Marcus Williams

2020 salary cap hit: $1,985,585

Williams has been on the wrong end of too many big moments early in his career. Whether it’s the Minneapolis Miracle in 2017 or George Kittle’s catch-and-run on fourth down last season, it’s just felt like he’s been in the wrong spot at the wrong time in highest-leverage situations. The vibe surrounding him has portrayed the Saints’ starting free safety as someone who misses too many tackles and comes up small in clutch moments.

Fortunately, that perception is not reality. Williams is a playmaker, having led the team with four interceptions (and being the only defender to pick off multiple passes). Pro Football Reference credited him with a missed tackle rate of 14.5% (missing 9 times on 62 attempts), close to average for the position. If the Saints move on from Williams, it’s more likely they’ll regress rather than upgrade. Free agents like Justin Simmons, Marcus Maye, and Malik Hooker will raise the top-shelf price soon, which Eddie Jackson just set at $58 million over four years. The longer the Saints put off a new contract for Williams, the higher his price tag will climb, and the less-replaceable he’ll become.

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