This was a bit of a surprise: free agent tight end Foster Moreau returned to the New Orleans Saints team facility on Tuesday to finish the physical he started last week, which was interrupted by his shocking cancer diagnosis. Moreau remains in high spirits about the situation, and has said he intends to continue playing once this is behind him. He’s optimistic he could play for a team this season if his treatment goes well.
Saints News Network’s John Hendrix reports that, “The outlook for Moreau is that it’s a matter of when he’ll play again, not if,” which was echoed by ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. It’s very possible that a team like the Saints could sign Moreau and put him on the non-football injury list until he’s cleared to play, where he wouldn’t count against the roster limit.
NFL rules stipulate that players on the NFI list may be activated as soon as Week 5 (Oct. 9 last year), which would line up with the general timetable Moreau has said he’s working with in treatment. He would need time to get into playing shape even after being activated, but if the Saints are willing to work with him that patience might be rewarded. We’ll have to see how this unique situation develops further.
