Saints' Free Agency: What They Got Right — and What They Missed So Far

The New Orleans Saints have done a lot of good things this offseason alraedy and it's still just March.

New Orleans finished the 2025 season with a 6-11 record, but that doesn't tell the full story of the season. The Saints were 1-7 through eight games, turned the starting quarterback job over to Tyler Shough and then went 5-4 in the second half of the season. That was even after trading pieces away ahead of the trade deadline, including Rashid Shaheed. The Saints' defense was among the best in football and the offense took a significant step forward with Shough under center.

This offseason, the Saints have been in a significantly better position from a salary cap perspective than over the last few years and have used it to the team's advantage to fill multiple roster holes. There's more work to do, but the offseason has been significantly more positive than not.

With that being said, let's dive into what the Saints have done right and wrong so far.

Right

Jan 11, 2026; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) runs with the ball against Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson (7) during the first half in an AFC Wild Card Round game at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The Saints entered the offseason with a few holes on offense and cleared two of them up right away. With Alvin Kamara under contract for just one more season and his future up in the air, the running back room was a question. The Saints responded with one of the best overall free agents by bringing local boy Travis Etienne Jr. in. A massive win. Guard was another hole for the Saints and they filled it with one of the best available options in David Edwards. Also, bringing in punter Ryan Wright is a quiet win. Punter has been an issue for the Saints over the last few years. New Orleans responded by signing the sixth-highest graded punter in the NFL from the 2025 season, per Pro Football Focus.

Losing Demario Davis was tough, but signing Kaden Elliss will help to mitigate the loss.

Missed

Dec 21, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) during the run outs before the game against the New York Jets at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Saints lost one team legend in Davis and another is available in Cameron Jordan. Arguably, the topic has lingered too long. Whether the Saints bring back Jordan or not, it has been a talking point for a bit too long. Arguably, the Saints should bring him back. But there has been a lot of public discourse.

There haven't been many "misses" so far for the Saints. One could be not landing a No. 2 wide receiver yet, but it's just March and the Saints could find one in the 2026 National Football League Draft. In reality, the Saints have done pretty much everything right so far this offseason.