A Saints fit possible for Jermaine Gresham, Sean Payton says

News broke in the Crescent City Wednesday afternoon when it was reported free agent tight end Jermaine Gresham visited the New Orleans Saints.

Following Thursday’s OTA practices, head coach Sean Payton confirmed the interview, mentioning how the former Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl pass catcher could be a good fit with the Black and Gold.

“He’s a player that we were obviously well aware of coming out five years ago in the draft,” Payton said. “We thought the visit went pretty good. I think there’s a fit for us if it works out. He’s a guy we’ve studied quite a bit now in the last couple months. It was just finding the right time, and it was good to have that chance to meet him yesterday.”

Still in his prime at 26-years-old, the 2010 first-round pick out of Oklahoma spent his first five seasons with the Bengals, recording 280 career receptions for 2,722 yards and 24 touchdowns, and earning two consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl in 2011 and 2012.

As we all know, the Saints recently parted ways with All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham, so the thought of the 6-foot-5 Jermaine Gresham in that New Orleans air attack is quite intriguing.

For now, we’re looking at Josh Hill and Benjamin Watson locked into the 53-man roster with several others in the mix for a spot on the team. The Saints could certainly make do with their current scenario, but bringing in Gresham for that interview Wednesday just makes too much sense.

The former Bengal boasts excellent size, good speed and hands, and respectable versatility, making him a match-up nightmare for most defenses.

We’ve seen what he’s capable of doing in a system with Andy Dalton under center. Just imagine his potential with somebody like Drew Brees tossing the pigskin. With little durability issues, missing just six out of eighty games, Jermaine Gresham could be an excellent addition as a low-risk, high-reward football player. However, he is currently recovering from offseason surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back.

With more on Jermaine Gresham, we’ll continue to keep the story updated.

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