Rishard Matthews might be back in the NFL soon. The veteran receiver got a tryout from the New Orleans Saints at their minicamp this week, per Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
Matthews' situation was a bizarre case, as he went from being a massive part of the Titans' offense to being released in the blink of an eye. He was originally drafted by the Dolphins in the seventh round back in 2012, and it didn't take too long for him to make an impact.
After a strong 2015 season, he inked a three-year deal with Tennessee. In his first season with the Titans in 2016, he had 65 catches for 945 yards, both career-highs. He was again productive in 2017, racking up 795 yards in just 14 games. He held out in the summer of 2018, and the Titans eventually gave him a one-year extension.
It was never exactly clear what was going on, although it was eventually revealed he was dealing with some sort of injury. Just three games into last season, he was cut. He latched on with the Jets but appeared in only five games while making just two catches before being placed on injured reserve.
Matthews is still only 29, so he should have plenty left in the tank physically. The Saints struggled for consistent options behind Michael Thomas last season, so their interest makes some sense. Defenses keyed in on Thomas and too often Drew Brees was throwing to a rotating cast of former UDFAs and castoffs.
At this point in free agency, Matthews would be a decent low-risk signing. If he can get back to his old heights, it could turn out to be a great move.
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