New Orleans Saints Day 1 Free Agency Recap
NFL free agency begins officially on Wednesday, March 18th at 4 P.M. Eastern time. The league permitted teams to begin negotiations with pending free agents at noon on Monday though, and several players were quickly on the move to new teams and big contracts. The New Orleans Saints had some activity on the first unofficial day of free agency and hadn’t agreed to contracts with any new players, but several big names remain available. Here is the recap of the Saints’ first day of free agency as we head into Day 2 of the negotiating period.
Saints re-sign Long Snapper Zach Wood
Nov 17, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz (3) is congratulated by long snapper Zach Wood (49) after kicking a field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The first activity of the day for New Orleans was the re-signing of long snapper Zach Wood, as first reported by the Times-Picayune and New Orleans Advocate. Wood’s new deal is for a reported $4.78 million dollars over 4-Yrs. The 27-Yr old Wood joined the Saints in early 2017 and has been a model of consistency for punter Thomas Morstead and kicker Wil Lutz on the special teams unit.
Saints re-sign Defensive Tackle David Onyemata
Oct 27, 2019; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata (93) tackles Arizona Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds (29) for a turn over on downs during the third quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
New Orleans kept one of its defensive stars when reports surfaced late in the day that the team had agreed on a contract extension with Onyemata, a 27-Yr old defensive tackle. Onyemata has improved in each of his four years with the Saints since being selected in the 4th round of the 2016 draft and was expected to get a lot of interest on the open market. New Orleans surprisingly locked him up early though, keeping their entire talented defensive line from a year ago under contract. Onyemata has 7.5 sacks and 30 quarterback pressures over the last two seasons and teams with Malcom Brown, Sheldon Rankins, and Shy Tuttle to give the Saints a deep and disruptive crew of defensive tackles.
Jan 5, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) throws a pass against the Minnesota Vikings during the fourth quarter of a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
On Tuesday morning, the Saints reached an agreement with quarterback Drew Brees on a new deal. Details of the new contract were reported at $50 million dollars over two years, keeping the Hall of Fame quarterback in New Orleans for a 15th season. Early reports on Monday stated that quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was close to an agreement with the Chicago Bears, but those were ultimately dismissed. The 27-Yr old Bridgewater remains a free agent. Other New Orleans starters who remain unsigned are safety Vonn Bell, cornerback Eli Apple, guard Andrus Peat, and wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr.
Dec 21, 2019; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots outside linebacker Jamie Collins (58) celebrates after Buffalo couldn't convert on a fourth down late in the fourth quarter of their win over the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
The Saints lost one of their own when linebacker A.J. Klein agreed to a 3-Yr contract to join the Buffalo Bills. Klein had been a good defensive contributor for three years with New Orleans, and his department leaves a need at linebacker. Several outlets reported that the Saints had made an offer to former New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins. Late Monday evening however, it was revealed that Collins had instead come to terms with the Detroit Lions.
Several talented players remain available as we head into Day 2 of free agent negotiations, and we expect New Orleans to be active in filling team needs. Stay tuned to the Saints News Network for breaking news throughout the free agent period.
