints got a steal in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft when they picked Hau’oli Kikaha. But if he’s not what I think he is right away, Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will have his work cut out for him creating a pass-rush.
Galette told Evan Woodbery of the Times-PIcayune it was “the worst call they’ve ever made. It was a terrible call to kick me when I’m down. Everything is Sean’s [Payton] call. He told me that himself. He’s the one who pulls the trigger. … The business is the business, you know? … Like Vito Corleone said, ‘Watch for the traitors.'”
I understand trying to keep your program clean as possible but the investigation isn’t ever over yet. Now, the Saints have $5.25 million in “dead money” on this year’s cap for him and $12.1 million that the team will push into the future. Both Galette and tight end Jimmy Graham signed monster extensions last year and neither are still with a team.
Is that on G.M. Mickey Loomis or Payton for “pulling the trigger?
Pass-rushers are at such a premium, the Dallas Cowboys signed Greg Hardy and his drama is worse. If a team like the San Diego Chargers signed him, they could make it to the Super Bowl. And as for the Saints, we’ll see by around mid-season how this cut ended up working out for them.