How The Offseason Plans For New Orleans Saints Has Become Clearer During Free Agency

The Saints have been somewhat quiet in free agency, as expected. In doing so, however, a fairly clear plan has been revealed at each position group.

Author:
Bob Rose
Updated:
Mar 17, 2024 4:04 PM EDT
Original:
Mar 17, 2024

In this story:

New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints have not been active on the open market through the first week of free agency. That should come as no surprise. New Orleans did their annual financial juggling to get under the salary cap. In doing so, they restructured or extended the contracts of several key veterans to avoid releasing them.

The Saints did lose a few key players in WR Michael Thomas, S Marcus Maye, and DT Malcolm Roach. Veteran offensive lineman Andrus Peat also remains unsigned and available to other teams.

New Orleans has not stayed completely quiet. They've signed a starting quality linebacker and added WR depth (we won't talk about the quarterback ''addition''). We should expect the Saints to add a few more veterans, more for depth purposes. However, a clear plan has emerged at each position through the early portion of free agency.

QUARTERBACK

The Saints were never going to pursue Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Jimmy Garoppolo, or any other starting quarterback on the open market. As soon as the team decided that Dennis Allen would return for a third year as head coach, the simultaneous decision was made that Derek Carr would be the starting quarterback.

Additionally, forget the Saints entertaining the possibility of drafting a quarterback in the first round. Derek Carr is your starter for at least the 2024-25 campaign, folks, whether you like it or not. Hopefully, Jake Haener can prove that he's at least a quality #2 by beating out the absurd signing of Nathan Peterman.

New Orleans could use a Day 3 draft choice on a signal caller if they see one they like, but that'll be the only significant activity at this position.

RUNNING BACK

Firstly, Alvin Kamara isn't going anywhere. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has to be salivating at the possibility of using Kamara in similar ways to the way he used Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco.

Kendre Miller also has tantalizing possibilities after flashing excellent potential down the stretch. We'll also see Jamaal Williams used in more situations. Kubiak's system is based on a one-cut, zone blocking philosophy that will benefit all three backs, along with Taysom Hill.

Like at quarterback, the Saints could possibly grab a back late in the draft. That will be the most activity we see here.

WIDE RECEIVER

New Orleans went into free agency with only Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and A.T. Perry under contract at wideout. A trio of exciting playmakers, to be sure, but adding more depth was a must. Cedrick Wilson, most recently of the Dolphins, is certainly not capable of replacing what a healthy Michael Thomas could do. However, Wilson is a quality third or fourth wideout.

Stanley Morgan Jr. has blazing speed, but his best shot is as a special teams contributor. The unceremonious split between Thomas and the Saints is sad, but it's clear that each side needed to move on. If New Orleans adds another free-agent wideout, it'll be a cheap veteran to fill out the depth chart. Bringing back either Keith Kirkwood or Lynn Bowden Jr. is certainly a strong possibility.

Don't be surprised if the Saints draft another wideout or two. Another big-bodied pass catcher is still an underrated need, so a quality route runner will likely be added in the middle or late rounds of the draft.

TIGHT END

It's quite clear that the Saints are happy with what they have at this position. For the last three years, quality tight ends were available on the open market at a relatively cheap cost. New Orleans showed little interest.

Juwan Johnson has shown that he can be a matchup problem for defenses. Foster Moreau is a solid blocker and a somewhat reliable short or intermediate target. Kubiak uses tight ends creatively, so Johnson, Moreau, and Taysom Hill should have even more productivity in 2024.

Georgia TE Brock Bowers has been projected to the Saints at 14th overall in some mocks. Penn State's Theo Johnson heads a group of talented tight ends that should come off the board late in Day 2 or early in Day 3. If the Saints pass on a bigger wideout, a pass catching tight end would fill the bill nicely. Even with Kubiak on board, don't be surprised if New Orleans passes on the chance to bring in a tight end again.

OFFENSIVE LINE

This remains the biggest need on either side of the ball. It's not surprising that New Orleans didn't address their tackle issues in free agency. A premium tackle rarely hits the open market in their prime. On the rare occasion it does happen, they cost a fortune. The Saints were expected from the start of the offseason to address tackle early in the draft, so that doesn't change.

One area that I expected New Orleans to target in free agency was the guard position. It was a big surprise when Robert Hunt, Damien Lewis, and a few other guards received astronomical contracts off the open market. Such deals may have caused the Saints to back off. There are still a few quality guards available. Dalton Risner, Connor Williams, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, or Laken Tomlinson would be great additions.

I still think it's a strong possibility that New Orleans brings in another interior blocker via free agency. If so, they'll likely wait until closer to the draft in hopes of landing one on a smaller contract. Re-signing Peat, who can play guard and tackle, or Trai Turner is also a strong possibility. As noted above, anyone who follows the team should expect a tackle to be drafted on the first or second day.

DEFENSIVE END/EDGE

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) rushes Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10). © Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK

Even with DE Carl Granderson's 8.5 sacks, the Saints had just 34 sacks in 2023, fourth worst in the league. The edge position accounted for only 16 sacks, 41 QB hits, and 24 tackles for loss.

Future Hall of Famer Cam Jordan is still an effective player, but better suited to somewhat limited snaps at this point in his 13-year career. Former first-round choice Payton Turner has missed 36 of a possible 51 games because of injuries. Isaiah Foskey, a second-round pick last year, did little as a rookie.

As with offensive tackle, a top-tier edge rusher rarely hits free agency in the prime of their careers. When they do, landing them costs an astronomical amount (See: Danielle Hunter). All this means that the Saints are expected to use a first or second round choice on an edge rusher for the fourth time in seven years.

New Orleans is set to visit with DE Chase Young this week. Young, the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has had an enigmatic career. Still, the Saints could land him on a one-cut ''prove it'' contract that could be beneficial to both sides if agreeable by Young. Even if Young is nabbed by the Saints, the team is still likely to target this spot in the draft.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Bryan Bresee, a first-round pick last season, looks like a potential perennial All-Pro after a strong rookie year. Free-agent acquisition Nathan Shepherd had a solid, if unspectacular, year. However, fellow free-agent pickup Khalen Saunders did little defensively and Malcolm Roach was lost in free agency.

The Saints have a quality starting tandem here, but need a more reliable rotation. Jer'Zhan Newton from Illinois could be a surprise first-round choice and would form a dynamic interior duo with Bresee. Free agency would only fill out the back portion of the depth chart at this stage.

The most likely scenario is that New Orleans scoops up a cast-off defensive tackle or two to fill out the interior rotation. A mid or late round draft choice at the position is also a good possibility.

LINEBACKER

The addition of former Kansas City LB Willie Gay in free agency checks off a big priority for the defense. Gay gives New Orleans an athletic running mate to Demario Davis, a major need in recent years. With Pete Werner also available, the Saints can now trot out a quality trio of linebackers and add more flexibility to their scheme.

If New Orleans adds another free agent to this position, it will only be for special teams value. Gay is only signed to a one-year contract. Davis, while still a tremendous player, is 35 and heading into his 13th season.

The Saints may draft an off-ball linebacker in the middle rounds for future development. It isn't an immediate need, thanks to the Gay signing.

CORNERBACK

The mostly unfounded rumors of a possible Marshon Lattimore trade were all but eliminated when Isaac Yiadom was lost to San Francisco. This was unlikely to happen with or without Yiadom. The Saints were never going to get proper value for Lattimore, who is still critical to defensive success.

Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, and Alontae Taylor form arguably the NFL's best trio of corners. However, all three are at their best on the outside. As a result, the Saints brought slot specialist Avonte Maddox in for a free agent visit.

Adebo is entering a contract year and is coming off the best season of his career. However, the only way the Saints make a significant addition at this position, whether through free agency or the draft, is if it is a player able to play the slot.

Safety

New Orleans thinks highly of Jordan Howden, a rookie fifth-round choice last season. So highly that they deemed S Marcus Maye expendable and released him.

Howden will team with veteran S Tyrann Mathieu on the back end. However, the Saints have zero depth at this position. Mathieu and Howden are both versatile enough to play the back end, slot, or in the tackle box. Expect New Orleans to bring in another safety with similar versatility and perhaps a few more as special teams contributors.

This draft looks extremely thin at safety. The Saints may select one, but not likely before Day 3. Free agency has thinned out options, but Quandre Diggs, Micah Hyde, Tracey Walker, and Jayron Kearse are currently available.

Draft Answers?

Washington Huskies defensive end Bralen Trice (8) tackles Oregon Ducks running back Bucky Irving (0). Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

With glaring needs along the offensive line and at edge rusher, most expect New Orleans to address each early in the draft. Free agency was never likely going to change either need.

The Saints own the 14th selection of the first round and a second round pick (45th overall), but not another choice until the fifth round at Number 150 overall. They have seven selections in Day 3, including four in the fifth round and two in the sixth.

With that ammunition, we should expect the Saints to be aggressive in packaging them in trades to move up for earlier picks. For a team that has talent at nearly every position but was going to be selective in free agency, a plan has clearly been laid out from the start of the offseason.