Chris Hogan signs deal with New Orleans Saints, source says

METAIRIE, Louisiana – After moonlighting as a lacrosse player this summer, veteran wide receiver Chris Hogan will return to the NFL and try to help the New Orleans Saints make up for the absence of injured star Michael Thomas.

Hogan, 33, agreed to a deal with the Saints on Monday, a source told ESPN’s Mike Reiss, confirming an NFL Network report.

As expected, Thomas was officially placed on the physically unable to play list on Monday to start training camp. He should be running out of time early in the regular season after having ankle surgery in June.

Hogan (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) will compete for a spot on the roster with Saints receivers Tre’Quan Smith, Deonte Harris, Marquez Callaway and others in a positional squad that lacks proven talent after the Nova -Orléans released veteran Emmanuel Sanders this offseason.

Hogan won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots in a nine-year career that has also seen him play with the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers and New York Jets. But after playing just 12 total games with the Panthers and Jets in 2019 and 2020 while battling injury, he briefly decided to switch careers this offseason and play in the Premier Lacrosse League before the Saints left. ‘attract.

Hogan was an outstanding lacrosse player at Penn State before spending a year playing football at Monmouth and joining the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2012. He was mostly inactive during his time in the PLL, starting with the Cannons before being traded to the Whip Snakes.

Back in the NFL, Hogan brings versatility with his background. He lined up almost equally in the lunge and on the wide while capturing 216 passes for 2,795 yards and 18 touchdowns in the regular season. He still has 34 catches for 542 yards and four touchdowns in the playoffs.