Tag: Rumors

Cameron Jordan won’t go looking for a trade: ‘I’m black and gold forever’

Cameron Jordan won’t request a trade to chase a Super Bowl ring — and doesn’t feel he needs to. He wants to remain a New Orleans Saints lifer:

Myles Garrett has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns, but don’t expect Cameron Jordan to follow suit. Garrett and Jordan are at two different points of their careers, but Kay Adams told the New Orleans Saints defensive end he was the first person Adams thought about when she heard the news.

Jordan questioned why, but didn’t let her answer before affirming: “I’m not asking for a trade from anywhere. I’m black and gold forever.”

This is a common sentiment from Jordan, so it may not seem out of the ordinary. However, he did consider forcing his way out during the regular season, so it was refreshing to hear him express this.

So why did Adams think about Jordan in relation to Garrett’s trade request. Adams said the reasons for wanting out would be the same, and she has a point. Garret is in his prime, while Jordan has more time behind him than in front of him.

Players in both categories would want to be in best position to win a ring now, due to an understanding their window could close soon in different ways.

If you ask Jordan, he is in the best place to win a ring. Injuries were costly in 2024. New Orleans lost their entire interior offensive line. By the time Spencer Rattler was leading the team, he was dealing with makeshift weapons and a pieced-together offensive line. 

Without these injuries, Jordan still sees the Saints as a championship team. With a healthy roster, they’re better than 5-12, but it’s hard to say championships are on the horizons when they’ve missed the playoffs four years in a row.

Jordan has always been an optimist. That optimism was on full display with Adams, and if he has his way he’ll continue to be the optimist in the New Orleans locker room as his career draws to a close.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Saints have the NFL’s worst odds to trade for Defensive Player of the Year

The New Orleans Saints have the lowest odds to land defensive end Myles Garrett in a trade ahead of the 2025 season:

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett recently requested a trade away from the team, and to be frank, it makes sense given they are not particularly in a competing mindset as of now. It can be inferred that he would prefer to go to a team competing for a deep playoff run in 2025, and as of now, the betting odds most certainly reflect that.

Odds from DraftKings have the Saints as the definitive last-place team in the Garrett sweepstakes, with +10,000 odds to land him, behind three teams tied at +7,500. This directly correlates with another set of odds from them, the 2026 Super Bowl winner odds, where the Saints are tied for third to last with the New York Giants, and ahead of the Tennessee Titans and Browns.

Given Garrett is now 29 years of age, and will be 30 near the end of the upcoming season. He feels it is time for him to take his career path into his own hands and add to his legacy beyond just individual success. As amazing of a player as he is, a Super Bowl title would really cement him among some of the best defensive linemen the league has seen.

After eight seasons with Cleveland, six Pro Bowl appearances, four All-Pro First Team selections and a Defensive Player of the Year award, he will now look for a new team, and it is very unlikely to be the Saints. New Orleans just doesn’t have the salary cap resources to afford him or the appeal of recent playoff success to sell him on.

Gambling involves risk. Please only gamble with funds that you can comfortably afford to lose.  While we do our utmost to offer good advice and information we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of gambling.  We do our best to make sure all the information that we provide on this site is correct. However, from time to time mistakes will be made and we will not be held liable. Please check any stats or information if you are unsure how accurate they are. No guarantees are made with regards to results or financial gain. All forms of betting carry financial risk and it is up to the individual to make bets with or without the assistance of information provided on this site and we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of following the betting tips provided on this site.  Past performances do not guarantee success in the future and betting odds fluctuate from one minute to the next. The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice.  

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. It is your sole responsibility to act in accordance with your local laws. 

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Saints involved in two trade proposals that would reshape the NFL

This B/R writer says two New Orleans Saints veterans getting traded to the AFC North could impact the NFL playoff picture:

Rebuilds typically lead to an exodus of veteran players as the team gets younger. As the New Orleans Saints begin their rebuild, reload or whatever they want to call it, they too will get younger.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport saw two Saints veterans as bargaining chips. He cooked up six trades that could reshape the league, and New Orleans was involved with two of them. Davenport had the Saints sending two players to the AFC North: Derek Carr to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tyrann Mathieu to the Baltimore Ravens.

Carr to the Steelers would probably make the fans in black and yellow pretty upset and fans donning the black and gold may rejoice. Carr would feel very similar to the acquisition of Russell Wilson. He’s been discussed already as a possible trade target for Pittsburgh.

While Davenport is right to say the Steelers showed they don’t need an elite quarterback to be competitive, their limitations on offense still showed. On the note of competitiveness, Davenport pointed out “the opportunity to play for a contender” could entice Carr to waive his no-trade clause.

Davenport pairs Mathieu with Baltimore to help a struggling pass defense. This trade may become less likely because the Ravens improved mightily after moving Hamilton to deep safety. It would allow Mathieu to play closer to the box, but Baltimore may not be in the market for safety help anymore.

But what would the Saints get out of this? In terms of draft picks, Davenport’s trades have New Orleans getting a fourth-round pick in 2025 and a conditional pick in 2026 for Carr, plus a fifth-round pick in 2025. As for the salary cap benefits? Trading Carr before June 1 saves the Saints $11.3 million. But trading Mathieu saves only $16,000. That’s it. The team would still be paying $11.3 million this year if they trade Mathieu before June 1. They might be better off holding onto him.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

What does the future hold for Chris Olave?

Between uncertain contract status, concerning injury history, and a new coach on the way, what does the future hold for New Orleans Saints WR Chris Olave?

Change is in the air for the New Orleans Saints, and some of it might impact the best players on their roster. Between uncertain contract status, concerning injury history, and a new coach on the way, what does the future hold for Chris Olave?

The Saints must make a decision by May 2 on whether or not to pick up Olave’s fifth-year option, which is estimated at $15,161,000. He’s already under contract for the upcoming 2025 season. The question is whether to pay him like a top-15 player at his position in 2026, or to risk letting him walk away as a free agent. The franchise tag could be in play but it’ll be even more expensive than his fifth-year option. It’s going to increase from this year’s estimate of $25,693,000, which is top-five among wide receiver salaries.

So Olave’s long-term outlook is in doubt before we even get to his health. He’s one of the younger players on the team (he’ll turn 25 this summer) but has already suffered a series of concussions, including two in 2024. He’s given every indication he plans to keep playing football but those are serious brain injuries. He was limited to a career-low 32 catches and 400 yards in eight games because of it. Recurring concussions, or even the concern for them, can end a career. Some of Olave’s family members have already spoken out against him putting his body on the line for a team with no future.

And then you’ve got a new coach coming in, with the Saints expected to hire Kellen Moore after his duties as Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator conclude in Super Bowl LIX. On the one hand, Olave’s presence should be an attraction for a young, offensive-minded coach like Moore. That’s exactly the type of talent he’ll need to get the most out of his system. On the other hand, there may be other players Moore views as better fits for the role Olave would have in his offense. Rashid Shaheed was outproducing him last year before they both went down with injuries. For his part, Olave is excited about the prospect of working with Moore and says he plans on being a better version of himself for whoever is coaching the team.

We shouldn’t dismiss a trade out of hand. If the Saints have doubts about Olave’s health, future contract value, or fit in the offense they could look to get something back for him. One team that makes sense? The Houston Texans, who are working around the clock to support franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud. Stroud and Olave played together at Ohio State and remain close. The Saints traded up in the 2022 draft to get Olave because they felt he was their missing piece. That was the wrong read on their situation. If they’re going to embrace a rebuild (and they should), sending him to a contender and getting back some draft picks back makes sense. Houston controls their own picks in each of the first four rounds. While they swung and missed in a trade for Stefon Diggs last year, they could try again with Olave. If the Saints can possibly get a first-round pick back for him, they owe it to themselves to look into it.

Ideally, none of this comes to pass. You’d hope for Olave to stay healthy and produce well in new offense before signing a long-term contract extension to keep playing in New Orleans. But things rarely go according to plan in the NFL. His career to this point has been proof of it. And with a critical juncture ahead this offseason, we have to assume anything could happen for No. 12.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

ESPN: Chase Young open to Saints extension, but may ‘opt for stability’

It’s been previously reported that the Saints are open to re-signing Chase Young, and ESPN reports he’s open to it. But he may not accept another prove-it deal:

The New Orleans Saints have some interesting decisions to make when it comes to their 2025 free agency class. With 19 players set to be unrestricted free agents, there are a few near the top who are most definitely worth looking at retaining. One of those players is defensive end Chase Young, who had a solid season with the Saints in 2024, and according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, is open to sticking around:

“Young is open to a return to New Orleans, where he just played out a one-year deal — though a different defense could generate more sack opportunities for him. He might opt for stability over last year’s prove-it-deal status coming off a serious neck injury.”

In this article of the top 50 free agents, ESPN had ranked Young at No. 39 among his pending free agent peers.

Free agent contracts have always been nice to defensive ends, as their production can make or break a defense. In 2024, the top three DE-specific contracts had an average yearly value of $21.5 million (Leonard Williams), $19 million (Jonathan Greenard) and $14.5 million (Arik Armstead).

However 2025 is not as top heavy of a defensive end class, with Spotrac projecting the following yearly values for the top free agent DEs in 2025:

  • DeMarcus Lawrence: $12.0 million
  • Josh Sweat: $18.8 million
  • Chase Young: $17.5 million
  • Calais Campbell: $7.1 million

Re-signing Young will likely be a priority for the Saints, however doing so at a yearly rate of $17.5 million is quite the staggering price. It is doable, and the Saints may get a bit of a lower number if they go for a longer deal, but ultimately it will end up being a large contract whether he remains with the Saints or goes elsewhere.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Saints suggested as a dark horse to trade up for No. 1 draft pick

Mickey Loomis is known for gambling with draft picks. Bleacher Report has his Saints as one of five teams who could trade for the Tennessee Titans’ No. 1 pick:

The New Orleans Saints are huge fans of trading up in the NFL draft, there is no doubt about that. Their history of doing so is a long one, and while it works out sometimes, it also backfires spectacularly other times.

In a recent article put out by Bleacher Report, they discussed some of the top candidates who the Tennessee Titans could trade the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft to. Among those five teams are the Saints, who while considered somewhat of an outlier among the others, are on the list regardless.

The package for the pick would be a relatively large one, even in a down class compared to some others. The compensation they provide as their projected return is:

  • 2025 No. 9 overall pick
  • 2025 third round pick
  • 2026 first round pick
  • 2026 second round pick

Then following that up, their rationale for the Saints being a candidate:

“This would be the exact same jump Carolina made two years ago, with the Saints leaping from No. 9 to No. 1. It’s extremely unlikely considering that New Orleans still has Derek Carr and would be better off loading up on more picks if it were to finally commit to a rebuild, but it also can’t be totally ruled out because…NFL.

The Saints have an extra third-round pick this year. I believe they’d have to give that up along with the obvious 2026 first-rounder, and probably another Day 2 selection.”

The logic is… less than sound to say the least. Trading up just to trade up is something that nearly never happens in the NFL, teams trade up for a player they want, and the team trading down has to keep that in mind. With the Saints in desperate need of a youth movement, it feels like trading away all their premier assets for 2025 and 2026 in the draft is a ridiculous notion, especially when the 2025 class is not particularly plentiful with blue-chip prospects.

Trading away the 2026 first round pick is asking for disaster, as if the Saints fall apart in the 2025 season, they would be missing out on a high draft pick in a class that is currently viewed quite highly, especially at the quarterback position.

The Saints feel more like an inclusion due to lack of competitors more than anything. While they do have a knack for trading up, it tends to happen in day two or three predominantly, and unless the Saints get extremely desperate for a quarterback that they’re willing to make that jump, it is hard to rationalize.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Report: Saints QB situation may turn off top head coach candidate

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports that NFL ‘scuttlebutt’ suggests the uncertainty of the Saints QB situation may turn off their top remaining head coach candidate:

The New Orleans Saints hiring Kellen Moore to become their new head coach is far from a done deal. The Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator cannot formally accept the job or sign a contract until after Super Bowl LIX, meaning the Saints would have to wait until Feb. 10 to cross the finish line — just like they did last year with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.

So things could go sideways. Moore could choose to stay on a Super Bowl contender rather than try his luck with the Saints. It’s obvious by now that the Saints aren’t an appealing destination around the league (just look at Aaron Glenn, Joe Brady, and Kliff Kingsbury all choosing to go in other directions). And one aspect that may turn off prospective coaches is the Saints’ outlook at quarterback.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini shared what she’s heard about the situation.

“There was a little scuttlebutt,” Russini said on her Scoop City podcast, “about whether or not Kellen would want this job. And it’s due to the fact they don’t have a quarterback there already in place, that was concerning. With that being said I think he’s come around on it from what I was hearing, ‘Maybe this is the right spot for me.'”

Derek Carr is only one game over .500 as the Saints’ starter, and behind him they have one uninspiring backup in Jake Haener and a winless rookie in Spencer Rattler. Carr is also owed more than $51 million this year due to last season’s restructure and there isn’t a realistic path out of his contract in 2025. This will take time to fix. Russini says that’s partly why Moore and the Saints could actually be a good fit.

“They do (have Carr under contract). But there’s also an understanding throughout the league that the New Orleans Saints need another year to rebuild this thing. They’re in cap hell. And they’re comfortable understanding that. They know their limitations. They’re not expecting Kellen Moore to come in here, let’s just say and get the job, and turn this whole thing around. They know they need someone who’s patient with them,” Russini finished.

The Saints were conservative in free agency last year while working to clear their salary cap books, and that’s likely to be the approach again in 2025. With so many teams craving instant success around the NFL — that shortsighted approach is why Mickey Loomis put the Saints in cap hell, by the way — it’s kind of refreshing to see a path for Moore to take his time and get his own players and coaches in the building. But that path isn’t for everyone, and it’s likely why Russini picked up those rumors of discontent surrounding the Saints head coach search.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Report: Saints have ‘open mind’ to bring back last year’s biggest signing

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the New Orleans Saints may be keeping an “open mind” to bringing back defensive end Chase Young this offseason

The New Orleans Saints are entering an offseason where they have 19 pending free agents, which leaves them with a lot of decisions to make. One of the higher-priority free agents that they should be looking to bring back is defensive end Chase Young, who had a solid 2024 season and looked to be a quality player on the defensive side of the ball at many points.

While the price tag may be high, Jeremy Fowler reports for ESPN that the Saints are keeping an “open mind” to signing him back beyond 2024:

“Young, the No. 2 pick in 2020, is still searching for his first double-digit-sack season. But he’s 25 and has big-time ability. The Saints, who signed him to a one-year deal last offseason, have had an open mind about signing him beyond 2024.”

This is an interesting development, and while somewhat expected due to Young’s high level of play, it is nice to see the Saints feel the same way about retaining him. It will no doubt be a competitive market, however with the Saints capabilities to clear cap space, and desperate need for a youth movement, bringing Young back seems like a no-brainer. If the Saints can fit him in their budget, that is.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

New Jets HC Aaron Glenn implies he never truly considered Saints job

Newly-appointed Jets head coach Aaron Glenn implied that he only ever wanted to end up in New York, leaving the Saints in the dust:

The New Orleans Saints had a ton of interest in bringing in Aaron Glenn to be their next head coach. While he did meet with the team, it appears that the interest may not have been entirely mutual.

Seeing as though Glenn chose the New York Jets at his first chance, it is clear that they were his top choice. In his introductory press conference, though, it appears that they were the only team he really considered:

I interviewed for a number of them, but I wanted this job. When I was going to my second interview, I wanted to make sure this is going to be the first second interview, because I didn’t want to leave the building without shaking Woody’s hand and make sure we had a contract. So I’m just telling you now, everything else was really out of it. It was all about the Jets, and it’s been that way from the beginning.

Glenn played for both teams, but did spend much longer in New York during his playing career. He was just most recently with the Saints, so there was some hope that he would want to return where he has some familiarity as a coach.

Instead, he was steadfast in his interest to go with the Jets and New Orleans is still scouring the market to find a head coach.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

This Saints coach candidate has big name in mind for his defensive coordinator

This New Orleans Saints coach candidate has a big name in mind for his defensive coordinator. Mike Kafka reportedly wants to bring Wink Martindale with him:

Now this is interesting. New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka is a candidate for the New Orleans Saints head coaching job, and he’s begun putting feelers out for his potential staff. ESPN’s Giants beat writer Jordan Raanan shares that former Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is widely expected to join Kafka in New Orleans with the same role in mind, should he get the job.

Martindale spent the last year on the Michigan Wolverines coaching up top-10 draft prospects like defensive tackle Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson. He’s got a lot of experience calling plays for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens prior to his turn with the Giants, where a public fallout with head coach Brian Daboll led to his departure.

At a time when the Saints may be seen as a sinking ship, it’s refreshing that Kafka at least appears to genuinely want the job. He’s expressed that eagerness to Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy (he’ll be coaching the National Team this week).

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]