Category: 2021 free agency

Cowboys Free Agency: 9 available Falcons from Dan Quinn’s defense

Will the Cowboys tap into Quinn’s last flock to find some help for their defense? We look at each candidate.

The Dallas Cowboys are going to need reinforcements if they are going to step their defensive performance up from the pitiful 2020 version they trolled with. To lead that effort, the club has removed Mike Nolan and implemented Dan Quinn, who stewarded three different defenses to the Super Bowl.

Twice as DC of the Seattle Seahawks and once in his role as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, Quinn has been able to command quality efforts that worked when the games counted most. Now, he’ll look to do that for Dallas. One standard rule when bringing in any coach who was recently with another team is that their former players may be interested in working for them again. If that’s the case with Quinn, a few free agents from the Falcons could be under consideration to wear the star in 2021.

10 Free Agents for Cowboys fans to Watch in Saturday’s playoff games

10 best free agents on display in Saturday’s two divisional round matchups. several who could be targets of the Cowboys this offseason.

While the natural inclination once a fanbase’s team is eliminated from the playoffs to turn their attention to the draft. Following the draft has become far more than a cottage industry as some argue it’s more entertaining than the regular season when it comes to loving the pursuit of a championship. However, unlike other sports which wisely start with their amateur draft, the NFL holds free agency first.

That means the Dallas Cowboys and 23 other teams will now be focusing on plugging holes with veteran players available in free agency. While scouting departments spend months and months watching film of prospects, coaching staffs are finally getting a chance to dive into the fun of watching other NFL teams, which means the playoff games are breeding grounds for offseason crush developments.

Here’s a guide as to which higher-profile players who will be unrestricted free agents come March and the new league year, are playing in the two Saturday contests. We’re using Pro Football Focus’ Top 100 free agents list to compile this collection.

Analyzing the potential destinations for Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson, if reports are true, might force his way out of Houston. What potential destinations make the most sense?

I think about this picture often:

This photo of Deshaun Watson, gazing into the rear-view mirror while seated in a Maserati, dates back to his pre-draft process. Over the years, however, it has come to symbolize a quarterback perhaps let down by his organization. Anytime the Houston Texans would make a move to weaken the roster around him, such as trading away DeAndre Hopkins, my mind would flash to this image of a young man, looking let down and disappointed in those around him.

I thought of it again today, with the news that Watson might force his way out of Houston. Let down by an organization again, when they chose not to interview Eric Bieniemy for their vacant head coaching position, as the quarterback had asked. He hoped to have input on some of the bigger decisions facing the organization, and now the Texans might face an even bigger one: Whether to trade him.

If – IF – incoming general manager Nick Caserio is forced to move Watson, what are the potential landing spots for one of the game’s elite quarterbacks?

The easy answer is: Almost anywhere. But let’s dive into the top candidates. Rather than working through approximately 25 teams I narrowed the list the best I could, but yes Broncos and Colts fans, your GMs should be calling too.

The Athletic lists 4 Saints free agents among top names to watch in 2021

New Orleans Saints 2021 free agents like Trey Hendrickson and Marcus Williams were listed by the Athletic’s Shiel Kapadia as names to watch.

Which New Orleans Saints free agents will get re-signed in the offseason? Who could be on the radar for other teams looking to poach them in 2021? The Athletic’s Shiel Kapadia listed 50 of the biggest names on track to test the market, and a couple of Saints starters made the cut — with some of their teammates also worth considering. Here’s who might be on the move in the spring:

Stay or go? Looking ahead to Saints’ pending 2021 free agents

Trey Hendrickson has seized his opportunity with the New Orleans Saints, but other pending 2021 free agents must step up to get re-signed.

Which free agents should the New Orleans Saints re-sign in 2021? There are a number of hurdles ahead of them before it’s time to make those decisions, like finishing out the 2020 season and navigating the lowered 2021 salary cap. It could result in some cap casualties, which muddies the situation for players whose contracts are expiring.

Still, here’s our take on who should stay or go at this point in the season:

Amid a contract year, Saints safety Marcus Williams changes agents

New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Williams fired his old agent and hired a new one while playing out the final year of his rookie contract.

[jwplayer Cj1MRWEH-ThvAeFxT]

Marcus Williams entered the 2020 season as one of the highest priorities to re-sign with the New Orleans Saints, behind only running back Alvin Kamara and linebacker Demario Davis. Kamara and Davis each signed long-term contract extensions before the season kicked off, but Williams hasn’t played up to his potential in the weeks since — or even playing up to the level of someone who should be retained by the team.

So he’s probably become frustrated with any contract talks with the Saints, or a lack thereof. On Wednesday, Williams fired his agent (Todd France of Athletes First) and chose a new one (Tory Dandy of CAA, where France previously worked), though he must wait five days per NFLPA rules before making the switch final.

Williams’ decision was reported by Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal, which was confirmed by Amie Just of Nola.Com.

Just added that Dandy has an impressive resume of clients currently signed with the Saints, including tight end Jared Cook, rookie guard Cesar Ruiz, and defensive backs P.J. Williams and Marshon Lattimore. France, who had represented Williams before the changeup, counts wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and safety D.J. Swearinger among his clients.

Maybe it leads to some momentum, one way or another. Williams was a great player for the Saints during his first three years, with the only real knock against him being occasional lapses in tackle discipline. But this season his strengths have receded and he’s allowed too many big plays through the air, whether on busted coverages or by being fouled for holding or defensive pass interference. It’s early, and he has plenty of time to turn it around, but early on he’s been a liability.

With also-talented safeties like Malcolm Jenkins and C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the fold, maybe Williams could be shopped around before the Nov. 3 NFL trade deadline. Or maybe his new agent could ask for a trade. At this point, we can only speculate.

[vertical-gallery id=39038]

REPORT: Saints signed LB Demario Davis to 3-year contract extension

The New Orleans Saints signed linebacker Demario Davis to a three-year contract extension after hammering out Alvin Kamara’s new deal.

[jwplayer miLdPW1A-ThvAeFxT]

The New Orleans Saints made waves on Saturday by agreeing to terms with running back Alvin Kamara on a five-year contract extension, but they appear to have burnt some midnight oil to work out a second big deal with linebacker Demario Davis. FOX Sports sideline reporter Erin Andrews said on the broadcast of their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that Davis signed a new contract late Saturday night, which was confirmed by ESPN’s Mike Triplett.

That checks the most important box off the list of 2021 free agency needs in New Orleans, keeping their defensive captain in the fold for the forseeable future. The terms and value of Davis’s new deal have not yet been reported, but it’s a safe guess that he may have outperformed the three-year, $18 million contract he signed to join the Saints back in 2018.

Update: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the deal between Davis and the Saints is valued at $27 million with $18.35 million in guarantees.

Davis emerged in 2019 to huge fanfare, competing with Seattle Seahawks star Bobby Wagner to be recognized as the NFL’s best three-down linebacker. Davis was an AP first-team All-Pro, and now he’s being rewarded for it. Just 31 and in the prime of his career, he should continue to lead the Saints defense moving forwards.

[vertical-gallery id=37752]

Saints-Alvin Kamara contract extension is a big step towards a new era

The New Orleans Saints are set to kick off the Taysom Hill era in 2021, with Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas becoming his new best friends.

[jwplayer eCHd7tlI-ThvAeFxT]

Don’t look now, but the New Orleans Saints are changing before our eyes. Last summer, they inked superstar wide receiver Michael Thomas to a five-year contract extension. Now they’ve repeated the stunt with running back Alvin Kamara, tying him to the team through 2025.

It sets the stage for life after Drew Brees; signs point to the franchise quarterback hanging up his cleats after the 2020 season, making Taysom Hill (who has a $16.159 million cap hit next year) the favorite to start in 2021. And now Hill knows that he’ll have Thomas and Kamara on hand to make his life a little easier.

That puts Hill in a terrific position to succeed. There aren’t many first-year starting quarterbacks around the NFL who can boast a pair of pass-catchers as talented as Thomas and Kamara, whose presence will take a lot of pressure off Hill’s shoulders. Kamara in particular has benefited from working with Hill on option plays in the past, and it’ll be exciting to see what sort of playbook Sean Payton is cooking up for them.

Let’s not lose sight of what this means for Kamara. He’s now earning top dollar, which is just as much a reward for his past production as an expectation of how he’ll perform moving forwards. Now that he’s recovered from his 2019 knee injury, he figures to be just as explosive and versatile a weapon as ever. He’s poised for a great dubt against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday — his numbers as a runner (54.8) and receiver (67.5) are stronger against them than any other NFC South rival.

In Brees’ heyday, the Saints rarely paid out market-setting contracts to their top receiving weapons. Marques Colston never ranked among the highest-paid receivers. Jimmy Graham was traded a year into his big extension. Kenny Stills and Brandin Cooks were traded before the Saints ever sat them down to talk shop.

But Kamara and Thomas are both viewed differently than any pass-catchers to come before them in Payton’s tenure; that’s clear from the contracts they’ve received. Those two players are going to be the pillar of the Saints offense for years to come. If Hill’s 2021 season goes as well as hoped, he’ll join them.

Who else will still be around for the next phase of Saints football? Kamara is the first big-name 2021 free agent to re-sign with the team, but they have an inventory full of contributors. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (whose restructure helped facilitate Kamara’s new deal), free safety Marcus Williams, tight end Jared Cook, cornerback P.J. Williams, quarterback Jameis Winston, and linebackers Demario Davis, Alex Anzalone, and Craig Robertson all headline next summer’s list of players needing new contracts.

It’s great that the Saints got Kamara’s extension out of the way. Now they have to shift gears and decide which free agent-to-be to tackle next.

[vertical-gallery id=37715]

2021 free agency: Saints would be hit harder than most by depressed salary cap

Revenue losses due to the coronavirus pandemic are expected to hit the NFL salary cap hard, which is bad news for the New Orleans Saints.

[jwplayer cgsDcENq-ThvAeFxT]

While the New Orleans Saints are in good standing against the 2020 salary cap — right now, they’re estimated with just over $8.7 million to work with, before signing their four-deep rookie draft class — things aren’t nearly so bright for the NFL’s next fiscal year.

The COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic is likely going to result in lost revenue for the league; that belief is so certain that the NFL and the NFL Players Association are already negotiating how to best account for those losses, with league ownership hoping to cut each team’s player costs by as much as $40 million in cap space or other benefits for 2020.

That’s hardly an appealing option, but the alternative isn’t much better. Per a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, if both sides can’t reach a compromise then the 2021 salary cap could take a nosedive, falling as much as $50 to $70 million. That would be disastrous for expensive veteran players and first-time free agents around the league, to say the least.

And it couldn’t come at a worse time for the Saints. Much of their young, star talent is nearing the end of their below-market rookie contracts, with big names like Alvin Kamara and Marcus Williams on the road to free agency. Important veterans including Demario Davis, Jared Cook, and Sheldon Rankins will be due new deals soon, too. Jameis Winston signed with the team this summer explicitly focused on learning the ropes to set him up in a competition with Taysom Hill to start a year or two down the line.

On top of all of that, Drew Brees might be close to retiring soon. The Hall of Fame-bound quarterback signed a two-year deal this offseason that is structured so that he can retire after the 2020 season, leaving the Saints with a $22.65 million salary cap hit. If he returns to play for 2021, that number rises to more than $36 million, meaning the Saints would have to extend his contract again to spread out the damage.

That’s tough because, right now, New Orleans is projected to rank second-worst against the 2021 salary cap. Over The Cap projects a $215 million spending limit for next year (an increase of $16.8 million), which would put the Saints nearly $34 million in the red right from the jump. For now, the Saints have 52 contracts on the books for next season that total more than $249 million in cap expenses.

However, if the cap falls as is feared, the Saints would have to stretch their creative accounting to its limits. All the ghost years, restructures, and prorated signing bonuses in the world might not be enough to overcome a $121 million deficit. Vital members of the team would have to be cut just to get under the cap.

Hopefully the NFL can reach a compromise that won’t cripple the 2021 offseason; at the same time, the players union has to do what it can to protect its members against depressed wages. Until the exact economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic are known, however, it’s tough to say just what the future might look like for Saints football.

[vertical-gallery id=29257]

Derrick Henry’s huge Titans deal sets the floor, not the ceiling, for Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara stands to gain from Derrick Henry signing a $50 million contract extension with the Tennessee Titans.

[jwplayer IWBPJg8m-ThvAeFxT]

Don’t look now, but Alvin Kamara is one step closer to earning his big NFL payday. The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms with running back Derrick Henry on a four-year, $50 million contract extension this week, and that’s going to directly correlate to a pay raise for Kamara in the near future — but will the New Orleans Saints be the ones to get him to sign on the dotted line?

It’s a tough question to answer right now because we don’t know which version of Kamara the Saints will get in 2020. His first two years in the NFL were as strong as those put together by some Hall of Famers, but his injury-struck third season has cooled many fans on the prospect of tying Kamara to the team at a top-tier salary for the long haul.

However, Henry’s cash-in only raises expectations for what Kamara might earn next summer. While he hasn’t matched Henry’s raw numbers as a runner (averaging 53.5 rushing yards per game in his career, against Henry’s 61.8) Kamara does outpace Henry when total yards picked up from scrimmage are considered (99.5 yards from scrimmage versus Henry’s 71.1). Additionally, Henry has played in 17 more games than Kamara while scoring only four more touchdowns as a runner or receiver.

Rising tides lift all ships in the NFL, and the $12.5 million Henry earned on this extension will give Kamara some serious bargaining power. That annual salary now ranks fifth-best among all running backs, behind Christian McCaffrey ($16 million), Ezekiel Elliott ($15 million), Le’Veon Bell ($13.125 million), and David Johnson ($13 million). That’s company Kamara will want to join, and Henry’s new contract should be seen as the low end of what he might agree to. If Kamara turns in another All-Pro caliber season, he should end up ranking nearer to the top of the spectrum.

And if that’s the case, the Saints might not be the team to pay him. They’ll be hard-pressed as it is to retain star talent like Demario Davis, Marcus Williams, Jared Cook, and Sheldon Rankins in addition to Kamara, and the specter of a depressed or flattened salary cap doesn’t help matters.

Maybe the Saints could take a page out of the Titans’ playbook and use the franchise or transition tags to buy time so they can stagger out the highest-priority contract talks. But if their quiet summer has been any indication, it’ll be a while before they start making moves.

[lawrence-related id=35072,29256,32866]

[vertical-gallery id=35916]