The New Orleans Saints announced today that they have signed free agent defensive lineman Margus Hunt. The announcement was made by Saints' Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

Hunt, 6-8, 295, is a seven-year NFL veteran who was originally selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round (53nd overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft out of Southern Methodist. In seven seasons for Cincinnati (2013-16) and and Indianapolis (2017-19), he's played in 91 regular season games with 25 starts, recording career totals of 101 tackles (68 solo), 7.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and four special teams stops. Hunt has played in four postseason games with two starts, posting six tackles (four solo) and one split sack.

Hunt played in all 16 games with five starts for Indianapolis in 2019, making 17 tackles (14 solo). In 2018, he opened all 15 regular season games he played in and posted 22 tackles, a career-high five sacks, two passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, chipping in four more stops in two postseason starts.

A 31-year-old native of Karksi-Nuia, Estonia, Hunt attended Southern Methodist University where he finished his collegiate career as the NCAA's all-time leader in blocked field goals (10) and ranked second in blocked kicks. He opened 27-of-53 games at SMU, compiling 112 tackles (60 solo), 28.0 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

In 2006, at age 18, Hunt won Estonia's first two gold medals in the World Junior Track and Field Championships with a discus throw of 67.32 meters and a shot put of 20.53 meters, becoming the first athlete in the event to capture gold in both discus and shot put.