The Saints have terminated the contract of tight end David Thomas who joined the club in 2009 and waived cornerback Johnny Patrick.

“This was an extremely difficult decision to make with David today,” said General Manager, Mickey Loomis.

 “Since he came here in 2009, he’s been an important part of our team, both with his performance on the field and with the outstanding veteran leadership he’s provided for us.”

Coach Sean Payton added, “David has been important part of our team since the day he arrived here immediately after the 2009 preseason and we appreciate everything he did for us these last four seasons."

“With his dependability, intelligence and work ethic, he was someone our players and coaches could always rely on. On the field, he would set a physical tone and his versatility proved to be a great asset for us," Payton said.

Thomas is a seven-year NFL veteran who came to New Orleans in a trade from the New England Patriots.

Patrick was the club’s second third round choice (88^th overall) in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Louisville.

In two seasons, Patrick appeared in 24 games with one start and posted 29 tackles (23 solo,), three pass defenses and six special teams tackles. In 2012, he appeared in 15 games with one start and recorded 21 tackles (16 solo), three pass defenses and five special teams stops.