NFL teams
Mike Triplett, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Cortland Finnegan signs with Saints

NFL, New Orleans Saints

After coming out of retirement to make a Super Bowl run with the Carolina Panthers last season, veteran cornerback Cortland Finnegan is back at it with the New Orleans Saints.

Finnegan, 32, signed with New Orleans on Friday, according to a league source.

The Saints have had injury issues at cornerback throughout the summer. However, veteran starter Keenan Lewis told ESPN that he intends to be close to 100 percent healthy by Week 1 and wants to avoid the short-term injured reserve list.

Lewis, who has practiced only once during training camp while trying to recover from a lingering hip injury, said he doesn't want to rush back and never get fully healthy. He said that was the case last year, when he played in only six games with zero starts and had multiple surgeries on his hip.

"I don't want to be back on the field just to say, 'He's out there.' I'm getting back to my form. If it takes a little time, then that's what it's gotta be," said Lewis, who said his current injury is a "strain," as opposed to the tear he suffered last year.

"I'm gonna be back to the old Keenan real soon," said Lewis, who said he was compelled to speak up after seeing speculation on social media that he was injury-prone or might be done for the season. "I just want to be to the point where I can play lock-down ball and I can last and not have major setbacks. ... I feel like players sometimes rush their situation. I tried that last year."

Lewis also stressed that, "even though they don't see me out there, that doesn't mean I'm not working."

It's unclear if the Saints agree with Lewis' timetable or if they're growing impatient and preparing for other options. But Lewis said he won't be helping himself or the team unless he's playing at 90 percent or above. And he doesn't want to be just a rotational backup.

"I'm itching to pull the trigger on myself. But I've got to be smart," Lewis said. "If they want me to build my way back in, that's fine with me. But not at 60, 70 percent.

"I don't mind no competition. I don't care who they bring in."

Finnegan offers a veteran option for the Saints, who have suddenly become extremely young at the cornerback position.

Without Lewis, the Saints' top five cornerbacks would be second-year pros Delvin Breaux, P.J. Williams and Damian Swann, plus undrafted rookies Ken Crawley and De'Vante Harris.

Williams, Crawley and Harris have been impressive this summer -- and Finnegan might have some trouble passing them up in the pecking order. But none of those three has ever played an NFL snap.

Finnegan, 32, spent his first six seasons with the Tennessee Titans before playing with the St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins and Panthers. The 5-foot-10, 190-pounder has 19 career interceptions, including one in Carolina's playoff opener last season.

Finnegan, who earned a reputation as one of the league's "dirtiest" players in various national polls and articles early in his career, has always been feisty and physical -- as was infamously displayed in a 2010 fight with Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson.

Finnegan mostly served as a slot cornerback in Carolina last season. The Saints' interest in Finnegan was first reported by the NFL Network.

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