The New Orleans Saints should go all-in on their 2020 offseason. Signing Jacksonville Jaguars pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue would be perfect.
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The New Orleans Saints will be looking high and low for upgrades when NFL free agency begins in March, and the Jacksonville Jaguars have as much to offer as any other team around the league. We’re continuing our daily survey of each team’s pending free agents with a look at who could help the Saints from Jacksonville. Here’s every Jaguars player whose contract will expire next month:
DE Yannick Ngakoue
DT Akeem Spence
LB D.J. Alexander
LB Najee Goode
LB Preston Brown
RB Alfred Blue
OG Tyler Shatley
OT Benjamin Ijalana
OT Cedric Ogbuehi
TE Ben Koyack
TE Seth Devalve
TE Nick O’Leary
DT Marcell Dareus (Club Option)
G Brandon Thomas (ERFA)
LB Austin Calitro (ERFA)
RB Devante Mays (ERFA)
DT Carl Davis (RFA)
LB Donald Payne (RFA)
LB James Onwualu (RFA)
WR Keelan Cole (RFA)
The biggest name on this list is Ngakoue, and he’d be one of the biggest additions the Saints could hope to make on the open market. He’d also draw one of the largest contracts thanks to his well-padded resume (with 37.5 sacks and 85 quarterback hits in 63 career games). It would take some crafty contract structuring to make it work, but Ngakoue wouldn’t be the first blue-chip free agent the Saints have signed unexpectedly. He’d provide a huge boost to the defensive line as a quick-twitch athlete out on the edge, which they don’t really have right now.
Ogbuehi is another player to watch, as a potential backup for Saints left tackle Terron Armstead. Ogbuehi never lived up to his draft billing as a first-round pick, but he could still fill in here or there without embarrassing himself. The Saints can’t rely on Armstead to play 16 full games in a year, so it’s vital that they have a better backup plan than sliding Andrus Peat, also often injured, out of the left guard spot and into Armstead’s role. Maybe Ogbuehi could compete for that job.
Also, watch out for the Jaguars linebackers and tight ends who will be available. The Saints are running thin at both positions and could always use more bodies there. Brown at linebacker and O’Leary at tight end are two candidates with experience in the roles the Saints ask out of their backups.
The New Orleans Saints will consider every way to improve, including Indianapolis Colts free agents like Eric Ebron and Jabaal Sheard,
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The Indianapolis Colts are up next on our league-wide deep dive into possible free agents the New Orleans Saints could pursue during the 2020 offseason. With only 20 free agents available for the Colts, there are only a few plausible fits for the Saints. Here are Indianapolis’ free agents:
LT Anthony Castonzo
WR Devin Funchess
DE Jabaal Sheard
TE Eric Ebron
K Adam Vinatieri
WR Chester Rogers
FS Clayton Geathers
WR Dontrelle Inman
RT Le’Raven Clark
FS Isaiah Johnson
S Briean Boddy-Calhoun
G Josh Andrews
RB Jonathan Williams
G Joe Haeg
DT Trevon Coley (RFA)
WR Marcus Johnson (ERFA)
S Kai Nacua (ERFA)
S Rolan Milligan (ERFA)
WR Daurice Fountain (ERFA)
K Chase McLaughlin (ERFA)
A name that will be a top target for many teams, and should be for New Orleans as well is Eric Ebron. The tight end had a down year in 2019 when he played in only 11 games due to an ankle injury, in which drama ensued. The 27-year old was only able to reel in 31 receptions for 375 yards and three touchdowns. However, his 2017 season was fantastic, and his 2018 season was prolific. Ebron’s 2019 production may have teams on the fence in terms of doling out a huge contract to the tight end. But, should the Saints pursue his services, he would provide another big target, along with excellent route running abilities for the returning quarterback Drew Brees.
Defensive end Jabaal Sheard is another intriguing name that is available from the Colts. At 30-years old, Jabaal has proven durable, and has played above replacement level for his position. He would help solidify some question marks the New Orleans defensive line has heading into 2020.
Finally, Joe Haeg could be brought in as a depth role type of player. His snap count has diminished over the last four seasons, and at one point was a starting interior offensive lineman for Indianapolis. However, at just 26-years old, he could provide competition to players such as Nick Easton and Will Clapp. When Haeg saw the field in 2019, Pro Football Focus gave him a 71.9 grade, which shows that he has the talent.
The New Orleans Saints will consider Houston Texans free agents like Bradley Roby, Vernon Hargreaves, and Chris Clark during free agency.
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The New Orleans Saints will consider pending free agents from every team around the league, so we’re surveying the potential free agent class in a daily series that will run up to the beginning of the signing period. Today’s entry focuses on the Houston Texans, who offer the Saints some interesting options at a few key positions:
CB Bradley Roby
CB Johnathan Joseph
CB Phillip Gaines
CB Vernon Hargreaves
DT Brandon Dunn
DT D.J. Reader
FS Mike Adams
ILB Dylan Cole (RFA)
K Ka’imi Fairbairn
LS Jon Weeks
LT Chris Clark
OLB Barkevious Mingo
OLB Tyrell Adams
QB A.J. McCarron
QB Joe Webb
RB Carlos Hyde
RB Lamar Miller
RB Taiwan Jones
SS Jahleel Addae
TE Darren Fells
T Roderick Johnson (ERFA)
WR Deandre Carter (ERFA)
The Saints should be in on all of the Texans cornerbacks, though Bradley Roby and Johnathan Joseph figure to be the most expensive. With just three corners under contract right now, it’s important that the Saints start adding warm bodies to the depth chart, and Vernon Hargreaves would make sense as a backup with starter’s upside. He led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in snaps played last year before he was cut (following a bad game against Michael Thomas), and the Saints should be familiar with him given their past clashes in the NFC South.
A reunion with Chris Clark might make sense. The backup left tackle spent the 2019 offseason with the Saints before landing on injured reserve, leaving a few days later with an injury settlement. He joined the Texans in midseason and played frequently at right tackle, appearing on 342 snaps during seven games. It might be wise for the Saints to bring him back into the fold as a backup plan for oft-injured left tackle Terron Armstead.
Don’t sleep on backup quarterbacks Joe Webb and A.J. McCarron. The Saints are likely to lose Teddy Bridgewater in free agency, and might not match a contract offer for Taysom Hill if other teams set a high price. Even if their job is just to hold a clipboard on the sidelines, the Saints should look for an experienced backup to Drew Brees after his five-game absence last year.
The New Orleans Saints will take a hard look at potential upgrades at wide receiver, and Detroit Lions slot receiver Danny Amendola may fit.
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The New Orleans Saints are hard at work in drawing up their offseason strategy, and we’re following along with a daily survey of every NFL team’s pending free agents. This series will take us right up to the beginning of unrestricted free agency’s legal tampering period and help give a better idea of which players may be on the market, as well as which teams will be contending for the Saints in checking off their roster needs. Next up is the Detroit Lions. Here’s who may be available in March:
WR Danny Amendola
DT Mike Daniels
SS Tavon Wilson
P Sam Martin
CB Rashaan Melvin
WR Jermaine Kearse
DT A’Shawn Robinson
T Oday Aboushi
LS Don Muhlbach
TE Logan Thomas
G Graham Glasgow
S Miles Killebrew
QB Jeff Driskel
DT Darius Kilgo
DE Jamie Meder
CB Michael Ford (ERFA)
CB Dee Virgin (ERFA)
RB J.D. McKissic (RFA)
It wouldn’t be a shock if the Saints explore the free agency market and end up leaving it with Danny Amendola, or someone much like him. His skills set is what the Saints offense is lacking; they have the superstar in Michael Thomas, the speedy flankers in Tre’Quan Smith and Deonte Harris, and the big slot specialists in Keith Kirkwood and Lil’Jordan Humphrey, but they lack a fleet-footed run-after-catch threat (think Willie Snead or Lance Moore). Amendola isn’t the best candidate for that job (Randall Cobb probably is), but he could be the most cost-effective.
Fortunately, there are other pending free agents from Detroit that the Saints can consider. Graham Glasgow is one of the better guards expected to be available, having played well but apparently clashed with Matt Patricia’s coaching staff, and earned a spot in the doghouse for his troubles. It’s unclear how the going rate for guards will shake out this summer, but Glasgow would likely be a welcome upgrade in New Orleans after too much exposure to Andrus Peat.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Saints approach their second year with Darren Rizzi coaching the special teams units. His squad saw a lot of turnover during the season and could continue to churn new pieces into the coverage teams, with veterans like Johnson Bademosi and Stephone Anthony headed for free agency; two of the best Saints special teamers, J.T. Gray (a second-team All-Pro) and Justin Hardee, currently have exclusive-rights free agent and restricted free agent status. If more change is coming, look out for Lions safety Miles Killebrew to get a look. He ranked second in Detroit in special teams snaps played (351) and could be a big addition in New Orleans at a modest price.
The Dallas Cowboys offer several interesting free agent additions for the New Orleans Saints, including top wideout Amari Cooper.
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The Dallas Cowboys are our free agency focus today as we take a deep dive into which available players could be potential fits for the New Orleans Saints in 2020. The Cowboys have as many as 30 free agent players that could hit the open market, and there are a few that could pique the interest of the Saints. Here are the 30 free agent players for Dallas heading into 2020:
DE Michael Bennett
DE Robert Quinn
WR Amari Cooper
WR Randall Cobb
TE Jason Witten
OLB Sean Lee
DT Christian Covington
CB Byron Jones
SS Jeff Heath
ILB Joe Thomas
WR Tavon Austin
LS L.P. Ladouceur
DE Kerry Hyder
K Kai Forbath
OLB Malcolm Smith
DT Maliek Collins
G Xavier Su’a-Filo
ILB Ray-Ray Armstrong
FS Darian Thomas
OLB Justin March
QB Dak Prescott
CB C.J. Goodwin
CB Anthony Brown
S Kavon Frazier
DT Daniel Ross (RFA)
TE Blake Jarwin (RFA)
QB Cooper Rush (RFA)
C Adam Redmond (RFA)
DT Antwuan Woods (ERFA)
T Cameron Fleming (Club Option)
Let’s get the big name out of the way: Amari Cooper. It seems like every publication has had Cooper connected to the Saints in some fashion since the end of the season. The wide receiver will be pursuing a deal that could potentially make him the highest paid receiver in the NFL. New Orleans undoubtedly could not roster two $100-million-plus receivers. If Cooper were willing to take a lucrative, one-year deal to help solidify his status as a top receiver, then, and only then would the Saints play in his market.
A more viable option at pursuing a Cowboys free agent wide receiver is Randall Cobb. The 30-year old receiver caught 828 and three touchdowns in 2019. Cobb would be a good fit to play the slot in Sean Payton’s offensive scheme. However, former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is now with Dallas, and a reunion with Cobb could be in the books. Cobb thrived under McCarthy in Green Bay, and it would not be shocking to see Cobb stay put with the Cowboys.
Finally, Byron Jones is a name that could pop up in New Orleans’ search to upgrade their secondary. Eli Apple had a lackluster 2019, and Janoris Jenkins could be a cap casualty. Jones would slot in well with Marshon Lattimore, but he wouldn’t come cheap. Dallas will likely not resign Jones, and there are plenty of teams across the league that would love his services. If New Orleans can create the cap space, and decide they want to prioritize the secondary, Jones could then be a viable option.
The Cleveland Browns have intriguing options for the New Orleans Saints: WR Rashard Higgins and LB Joe Schobert are both pending free agents
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We continue our series here at Saints Wire looking at every team across the NFL and the Cleveland Browns are who we will focus on today. Cleveland does not have a large number of free agents heading into 2020, and as such, do not provide clear-cut options for the New Orleans Saints. Here are the 14 free agents for the Browns in 2020:
LT Greg Robinson
QB Drew Stanton
WR Rashard Higgins
FS Damarious Randall
ILB Joe Schobert
FS Eric Murray
CB Justin Burris
RB Kareem Hunt (RFA)
G Justin McCray (RFA)
TE Ricky Seals-Jones (RFA)
DE Bryan Cox Jr. (RFA)
WR Khadarel Hodge (ERFA)
RB Dontrell Hilliard (ERFA)
TE Pharaoh Brown (ERFA)
One of the only free agents the Saints could possibly be interested in is linebacker Joe Schobert. In 2019, Schobert played in all 16 games and averaged over 99% of defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus grades Schobert’s season out at 59.1, which was just slightly above average at the position. New Orleans could conceivably sign the 28-year old to a multi-year deal, but with better options in the market, it seems unlikely.
Another name that could pop up in discussions for the Saints is Damarious Randall. The free safety missed time in 2019 with a hamstring injury and with discipline issues. New Orleans usually likes to stay away from players that could pose an issue in the locker room. However, when Randall took the field, he was one of the better safeties, and the Saints could take a flyer on a player with high potential like Randall. However, the safety won’t come cheap, which likely puts the Saints out of the running.
Finally, Rashard Higgins could be the one intriguing option for New Orleans in free agency. Higgins proved to be a competent receiver during his 2018 campaign. However, 2019 saw the arrival of Odell Beckham Jr. and the resurgence of Jarvis Landry. Higgins had to fight to see time as the team’s third receiver, especially with Antonio Callaway in the mix. Without a clear-cut number two wide receiver on the New Orleans staff, the Saints could sign Higgins to a team-friendly deal. Higgins has the potential to be an explosive player, and could thrive in Sean Payton’s system.
The New Orleans Saints can improve by trading draft picks for veterans in 2020, targeting players like Stefon Diggs and David Njoku.
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How can the New Orleans Saints improve after another disappointing playoffs exit? They don’t have much to work with on paper as far as draft picks and salary cap accounting is concerned, but that’s typical for the Saints. Their goal every year is to maximize their resources and leave no stones unturned in search of upgrades. So expect New Orleans to again get creative during the long NFL offseason.
Trading some of those picks for players is one option they could explore. While the Saints got great production out of their first two selections in last year’s draft (Erik McCoy started every game at center, while C.J. Gardner-Johnson averaged 34 snaps per game at defensive back), every other rookie they drafted finished the year on injured reserve or on another team’s practice squad.
Swapping late-round picks for proven veterans on the outs with other teams — whether due to coaching staff upheaval or poor salary cap management — is one of the few big market inefficiencies in the NFL today, and the Saints should take advantage of it. It’s a tactic they’ve used in the past (and nearly did last year, before Robert Quinn made a poor decision to pick the Dallas Cowboys instead) and they’re set up well to do it again.
With that in mind, here are four trade candidates the Saints should call in about in the weeks ahead:
LB Christian Kirksey, Cleveland Browns
The Minnesota Vikings lost conservative play-caller Kevin Stefanski to the Browns, and he’ll be Cleveland’s new head coach. That means changes are on the way, and Stefanski doing some housecleaning could mean Kirksey gets offloaded. He’s played well for the Browns, earning a leadership role as team captain, but ended each of the last two years on injured reserve. If healthy, he could help the Saints replace two of their three projected starting linebackers, Alex Anzalone and Kiko Alonso, who are both recovering from season-ending injuries.
The trade: Saints acquire Kirksey in exchange for their 2020 fifth-round pick.
TE David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
This would be more of a long-term move than an instant upgrade, but the Saints should really consider it. Jared Cook is entering the final leg of his two-year contract and projects to be one of the team’s biggest playmakers in 2020, while backup tight end Josh Hill remains an integral blocker. Njoku was in Freddie Kitchens’ doghouse last year for unclear reasons, and there’s no telling whether Stefanski will have the patience to let Njoku learn another new system and develop. The Saints could bring him in as an heir-apparent to replace Cook after the 2020 season.
The trade: Saints acquire Njoku in exchange for their 2021 second-round pick and their 2020 sixth-round pick.
LG Lane Taylor, Green Bay Packers
Nick Easton is projected to start at left guard for New Orleans next season (two-time Pro Bowler Andrus Peat is headed for free agency), but Taylor would be a clear upgrade if the Saints can land him. While he was cut down by an injury just two games into the 2019 season, Taylor did start 45 games in the previous three years. The Packers have an obvious in-house replacement for him in second-year pro Elgton Jenkins, and could clear salary space by trading Taylor away. If the Saints acquired Taylor (counting a little over $4.6 million against the cap) and released Easton (freeing up about $3.8 million), it would result in a net cost of roughly $780,000.
The trade: Saints acquire Taylor in exchange for their 2020 fifth-round pick.
WR Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are one of two teams currently in the red for 2020 salary cap space, and Diggs is a logical trade candidate. The offense’s run-first approach makes him a bit redundant next to Adam Thielen as two highly-paid wideouts, and Diggs’ frustration with the coaching staff was evident last year. With Gary Kubiak taking on a larger role in conducting the Vikings offense (which means even more reliance on the running game), it’s possible Diggs lands somewhere else in 2020. And as a 26-year-old in the middle of a $72 million contract, he won’t come cheaply. Would he be a better addition for the Saints (at that cost) than a rookie first-round draft pick?
The trade: Saints acquire Diggs in exchange for their 2020 first-round pick.
Whether C.J. Gardner-Johnson steps in for Vonn Bell or Nick Easton replaces Andrus Peat, the New Orleans Saints have options in free agency.
The New Orleans Saints are set to lose multiple key players to free agency this offseason, including a number of entrenched starters. In order to minimize the effect of those losses, the Saints will turn towards the 2020 NFL Draft and the free agency signing period to help fill those holes on the roster. But, there are internal options under contract for 2020 and beyond that could potentially step in right away. Some of that is by design, while others are more like happy accidents. Here are four candidates that could replace some of the Saints’ pending free agents.
Shy Tuttle for David Onyemata
New Orleans acquired Onyemata in a draft-day trade, climbing the board in the fourth round back in 2016. The athletic defensive tackle instantly became a productive member of the Saints defensive front. Now, he is set for free agency, and it appears his replacement is waiting in the wings.
Tuttle is set to help take over Onyemata’s production in 2020, and he has already become endeared to the Saints’ fan base. Despite logging only 373 snaps in 2019, he made the most of them, and even intercepted Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan on Thanksgiving Day before delivering an iconic stiff-arm. But he’s more than just that one highlight; a starting gig for Tuttle could be an upgrade over Onyemata.
The New Orleans Saints won’t lack for options at wide receiver in free agency, ranging from A.J. Green and Amari Cooper to Phillip Dorsett.
The number-one priority for the New Orleans Saints in the 2020 offseason has to be finding a wide receiver to run opposite Michael Thomas (after their quarterbacks riddle is answered, of course). Thomas put the team on his back for much of the 2019 season, breaking and resetting the NFL record for receptions in a single season, but he can’t be expected to do that every year.
Ted Ginn Jr. was the next-best wide receiver in catches, and he only had 30. After him, no other wideouts had more than 18. The Saints were able to win a lot of games and get into the playoffs by asking Thomas to make magic despite the extra coverage going his way, but their first-round exit spelled out how serious a problem this could be. Drew Brees needs more weapons at wide receiver, and Sean Payton has to recognize that.
While this is a draft class loaded with talent at that position, we shouldn’t expect the Saints to sit on their hands and wait for a rookie hopeful to drop to them in April. Their strategy for nearly two decades has consisted of filling roster holes through free agency so that they can go into the draft targeting the best players available. To that end, we’ve ranked a dozen possible free agents who fit the Saints’ needs, though maybe not their budget. Each tier is broken down by expected contract values.
Bank-Breakers ($10 million-plus per year)
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys
Robby Anderson, New York Jets
A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
Emmanuel Sanders, San Francisco 49ers
Each of these players should command double-digit salaries. They’ve proven themselves to be number-one receiving threats who can make plays in the NFL, even though they each bring their own challenges. Sanders and Cooper have to be seen as favorites to re-sign with their current squads, given how integral they’ve been to their recent success; it would take a serious recruiting effort by the Saints to land Cooper on even a one-year contract beneath his market value. And the 49ers didn’t trade multiple draft picks to acquire Sanders just to let him walk away uncontested in free agency.
As for Green: he missed the entire 2019 season with injuries and it’s possible the Bengals want to retain him as their go-to target for Joe Burrow, the rookie quarterback they’re inevitably set to draft first-overall. Conversely, Anderson played more snaps than any other free agent wide receiver (944) and curiously isn’t part of the Jets’ long-term plans, despite his quick chemistry with young passer Sam Darnold. There could be some off-field shenanigans at play here, which the Saints should be wary of.
The New Orleans Saints may shake up the NFL in free agency. Here’s the case for signing Brandon Scherff, Yannick Ngakoue, or Amari Cooper.
The New Orleans Saints are going into the 2020 offseason in a precarious position. They’ve assembled one of the most-talented rosters around the league, featuring star talent at nearly every position group. They also don’t have a single quarterback under contract past March. And fresh off of a painful postseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings, it’s fair to wonder whether they’re one or two big upgrades away from getting back to Super Bowl contention. It’s possible that this team has deeper-running issues that could take a while to fix.
Unfortunately, time isn’t on their side. Drew Brees should be expected to re-sign for another title run as the team’s starting quarterback, and he’ll be turning 41 next week. Many of those same Pro Bowl-bound core players are going to be due big paydays in the near future. The Saints haven’t shied away from making a splash in free agency in the past, with varying results (some are good, like Brees himself and linebacker Demario Davis. And then you have the Jairus Byrd and Brandon Browner signings), so it’s possible they go that route again.
Let’s be clear: betting everything on one blue-chip free agent pickup isn’t the route we’d like to take. The Saints got where they are now by patiently investing in their scouting and coaching staffs, carefully selecting high-upside free agents and trusting their process to develop them into studs. That’s how you sustain success in the NFL. If anything, this year feels like one where the Saints could keep their investing in-house, holding onto homegrown talent while angling to qualify for a compensatory draft pick or two next offseason.
But if the Saints are truly desperate to win a Super Bowl championship with Brees still around, and if they think a huge free agent addition is the way to get there, then these are the moves we’d advocate for.
Brandon Scherff
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Scherff, 28, was voted into the Pro Bowl in three of his first five years in the NFL. He’s appeared in 65 of 80 possible games, playing 4,130 snaps during that time, and been fouled 22 times (three offsetting/declined). While he’s played right guard exclusively in the NFL, Scherff starred on the left side at both tackle an guard in college with the Iowa Hawkeyes — the position he’d fill in New Orleans.
With one-time Pro Bowler Andrus Peat on the outs in free agency, the Saints will have a hole to fill in the starting lineup at left guard. For context, Peat has also appeared in 65 of 80 regular season games, logging 3,702 snaps, drawing 24 penalties (just one offset/declined). In other words, Scherff played 428 more snaps (the equivalent of seven more games) and committed just two more fouls. Going from Peat to Scherff would be as strong an upgrade as you’ll see in the NFL, but it would carry a huge cost. Scherff wants to be the highest-paid guard in the league, and reportedly turned down a $13 million per-year contract offer from the Washington Redskins to get it.
That’s a tall ask. Salary cap management isn’t as much a concern for the Saints as other teams (general manager Mickey Loomis is comfortable with creatively manipulating contract structures to create new spending room), but it is something worth noting. The Saints have already handed out big-money deals to left tackle Terron Armstead and right guard Larry Warford, while right tackle Ryan Ramczyk has two years left on his rookie contract if the Saints pick up his option for 2021 (they will). Standout center Erik McCoy is entering the second of his four-year rookie deal. It won’t be easy, but there’s room for Scherff in the Saints’ budget.
The Risk: Scherff is already 28, and will require a market-resetting contract to acquire. He’s ended each of his last two seasons on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle (in 2018) and elbow and shoulder issues (in 2019). If these are connected problems, it could be a sign of his body breaking down, which would limit his availability moving forward.
The Reward: Scherff sets the pace for the rest of the NFL’s guards in pass-blocking efficiency, and his presence would do a lot to solidify an offensive line that got exposed in the playoffs by a talented Vikings front. Whether Brees, Teddy Bridgewater, Taysom Hill, or someone else is under center the next few years, Scherff would be an excellent upgrade — when he’s healthy.
