Insider Notes from Senior Bowl Practice Day 2: Saints HC job undesirable, Diontae Johnson's NFL future, and more

As the football world travels to Mobile, Alabama, for the Senior Bowl to scout more than 100 draft-eligible prospects, so too did representatives from the league’s 32 teams.

This will be the largest gathering of general managers, coaches, scouts and decision makers until the combine next month. And as one would expect, there is plenty of news floating around.

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New Orleans Saints HC job is undesirable

I’ve tried to get to the bottom of why it’s taken the New Orleans Saints so long to hire a coach, and people tell me it’s not a desirable job at present time. One person told me outright, “No one wants the job!” An exaggeration? Yes, but there is a bit of truth to it. The reasons given include the salary-cap hell the team is facing and the front office.

Last month, when I talked about the club’s desire for Aaron Glenn, I mentioned that longtime general manager Mickey Loomis would be going nowhere and rumors were he hoped to keep some of the prior coaching staff on board.

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Steelers expected to cut Preston Smith

The Senior Bowl is the unofficial start of free agency, as general managers often meet with agents in Mobile and talk about interest in players who will soon be on the market.

On Tuesday, I was told by people close to the situation that Preston Smith will be a cap casualty and is expected to be cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Smith, a nine-year veteran, signed a four-year, $52 million deal with his former club, the Green Bay Packers, in 2022.

The Packers traded Smith to the Steelers in November last year for a seventh-round pick. His cap number the final two years of his deal is projected to be around $27.5 million according to Spotrac. Based on my conversations, I’d say there’s a 99 percent chance Smith gets cut by the Steelers.

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Diontae Johnson's NFL future

One of the more interesting names on the free agent market will be receiver Diontae Johnson, who was traded by the Steelers last off season- a story I broke from the Combine.

Johnson was traded from Pittsburgh to Carolina last March, then from Carolina to Baltimore in late October. The Ravens then cut Johnson after initially suspending him due to his refusal to enter a game.

The Houston Texans picked up the receiver on waivers in late December only to cut him three weeks later. The Ravens then picked up Johnson off waivers from Houston with the hopes they will receive a compensatory pick in the draft if he signs a free agent deal with another team. Confused? So am I.

People tell me Johnson is not a bad guy rather someone who cannot control his emotions and he gets flustered when things don’t go his way. Expectations are Johnson will sign a veteran minimum deal laden with incentives in the off season by a team willing to roll the dice on his talent.

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Texas' Cameron Williams surprises

Texas underclassman Cameron Williams reported for combine training recently and people may be pleasantly surprised by his measurements, specifically his weight. The offensive tackle, projected as a first-round pick by some, is assumed to weigh more than 350 pounds. I’m told Williams measured slightly over 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds with 36-inch arms as he starts his journey to the combine.