Ballers for a Budget ($4 to $9 million per year)
- Randall Cobb, Dallas Cowboys
- Danny Amendola, Detroit Lions
- Breshad Perriman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Demarcus Robinson, Kansas City Chiefs
Cobb looks like a perfect fit for the Saints, as an experienced slot specialist who can quickly diagnose and adjust to what the coverage is showing him, making for an easy target Brees can connect with on short, efficient passes. The trouble is that the Cowboys just hired the coach who put Cobb on the map, Mike McCarthy, when they were both part of the Green Bay Packers. McCarthy might make a big push to keep Cobb in town after seeing how well he worked with Dak Prescott, his new franchise quarterback.
Amendola is a similar player to Cobb as long as we’re considering what happens before the catch. They’re of similar sizes and specialties as slot receivers, but Amendola is several years older and can’t touch Cobb as a threat after the catch (Amendola averaged 3.3 yards gained after the catch per reception last year; Cobb boasted 6.0). Maybe he’s a better fallback option.
As for Perriman and Robinson: they each showed a knack for stretching the field in 2019, doing their best work as third-wheel options behind their more-accomplished teammates. It would be fascinating to see how they react to getting an opportunity to do more, especially in New Orleans in Payton’s offense, but that might not be the kind of bet the Saints want to invest a ton of resources into.
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