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A report emerged earlier this week that the New Orleans Saints were set to release veteran linebacker James Laurinaitis if deemed healthy by a physician. On Thursday afternoon, multiple reports the move happened.
Laurinaitis was injured by Week 4 of the season with a quad injury after playing in the team’s first three games, and missed the first game of his extensive career when he couldn’t go against the San Diego Chargers. We wouldn’t hear much from him over the next several weeks, with minimal special teams action against the Chiefs and Seahawks, and Laurinaitis would eventually be placed on injured reserve in early November.
In all honesty, he just wasn’t that good for the Saints defense. The team moved their other free agent linebacker acquisition, Craig Robertson, from weak side to middle linebacker in Laurinaitis’ place.
Laurinaitis is free to sign with any club but the Saints, and depending on terms of the injury settlement, he could actually return to New Orleans. However, that seems a bit farfetched. Financially, the move won’t hurt the team that much.