Tag: Deadline

ESPN suggests Saints could move a starter at the NFL trade deadline

If they keep losing, ESPN suggests the New Orleans Saints could move a starter at the NFL trade deadline. But would they trade Chase Young?

If they keep losing, ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler suggested the New Orleans Saints could move a starter at the NFL trade deadline. But would they trade Chase Young? That would be the clearest signal Mickey Loomis could send that his team is going in the tank, but you can’t imagine that’s something head coach Dennis Allen would sign off on.

Still, never say never. Teams like the Detroit Lions are desperate for a pass rusher after losing Aidan Hutchinson to a broken leg. Here’s the case for dealing Young at the Nov. 5 trade deadline from ESPN:

Graziano: What about Chase Young? The Saints really like the guy and could be interested in signing him to a long-term deal, but if they check in and don’t feel good about their chances of doing that, could he be on the move for the second deadline in a row?

Fowler: That’s not a bad call. Young signed a one-year deal with New Orleans in hopes of parlaying it into a new contract with the team. With the Saints sitting at 2-4, perhaps the organization would listen to offers closer to the deadline. I’d be mildly surprised if anything happens. Young garnered a third-round pick in last year’s trade from Washington to San Francisco, and now that he’s fully healthy and playing productive snaps, I would surmise New Orleans wouldn’t accept anything less in a deal, if it even considers it.

It feels unlikely. While they haven’t reflected it on the weekly depth chart, Young has replaced Cameron Jordan in the starting lineup. Young has taken almost all of the snaps from the right defensive end spot, with Carl Granderson playing ahead of Jordan on the left side. He’s become a critically important player for the Saints up front.

Young may not have the sacks (1.5 in 6 games) but he generates a ton of pressure and demands attention from the offensive line. His 25 quarterback pressures at Pro Football Focus rank ninth-most at defensive end. Granderson has had 26 pressures, which are fourth-most. Jordan ranks 49th with 11.

If you read the writing on the wall and look at the salary cap sheet, it sure looks like the Saints are hoping Young can be the long-term replacement for Jordan. This could be the last year for No. 94 if he chooses to retire and start a full-time career in football media. Jordan’s cap hit next year is over $20 million but just $9 million of it is guaranteed. The math is pretty simple there.

Still, Young will be a free agent in 2025, and the best compensation the Saints could hope for if he leaves is a third-round pick in 2026. It’s certainly possible things deteriorate so badly this season that they decide to trade him, get a third rounder (or better) a year sooner, and then restart the search for Jordan’s replacement. But it sure would be more convenient if that guy were already in the building making plays across from Granderson.

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If Saints are serious about getting more firepower, trade for Davante Adams

Trade rumors are swirling around Davante Adams. He wouldn’t be easy to acquire, but if the Saints are serious, they should make a run at reuniting him with Derek Carr:

Dennis Allen has already publicly challenged his backups to do more to fire up the New Orleans Saints offense. But if he’s serious about wanting more firepower, it would be worth looking into all of these trade rumors surrounding Las Vegas Raiders star wideout Davante Adams. His history with Derek Carr on the Raiders and in college at Fresno state speaks for itself.

On Tuesday, Vinny Bonsignore reported for the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the Raiders “are growing open to the idea of trading Davante Adams. The source said the club has begun reaching out to teams to gauge interest in the veteran wide receiver.”

This followed comments from Adams himself, speaking with Kay Adams’ “Up and Adams” show, where his response to trade speculation was that he was focusing on the things within his control. He added that he hadn’t heard a word about his future with the Raiders from head coach Antonio Pierce, who had fueled speculation about a potential trade on social media.

But what could it cost? Before we even look at the trade compensation we’ve got to tackle the salary cap perspective. Any team trading for Adams right now would have to come up with $13.5 million for his remaining salary in 2024. If they wait until the Nov. 5 trade deadline, the acquiring team only pays $8.6 million. That’s after the Saints would play their next five games. Could they wait that long?

They might not have a choice. New Orleans is under the salary cap by just $2.7 million right now, so unless a player is going back their options are really limited. Trading more-valuable draft picks to Las Vegas could get the Raiders to pay part of Adams’ salary would be an option. Their easiest lever to pull would be restructuring Alvin Kamara’s contract, saving up to $8.1 million, but he’s tabled contract extension talks until the spring, so you have to wonder how willing the Saints would be to go that route.

Let’s say they get that done. As for the trade compensation? It would probably have to be at least a future first-round pick, and the Saints have gotten burned by trading those recently (just look at the disastrous Trevor Penning trade in 2022). Adams ranks third in career touchdowns scored (96) among active players. He’s built a career that’s given him a shot at the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday.

Getting him won’t be easy, but it might save the Saints’ season. Adams would give them a physical presence at wide receiver they currently lack. Neither Chris Olave nor Rashid Shaheed, talented as they are, play above the rim and fight for contested catches as effectively as Adams does. He’s a rare tone-setter at the position, and the Saints know him well. Beyond Carr he’s got his former college receivers coach Keith Williams on staff in New Orleans. There could be both interest from the Saints and appeal to Adams here. Stay tuned.

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Report: Alvin Kamara, Saints did not reach a new deal before Week 1 deadline

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Saints didn’t make enough progress on a new deal with Alvin Kamara before Week 1’s deadline:

Alvin Kamara’s contract talks with the New Orleans Saints were a major storyline this summer, but the two sides didn’t make enough progress on a new deal before their Week 1 deadline. Now those conversations are expected to be shelved until 2025, avoiding a distraction during the regular season.

Here’s the latest on Kamara from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler:

I’m told the Saints and running back Alvin Kamara will not be reaching a new contract by Week 1. Kamara missed a minicamp day in June because of lack of progress on a new deal. He has two years left on a deal that pays him $11.8 million in 2024 cash and $25 million in 2025, the latter of which is not tenable for either side. So this could be a situation where Kamara plays the season out, then both sides make a decision on the future. Kamara is set to put up big numbers in Klint Kubiak’s offense, an iteration of the San Francisco system that catapulted Christian McCaffrey into a new stratosphere.

This lines up with what Kamara said last week — he wanted this to be settled, one way or another, before Sept. 8’s kickoff game with the Carolina Panther. That didn’t come to pass. So we’ll have to wait until next spring to learn whether or not Kamara will finish his playing career with the black and gold.

It’s disappointing that things reached this point, but it isn’t surprising. Kamara is a salary cap cuts candidate next year because his $25 million is non-guaranteed. If he doesn’t perform as well as hoped in Kubiak’s system, the Saints can choose to let him go. That’s why he initiated talks to try and negotiate a new deal with enough guarantees to avoid being cut next offseason.

Finding a number that makes sense for both sides is difficult. Kamara hasn’t played well enough in recent years to demand top dollar like McCaffrey, and other older running backs (like Derrick Henry) have had to settle for much less on the open market. At the same time, other star talents he likely feels he compares to are still getting paid (like Saquon Barkley), and clearly he and the Saints failed to meet in the middle.

This now becomes one of the big-ticket items for the Saints to cross off their 2025 offseason to-do list, but we’ll just have to wait and see how they go about it. If this is Kamara’s last run, be sure to enjoy it.

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Saints might get a compensatory draft pick in 2025 after all

The New Orleans Saints might get a compensatory draft pick in 2025 after all. But it’s far from a sure thing, and all things considered, it’s pretty low stakes:

Could the New Orleans Saints finally have a full assortment of picks in the 2025 NFL draft? They rejected temptation and didn’t trade away any of next year’s picks in the 2024 draft, only using a couple of current-year picks to move up in Round 2 for cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.

It’s a good thing, too. The Saints already traded their pick in the seventh and final round of the 2025 draft along with defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson in 2022. That pick conveyed to the Philadelphia Eagles, who sent back a fifth-round pick in 2023 (which was traded to move up for offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri) as well as a sixth-round pick in 2024 (that became defensive tackle Khristian Boyd). So while the Saints own their picks in the first six rounds, that seventh rounder is going to Philadelphia.

But New Orleans just might get another seventh-round selection to make up for it. Over The Cap’s Nick Korte forecasts the Saints to receive a seventh-round compensatory draft pick in 2025 for losing either cornerback Isaac Yiadom or linebacker Zack Baun in free agency this spring. The deadline for comp pick considerations passed on Monday, April 30, so they’re one step closer.

Of course it isn’t that simple. Depending on which player factors into the comp picks formula, how often Yiadom or Baun is on the field (for the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively) will impact the valuations. Baun was previously ranked higher in Korte’s calculations, but now it’s Yiadom slotting in as the qualifier.

It also depends on other players around the league outplaying the Saints’ qualifiers and bumping them down the ranking. Either way, this is pretty low stakes. The comp pick in question would be the second-to-last pick in the 2025 draft. This year, that was No. 256 overall, just nearly Mr. Irrelevant himself. It would be nice for the Saints to get another comp pick in 2025, replacing the selection traded to the Eagles, but no one should lose sleep over the second-to-last pick.

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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:
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