The New Orleans Saints announced Monday that they have signed unrestricted free agent defensive tackle Nick Fairley to a one-year contract.The announcement was made by Saints' Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

The 6-foot-4, 308-pound Fairley comes to New Orleans after spending the 2015 season with the St. Louis Rams. He was originally selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round (13th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft out of Auburn. Fairley has career totals in five seasons of 161 tackles (98 solo), 14 sacks, four passes defensed, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. The Mobile, Al. native played in 15 games for the Rams in 2015 along their defensive line rotation and recorded a career-high 63 tackles (31 solo), a split sack, two passes defensed and one fumble recovery.

At Auburn Fairley started 16-of-27 games from 2009-10 and recorded 88 tackles (50 solo), 13 sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one interception and a blocked kick. In 2010, he set a school record with 11.5 sacks and added 60 tackles, two fumble recoveries and one interception. He was a consensus first-team All-American, recipient of the Rotary Lombardi Tropy, awarded annually to the nation's top collegiate lineman and named Defensive MVP of the BCS Championship game after registering five solo tackles, a sack, three stops for losses and a forced fumble in a win over Oregon.