Saints Cut 5 Players, Place OLB Anthony Spencer On I.R.

Update:

Nick Underhill is now reporting that the Saints are not releasing veteran OLB Anthony Spencer, and are instead placing him on season-ending injured reserve.

Update on Spencer: He's going on IR.

— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) September 1, 2015

My apologies for not being more thorough.

— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) September 1, 2015

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The New Orleans Saints are releasing veteran OLB Anthony Spencer on Tuesday, according to Nick Underhill, as they cut their roster down to 75 players.

According to reports, the Saints are also parting ways with:

• FB Erik Lorig
• WR Lance Lewis
• LB Ronald Powell
• LB Chris Young
• OT Antonio Johnson
• DE Markus Pierce-Brewster

Spencer, 31, sustained a torn ACL in 2013 during the first game of the season. At the time, he was playing under the Cowboys’ franchise tag, which resulted in him accepting a one-year, prove-it contract with Dallas.

It took him a while to find a team during free agency, but the Saints eventually signed him to a one-year contract in April.

In 2014, Spencer appeared in 13 games and recorded 23 tackles, a half sack, a forced fumble, a recovery for a touchdown and a pass defense. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the N0. 21 defensive end in a 4-3 defense out of 59 qualifying players.

Lorig, 28, is a former seventh-round pick of the Buccaneers back in 2010. He signed a four-year, $4.8 million contract with the Saints back in 2014.

Last year, Lorig appeared in 10 games for the Saints and caught nine passes for 27 yards and a touchdown.