New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Wednesday that the club has agreed on terms with unrestricted free agent tight end Darnell Dinkins on a one-year contract.
Dinkins, 32, is an eight-year NFL veteran who has played for the New York Giants (2002-2003), the Baltimore Ravens (2004-2005) and most recently, the Cleveland Browns (2006-2008). The University of Pittsburgh product broke into the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Giants in 2002 and has gone on to play in 78 career games, making 12 starts.
Dinkins, 6-4, 260 pounds, owns 25 career receptions for 228 yards (9.1 avg.) and three touchdowns, with his most productive season occurring in 2004 with Baltimore when he had a career-high nine receptions for 94 yards. In 2008 Dinkins recorded the longest touchdown reception of his career when he hauled in a 22-yard touchdown pass from QB Derek Anderson against the New York Giants on a Monday Night Football game on October 13 in NFL week six.
The hard-nosed and tenacious former collegiate free safety has also been a fixture on special teams throughout his career and owns 35 career special teams tackles and a forced fumble, and has been a regular contributor in both the return and coverage portions of special teams play throughout his career.
