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Saints cut Bailey, Meachem, both kickers

By WTOP Staff

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints included 12-time Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey, veteran receiver Robert Meachem and both kickers among their final preseason roster cuts Saturday.

Receiver Nick Toon was among several young, relatively unproven players who survived the last round of cuts before the Saints begin preparations for their Sept. 7 regular-season opener at Atlanta. Others still with the club include undrafted rookie cornerback Brian Dixon; linebackers Kyle Knox and Kasim Edebali; and offensive lineman Senio Kelemete.

New Orleans also held onto to veteran defensive tackle Brandon Deaderick.

The Saints brought in Bailey after he was released by Denver and general manager Mickey Loomis said after the move that Bailey was expected to compete for a starting cornerback job. However, Bailey struggled with a foot injury and saw limited action in only the final two preseason games. Meanwhile, Patrick Robinson, a 2010 first-round draft choice, came back strong from a knee injury and apparently won the job.

The younger cornerbacks the Saints kept over the more accomplished 36-year-old Bailey have been healthier and also contribute on special teams.

The Saints did not immediately indicate what their intentions were at kicker after their decision to cut both veteran Shayne Graham and rookie Derek Dimke, but they could have in mind one of a number of proven kickers cut by other clubs.

Veteran kicker Ryan Succop, for example, was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday after being beaten out by rookie Cairo Santos, a former Lou Groza Award winner from Tulane. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals recently cut veteran kicker Jay Feely.

The Saints also could choose to bring back either of the kickers they had throughout camp after they’ve had an opportunity to review all of the new candidates for that position. When they find a kicker, they’ll have to either cut another player or put one on injured reserve.

Saints players still on the roster who’ve been struggling with injuries during the past few weeks of the preseason include fullback Erik Lorig and linebacker Khairi Fortt.

For now, the Saints have chosen to keep three quarterbacks, giving them the option of going with either veteran Luke McCown or second-year pro Ryan Griffin in the event they need to relieve star quarterback Drew Brees. McCown also has gotten the majority of work as the holder on field goals.

The Saints had to trim 22 players from the roster between Thursday night’s preseason finale and Saturday afternoon’s deadline to get down to the 53-player regular-season limit.

Included among final cuts were: receivers Brandon Coleman, Seantavious Jones and Charles Hawkins; cornerbacks Terrence Frederick, Trevin Wade and Derrius Brooks; running back Derrick Strozier, linebackers Keyunta Dawson and Todd Davis; fullback Greg Jones; tight end Nic Jacobs; defensive tackle Lawrence Virgil; and offensive linemen Jason Weaver, Marcel Jones, Tavon Rooks, Thomas Welch and Matt Armstrong.

A number of the younger players cut by New Orleans could be eligible to be brought back on the club’s practice squad as early as Sunday. The NFL this season expanded practice squads from eight to 10 players.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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