Sweetwater's Joe Banyard Signs 3-Year Contract With Saints
By: http://www.nola.com
Updated: June 8, 2012
New Orleans Saints have signed free agent quarterback Luke McCown to a one-year contract and also inked rookie free agent RB Joe Banyard to a three-year contract. Both players participated in the team's minicamp from June 5-7 on a tryout basis.
McCown, a 6-4, 217-pound quarterback entering his ninth NFL season, is a former fourth-round selection of the Cleveland Browns. A native of Jacksonville, Texas who went on to star at Louisiana Tech, McCown has played in 20 career games with nine starts in stints with Cleveland (2004), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005-08) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (2009-11). He has completed 184-of-316 career pass attempts for 2,035 yards with nine touchdowns and 14 interceptions for a passer rating of 68.5.
Banyard (5-11, 213) spent his final two years of college eligibility at Texas-El Paso where he rushed for 1,490 yards with 14 touchdowns. As a senior in 2011, he rushed for 867 yards with six touchdowns on 127 carries to go with 12 receptions for 67 yards. The Sweetwater, Texas native played two seasons at UTEP after transferring from Texas Christian. He was originally signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars following the 2012 NFL Draft.
