TE Moreau joins Saints after cancer diagnosis

Free agent tight end Foster Moreau, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma earlier this year, has agreed to a contract with the New Orleans Saints, the team announced Wednesday.

Terms were not disclosed, but agent Joe Linta told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that Moreau’s contract is for three years and worth $12 million, including $8 million guaranteed and $3 million in incentives.

Moreau, 26, was diagnosed after a physical conducted by the Saints’ medical staff in March. As part of the free agency process, Moreau visited the Saints in New Orleans and visited the Cincinnati Bengals.

Moreau since has had positive results after treatment and plans to play this season, Linta told Fowler.

Moreau has the go-ahead to return to the football field next week. The Saints will begin their OTA sessions on May 23, although it’s unclear yet how much he’ll participate.

Hodgkin lymphoma, formerly known as Hodgkin’s disease, is a form of cancer that begins in the white blood cells and affects the lymphatic system, part of the body’s immune system. It is the less common of two general types of lymphoma, with the more common category being non-Hodgkin.

Moreau, who is from New Orleans and played football at LSU from 2015 to 2019, was a fourth-round pick of the Raiders in 2019. He caught 91 passes for 1,107 yards and 12 touchdowns during his four seasons in Oakland and Las Vegas.

The Saints have been in need of a veteran tight end after trading Adam Trautman to the Denver Broncos during the 2023 draft. Trautman told ESPN that he requested a trade in February and that the Saints brought in some veteran tight ends during free agency, including Moreau.

ESPN’s Katherine Terrell contributed to this report.