DT Kendrick Clancy

Former Steelers, Giants and Cardinals starter Kendrick Clancy hit the open market two days ago and signed with the Saints today.

The Cardinals transitioned to the 3-4 defensive scheme this offseason, leaving Clancy as an undersized (6'1, 305), overpaid player forced into a backup role in a scheme that doesn't fit him. Even though Clancy had experience in Pittsburgh in the 3-4, the Cardinals demoted him behind young giants Gate Watson and Alan Branch.

An 11 game starter in 2006, his only season in Arizona, he collected 29 tackles and a sack. Eight years out of Ole Miss, Clancy, who will be 29 in September, has five years as a Steeler and two one-year stints with the Giants and Cardinals on his resume. He started at nose tackle in Arizona, where Hollis Thomas returns as the starter in New Orleans.

His breakout 2005 season in the Giants' 4-3 defense featured 37 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles, starting all but one game. Against the Saints in September of 2005 on the Monday Night "home" game in New York, Clancy had four tackles and a sack. Later that season, against the powerful Seattle interior, he had six tackles and an assist.

To make room the Saints cut LS Pat MacDonald, a rookie from Canada.

The contract is a three year deal, reportedly worth $5.2 million inlcuding base salaries of $1.5 million, $1.6 million and $1.8 million with $400,000 of workout bonuses in years two and three. The deal is worth more than the final three seasons he had left on his terminated Cardinals contract, but the first year is the same.

Contract terms first reported by profootballtalk.com.