What’s next for the New Orleans Saints? With the 2023 NFL draft in rearview and the 2024 compensatory free agents deadline soon to pass, they’re positioned well to make some new additions — the Saints should have about $11 million to spend on veteran players once all of their draft picks and undrafted rookies are under contract.
They also have six open spots on the 90-man offseason roster, so there’s room for more additions. Some players will be signed after tryouts at rookie minicamp in a few weeks. But the big moves are going to happen sooner. And it’s pretty clear where the Saints should start, having traded their No. 2 tight end Adam Trautman to the Denver Broncos late in the draft. But which areas are their top positions of need? Here’s where they should get busy:
Tight end
Players under contract (new additions italicized):
- Roster locks: Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill
- Roster bubble: Lucas Krull, Miller Forristall, Joel Wilson
Johnson is the only one on this list with real and extensive in-game experience at tight end in the NFL; Hill had twice as many rushing attempts as a quarterback (98) last year than snaps played as an inline tight end (51). The Saints need a veteran blocking tight end who can free up Johnson to do what he does best as a pass catcher. Foster Moreau is an option but he’ll be out of football until at least October while undergoing cancer treatment so that doesn’t fully solve the problem for New Orleans.
Free agents of note:
- Foster Moreau, Las Vegas Raiders
- Geoff Swaim, Tennessee Titans
- Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Linebacker
Players under contract (new additions italicized):
- Roster locks: Demario Davis, Pete Werner
- Roster bubble: Zack Baun, D’Marco Jackson, Nephi Sewell, Andrew Dowell, Ryan Connelly, Ty Summers, Anfernee Orji, Nick Anderson
It would have been better to address this position in the draft, but it is what it is. The Saints had higher priorities and better value at other positions. They’ll have to identify an heir for Davis some other day. In the meantime, finding a veteran who can settle the depth chart in case Werner misses time and the youngsters aren’t ready would make a lot of sense. The Saints have a lot of players here, but they don’t have a lot of experienced players. Special teams value is also important.
Free agents of note:
- Deion Jones, Cleveland Browns
- Kwon Alexander, New York Jets
- Chase Hansen, New Orleans Saints
Defensive line
- Roster locks: Nathan Shepherd (DT), Khalen Saunders (DT), Bryan Bresee (DT); Cameron Jordan (DE), Carl Granderson (DE), Tanoh Kpassagnon (DE), Payton Turner (DE), Isaiah Foskey (DE)
- Roster bubble: Malcolm Roach (DT), Prince Emili (DT), Jerron Cage (DT), Jabari Zuniga (DE)
Yeah, the Saints have already invested a lot of resources up front. That doesn’t mean they should stop. If they can recruit a proven veteran to push guys like Roach, Emili, and Zuniga off the roster, they should do that. Keep stacking talent and rebuilding a unit that eroded early in the offseason. Injury histories for Bresee and Saunders make the interior more vulnerable than it first appears. As was the case in the draft, the Saints are strict with their size requirements along the line, so lightweight edge rushers like Leonard Floyd (240 pounds), Yannick Ngakoue (245 pounds), and Frank Clark (255 to 250 pounds) probably aren’t high on their radar.
Free agents of note:
- Poona Ford, Seattle Seahawks (DT)
- Matt Ioannidis, Carolina Panthers (DT)
- Al-Quadin Muhammad, Chicago Bears (DE)
- Dawuane Smoot, Jacksonville Jaguars (DE)
