Saints Add Three Receivers, Cut DT

From the New Orleans Saints:

For Immediate Release: Thursday, May 13, 2010

New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Thursday the team has signed free agent wide receivers Larry Beavers, Roy Hall and Andy Tanner.

Beavers is a 5-10, 186-pound product of Wesley College who first entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent signed by the Carolina Panthers in 2009. The Annapolis, Md. native was a return specialist in college, holding the NCAA all-division record with 13 touchdowns (10 on kickoffs and three on punts) for the Division III school in addition to 28 receiving scores. Beavers caught two passes for 31 yards for Carolina in the ’09 preseason with a 24-yard kickoff return and four punt returns for an average of 2.8 yards before being waived prior to the regular season.

Hall (6-3, 240) is a three-year veteran who has seen his early career limited due to injuries. A former fifth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2007, Hall has played in seven career regular-season games with one catch for nine yards and five special teams tackles. The Lyndhurst, Ohio native and former Ohio State Buckeye played in three games in ’07 before his rookie season ended with a shoulder injury. He spent the entire 2009 campaign on Indianapolis’ injured reserve list. The 26-year-old wideout, who was waived by the Colts earlier this month, has played in one postseason game in his NFL career, making one tackle on special teams.

Tanner, a rookie from Division II Midwestern State, participated in the Saints’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis last weekend. The 6-0, 183-pound native of Rockwall, Texas played in 38 collegiate games, catching 120 passes for 1,716 yards and 20 touchdowns. He was named first-team All-Lone Star Conference as a senior, leading the Mustangs with 75 receptions for 1,186 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Loomis also announced that the team has released defensive tackle Rodney Leisle. The 29-year-old, who was originally a fifth-round pick of the Saints in 2004, played in 18 games over four seasons with New Orleans. He played in one game for the Saints in 2009 before ending the season on injured reserve with a knee injury.