How much consideration are the New Orleans Saints giving to their projected compensatory draft picks in 2024? The team doesn’t usually pay much mind to how their moves in free agency cost them draft assets later on down the road, but if there’s a year to be careful about it, it’s this one. The Saints currently projected to receive three or four comp picks in the 2024 draft between rounds four, five, and six, which would do a lot to help them restock the roster with affordable depth on rookie contracts.
But signing free agents wipes out the comp picks you’d otherwise receive — most times. There are a couple of loopholes, though. For one thing, any free agents who were cut by their last team do not count (and we’ve highlighted four possible targets here). For another, players who carry restricted free agent status (usually those with just three or fewer years’ experience) also don’t count. So what’s the catch?
These are usually young players who haven’t earned a long-term extension with their last team either due to injury or inconsistent play; the Saints’ own list of unsigned restricted free agents includes wide receiver Marquez Callaway, defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, and linebackers Chase Hansen and Andrew Dowell.
There’s a tradeoff in signing them to guard future comp picks just like in signing veterans who were released by their last team due to their age, injury, or decreased production. But sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough. Here are four names who should be on the Saints’ radar: