Veterans the Saints Could Look At Before Training Camp

The Saints have some money to play with if they want to bring a few veterans in for training camp. Here's some players to monitor.

Author:
John Hendrix
Publish date:
Jul 10, 2021 8:27 AM EDT

The Saints found themselves in a much better position with the salary cap after locking up Ryan Ramczyk to a well-deserved contract extension. According to the NFLPA salary cap report, New Orleans is sitting pretty with around $11.6 million of space to play with before training camp. They're tied with the Bengals for second-lowest among current contracts at 85. Needless to say, a lot could happen with just three weeks to go.

Here's a few players that could be worth a look at for the Saints.

Kenny Stills vs. Saints
Sep 9, 2019; New Orleans, LA, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Kenny Stills (12) makes a touchdown catch defended by New Orleans Saints cornerback P.J. Williams (26) in the fourth quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Offense

Dede Westbrook, WR, 27 - Tearing your ACL is never ideal, and that's what happened to the former Jaguars receiver two games into the season. He had his fair share of targets in the previous two seasons (101). The Saints have said they're pretty happy with what they have on more than once occasion, but he's definitely worth a look.
Kenny Stills, WR, 29 - Some reunions have gone really well for the Saints, and he's still out there on the market. He's certainly a bit more appealing for this team over Golden Tate and Alshon Jeffery. Stills should get a call soon.
Trey Burton, TE, 29 - He was once the prize of free agency after stepping into the spotlight for the Eagles in their Super Bowl season. Burton cashed in on a big deal from the Bears, having the best season of his career in 2018. Unfortunately, things went downhill from there. He's more of a pass-catching threat, and might just get lost in the shadows to the guys ahead of him on the Saints.
Tyler Eifert, TE, 31 - Eifert's best years might be behind him, but bringing someone like him to camp could be interesting for the Saints. Adam Trautman is expected to make a big leap, while free agent pickup Nick Vannett should have a bigger role. Behind those two is somewhat up for grabs.
Delanie Walker, TE, 35 - After opting out last season, Walker is waiting for training camp to get a call from a team. He mentioned in an interview recently that he like teams weren't really giving him a good deal when talking to him. That probably means the veteran minimum won't cut it for Walker, who feels like his ankle will hold up.

Richard Sherman vs. Saints
Dec 8, 2019; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman (25) in the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The 49ers won, 48-46. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Defense

Jurrell Casey, DT, 31 - He spent years in the trenches for the Titans and was acquired in the offseason last year by the Broncos. However, he tore his biceps three games into the season and was released in February. He was pretty durable for 9 seasons with Tennessee, so hopefully he's rehabbed and can come back and make an NFL squad this season.
Kawann Short, DT, 32 - The injuries over the past two years have been the concern for Short, who was once of the more dominant interior linemen in the league. He feels like he still has plenty left in the tank, and could be a sneaky add on a one-year prove-it deal. Of course, past shoulder issues are concerning.
Geno Atkins, DT, 33 - 2020 was a down season for Atkins, who was dealing with a shoulder injury. He would probably be more of an insurance policy to David Onyemata, but would be a very intriguing addition to the interior line.
Kwon Alexander, LB, 27 - A reunion sounds good in theory and makes a lot of sense. However, this somewhat defeats the purpose of drafting Pete Werner. It really looks like the Saints roll in with him and Zack Baun to compete. Assuming the medicals do check out, someone will sign him before the start of the season.
K.J. Wright, LB, 32 - The Giants have been a popular pairing for Wright, and the Cowboys were reportedly in on him before that. A veteran like him still has a lot to offer a team, but he's going to have to settle for a lesser contract than he originally wanted. He has extensive experience at weakside linebacker in addition to strongside.
Gareon Conley, CB, 26 - Conley could join the long list of Ohio State alumni to be a part of the team, but the injury history is a bit of a concern. He's still young, and we've seen players like Eli Apple benefit from a change of scenery in New Orleans. He'd be a low-risk, high-reward type of deal here.
Richard Sherman, CB, 33 - Sherman is a popular named paired to the Saints, and it makes sense given the ties to secondary coach Kris Richard. Vegas currently gives New Orleans the best odds of landing him.
Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, 31 - He's previously visited the Saints, and them doing their due diligence ahead of time could make it an easy signing when they decide to pull the trigger. One thing that does resonate with anyone that does want to join the team is the raving comments Janoris Jenkins had for the organization.