Spencer, 31, spent his first eight seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, who drafted him in the first round in 2007. He recorded 33 sacks, 497 tackles and 12 forced fumbles in 104 games (67 starts). Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The New Orleans Saints have signed linebacker Anthony Spencer to a one-year contract, the team announced Friday.
Spencer, 31, spent his first eight seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, who drafted him in the first round in 2007. He recorded 33 sacks, 497 tackles and 12 forced fumbles in 104 games (67 starts).
Spencer’s best season came in 2012, when he tallied 11 sacks and 106 tackles. But he suffered a knee injury in the 2013 season opener and underwent microfracture surgery.
He returned to Dallas on a one-year contract last year and played 13 in games, with 25 tackles and just half a sack. In the Cowboys’ two playoff games, he had a sack and a forced fumble.
Spencer joins a New Orleans defense that has undergone a bit of a makeover this offseason, with the additions of cornerbacks Brandon Browner and Kyle Wilson and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe. Gone are cornerbacks Patrick Robinson and Corey White and linebacker Curtis Lofton.
