Tag: Deadline

What Payton Turner would make on his 5th-year option

What would Payton Turner would make on his fifth year option in 2025? The Saints have to make a decision on the backup defensive end by May:

Decision time is approaching for the New Orleans Saints and the fifth-year option for 2021 first-round selection Payton Turner. On paper, it has looked like an easy to decision to not pick it up and just give him this next season to break through and earn another contract.

What would it look like if the Saints were to pick up his option, though? The NFL recently released the fifth-year option amounts along with the updated salary cap, which could make the Saints’ decision easier.

Turner would be due $13,387,000 in 2025 if the Saints decided to pick his option up — and every dollar would be guaranteed. If it wasn’t clear before, it’s crystal-clear now that the Saints will very likely not exercise that option before the May 2 deadline. In his first three seasons Turner has racked up 29 tackles and just three sacks. He just hasn’t done enough to justify being tied to him for another season with a significantly higher salary cap hit than he has had up to this point in his career.

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The Saints have an easy decision on Payton Turner’s fifth-year option

Unfortunately, the Saints have an easy decision on Payton Turner’s fifth-year option. Maybe he can turn things around like Cesar Ruiz did:

Unfortunately, the New Orleans Saints may not need to wait until the May 2 deadline to choose whether to pick up Payton Turner’s fifth-year option for 2025. The former 2021 first-round pick just hasn’t shown enough to warrant the cost: an estimated (and fully-guaranteed) $13.8 million, per the experts at Over The Cap.

For context, the Saints have already paid Turner a total of $10.1 million between his signing bonus and first three years’ salary. In 2024 he’ll play on a salary just over $2.3 million.

To this point in his three-year career Turner has appeared in a total of 15 games (out of 51 combined Saints games played), missing all but the first and last matchups in 2023 due to a devastating injury. He was banged up through his first two years in the league, too, but he missed a handful of games as a healthy scratch when teammates were outproducing him. In those 15 games he has totaled 29 tackles (20 solo, 8 tackles for loss), 3 sacks, 8 quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery.

Now he’s going into a make-or-break 2024 season. If Turner can stay healthy and make plays rushing the quarterback, he’ll earn an extension with the Saints in 2025 or a lucrative contract elsewhere. If he can’t do either of those things, he may hang around the league for a little while thanks to his draft status, but it’s just as possible that he’ll be out of the game altogether.

In any case: the 2024 season is critically important for Turner’s future in pro football. He did everything right in 2023 by attacking the offseason with a positive attitude and being receptive to coaching. He just needs to repeat that process and hope for better injury luck when the season kicks off.

This isn’t the end of the line for Turner. The Saints chose to not exercise right guard Cesar Ruiz’s fifth-year option for 2024, either, ultimately signing him to a long-term extension before the season started in 2023. Ruiz broke out in 2022 after settling into his new position and built on that progress over the summer. Obviously Turner isn’t in the same situation, but he can still turn things around and earn a second contract with the team that drafted him. With Cameron Jordan getting older and the Saints pass rush falling off, they could really use a breakout campaign from Turner in the fall.

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The Saints were right to stand pat at the trade deadline

The New Orleans Saints weren’t buyers or sellers at the NFL trade deadline. Instead, they opted to stand pat. It was the right call:

The New Orleans Saints weren’t buyers or sellers at the NFL trade deadline. Instead, they opted to remain inactive. There were likely calls to New Orleans and maybe some outgoing from the team themselves, but this outcome isn’t overly surprising.

Anyone hoping for a big move was going to be disappointed. The Saints weren’t going to be in search of a blockbuster trade on either side of the ball. Despite their 4-4 record, New Orleans is a talented team and they should be more successful than they have been. They aren’t talent-deficient in most areas, so it’s doubtful they were pressing to add talent.

New Orleans just gave Carl Granderson a contract extension during the season after extending Cameron Jordan over the summer. That removed any big-name edge rushers from the conversation. The interior defensive line will probably be taken care of in the offseason. The Saints could have looked for some help along the offensive line, but most likely wouldn’t have brought in a high-level player at the position. Their starting lineup is set.

They also didn’t have too many pieces to move, either. Though they aren’t talent-deficient, New Orleans isn’t exactly deep either. There was speculation that Jameis Winston might be a trade asset. Injuries around the league would have created space for him on some rosters. Whether or not there was real interest in him, New Orleans kept their backup quarterback knowing he’s only one injury away from being their starter.

Making a move for its own sake wouldn’t have dramatically shifted expectations. The Saints have players in the building they believe in, and their recent win over the Indianapolis Colts is a step in the right direction. If they can better execute plays and take advantage of a weak schedule, it won’t matter whether they cut a deal at the trade deadline.

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What should Saints ask for in a Vikings-Jameis Winston trade?

Few teams need a QB as badly as the Vikings, and there’s a lot of speculation linking them to Jameis Winston. What should the Saints ask for in a trade?

The NFL trade deadline is just hours away, and the New Orleans Saints may not have a player with more appeal — and availability — to other teams than Jameis Winston. Their backup quarterback is overqualified for that role and deserves an opportunity to start around the league. And a recent season-ending injury to Minnesota Vikings starter Kirk Cousins has led to plenty of speculation as the deadline approaches.

We’ll stoke those fires a little bit. There have not been any credible reports linking the Vikings to trade talks with New Orleans centering on Winston or any other player, but we’ll play along. What should the Saints seek in exchange for Winston’s services?

Minnesota has plenty of draft picks with multiple selections in round four (their own pick and another choice coming from the Detroit Lions), round five (from the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns), and round six (their own and a pick from the Las Vegas Raiders, through the New England Patriots), so we’ll start there.

Some recent backup quarterback trades have brought in picks in rounds four (Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys this year, Nick Foles to the Chicago Bears in 2020), five (Kyle Allen to the Washington Commanders in 2020) and seven (Case Keenum to the Buffalo Bills in 2022) and a couple of intriguing swaps:

  • Josh Dobbs and a seventh-round pick for a fifth rounder
  • Jarrett Stidham and a seventh-round pick for a sixth rounder
  • Ryan Finley and a seventh-round pick for a sixth rounder
  • Ryan Tannehill and a sixth-round pick for a seventh-round pick and a fourth-round choice in the next year’s draft

We’ve also seen backup passers traded for conditional late-round picks like Nick Mullens (seventh rounder), Baker Mayfield (fifth), as well as Teddy Bridgewater, Joe Flacco and Gardner Minshew (all sixth rounders). But that’s such little compensation that the Saints would do better to just hold onto Winston in case he’s needed in an emergency.

Still, it’s easy to see why Minnesota is a compelling trade partner. Winston’s prorated $647,000 salary for the rest of the season would be very easy to fit under the salary cap, and the Vikings have rallied back from an 0-3 start to their current 4-4 record. They’re not far behind the 6-2 Detroit Lions in a weak NFC North. Winston would be an upgrade over backups Sean Mannion and Jaren Hall.

So what kind of compensation should the Saints seek (in hypothetical trade talks)? Recent deals would suggest a fair deal brings back a fifth- or sixth-round pick at best, though the Saints could maybe squeeze a fourth rounder out of Minnesota by offering to throw in a sixth or seventh rounder of their own. The Saints don’t currently own a fourth-round pick but they’re hoping to get one or two of them when compensatory picks are awarded in March. The way things stand right now they won’t have any draft picks between the second rounder coming back to them from the Denver Broncos and that compensatory fourth rounder, which would fall at the end of the round — putting a gap of as many as 100 picks before they’ll go back on the board.

With that in mind, here’s our trade proposal:

  • Vikings get: Jameis Winston and a 2024 sixth-round pick (projected at No. 193)
  • Saints get: A 2024 fourth-round pick (projected at No. 105)

That isn’t a great return for either side, frankly. And it’s probably more than the Vikings would be willing to pay. It’s why there doesn’t appear to be much momentum brewing for a deal between the two teams. Expect Winston to stay in New Orleans for the rest of the season and test free agency again in the spring.

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Bears trade for star pass rusher Montez Sweat before Week 9 game vs. Saints

The Saints will face one of the biggest trade deadline acquisitions in the NFL this Sunday after the Bears traded for star pass rusher Montez Sweat:

Well that’s something: the Chicago Bears traded for Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat hours before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, meaning the New Orleans Saints are going to be the first team to play against Sweat in his new jersey. The Saints host the Bears at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday.

Multiple reports have the Bears sending a 2024 second-round draft pick to Washington for Sweat, whose 27 quarterback pressures this season would rank third in New Orleans behind Cameron Jordan (33) and Carl Granderson (30). But Sweat’s 6.5 sacks this season are more than both Saints pass rushers and all but seven other players around the NFL.

Sweat almost exclusively lined up on the left side of Washington’s defensive front, though it remains to be seen whether the Bears will keep him there. If so, he’ll be working against right tackle Ryan Ramczyk. He came away with four pressures and five tackles (two solo) when they crossed paths back in 2021, so the Saints know Sweat isn’t someone they can take lightly.

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Podcast: Chris Olave drama, Saints-Colts preview, trade deadline buzz

Podcast: Chris Olave drama, Saints-Colts preview, trade deadline buzz

The Saints Wire podcast is live with managing editor John Sigler (@john_siglerr) and our host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanOLearySMG). You can subscribe for new episodes released each week on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or your podcast service of choice.

We’re covering a wide range of topics this week, with a lot of attention going to second-year wide receiver Chris Olave — for the wrong reasons. We’re also previewing the Saints’ upcoming road game with the Indianapolis Colts and looking a little further at next week’s NFL trade deadline. Could the Saints be sellers? Tap in.

Follow the Saints Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

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For/Against: 4 players the Saints could move by NFL trade deadline

They aren’t set up for a fire sale, but these are four players the Saints could move by the NFL trade deadline. The question is whether they should deal:

We’re less than a week out from the NFL trade deadline on Oct. 31, and the New Orleans Saints aren’t exactly set up for a fire sale. The only players they could trade and save more than $2 million right now would be Cameron Jordan (who just signed an extension this summer) and James Hurst (who is their starter at left tackle, and whose ankle injury prohibits any trade anyway).

So trading players for immediate salary cap relief is off the table. That’s not to say the Saints couldn’t have other motivations in being sellers at the deadline. They could trade veteran players in hopes of opening more snaps for inexperienced teammates, or thinning out their list of pending free agents in 2024. But just because they could do something doesn’t mean they should. Here are the arguments for and against trading these four candidates:

Projecting the New Orleans Saints’ picks in the 2024 NFL draft

The current standings have shifted forecasts for the 2024 NFL draft. Here are where the Saints project to be picking, including a valuable Broncos pick acquired for Sean Payton:

Some New Orleans Saints fans have already shifted their focus to the 2024 NFL draft, and while we aren’t ready to pack it in and go that direction it is worth checking in on where the team could be picking. The trade deadline is rapidly approaching on Oct. 31 and it’s a good time to keep up with their assets.

The Saints have added a couple of selections from the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles through previous trades (for Sean Payton and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, respectively), and the latest forecasts have the Saints owning eight picks in the 2024 draft. Here’s where Tankathon slots them all into the 2024 draft order, reflecting the latest NFL standings:

  1. Round 1, pick 12
  2. Round 2, pick 35 (via Denver)
  3. Round 4, pick 137 (compensatory)
  4. Round 5, pick 153
  5. Round 5, pick 172 (compensatory)
  6. Round 5, pick 176 (compensatory)
  7. Round 6, pick 193
  8. Round 6, pick 210 (via Philadelphia)

It’s important to remember that those compensatory picks have not been awarded; we’re relying on predictions from Over The Caps’ analysts to fill those out. And those forecasts change each week. The comp picks formula is mostly reliant on contract information, but it also accounts for playtime. Players who log more snaps are seen as more valuable losses. Comp picks will be confirmed in March 2024, so they can’t be included in any trade talks.

When OTC’s predictions first went up the Saints were projected to receive two fourth-round comp picks (for David Onyemata and Marcus Davenport) and a sixth-round selection (for Kaden Elliss). Onyemata has met expectations with the Atlanta Falcons, but his teammate Elliss has surpassed them, recording 262 snaps in four games. That bumped his projection up to a fifth rounder.

It’s the opposite scenario for Davenport. He’s only tallied 49 snaps in two games with the Minnesota Vikings while managing an ankle injury. The fewer snaps he plays this season, the worse that comp pick coming back to New Orleans will be, even if he signed with the Vikings for $13 million.

What about the missing selections? The draft has seven rounds, after all. The Saints previously traded their second rounder (No. 43) to the Eagles as part of a package to get another first-round pick in 2022, which they invested in left tackle Trevor Penning. New Orleans also sent back their third rounder (No. 82) to the Broncos, which they view as having upgraded to a second-round choice. Their fourth-round pick (No. 117) belongs to the Jacksonville Jaguars through the draft-day trade to move up for backup quarterback Jake Haener. And the Saints sent their seventh rounder (No. 235) to the Houston Texans so they could bring running back Mark Ingram II home a couple years ago.

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Saints opened up more salary cap space by releasing Tre’Quan Smith

The Saints opened up more salary cap space by releasing Tre’Quan Smith. It’s not much, but they’ve got some more wiggle room ahead of the trade deadline:

Tre’Quan Smith was released by the New Orleans Saints this week and immediately booked a flight to visit Sean Payton’s Denver Broncos, but what does his departure mean for the team’s salary cap outlook? The Saints were under the spending limit by about $2.67 million prior to releasing Smith from injured reserve.

Now, the experts at Over The Cap estimate the Saints are under the cap by $4.1 million. That isn’t much (it currently ranks eighth-lowest around the league), but it does give them a little wiggle room ahead of the Oct. 31 trade deadline.

They wouldn’t be able to take on the full salary for some players — like, say, Las Vegas Raiders receiver Hunter Renfrow at about $5.05 million right now — but the Saints typically ask their trade partners to pay part of the player’s salary to facilitate a trade. That’s what they’ve done in trades for Bradley Roby and Kwon Alexander in recent years. Maybe they circle back to that approach.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Right now the Saints need to focus on getting back in the win column so they can be in a position to buy, not sell, at that trade deadline next month. Still, moves like this Smith release should be noted when we take a big-picture look at this team.

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Full waiver wire order for all 32 teams at NFL roster cuts deadline

Full waiver wire for all 32 teams at NFL roster cuts deadline: Where do the New Orleans Saints stand in waiver priority?

More than 1,000 NFL players will be released, waived, or traded ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s annual deadline, with many of them (but not all) eligible for claiming on the waiver wire. That’s an opportunity for the New Orleans Saints and many other teams to get better by acquiring players who either weren’t good fits in their last spot or who were pushed off the depth chart by offseason upgrades.

But where are the Saints picking? At this point on the NFL calendar waiver wire priority is determined by the 2023 draft order, without any trades, meaning the Saints clock in at No. 10 overall. It will change once games are played and teams begin racking up wins or suffering losses. For now, here is where New Orleans slots in: