Former Saints DB Eli Apple Remains a Free Agent
A former starter in the defensive backfield for the New Orleans Saints is still looking for a new NFL home after it appeared as though he had found one.
Eli Apple, who played for the Saints for parts of the last two seasons, had his free agent deal with the Las Vegas Raiders fall through on Thursday.
The 24-year old Apple agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal with the Raiders in the opening days of the free agency period.
After a stellar collegiate career at Ohio St., the New York Giants selected Apple with the 10th-overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
After a rookie campaign in which he accumulated 49 tackles and one interception, Apple was suspended by the Giants in 2017, after a confrontation with an assistant coach and after teammate Landon Collins called him a cancer in a radio interview.
The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Apple still finished 2017 with 49 combined tackles 8 passes defended.
Through five games in 2018, Apple compiled 22 tackles, to go along with 5 passes defended, before being traded to the Saints for two draft choices.
In 10 games with New Orleans in 2018, all as a starter, Apple accumulated 52 tackles and two interceptions, before appearing in 15 games with the Saints last season, all as a starter, racking up 58 tackles.
The Saints declined the fifth-year option on Apple's contract at the end of the season, making him a free agent.