Tag: Lutz

Aug 20, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; New Orleans Saints place kicker Wil Lutz (3) looks on against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Saints trading K Wil Lutz to Broncos

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The New Orleans Saints reportedly are trading veteran kicker Wil Lutz to Denver, reuniting him with Broncos head coach Sean Payton.

ESPN’s trade report on Tuesday did not specify the compensation for New Orleans, who apparently will enter the season with undrafted rookie Blake Grupe handling the kicking duties.

Lutz, 29, entered the NFL with New Orleans and then-coach Payton in 2016 and made the Pro Bowl in 2019, but is coming off his worst season.

He made a career-low 74.2 percent of his field-goal attempts (23 of 31) but converted all 33 extra points in 17 games in 2022.

Lutz has connected on 165 of 195 field goals (84.6 percent) and 286 of 293 PATs (97.6 percent) in 97 games for the Saints. He is 17 of 29 from beyond 50 yards with a long of 60, set in Week 4 last season against Minnesota.

Grupe played four seasons at Arkansas State before transferring to Notre Dame, where he drilled 14 of 19 field goals and all 49 extra-point tries in 2022.

–Field Level Media

Jan 1, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk (71) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Saints alter contracts of RT Ryan Ramczyk, K Wil Lutz

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Scrambling to be salary cap compliant before the start of the NFL league year next month, the New Orleans Saints adjusted the contracts of offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk and kicker Wil Lutz.

New Orleans began the offseason with the second-worst salary cap situation as tracked by ESPN and NFL Network at nearly $48 million over the 2023 cap.

The combined savings on the 2023 salary cap of $11.836 million gets New Orleans closer to being under the salary cap and ready for the business of free agency, but further alterations to existing deals and other roster moves are expected from the Saints.

A right tackle drafted with the 32nd pick in 2017, Ramczykm 29, has spent his entire career with the Saints.

NFL Network reported the Saints shifted $12.92 million of Ramczyk’s 2023 base salary to a bonus, creating $10.336 million in cap space. He signed a five-year, $96 million deal in July 2021 that included high salaries in 2023 and beyond, including $17 million in 2024, $18 million in 2025 and $19 million in 2026.

Lutz was offered a lower cap number — reduced by $1.5 million — in exchange for attainable incentives, ESPN reported.

The 28-year-old Lutz has been with the Saints since 2016 and has a career field-goal percentage of 84.6.

–Field Level Media

Nov 1, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) drops back to pass against the Chicago Bears during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Lutz’s FG helps Saints dispatch Bears in OT

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Drew Brees threw two touchdown passes, Wil Lutz made four field goals and the New Orleans Saints won their fourth consecutive game by beating the host Chicago Bears 26-23 in overtime on Sunday.

Lutz’s fourth field goal, a 35-yarder with 1:26 left, ended the game on the third overall possession of overtime.

Brees completed 31 of 41 for 280 yards and threw a 16-yard touchdown to Jared Cook and a 20-yarder to Taysom Hill as the Saints improved to 5-2. Alvin Kamara added 96 receiving yards on nine catches and 67 rushing yards.

Nick Foles completed 28 of 41 for 272 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw an interception as the Bears (5-3) lost their second consecutive game.

New Orleans got the ball first in overtime and wound up punting before Chicago punted the ball back. Brees then drove the Saints to Lutz’s game-winner.

Foles’ 3-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Moody on third-and-goal pulled the Bears within 23-20 with 3:32 left in regulation.

Chicago forced a three-and-out on the ensuing possession and took over at its 32 with 1:51 left after a punt.

It converted a fourth and 8 and a fourth and 2 as it drove to the New Orleans 33 and Cairo Santos made a 51-yard field goal to tie the score with 13 seconds left.

All-Pro return specialist Deonte Harris’ 42-yard punt return set up Lutz’s 27-yard field goal that pulled New Orleans even at 13 with 9:19 left in the third quarter.

Marshon Lattimore intercepted Foles, leading to Lutz’s 39-yard field goal that gave the Saints a 16-13 lead with 5:04 remaining in the stanza.

Brees’ 20-yard touchdown to Hill increased the lead to 23-13 with 9:57 left in regulation.

The Saints drove to a 38-yard field goal by Lutz on the game’s first possession, and the Bears answered on the ensuing possession with Santos’ 44-yard field goal. That produced a 3-3 tie at the end of the first quarter.

New Orleans missed an opportunity to break the tie when Lutz’s 27-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright and bounced away.

Chicago broke the tie when Foles threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Allen Robinson II with 8:10 left in the second quarter.

Santos added a 29-yard field goal before Brees’ 16-yard touchdown pass to Cook with three seconds remaining cut the Bears lead to 13-10 at the half.

–Field Level Media