As expected, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha met with the Saints on Sunday. But he really didn’t meet with the Saints, per se.
As explained by Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Asomugha met with defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, because coach Sean Payton and G.M. Mickey Loomis already had left for the league meetings in Arizona.
Ryan, who coached Asomugha in Oakland, is believed to be pushing aggressively for the Saints to sign Asomugha. Ryan had a direct role in the Cowboys’ effort to sign Asomugha in 2011, and as we understand it Ryan nearly pulled it off. It’s unclear whether Asomugha’s visit with Ryan makes the player more likely or less likely to join the Saints.
The 49ers remain interested in Asomugha, who visited San Francisco last week. And as we learned with Jake Long’s decision to sign in St. Louis, the fact that a guy left town without signing a contract doesn’t mean he won’t.