Michael Floyd made it clear that he’s looking for a fresh start to what’s left of his once-promising NFL career.

So the St. Paul Deyshawn Bond Jersey , Minnesota, native, who floundered with his hometown Vikings last season, is now working on the opposite end the Mississippi River, trying to show Sean Payton and Co. why the New Orleans Saints were right to give him a look.

”I think I still have a lot to offer. I’m only 28,” the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Floyd said Thursday, after his second practice with the Saints on Thursday. ”I don’t think I’m too old.”

Saints coach Sean Payton described the signing as relatively low risk this early in camp, when rosters are at 90 players and the club has about a month to evaluate players before trimming its roster to the regular season maximum of 53.

”I think I know what he can be,” Payton said. ”That’s the cool thing about coaching, is when you get somebody and you feel like you can make a difference.”

Receivers coach Curtis Johnson added that the Saints’ style of offense ”allows guys like him to be productive,” whether it be blocking on the edge for the Saints’ strong running game or rising up in the end zone for a Drew Brees fade pass.

”He’s a very physical player. I thought he caught the ball well today,” Johnson said. ”So, his size and his speed can really help us.”

Floyd was a prominent receiver for Arizona early in his career. He had 1,041 yards and five touchdowns receiving in 2013 and no fewer than 841 yards in each of the two seasons after that. But his production – and the arc of his career – dipped considerably in 2016, a season marred by a drunken driving arrest and late-season release from the Cardinals.

New England snapped him up en route to a Super Bowl triumph that season, but Floyd’s contributions to the Patriots’ success were limited at best. In two regular season games O. J. Simpson Jersey , he caught four passes, including a 14-yard TD. He had one catch in New England’s playoff opener -when he also had an interception bounce off his hands – and was scratched for the AFC title game and Super Bowl.

Last season, Floyd played in 11 games for the Vikings after serving a four-game suspension by the NFL for using a banned substance. He finished the regular season with only 10 catches for 78 yards.

In free agency, Floyd was not heavily sought after. He had a tryout with Baltimore but remained unsigned when training camps opened. He signed this week with New Orleans, which was looking to add receivers because of injuries to three young players at that position.

A handful of other teams had offered tryouts, but Floyd and his agent, Brian Murphy of Athletes First, decided to be selective about accepting such invitations.

”What we learned last year in Minnesota is that what appears to be good fit on the surface might not necessarily end up being ideal, and it’s nobody’s fault,” Murphy told The Associated Press by phone. ”We were very careful this year to pinpoint teams where we were confident Michael would have an opportunity to contribute.”

Floyd said it was important to him to join a team with players he knew. The Saints roster includes linebacker Manti Teo, Floyd’s former college teammate at Notre Dame. Floyd also was already acquainted with Saints running back Shane Vereen and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who also are represented by Athletes First.

”There’s a lot of things that come into play when you’re choosing to be on a team,” Floyd said. ”I chose Minnesota last year just because I know a whole bunch of guys on the team and I knew what they’re about. And playing with (Vikings tight end) Kyle Rudolph in college, it’s something that I think, in my life, that I wanted to be around guys that were close to me.”

Why didn’t his stint with the Vikings work out? It appeared Floyd preferred not to express any opinion about that when he smiled wryly and said, ”I have no idea.”

In New Orleans La'el Collins Jersey , Floyd said he sees ”a great team, a great coach and guys that I’ve been knowing for a decade. It’s always good to go on a team and have guys that you already know. It makes a lot of things more smooth.”

Floyd also alluded to what he hopes will be a blossoming relationship with the prolific Brees.

”Having a (projected) Hall of Fame quarterback throwing you the ball – I think that makes a big difference,” Floyd said.

—


CLEVELAND — LeBron James said he is going to play in the season finale Wednesday against the New York Knicks, which means for the first time in his career he will appear in all 82 regular-season games.

As for the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers, well, that’s up to coach Tyronn Lue.

The Cavs (50-31) who host the Knicks after beating them on Monday 123-109, are playing for a shot at third place in the East.

The Philadelphia 76ers won their 15th straight game by beating Atlanta on Tuesday, and the Sixers hold a one-game lead over the Cavs for third in the East. For the Cavs to nab the No. 3 seed heading into the playoffs, they need to beat the Knicks while the Milwaukee Bucks beat Philadelphia.

If that happens, the 76ers and Cavs would finish with the same record, but Cleveland holds the tiebreaker against Philadelphia.

What Lue must decide is whether he wants to play all of his rotation players together for the first time this season, on the last day he can before the playoffs start, or just make sure the team is as healthy as it can be.

If the Cavs finish fourth, which is where they sit now, they would host Indiana in a first-round series for a second consecutive season.

“I think the most important thing is just making sure everyone is healthy,” Lue said. “I know guys are trying to be tough and tough it out but that’s not smart right now. We’ve got to be smart going into the playoffs, make sure we’re as close to 100 percent healthy as we can be.”

Then again AJ McCarron Jersey , as long as James is playing, the Cavs have a chance in any game. James, 33, declared he would play in the finale because he is “healthy.” Not only will he play in all 82 for the first time in his storied career, but he will lead the NBA in total points for the first time, too.

With Monday’s win, James became the first player in NBA history to be on a team that won its division in 10 consecutive seasons. The Cavs clinched the Central Division by beating the Knicks.

“Throughout a long season if you’re able to accomplish feats, no matter what’s going on, you should always try to appreciate it, try to take time,” said James, who scored 26 points with 11 assists Monday. “I’m kind of like been a hypocrite of that because I’m always moving and trying to figure how we can be better the next day or whatever the case (might) be. So, it’s always hard for me to be like, ‘OK, another division crown.’ Even after all that’s gone on with our team and our ballclub this year, but it’s a pretty cool thing.”

James tied the Cavs’ franchise season record for double doubles (52 — Brad Daugherty), and can set the record Wednesday. Also Chad Kelly Jersey , don’t get any ideas about James playing only a few minutes Wednesday to say he appeared in his 82nd game — he has his NBA record of 872 consecutive games with at least 10 points to protect.

As previously mentioned, the Cavs have yet to play a game with their current, full complement of players. If Rodney Hood returns from a sore Achilles and George Hill, Kyle Korver, and Jose Calderon are all allowed to play (they all suited up against the Knicks but continue to nurse minor injuries), Wednesday would be a first.

The best thing the Knicks have going for them now is rookie Frank Ntilikina, who scored a career-high 17 points to go with six rebounds and five assists Monday. Before Monday’s game, James said Ntilikina was “a very cerebral basketball player.

“I think defensively he’s more advanced than offensively but I think he’s getting better and better offensively as he’s gotten more opportunity and played more games.”

Ntilikina told the New York Post: “I’m thankful for (James’ words) coming from the top player in this league.”

“As a kid, I didn’t know I’d be here and able to compete against these guys,” said Ntilikina, who was drafted eighth overall last June.

New York (28-53) has lost six of its last seven and is tied with Brooklyn for the eighth-worst record (remember, the Cavs own the Nets’ first-round pick). The Knicks have lost 50 or more games four years in a row and haven’t been to the playoffs since 2013.

This could be coach Jeff Hornacek’s last game with the Knicks. New team president Steve Mills may want to hire his own coach; Hornacek was hired by Phil Jackson. Hornacek is 59-104 in two seasons in New York.

“Our guys didn’t quit,” Hornacek said, according to the Post. “I don’t think we’re that far off.”

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