Larry Warford

Demario Davis named Saints’ best free agent signing of the last 5 years

This isn’t a surprise: Pro Bowl linebacker Demario Davis was named the Saints’ best free agent signing of the last five offseasons

NFL free agency is right around the corner, so it’s a good time to take a look back at some of the New Orleans Saints’ biggest hits on the open market. The easy pick for the team’s best free agent signing was quarterback Drew Brees, who came to New Orleans and accomplished a career worthy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They also found key players like Darren Sproles and Jabari Greer in free agency, and more recently landed Pro Bowlers like Larry Warford, Jared Cook, and Tyrann Mathieu.

But there’s one Saints free agent pickup who stands above the rest (behind Brees, anyway). ESPN’s NFL Nation panelists listed every team’s best free agent pickup since 2018, with Saints beat reporter Katherine Terrell making the obvious choice for New Orleans: linebacker Demario Davis. Here’s what she wrote of the 2022 Pro Bowler:

This was true several years ago and still holds true today. The Saints got a steal when they signed Davis to a three-year, $24 million deal. He has started 81 games in New Orleans, earning one first-team All-Pro nod, three second-team All-Pro honors and his first selection to Pro Bowl this season. Davis helped turn a struggling defense into one of the top units.

Davis outplayed his contract and then some, regularly ranking among league leaders in tackles each week and captaining a Saints defense that’s placed inside the top-10 every year he’s been in town. It’s a crime that Davis didn’t get more recognition from the annual all-star game earlier in his career, but fans know just how important he’s been to the team’s success since his arrival.

So how many more years will Davis be leading the team on and off the field? He celebrated his 34th birthday in January and has two more years left on his contract after a recent restructure, with his deal set to void in 2025 and leave behind a modest $6.8 million in dead money. But Davis carries a whopping $18.1 million salary cap hit in 2024, so he’ll likely restructure it again to kick that can further down the road (where the always-rising salary cap diminishes its cost). Unless he’s ready to step away from the game and retire, anyway. But that’s a conversation for another day.

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The Athletic’s 2020 redraft has the Saints passing on Cesar Ruiz

The Athletic’s 2020 first-round redraft has the Saints passing on Cesar Ruiz, instead picking local product Robert Hunt to step in at right guard:

They say hindsight vision is 20/20, and it’s tough looking back on what the New Orleans Saints did in the 2020 NFL draft. The Athletic’s Diante Lee completed a do-over of that year’s first round which has the Saints passing on their top choice in favor of another player at the same position.

Instead of drafting Michigan center Cesar Ruiz and asking him to convert to right guard, Lee suggests picking Louisiana offensive lineman Robert Hunt. Hunt mainly lined up at left guard and right tackle for the Ragin’ Cajuns, but he’s gone on to be a rock-solid starter at right guard for the Miami Dolphins. Lee’s take on what the Saints should have done at No. 24 overall:

“Ruiz looked viable in his rookie campaign, but it became clear over time that he’s not the answer and New Orleans needed to add more players along the interior.

Hunt can step in and do more as a run blocker and pass-protector, supporting the Saints’ goal of staying competitive as the franchise begins to venture into life after Drew Brees.”

Ruiz has actually played much better in his third season than the first two years of his Saints career, but there’s little doubt Hunt would have made a more immediately positive impact in New Orleans given his success in Miami (where he landed at No. 39, early in the second round). The Saints wanted to move on from Pro Bowl right guard Larry Warford that summer, and though Ruiz was a consensus better prospect at the time as a center he was a total projection at another spot. It’s taken time for him to adjust to the different assignments — time that may have been better spent on a player with more experience in the role.

Ah well. What’s done is done, and what matters more is what’s ahead of Ruiz and the Saints. He’s coming off his best year as a pro, though it ended with an unfortunate Lisfranc fracture in his foot. The good news is that he’s expecting to be cleared in time for training camp. The bad news is that the Saints must decide by May 1 whether to exercise the fifth-year option in Ruiz’s contract and guarantee him more than $14 million for 2024. If they believe he’ll continue to play at a high level after improving last season, it should be an easy decision. You just have to wonder how heavily his early-career struggles factor into that equation.

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Breaking down the Chargers’ options after release of Trai Turner

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez breaks down how the Los Angeles Chargers can fill the hole at right guard.

The Chargers popped up in the news on Friday after releasing their starting right guard from last season, Trai Turner. The release wasn’t all that surprising considering Turner was injured and underwhelming with his play in 2020.

His departure leaves another hole in the offensive line that Los Angeles will have to fill this offseason. With that being said, let’s take a look at a couple of options and potential suitors.

How Chargers can fix offensive line this offseason

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez rebuilds Los Angeles’ offensive line.

I feel like a broken record saying this, but the time is now for the Chargers to revamp the offensive line in the offseason.

After putting it off year after year, general manager Tom Telesco is finally realizing that the line is a glaring issue that needs to be resolved.

“There’s a lot of improvement that needs to be made in that area,” Telesco said about the team’s offensive line at his end-of-season press conference.

Numbers don’t lie. Quarterback Justin Herbert was pressured on 27.6% of his attempts in 2020, the seventh-highest rate among QBs with at least 200 attempts, according to SportRadar.

Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus had the unit ranked the worst in the NFL.

Injuries hindered tackle Bryan Bulaga and guard Trai Turner. Meanwhile, there was inconsistent play from center Dan Feeney, guard Forrest Lamp and tackle Sam Tevi.

At the moment, Feeney, Lamp and Tevi are slated to be free agents. Turner is a potential cut candidate to free up some cap space after his disappointing season. Bulaga is likely safe, but there are some serious durability concerns.

The bottom line is that if Los Angeles wants to have a high octane offense moving forward with Herbert at the helm, they need to get better in the trenches.

Starting with the in-house options, I believe the team loves Feeney, Lamp and Tevi. I don’t feel comfortable with anyone of them in a starting role moving forward, but I believe for the sake of continuity, they’re good enough to be brought back as depth pieces.

As for Turner, I elect to move on from him to clear up $11.5 million in cap space.

Looking ahead to free agency, I am going all in for the best interior free agent offensive linemen available. All eyes are on Brandon Scherff, Joe Thuney, Corey Linsley.

In this scenario, I’m able to sign Linsley to fill the center spot.

Looking to the second tier of free agents, my attention is shifted to Nick Easton, Larry Warford, Jon Feliciano and Denzelle Good.

I sign to Warford to serve as the starting right guard.

Moving on to the NFL draft, my focus is landing a plug-and-play tackle and guard in the first two rounds.

On the clock at pick No. 13, the Chargers land USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker. Vera-Tucker projects best as a guard at the next level, but his tape from 2020 tells me that he can thrive on the outside.

Fast forward to pick No. 45, Los Angeles takes Notre Dame’s Aaron Banks. A proven guard, Banks’ pass protection will help secure the inside of a line early on and he will add value as a run blocker with his power.

The work doesn’t stop there. After addressing the cornerback and edge defender position with the team’s two third-round picks, I add a high upside player in Clemson’s Jackson Carman to kick off Day 3.

The 6-foot-5 and 335 pounder has the athleticism, strong hands, leverage in pass protection and mauling mentality in the running game. Carman can play tackle at the next level, but he has the skill set to play guard, as well. That versatility is a plus for L.A.

My new line, from left to right, would look something like: Vera-Tucker, Banks, Linsley, Warford, Bulaga. Depth includes Feeney, Lamp, Tevi, Carman, Storm Norton, Trey Pipkins and Scott Quessenberry.

If the Chargers want to get the most out of Herbert for many years, they must keep him as clean as possible and a line like this can go a long way.

4 pending free agents who have ties to Chargers’ Joe Lombardi, Renaldo Hill

Familiarity plays a big part in free agency.

The Chargers’ coaching staff is nearly complete and now that we know the offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator to head coach Brandon Staley, let’s take a look ahead to free agency.

Given the fact that familiarity plays a significant role, I looked through the pending free agents who played under offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill that Los Angeles could consider signing.

OG Larry Warford, Lions & Saints

The connection between Warford and Lombardi goes back to 2014 when the two were with the Lions. After four seasons with Detroit, they reunited in New Orleans. Warford went on to being named to three consecutive Pro Bowls (2017, 2018, 2019). He decided to opt out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If Warford is ready to return to the field in the fall, he would give the Chargers a plug-and-play guard.

OT James Hurst, Saints

Hurst started 44 games for the Ravens over his first six seasons in the league before signing with New Orleans in 2020. The 29-year old missed the first four games of the season due to violating the performance-enhancing drug policy. But upon his return, Hurst played well in the depth role, finishing with a 84.1 pass-blocking grade, per Pro Football Focus. An ideal swing option, Hurst would provide depth both at tackle and guard.

S Will Parks, Broncos

Justin Simmons or Kareem Jackson, the star-studded safeties in Denver’s defense would be great. But I think they will both be brought back, or another team is going to hand them a hefty check. Parks is versatile, having played safety, slot and outside corner and box linebacker. Parks is a starting-caliber talent, so having him as a cheap depth piece should be very enticing for a team that’s lacking depth at the position and one who will be relying on it under Brandon Staley’s system.

CB De’Vante Bausby, Broncos

To say Bausby’s 2020 season was underwhelming might be an understatement. He was waived midway through the season by Denver and after spending very little time with the Cardinals, he was granted another shot with the Broncos. Upon returning, he was benched for the final game of the season after two poor games in the weeks prior. Bausby has shown flashes of being a serviceable cornerback, and maybe with playing under Staley, he could experience a turning point in his career.

Saints training camp: Pro Bowl guard Andrus Peat out with a hand injury

The New Orleans Saints will be without two-time Pro Bowl guard Andrus Peat during training camp while he works to return from a hand injury.

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The New Orleans Saints will be without left guard Andrus Peat while he manages a hand injury during training camp, per multiple reports. News of Peat’s injury was first reported by Brett Martel for the Associated Press, and confirmed by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

Peat was guaranteed $33 million in a five-year contract extension with the Saints earlier this summer, and showed up to training camp in great shape, but this is still a big setback for the two-time Pro Bowler. He’s started predominately at left guard since being drafted by the Saints back in 2015, while also being the go-to option to fill in for left tackle Terron Armstead.

But it’s just the latest entry in Peat’s lengthy injury history. He’s just 26, but has never suited up for a full 16-game regular season. Peat missed six weeks last season with a broken arm after dealing with a previously broken hand, high-ankle sprain, and concussion in 2018, and ended his season with a broken leg the year before that.

While those aren’t the sort of soft-tissue injuries that tend to recur, it’s still notable that Peat’s body hasn’t held up to the punishment the NFL deals out. It might be fair to question New Orleans’ decision to extend Peat while releasing his healthier teammate Larry Warford, who has informally opted out of playing in the 2020 season despite receiving a lot of interest in free agency.

And there’s no clear timetable yet on his return. Saints coach Sean Payton was mum on an explanation for Peat’s absence in Monday’s training camp practice, so we’ll have to stay tuned for updated reports or an announcement from the team. In the meantime, veteran backup Nick Easton is filling in for Peat at left guard, but don’t be shocked if top rookie draft pick Cesar Ruiz gets a look as well.

For now, one encouraging sign might be that the Saints didn’t bring any offensive linemen into their recent free agent tryouts. That could suggest they don’t expect Peat to miss much time before their Sept. 13 season opener with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Sean Payton updates the training camp battle between Cesar Ruiz, Erik McCoy

The New Orleans Saints are trying out top draft pick Cesar Ruiz at both center and right guard in training camp, along with Erik McCoy.

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The biggest battle of New Orleans Saints training camp is happening in the trenches. Cesar Ruiz, the team’s top draft pick, is hoping to win the starting job and stay at his natural position at center. But he’ll have to unseat the incumbent starter, Erik McCoy, who put up very good game tape during his 2019 rookie season.

For now, Saints coach Sean Payton is just focused on getting them used to working together. Whoever doesn’t remain at center will shift over to the right guard spot, replacing three-time Pro Bowl alternate Larry Warford. And while it’s too early to call the competition after the first day of practice in pads, Payton has been encouraged by where things started.

He spoke about the training camp competition in his Monday conference call after practice: “We’re evaluating both of them, they’re both getting plenty of work. McCoy’s getting work at center, Ruiz is at right guard. And probably every second or third day we’ll evaluate and flip them around. We’re rotating both of those guys with Nick Easton inside. We feel like, obviously, all of those reps are important and I think overall (Ruiz is) a pretty quick study.”

It shouldn’t panic anyone that Ruiz isn’t taking every snap at center right away. The Saints often train players at different positions (defensive back P.J. Williams had a great day of practice at safety), and there’s a good chance Ruiz ends up playing at guard rather than center for much of his rookie year. It’s best for him to get some familiarity with it now.

For the curious: Ruiz started 26 of 31 games at center with Michigan, spending the remaining 5 starts at right guard. At Texas A&M, Erik McCoy logged 37 starts at center and 2 at guard. That won’t factor much into who starts where in 2020 with the Saints, but it does give some context on where each player’s background lies.

Also, Easton has also been filling in for left guard Andrus Peat. While early reports out of Saints training camp were positive for Peat, he wasn’t in attendance at Monday’s practice session, and Payton offered no explanation. It’s unknown whether Peat is dealing with an injury, personal matter, or the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol, but we’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, this is what Easton is here for. It’s good to see that he’s also part of the training camp battle to start along the interior, justifying the big contract the Saints signed him to last summer. While Ruiz should be a favorite to get the starting nod, having a vested veteran like Easton involved will make sure the rookie earns his opportunity.

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Ex-Saints guard Larry Warford opting out of 2020 season

Former New Orleans Saints guard Larry Warford decided to wait for 2021 free agency by opting out of the 2020 season after three Pro Bowls.

Three-time Pro-Bowl guard, Larry Warford, who has received multiple offers, is opting out of the 2020 season, per source. Warford is looking to start a family and will continue to train and revisit playing in 2021.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 28, 2020

While he hadn’t yet chosen a new team, former New Orleans Saints guard Larry Warford has chosen to opt out of the 2020 season and will wait for 2021 free agency. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Warford’s decision.

Warford was released after the 2020 NFL Draft, not long after the Saints used their first round pick on Michigan center Cesar Ruiz. That put either Ruiz or incumbent center Erik McCoy in competition with Warford to start at right guard, but the Saints chose to release the three-time Pro Bowl alternate after receiving little interest in a trade.

However, he isn’t lacking for options now. Schefter added that Warford received multiple offers this summer as a free agent, but the option to pass on a season marred by the COVID-19 pandemic gave him an opportunity to spend more time with his family.

An interesting wrinkle is that Warford technically doesn’t have to opt out by filing a notice with any NFL teams; he simply doesn’t have to return their calls. Because there’s nothing in the NFL’s agreement with the NFL Players Association about free agents, he could hypothetically opt back in if the right situation presents itself. But that loophole might be closed as the NFL and NFLPA continue to hammer out the details in their negotiations.

Warford is the second player with ties to the Saints to opt out of the 2020 season, though he’s doing so voluntarily. Backup tight end Cole Wick was a long shot to make the team after returning from the 2019 practice squad, but he’s at an elevated health risk due to asthma, and will hope to return for another shot in 2021.

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4 free-agent options for Chiefs following Laurent Duvernay-Tardif’s opt-out decision

Looking at four free-agent options who make sense for the Kansas City Chiefs after Laurent Duvernay-Tardif’s opt-out.

The most likely scenario for the Kansas City Chiefs is that they’ll go with in-house options to replace starting RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who elected to opt-out of the 2020 NFL season. There still exists a slight possibility that the Chiefs could look outside the organization for help in terms of immediate impact or depth. There are a handful of interior offensive linemen available that make varying degrees of sense in Kansas City.

Warford is probably considered the cream of the crop of free-agent guards on the market right now. The 29-year-old veteran also might be the most expensive guard on the market because as of May he was looking for a contract worth up to $7 million per year in average salary. It’s not clear if he’d take a discount to join the defending Super Bowl champions, but that number would likely price out the Chiefs.

Warford is reliable, only missing two games in the last two seasons. He only allowed two sacks during the 2019 season and earned a 73.1 overall grade according to Pro Football Focus. His fit with the Chiefs is a debatable topic as he’s not the most mobile and athletic guard, but he’s physical and a tone-setter on the offensive line. There are few teams in the NFL that couldn’t use that type of player on their team.

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The NFL’s 11 best offensive guards

Guards are no longer the anonymous guys who toil away without recognition, and here are the best in the NFL to do it right now.

If you were to ask a number of offensive skill players around the NFL just how important offensive guards are, you may get a selection of different answers. One skill position player who may have a stronger take on that than others is Tom Brady. Brady has been to nine Super Bowls in his estimable career, willing six and losing three. In the two the Patriots lost to the Giants, one player made as much of a difference as any other, and that was New York defensive lineman Justin Tuck. Tuck was able to get past New England’s interior offensive linemen and force Brady to deal with the one thing that drives him nuts — pressure up the middle that prevents him from stepping up in the pocket.

More mobile quarterbacks can benefit from great guards who can get up to the second and third levels, and running backs with top-level guards in front of them are obviously going to have a better go of it. Guards are no longer the anonymous guys who toil away without recognition, and here are the best in the NFL to do it right now.

Honorable Mentions

(Jerry Habraken-Imagn Content Services, LLC)

Brandon Brooks of the Eagles would have been in the top three on this list, and perhaps the second guard overall… because no matter what, nobody was replacing my top guy on the list. Last season, Brooks allowed just one sack and 19 total pressures on 647 pass-blocking snaps, and he was also a top-shelf run-blocker. Sadly. Brooks will miss the entire 2020 season with a torn Achilles’ tendon, which has the Eagles trying to switch Jason Peters from left tackle to guard — an interesting experiment. Also, had Baltimore’s Marshal Yanda not announced his retirement, he would have been in the top half of this list, as well.

Beyond that, there were some tough calls as to who to leave off this list. While Joe Thuney of the Patriots was an easy add. But Shaq Mason, his battery-mate, just missed the cut, as there were a few guys who were slightly better run-blockers in 2019, and Thuney’s pass pro was simply on a different level. Gabe Jackson of the Raiders had some great tape as usual, but was a bit too prone to allowing sacks. The same could be said of former Panthers guard Trai Turner, who’s been one of my favorite interior offensive linemen since he came into the league in 2014. Perhaps a change of scenery (Turner was traded to the Chargers in March in exchange for tackle Russell Okung) will put him back on the right foot. And Larry Warford, who the Saints released in May in a cap-cutting move, should find himself on a roster sooner than later.

Now, onto the top 11.

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