Advocate staff photo by SCOTT THRELKELD — New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Morgan (13) beats Tennessee Titans cornerback Coty Sensabaugh (24) for a long catch to set up a New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) touchdown during the second quarter Friday, Aug. 15, 2014, at the Mercedes Benz Superdome.
Changes after losses such as the Saints’ 41-10 one to Carolina on Sunday aren’t atypical, and at least one has apparently happened Tuesday.
Fourth-year receiver Joseph Morgan was told he was being waived, the NFL Network reported Tuesday. A source indicated the report on Morgan was accurate.
Earlier Tuesday, Morgan himself ominously wrote on his verified Twitter account, “Welp,” and he included an angry face. He added in a separate tweet, “Lol on the day off though.”
NFL Network also reported Tuesday more changes were in store. This is not surprising, given that coach Sean Payton said more than once he would not rule out any changes to the roster despite the fact the 15th week of the season begins Thursday.
Morgan didn’t touch the ball often; but when he did, the result was usually a big play. He only had 14 catches and two rushes in the 19 games he suited out for the Saints — but he generated three touchdown grabs, 471 receiving yards and 68 rushing yards. Those numbers equate to a mind-boggling 33.7 yards per touch.
Yet Morgan’s waiver concludes what’s been a turbulent tenure in New Orleans. The undrafted player out of Walsh (an NAIA program in his hometown of Canton, Ohio) missed his entire rookie season in 2011 and all of what would’ve been his third year as a pro in 2013 with knee injuries.
He was arrested during the 2013 offseason on suspicion of drunken driving and entered a diversion program offering him the opportunity to avoid prosecution in exchange for submitting to monitoring, counseling and other social services. Then, this season, he was suspended for two games for an undisclosed violation of team regulations.
That suspension followed Morgan’s being inactive for five of the Saints’ first seven games this season by decision of the coaching staff.
But, when he was on the field, he could be a very dangerous weapon. He showed that in 2012 when he registered 379 receiving yards and three touchdowns on just 10 catches. This year, a 67-yard run in a defeat to the Ravens on Nov. 24 is the Saints’ longest rush this season as of Tuesday.
Morgan also had a 62-yard catch in the loss to the Ravens.
Morgan didn’t catch a pass for the Saints (5-8) in a Nov. 30 win at Pittsburgh or in the rout to the Panthers in New Orleans a week later. He was targeted on an underthrown pass that was intercepted by the Panthers early in the game.
Morgan — a father to two young daughters — is scheduled to host a children’s toy drive at Lakeside Mall in Metairie on Saturday, a pair of days before the Saints play the Bears (5-8) in Chicago. He’s been open about how his girls motivate him to give back to the communities he’s a part of whenever he can.
Remaining Saints receivers are veteran Marques Colston, second-year pro Kenny Stills, third-year man Nick Toon and veteran Robert Meachem. There’s also wide rookie receiver/return specialist Jalen Saunders, who was signed two days after rookie receiver/punt returner Brandin Cooks broke a thumb in a Nov. 16 loss at home to Cincinnati.
Note: This story has been modified since it was first published.