How the Saints Might Replace Terron Armstead and Marcus Williams
The Saints are going to roll the dice a little by letting Terron Armstead and Marcus Williams hit the open market. It's not completely surprising, as New Orleans didn't use the franchise tag on either player. However, there's a real possibility of two of their key starters will not be on the 2022 squad.
Free agency starts on March 16, but the NFL's legal tampering period will begin on Monday. The Saints are still working to get under the cap, but have been making moves to get there. We take a look at how things might play out for New Orleans if Armstead and Williams cannot be retained.
Marcus Williams
THE CONCERNS: Losing a top free safety who has only gotten better with time is a major concern. The way Williams has been able to play center field and put his closing speed on display has really helped the Saints secondary. He's also worked to improve his tackling and has been a consistent presence since his rookie season. Replacing him is certainly difficult and challenging, but not impossible.
RE-SIGNING A FAMILIAR FACE: Williams leaving could open the door for P.J. Williams to come back. He's certainly found a certain level of comfort playing at safety over the past couple of seasons. He's also earned more than just a year-to-year contract. In 2020, he got $2 million to re-sign, and then got a fully guaranteed $2.3 million for 2021. Pitching him on a two or three-year deal even as a primary reserve option wouldn't be bad, giving him upside to start.
FREE AGENT MARKET: Tyrann Mathieu remains one of the hottest names that will be available, and it appears there may be some mutual interest between him and the Saints. Mathieu is much older than Williams, and this might be one of the last big contracts for him to get in his career. What would be a bit perplexing is if the Saints try to pay Mathieu in the range of Williams. It could very well happen, but come at lesser years.
Another option to consider would be Marcus Maye, who is coming off a torn Achilles. He has some things to sort out from a February DUI. Given the injury, he'll likely have a one-year 'prove it' deal with a team. Quandre Diggs would be another player to eye, but is also coming off a regular season finale broken fibula and dislocated ankle. The Seahawks did not use the franchise tag on him, and he's expected to be ready for the summer.
DRAFT: Williams was a 2nd Round pick, so could lightning strike twice for them? What makes things difficult is the greater needs on offense. It would absolutely make sense for the team to draft a wide receiver and offensive lineman in the first couple of rounds. It feels like this is an area where New Orleans goes with a veteran to keep the continuity. However, it goes without saying that Kris Richard could absolutely develop whoever is drafted.
LIKELIEST SCENARIO TO REPLACE: Free Agency
Oct 25, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Terron Armstead (72) blocks against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Terron Armstead
STAYING IN-HOUSE: Some have suggested that moving Ryan Ramczyk to the left tackle spot, but that doesn't seem likely. What could happen here is that the team gives veteran James Hurst a shot at being their starter. Depth should see Landon Young return after suffering a season-ending injury last year, and there's major question marks after that.
MARKET OPTIONS: There's really no easy way to say this, but most of the left tackle free agent market is old. Cam Robinson might have been the most appealing option if he were not franchise tagged by the Jaguars. Among the players that will be available include Nate Solder (34 in April), Duane Brown (37 in August), Eric Fisher (31), and Riley Reiff (33). One other idea is exploring a trade, and the Cowboys are having active conversations around La'el Collins. However, there would be a few concerns rolling with him as the starter.
DRAFTING: No one would be surprised to see the Saints use their 18th overall pick to get an offensive tackle. Some appealing options that could be around include Mississippi State's Charles Cross, Northern Iowa's Trevor Penning, and Central Michigan's Bernhard Raimann. Getting Doug Marrone back in the mix will certainly help the Saints out, and could even get Cesar Ruiz on a more consistent track.
LIKELIEST SCENARIO TO REPLACE: Stay in-house and then draft
Armstead's departure seems very likely, while Williams' market value will be something to monitor. What could happen is that Williams tests free agency and takes visits to find out what teams are offering him, and then return to the Saints to give them a chance at least. However, that isn't a given.
The next several days are going to be pretty nuts across the NFL, as we've already seen a flurry of player movement. How the Saints tackle it remains to be seen, but they're going to have move quickly and make it count.
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