Saints: TE Foster Moreau is shining despite ongoing off-the-field battle
The New Orleans Saints re-signed tight end Juwan Johnson to a two-year extension back in March. Two months later, he got some competition in the room when the Saints inked Foster Moreau, a New Orleans native who starred in high school, to a three-year deal worth $12 million with $8 million guaranteed dollars. Before Foster […]
The New Orleans Saints re-signed tight end Juwan Johnson to a two-year extension back in March. Two months later, he got some competition in the room when the Saints inked Foster Moreau, a New Orleans native who starred in high school, to a three-year deal worth $12 million with $8 million guaranteed dollars.
Before Foster was brought on board, it was discovered during a physical when he visited the Saints in March that he had Hopkins Lymphoma, a form of cancer that attacks the immune system.
Foster hasn't let that stop him, though.
He returned to the field last month when The Saints began OTAs, and he's done nothing but show that he can be a valuable asset to the Saints' offense.
Moreau isn't exactly an unknown quantity after four seasons and 12 touchdowns with the Raiders. Nobody quite knew when Moreau would be returning to football, however, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in the offseason. It would be impossible to know that detail based on his play in OTAs and minicamp. Moreau was a frequent target of quarterback Derek Carr throughout practice and participated in 11-on-11 drills without limitations. He worked with both the first and second team during OTAs and could compete with Juwan Johnson for snaps as the team's No. 1 or No. 2 tight end. — Katherine Terrell, ESPN
Foster spent his first four seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders and racked up 91 receptions for 1,107 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The Saints bringing in Foster certainly helps the team, but it also reunited him with Derek Carr. With four years of playing time together, Carr and Foster formed chemistry and trust between each other.
Once Carr got back on the field with Foster, it was like riding a bike. However, he recognizes how strong his old friend is given his current circumstances.
"It was amazing. There was no learning curve on how to throw him a football," said Carr last month. "I know how he gets out of breaks and things like that.
"I don't want to undersell what that man just walked through. That's pretty scary news and a pretty scary thing to go through and for him to be out there already, I'm not getting into his business but that's pretty miraculous.
"I know he's thankful. We were praying for him. He called us pretty early when he found out. You know he asked my wife and I to pray for him and obviously, we do because we're family. I'm just happy that he's out there and doing something that he loves to do, and that fact that we get to play together is pretty cool, too."
This is a pretty miraculous story, and it looks like it will have a happy ending for Foster.
Feature image via Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
