METAIRIE, La. – Junior Galette passed his physical Saturday and expects to be officially released by the New Orleans Saints on Monday, the pass rusher and his agent Alvin Keels both confirmed to ESPN.
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In five NFL seasons Galette has amassed 31.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and four pass deflections all coming with the Saints.
The NFL is investigating allegations that Galette was caught on video striking a woman with a belt in 2013, though Galette’s lawyer denies the man in the video is his client.
While it remains a mystery where Galette will end up, one thing is certain: He won’t be missed by his former teammates in New Orleans.
The legal issues weren’t the only reasons the team decided to part ways with Galette, according to The Times-Picayune, which reported that his attitude and behavior changed for the worse after he signed his contract. The story alleges a fistfight between Galette and Brandon Deaderick in the locker room before a preseason game last year, along with accusations that Galette became lazy and entitled after receiving a long-term contract extension.
Galette was arrested in January for allegedly injuring a female house guest while trying to force her to leave his home – though charges were later dismissed.
“He stayed focused long enough to get paid”, a former teammate said, “then the real Junior came out”.
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Galette has 22 sacks over the past two seasons, but it’s worth noting that even after that outpouring, the Saints were willing to take a financial hit just to get rid of him this summer. By waiting until after June 1, the Saints can spread out the cap hit over the next two years – $5.45 million this year and a whopping $12.1 million next year. On Saturday he hopped onto his girlfriend’s Twitter account and laid into the franchise, some former teammates, and head coach Sean Payton.
