Tag: grades

2024 Saints free agent report cards: Was letting Malcolm Roach go a big loss?

Taking a look back at the 2024 offseason, was letting Malcolm Roach go a big loss? Here’s the New Orleans Saints report card grade for this free agent decision:

The NFL offseason is nearly upon us, as the only thing standing in the way between teams and beginning their roster management is the Super Bowl, held in New Orleans. This gives us a little bit of time to look back in retrospect and cover the New Orleans Saints free agent signings from 2024, but also take a look at those players they let walk.

One of the more intriguing players they let go was defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, who was an exceptional run defender with them, but they chose not to pay and he would move on to the Denver Broncos. Here is how things have played out for his career so far:

Free agent contract

Given the price tags on some of the premier defensive line talents across the league in recent years, Roach signed for a pretty good contract all things considered. He is on a two-year $7 million deal, $3 million of which was guaranteed at signing, and the remainder will come in the form of bonuses and incentives.

He was able to hit one of his performance incentives in 2024, playing more than 40% of snaps which gave him an extra $250,000 this year as well.

Snap counts

The snap counts for Malcolm Roach have been extremely consistent throughout his career, as he is predominantly a run defending rotational defensive tackle who gets on the field in late down scenarios. Here are his snap rates by season, only including games he played in:

  • 2020: 37% (233)
  • 2021: 42% (193)
  • 2022: 37% (315)
  • 2023: 37% (290)
  • 2024: 42% (489)

2024 season review

2024 was a strong season for Roach, as he would accrue his highest snap total of his career, while also posting career highs in total tackles (43), tackles for loss (5), forced fumbles & fumble recoveries (1 each), sacks (2.5), and QB hits (8). Funny enough, he actually had one pass come his way as the closest defender, and it was an incompletion 13 yards down the field, pretty impressive. Overall a good year for the former Saints undrafted free agent.

Report card grade

Grading this loss is relatively easy. The Saints lost a run-stopping defensive tackle who had the best year of his career, while they had one of the worst run defenses in the early half of the year and never fully recovered. Roach was a player that in retrospect they absolutely should have retained, and especially so at the price tag he received.

Saints grade for allowing the departure: D-

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2024 Saints free agent report cards: Was Willie Gay a good signing?

With the 2024 season over, we have a chance to look at how the Saints’ offseason signings panned out. Was LB Willie Gay Jr. a good signing?

The NFL is nearing its offseason once again, and with that, teams will be vying for the top free agents on the market once again. With a somewhat underwhelming 2024 offseason for the New Orleans Saints, they only made a few signings that could have been viewed as true impact players.

One of the more notable signings they made at the time was linebacker Willie Gay Jr. who was set to compete with Pete Werner for the second LB spot. Ultimately this signing became less notable than anticipated, so let’s get into why that was the case:

Free agent contract

Gay Jr’s contract was relatively simple in terms of Saints contract, with a one-year, $3 million deal with $1.8 million set up as base salary and the remaining $1.2 million were a prorated signing bonus. There is no additional void years or cap hits beyond 2024, which is good considering the Saints current cap situation.

Snap counts

Willie Gay Jr. has had a relatively consistent snap count ever since his rookie year in 2020, however in 2024 he struggled to maintain a consistent number of snaps due to Pete Werner retaining the second linebacker spot. Here are his snap rates for each season, only including games he played in:

  • 2020: 25% (267)
  • 2021: 57% (437)
  • 2022: 69% (608)
  • 2023: 62% (624)
  • 2024: 27% (277)

2024 season review

As you can see from the snap counts, it was an extremely limited year for Gay Jr. as he was pushed down the depth chart by Demario Davis and Pete Werner, which ultimately only left a little bit of playing time left. In his 277 snaps, he had 28 total tackles (19 solo, 9 assisted), 2 tackles for loss, 3 pass deflections, and 2 fumble recoveries with 1 being forced by him.

Ultimately it was a tough year for him, as he really never got going the way he had in previous seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. While he was good to come on for depth, he was not particularly a valuable signing.

Report card grade

Overall, this signing was one that the Saints likely don’t regret given it was on a cheap and short contract with nothing to lose. However, the lack of production and taking up a roster spot that could have been used for someone younger is tough no doubt.

It is one of those signings that many forgot happened throughout the course of the year, and those who didn’t were left wanting more.

Signing grade: C-

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2024 Saints free agent report cards: Was Lucas Patrick a good signing?

Taking a look back at the 2024 offseason, was Lucas Patrick a good signing for the Saints? He played some important snaps at left guard:

The NFL offseason grows ever closer by the day, and as the New Orleans Saints look towards the future under a new head coach, there is also some time to look in retrospect at their 2024 offseason. While they only had a couple of signings and departures, it is worth taking a look at how each of those panned out during the season.

One of their more notable 2024 signings was left guard Lucas Patrick, who ended up being the starter for the large majority of the time he was available and was an intriguing piece throughout the course of the year. Let’s take a look at his contract, 2024 season, and give the signing a grade:

Free agent contract

Lucas Patrick signed one of the more simple contracts when it comes to the Saints, with a one-year deal worth $1,210,000 with $324,000 guaranteed. Among the left guards in the 2024 season, this was the 38th largest contract of 94, so near starting value as he almost made the top 32.

There are no additional void years or additions as it was a smaller scale contract, so the Saints have full flexibility to let him walk or bring him back if they wish to do so.

Snap counts

Patrick has had a very split snap count in his career, as early on he did not get many at all, but then he started getting significantly more in recent years. Here are his offensive snap totals for each season, only including games he played in:

  • 2017: 29% (227)
  • 2018: 29% (278)
  • 2019: 15% (137)
  • 2020: 90% (939)
  • 2021: 82% (911)
  • 2022: 65% (269)
  • 2023: 88% (958)
  • 2024: 79% (563)

2024 season review

2024 was a solid season for Patrick, not his best but absolutely one of his best, and it went heavily under the radar due to the time he missed with injury. In his 11 games played (10 started), he allowed 0 sacks, 10 pressures, and had 3 penalties, good for a 98.4% pass blocking rate. This type of production is exceptional, especially when dealing with injuries later in the season that made things difficult on him. 

Report card grade

Overall this was a solid signing for the Saints, given the price and production both being solid. The six games missed makes it tough to go higher than where we have him graded, however it was definitely a season worth following up with another one-year deal. Given he was expected to be replacement-level or a low-end starter, he had an exceptional season statistically and worked well with the offensive line in place.

Signing Grade: B-

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2024 Saints free agent report cards: Was letting Zack Baun go a big loss?

Taking a look back at the 2024 offseason, was letting linebacker Zack Baun go a big loss? His rapid and sustained success with the Eagles suggests so:

The NFL offseason and free agency are almost upon us, and with that, we wait in anticipation for the New Orleans Saints to make a head coaching hire to kick things off. After a brutal 5-12 campaign in 2024, there are many ways to distribute the blame amongst the organization. One of the notable issues for the Saints the past few seasons has been letting players walk who they mismanaged, and then they turned out to be good shortly after.

One such player is linebacker Zack Baun, who the Saints let walk in the 2024 offseason, as he would move on to the now Super Bowl bound Philadelphia Eagles. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the decision to let him walk and his production to this point in his career.

Free agent contract

Zack Baun received a one-year deal with the Eagles in the 2024 offseason, with a total value of $3.5 million and a guaranteed salary worth $1.125 million. He also earned an additional $1 million in incentives for his level of play, and likely for the Super Bowl berth. 

With this being only a one-year deal, the Eagles will have a tough decision to make on whether or not they want to pay him his new value for the long term, or let him walk to a new team.

Snap counts

The snap counts for Baun tell the story quite well, and his utilization has been quite low until he joined Philadelphia. Here is his defensive snap rates for each season, only including games he played:

  • 2020: 8% (82)
  • 2021: 17% (194)
  • 2022: 10% (83)
  • 2023: 27% (301)
  • 2024: 95% (939)

2024 season review

2024 was not only a breakout year for Baun, it was a year where he finally got a full opportunity to get substantial playing time, and he made the most of it. He wrapped up the regular season with a whopping 151 total tackles (93 solo, 58 assisted), 11 tackles for loss, 5 forced fumbles with one recovery, 4 pass deflections, 3.5 sacks, and an interception. 

This type of season was not only unprecedented but enormously impressive, with the Eagles finding a way to utilize him correctly, he was able to put up defensive player of the year type numbers.

Report card grade

When it comes to grading a team for letting players walk, it typically is hard to gauge the factor of whether or not the player in question would have performed at a similar level with that team and not their new team. Who knows if Zack Baun would have ever had a breakout season with the Saints, especially at that level.

Regardless, he had an outstanding season, and when it comes down to it, letting a DPOY candidate walk is going to reflect extremely poorly on your team. This is an F in pretty much every sense of how the grading scale could be applied, as the Saints chose to never utilize him this often, and now it will bite them for years to come.

Departure Grade: F-

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2024 Saints free agent report cards: Was Chase Young a good signing?

Taking a look back at the 2024 offseason, was defensive end Chase Young a good free agent signing for the Saints?

The New Orleans Saints have desperately needed an influx of talent along the defensive line for a few seasons now, and despite their attempts to fix that through the draft vis-à-vis the selections of Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey, it has not panned out how they expected.

In the 2024 offseason, they tried at a different method of adding talent, signing defensive end Chase Young to a one-year deal. With him coming off a neck injury and requiring surgery to get back to where he needed to be, the Saints took the shot on him with a short contract.

With the 2025 offseason nearly upon us, we will first take the opportunity to look back at the 2024 signings and grade them based on their first season with the black and gold. So without further ado, we begin with arguably their biggest signing of the offseason.

Free agent contract

Young was signed by the Saints to a 1-year, $13 million deal last offseason, with $12.55 million being guaranteed. This contract was the 26th largest contract at his position among the 244 signed defensive ends/edges in 2024. His cap hit did get split partially into 2025 however, with his 2024 cap number at $3,912,000 and his 2025 cap number at $9,088,000. 

The 2025 number was via a prorated signing bonus, so if Young were to leave this offseason, it would count towards the dead cap figure. If he were to return on a new contract it would be added onto that new deal, and would be able to be spread out further over the life of that instead.

Snap counts

When it comes to career snap counts for Chase Young, he has been utilized pretty heavily. Here is his defensive snap rate for each season of his career, only counting games he played in:

  • 2020: 78% (770)
  • 2021: 80% (477)
  • 2022: 65% (115)
  • 2023: WAS 84% (407), SF 58% (328)
  • 2024: 63% (742)

As you can see, he has always been a pretty heavily played pass rusher when on the field, but years like 2022 stand out where he missed all but three games, and 2021 where he played in nine.

2024 season review

2024 was a relatively solid season for Young, and while it was not as strong as his rookie season in 2020, he was making a positive impact all season long. This was the first season of his career where he has played every game, and in that span had 5.5 sacks, 31 total tackles (21 solo, 10 assisted), 8 tackles for loss, 21 QB hits, 66 pressures, 3 pass deflections and a forced fumble. 

Overall he performed better in the second half of the season as he grew more accustomed to the system. While the Saints are looking for a new head coach entering 2025, if he were to return it would likely benefit him to get a jump start and have a full offseason process.

Report card grade

Grading this signing is a little difficult, as on one hand Young was enormously impactful in many key statistics, but the sack number being only 5.5 is slightly underwhelming. This defense needs someone who can get the quarterback on the ground more than anything at the moment, and despite Young being exceptional at getting into the pocket, he had a tough time finishing the rep fast enough to get the quarterback down.

Regardless, for a one-year rental and only 13 million dollars spent, this was a strong season for Young. If he could be brought back for that range on multiple years it would be a positive, and that’s all you could ask for.

Signing Grade: B+

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Re-grading the Marshon Lattimore trade after Commanders lose in playoffs

Looking back at the New Orleans Saints, Washington Commanders trade revolving around Marshon Lattimore after Sunday’s NFC Championship loss.

The New Orleans Saints traded star cornerback Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders earlier this season. Now that the Commanders have been eliminated from the playoffs following their NFC Championship loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, we can take a look back at how both sides have fared in the deal.

Washington sent the Saints their 2025 NFL draft picks in the third, fourth and sixth rounds in exchange for Lattimore and a 2025 fifth-round selection.

It is not every day that a team trades away a fan-favorite, four-time Pro Bowler before they turn 30 and everyone is happy with the deal. That has been the case here, though.

With New Orleans staring down the barrel of a tough rebuild, Lattimore didn’t really fit into the future plans and already been struggling to stay healthy. Getting rid of his contract and adding multiple draft picks was about as good as the Saints could have asked for.

Saints Grade: A

Washington, however, is likely not nearly as happy with their side of the deal. Lattimore missed six games due to injury after getting traded away. When he was on the field, he looked off.

There is a chance that the Commanders cut their losses this offseason and cut him this offseason. It is either that or pay him $18 million next season and $18.5 million in 2026. Since they gave up the draft capital, perhaps they give him another offseason to try and get back into form before they separate.

Commanders Grade: D

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USA TODAY Sports gives Florida high grade for 2024 season

USA TODAY Sports gives the Gators a fair grade for their 2024 college football season.

As the echoes of whistles fade and stadium lights dim on another intense and exciting college football season, Florida football has emerged with commendable recognition.

USA TODAY Sports writer Paul Myerberg graded all 134 teams in college football based on their performance during the 2024 season and decided to give the Gators a B-plus.

Florida’s journey through the season was a rollercoaster of thrilling victories and heart-wrenching defeats. With a roster brimming with talent and aspirations, the Gators showed flashes of brilliance that suggested potential for great things to come.

Offensively, the Gators showed substantial progress. The development of quarterback DJ Lagway, who found his rhythm midway through the season after stepping into the starting role because of Graham Mertz’s season-ending injury, was a big factor in their offense’s overall performance.

On defense, Florida managed to create crucial stops at pivotal times, showcasing a growth in defensive coordination as the season progressed.

In essence, this B-plus is not just a reflection of this past season, but a stepping stone to the greater heights the Florida Gators aim to achieve. They key for the Gators will be consistency if they hope to become one of the best teams in the SEC.

SEC season grades by USA TODAY Sports

Grade: D

  • Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-10)
  • Auburn Tigers (5-7)

Grade: D+

  • Kentucky Wildcats (4-8)

Grade: C-

  • Oklahoma Sooners (6-7)

Grade: C

  • Arkansas Razorbacks (7-6)
  • Alabama Crimson Tide (9-4)

Grade: C+

  • LSU Tigers (9-4)

Grade: B

  • Missouri Tigers (10-3)

Grade: B+

  • Texas A&M Aggies (8-5)
  • Ole Miss Rebels (10-3)
  • Florida Gators (8-5)

Grade: A-

  • Vanderbilt Commodores (7-6)
  • Texas Longhorns (13-3)
  • Tennessee Volunteers (10-3)
  • South Carolina Gamecocks (9-4)
  • Georgia Bulldogs (11-3)

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

PFF: Travis Kelce was Chiefs’ highest-graded player in playoff win vs. Texans

Star TE Travis Kelce was the Chiefs’ highest-graded player in Kansas City’s divisional-round playoff win over the Houston Texans.

The Kansas City Chiefs are one game away from reaching their third consecutive Super Bowl after defeating the Houston Texans in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs on Saturday.

After struggling in the first half, the Chiefs’ offense came alive in the third quarter and began to march down the field with relative ease against Houston’s tenacious defense.

Star tight end Travis Kelce played an outsized role in Kansas City’s offensive production in the game, tallying seven receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown that helped lift the Chiefs to victory.

The experts at Pro Football Focus took notice of Kelce’s big game and awarded him a grade of 91.0, which was the highest among all of Kansas City’s players in the Chiefs’ win over the Texans.

Despite a rather slow regular season campaign from the veteran tight end, fans should expect Kelce to be among Kansas City’s most impactful playmakers when the Chiefs face off against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game this weekend.

CBS Sports grades Florida basketball’s performance vs. Missouri

CBS Sports grades Gators men’s basketball’s midweek home loss against Missouri.

Florida basketball suffered a home loss against the Missouri Tigers on Tuesday night, prompting them to earn a grade of C-minus based on their performance by CBS Sports.

The Gators, who have been rolling since the start of the season, amassed a 15-1 record and an AP Poll ranking of No. 5 coming into Tuesday’s game. But Florida came out flat and despite a valiant effort in the second half, it wasn’t enough to secure a come-from-behind victory.

“They (Missouri) were more ready to play than we were, and obviously jumped on us in the first half, and we were not ready for it – and obviously starts with me,” Gators head coach Todd Golden said after the loss in his postgame press conference. “I need to do a better job making sure we’re ready to go, and making sure that we understand what’s in front of us.”

Looking forward, the Gators still have some things they have to improve on, especially if they want to remain with the best teams in the SEC and the nation. Defensive consistency will be crucial if Florida hopes to contend with the best of the best in college basketball.

CBS Sports writer David Cobb assessed Florida’s performance on Tuesday against Missouri and this is what he had to say.

What CBS Sports said about Florida’s performance

“Just one week after holding Tennessee to 0 of 14 shooting from 3-point range in the first half of a dominant victory over the then-No. 1 Volunteers, it was a different story for the Gators this week. Missouri hit 7 of 14 attempts from deep while opening up a 50-34 halftime edge at Florida. The Gators mounted a furious rally in the second half but never fully recovered from their futile first-half defensive effort.”

Grade: C- 

Up next for the Gators

The Gators remain at home to host the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, Jan. 18. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Broncos PFF grades: Best, worst players from 31-7 loss to Bills

QB Bo Nix (85.2) did his part, but the Broncos need to add playmakers on offense. View more of the team’s PFF grades here.

Following the Denver Broncos‘ 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the NFL playoffs, Pro Football Focus has released grades for each player’s performance.

PFF grades players on a 0 (worst) to 100 (best) scale. Check out the best and worst from the Wild Card game below.

Best Offensive Players 

  • QB Bo Nix: 85.2
  • OT Garett Bolles: 79.6
  • WR Courtland Sutton: 77.1
  • P Riley Dixon: 73.1
  • C Luke Wattenberg: 69.3

Nix did his part, but it’s clear that Denver needs to add playmakers around him. Dixon’s fake punt landed him among the top offensive players. G Ben Powers (68.7) receiving the sixth-best grade on offense.

Best Defensive Players 

  • DL D.J. Jones: 79.4
  • DL Zach Allen: 77.2
  • OLB Nik Bonitto: 76.4
  • CB Ja’Quan McMillian: 67.0
  • DB Devon Key: 60.0

Jones is scheduled to become a free agent, so interior defensive line could quietly emerge as a key position of need for the Broncos in 2025.

Worst Offensive Players 

  • WR Devaughn Vele: 34.9
  • OT Mike McGlinchey: 47.8
  • WR Marvin Mims: 50.8
  • TE Lucas Krull: 51.6
  • WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey: 52.3

Denver’s front office needs to add a dynamic receiver and a pass-catching tight end this spring. Nix needs help.

Worst Defensive Players 

  • LB Drew Sanders: 27.1
  • LB Justin Strnad: 28.1
  • DB P.J. Locke: 28.4
  • DL John Franklin-Myers: 32.7
  • DL Malcolm Roach: 37.4

On defense, the Broncos will need at least one starting inside linebacker and a starting-caliber safety to push or replace Locke across from Brandon Jones.

Special Teams 

  • ST Adam Trautman: 74.4
  • LS Mitchell Fraboni: 63.6
  • R Marvin Mims: 59.5
  • K Wil Lutz: 48.9 (FG) 60.0 (KO)
  • P Riley Dixon: 64.5

You can view grades for every player on the paid version of PFF’s website.

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