Report: Bengals, Texans pursuing former Saints OL Nick Easton
The New Orleans Saints hope to reunite with offensive lineman Nick Easton, but they might be hard-pressed to bring him back. Easton was one of their first salary cap casualties earlier this offseason, with the accounting figured tied to him too steep for New Orleans to stomach. Ideally, he would return at a more affordable price point.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals are angling to bring Easton in for facilities visits soon, which was confirmed by the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, who added that other teams are also in pursuit of the 45-game NFL veteran.
Easton started nine games for the Saints in 2020, refusing to cede the right guard spot to rookie draft pick Cesar Ruiz; however, a series of concussions forced him out of the lineup and ultimately ended his season on injured reserve. But it appears Easton is interested in continuing to play, and he has quite a market to consider. He’s started at both guard and center in the past, so teams value his combination of skills set and experience.
We’ll see if the Saints can ultimately bring him back. Because Easton’s contract was terminated, he would not qualify for a 2022 compensatory draft pick should he sign with a new team.
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