No one was happier to see the Cincinnati Bengals issue the franchise tag to star safety Jessie Bates III more than Marcus Williams. The New Orleans Saints’ pending free agent stands to benefit in a huge way from Bates staying in Cincinnati; in his absence, Williams will now be one of the most sought-after players to hit the open market — assuming the Saints don’t tag him, too, which isn’t expected ahead of March 8’s 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT deadline.
And Williams should enjoy an active market. There just aren’t many players with his skills set as a ballhawk with rare sideline-to-sideline speed. He could be seen as a foundational piece for rebuilding teams like the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, or the last piece missing from a playoff hopeful like the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles. He’s rightfully going to chase the $17.5 million per-year figure that Jamal Adams is getting from the Seattle Seahawks. Whether he gets it is anyone’s guess, but Williams should come close.
So that’s obviously going to leave a huge void in New Orleans, and a possible third- or fourth-round compensatory draft pick in 2023 isn’t going to do a lot to make up for his departure. There’s a chance Williams doesn’t get the hefty offers he’s expecting in free agency, and if that’s the case maybe he stays in New Orleans. If not, though, there are some options in this free agent class who could replace him.
