Foster Moreau Returns to New Orleans to Complete Physical - Sports Illustrated

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It was a bit of a surprise seeing a Saints visit reported for Foster Moreau on the NFL Wire on Tuesday. However, it wasn't without a reason. According to a league source, the free agent tight end was in New Orleans to complete his physical that he started the first time.

It was just a couple of weeks ago that Moreau visited the Saints, and then some unfortunate news was uncovered by the Dr. John Amoss of the medical team during the physical. Moreau is dealing with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which is going to force him to step away from football.

Moreau has a great outlook on things, and from what I was told, it's not a matter of if he will play again, but when. A team could theoretically sign the tight end and then place him on the non-football injury list.

What does that mean? Here's the best explanation.

Players who begin the season on NFI (as of cutdowns to 53-man rosters) can be activated after the team has played its first four regular season games.

However, a player on this list is not entitled to receive his salary, and his contract will continue to run while in such status. That said, the team and player can negotiate a rate of payment for the player while on this list.

If such a player is in the last year of his contract (including option years), his contract will toll, provided the player is not physically able to provide his services by the team's sixth regular-season game and the team pays his prorated base salary for the balance of the season after that date. If the player is taken off of NFI during the league-allotted window, his contract will not toll.

We'll see what happens with Moreau, but him being around to conduct a physical is certainly encouraging.