The New Orleans Saints have signed defensive ends T.J. Carter and Anthony Lanier II and linebacker Wynton McManis, waived/injured defensive tackle Jalen Dalton and waived tackle Darrin Paulo, it was announced by Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.
Carter, 6 feet 4, 289 pounds, was originally signed as a free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft out of Kentucky. During his college career in Lexington, he totaled 71 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six sacks, five passes defensed and ten quarterback hurries in 50 games (28 starts). The Mableton, Ga., native was part of a senior class that advanced to four consecutive bowl games and won 32 contests, the most wins during a four-year span by Kentucky since 1949-52. Carter played in 13 games with 12 starts as a senior in 2019 and had a career-high 26 tackles, six tackles for loss and two sacks.
Lanier, 6-6, 285, comes to New Orleans after spending the 2020 offseason with the Kansas City Chiefs and the 2019 season on the practice squad of the Los Angeles Chargers. Lanier was originally signed following the 2016 NFL Draft by Washington out of the Alabama A&M. The Savannah, Ga., native has played in 15 games with two starts for Washington (2016-17) and the Chargers (2018), posting career totals of 26 tackles (13 solo), five sacks, four tackles for loss, six passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. In his last full season in 2017, Lanier played in 11 games with two starts for Washington and psoted 26 tackles (13 solo), five sacks, four tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a recovery, recording the five takedowns over a two-game span.
McManis, 6-1, 225, joins New Orleans after spending the last three seasons with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, where he recorded 104 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and 41 special teams stops. In 2019, the Memphis, Tenn., native posted a career-high 86 stops, two sacks and one forced fumble. In 2018, he posted a career-high 25 special teams tackles. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Francisco 49ers out of Memphis and appeared in two contests for the 49ers as a rookie.
