Report: Saints to sign CFL linebacker Wynton McManis after group tryout
The New Orelans Saints are expected to sign Wynton McManis, a linebacker who last played for the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. McManis joined the Stampeders in 2017 after a brief stint with the San Francisco 49ers, who signed McManis as an undrafted rookie out of Memphis.
McManis opted out of his CFL contract on Monday after the Canadian league canceled its 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, opening up this opportunity in the NFL. He tried out for the Saints on Thursday as part of a six-man group of free agents, which the team reported on the daily NFL transactions wire:
DE T.J. Carter (6-foot-4, 289 pounds)
DE Anthony Lanier (6-foot-6, 285 pounds)
DE Cameron Malveaux (6-foot-5, 265 pounds)
LB Mike Hull (6-foot-0, 232 pounds)
LB Jan Johnson (6-foot-2, 231 pounds)
LB Wynton McManis (6-foot-1, 225 pounds)
The addition of McManis should bring the Saints back to 79 of 80 roster spots filled, with one vacancy remaining. The team recently lost defensive lineman Jalen Dalton and cornerback Johnson Bademosi to injuries that will likely end their seasons.
They also released linebacker Nigel Bradham earlier this week, opening a spot in the rotation for McManis to compete. He’ll be pushing youngsters like Kaden Elliss and Joe Bachie for a backup job, but there are only a handful of practice sessions left for him to make an impression before roster cuts.
That said, he has the skills to make a splash. McManis broke out in 2019 with 15 starts and 86 combined tackles, including nine stops on special teams. He cut his teeth in the CFL with his efforts in the game’s third phase, having paced the league with 25 special teams tackles in 2018. If he’s going to earn a spot on the Saints roster, it’ll come with big moments in the kicking game.
