Tanoh

Kpassagnon

The Dennis Allen acolyte was signed for training camp but did not make the team. The Bears also released WR Miles Boykin and TE Stephen Carlson. They waived WR Maurice Alexander, RB Brittain Brown, LS Luke Elkin, DL Jonathan Ford, DB Mekhi Garner, DL Jamree Kromah, OL Jordan McFadden, DL Zacch Pickens, WR JP Richardson, WR Tyler Scott and OL Ricky Stromberg. They waived/injured DB Tysheem Johnson, OL Doug Kramer Jr. and OL Bill Murray — the real Groundhog Day is watching Murray get waived over and over again.

Kpassagnon, a bane to spellcheck, played with Dennis Allen’s Saints the past three seasons. Flowers is cornerback depth with Jaylon Johnson (leg) set to miss a few weeks of training camp with an injury he suffered this offseason.

His agents at GSE football broke the news via Twitter late Saturday afternoon. No contract details have been released at this time. The six-year veteran played 14 games for the Saints in 2022, including regular contributions on special teams.

Kpassagnon signed with the Saints two years ago and is set to become a free agent in the spring. He has six sacks and as many TFLs in 23 appearances with the team. The Saints have numerous defensive linemen with expiring contracts this offseason. Bringing back Kpassagnon gives them some flexibility with who the are forced to let walk.

Jordan is signed through 2024 and restructured his contract in 2021 as well. The Saints need to pull off some cap wizardry this offseason, and went back to the well on restructuring Jordan. Kpassagnon was due $3.25 million in 2022 with a $650,000 roster bonus, in the second year of a two-year deal. Among edge players, he graded out at Pro Football Focus’ 85th pass rusher in 2021. The Saints also re-signed exclusive rights free agents DL Carl Granderson and DL Jalen Dalton.

Kpassagnon, who is 6-foot-7 and 289 pounds, proved durable in his four years with the Chiefs, playing all 16 regular season games in three of the four seasons. He recorded just one sack in 2020 after finishing 2019 with four sacks. Kpassagnon will compete for playing time in a Saints defense graded by Pro Football Focus as 2020’s sixth best pass rushing unit.

Even if he were to play, the fifth-year edge-rusher would be “extremely limited.” In the likely event that Clark sits, it would be his second straight absence. Tanoh Kpassagnon played an elevated role with Clark shelved a week ago and figures to be employed in a similar capacity against the Vikings.

Kpassagnon (6’7/289) earned 2016 Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year, capping his career with 22 sacks, 37.5 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles as a two-time first-team All-CAA pick. Kpassagnon posted the fourth-highest SPARQ results among defensive linemen before the draft, running 4.83 and measuring in with freaky-long arms (35 5/8") and huge hands (10 5/8"). While Kpassagnon looks the part, his tape reveals a slower-moving down lineman who lacks burst and spent too much time on the ground against low-level competition. Kpassagnon’s upside is inarguable, but his NFL learning curve will be steep.

A small-school prospect out of Villanova, Kpassagnon was extremely productive in the Colonial Athletic Association, tallying 22 career sacks, 37.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles. A mountainous 6-foot-7, 289 pounds, Kpassagnon tested as an elite athlete. The problem is, he doesn’t look it on tape. Despite the college production and second-round pedigree, Kpassagnon will be a project.