Saints announce signing of 10 players for 2012

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton answers questions at a news conference at the club's training facility in Metairie, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011. This Payton's first event since breaking his left leg on the sidelines during the Tampa Bay-Saints game.

METAIRIE — The New Orleans Saints announced Wednesday the signing of 10 players to futures contracts for the 2012 season.

Seven of the 10 were on the Saints’ practice squad at one time or another in 2011. Six of them were members of the practice squad when the season ended with a 36-32 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Saturday’s NFC Divisional Playoff game.

The six who finished the season with the team are defensive tackle Mitch King, cornerback Kamaal McIlwain, wide receiver Andy Tanner, running back Chris Taylor, tackle Phil Trautwein and tackle Fenuki Tupou.

Quarterback Sean Canfield, a 2010 seventh-round draft pick who’s been on and off the practice squad and on the active roster for one game in each of the past two seasons, was also signed.

Also signing with the Saints were guard Nick Howell and defensive backs Cord Parks and Josh Victorian.

Victorian, who spent two months on the New England Patriots’ practice squad this season, is a Destrehan High School graduate who played at Louisiana Tech.