The number-one priority for the New Orleans Saints in the 2020 offseason has to be finding a wide receiver to run opposite Michael Thomas (after their quarterbacks riddle is answered, of course). Thomas put the team on his back for much of the 2019 season, breaking and resetting the NFL record for receptions in a single season, but he can’t be expected to do that every year.
Ted Ginn Jr. was the next-best wide receiver in catches, and he only had 30. After him, no other wideouts had more than 18. The Saints were able to win a lot of games and get into the playoffs by asking Thomas to make magic despite the extra coverage going his way, but their first-round exit spelled out how serious a problem this could be. Drew Brees needs more weapons at wide receiver, and Sean Payton has to recognize that.
While this is a draft class loaded with talent at that position, we shouldn’t expect the Saints to sit on their hands and wait for a rookie hopeful to drop to them in April. Their strategy for nearly two decades has consisted of filling roster holes through free agency so that they can go into the draft targeting the best players available. To that end, we’ve ranked a dozen possible free agents who fit the Saints’ needs, though maybe not their budget. Each tier is broken down by expected contract values.
Bank-Breakers ($10 million-plus per year)
- Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys
- Robby Anderson, New York Jets
- A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
- Emmanuel Sanders, San Francisco 49ers
Each of these players should command double-digit salaries. They’ve proven themselves to be number-one receiving threats who can make plays in the NFL, even though they each bring their own challenges. Sanders and Cooper have to be seen as favorites to re-sign with their current squads, given how integral they’ve been to their recent success; it would take a serious recruiting effort by the Saints to land Cooper on even a one-year contract beneath his market value. And the 49ers didn’t trade multiple draft picks to acquire Sanders just to let him walk away uncontested in free agency.
As for Green: he missed the entire 2019 season with injuries and it’s possible the Bengals want to retain him as their go-to target for Joe Burrow, the rookie quarterback they’re inevitably set to draft first-overall. Conversely, Anderson played more snaps than any other free agent wide receiver (944) and curiously isn’t part of the Jets’ long-term plans, despite his quick chemistry with young passer Sam Darnold. There could be some off-field shenanigans at play here, which the Saints should be wary of.
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