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July 26 (UPI) -- Former New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan will return to the NFL after agreeing to a short-term contract with the New Orleans Saints. League sources told ESPN and NFL Media that Hogan visited with Saints officials earlier Monday and reached an agreement with the team shortly after. The Saints have yet to confirm the deal.
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The 33-year-old Hogan stepped away from the NFL in February to pursue a career in the Premier Lacrosse League for the Whipsnakes Lacrosse Club. The veteran wideout, however, decided to switch careers again and return to football.
Hogan will compete for a roster spot along with fellow Saints receivers Tre'Quan Smith, Marquez Callaway, Deonte Harris and others in a position group that is thin on talent after the franchise released veteran Emmanuel Sanders this off-season.
New Orleans also lost star receiver Michael Thomas for the beginning of the 2021 season. He was officially placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list Monday after having ankle surgery in June.
Thomas is expected to miss at least the first few weeks of the regular season as a result of the ankle procedure.
Hogan won two Super Bowl championships as a member of the Patriots during a nine-year NFL career that also saw him suit up for the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers and New York Jets. He played in 12 total games for the Panthers and Jets in the 2019 and 2020 seasons while battling injuries.
Prior to his professional football career, Hogan was a standout lacrosse player at Penn State before he played one year of football at Monmouth. He made the jump to the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2012.
In 100 career games, Hogan has notched 216 catches for 2,795 yards and 18 touchdowns.
