Rookie safety Jordan Howden has a big opportunity during Marcus Maye’s suspension. The New Orleans Saints’ fifth-round pick can make his case for a long-term starting gig these next three weeks, having already climbed the depth chart over the summer to earn a role in the team’s dime defense — the same spot P.J. Williams held down in recent years.
With Maye sidelined for upcoming games with the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots, Howden makes the most sense given his success over the summer and his experience in a similar secondary at the college level with Minnesota. The Saints could also give veterans like Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Ugo Amadi a shot in Maye’s spot at free safety, but Howden should get an early look to see how he performs.
Maye has been a weak link in the secondary. He missed seven games with injuries last season and he’ll be gone for at least three matchups this year after serving his suspension. He leads the team in missed tackles right now (3, per Pro Football Focus charting). He has done a better job limiting big plays downfield than we saw from him last year, but he hasn’t done enough to be considered a permanent fix at free safety.
Certainly not on his contract. Maye will enter the final year of his contract in 2024 while carrying a $7 million base salary. When his deal expires in 2025 it will leave behind at least $6 million in dead money from past restructures. The Saints could release him with a post-June 1 designation in the offseason and save $7.5 million, though they wouldn’t get those salary cap resources until well after free agency and the 2024 draft. But it might be better than keeping him on the roster anyway with a good young backup waiting in the wings.
That’s what they should be finding out with Howden these next three games. Give the rookie these next 180-ish snaps to figure out what he can do, what he needs to work on, and whether he has what it takes to stay there once Maye is back in the lineup. Jordan Love, Baker Mayfield, and Mac Jones isn’t exactly an all-star lineup of quarterbacks. Hopefully Howden can take advantage of their vulnerabilities and make some plays to help the team — and his future with New Orleans.
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