The #Saints and CB Bradley Roby have agreed to terms on a contract extension, source said. He’ll stay in New Orleans on a new deal, while giving the team cap space.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2022
This was the best possible outcome: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the New Orleans Saints reached an agreement with veteran cornerback Bradley Roby on a contract extension Tuesday evening, which saves the team much-needed salary cap space while keeping Roby’s future in black and gold.
Roby was first acquired by the Saints from the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2023 third round draft pick, but he struggled to displace standout rookie Paulson Adebo from the starting lineup. Still, he fit in well and figures to be a big part of their plans moving forwards. Some changes are on the way in the secondary with star free safety Marcus Williams leaving for the Baltimore Ravens, and retaining veteran depth like Roby is a good decision.
As to the specific ramifications of this move: it remains to be seen where Roby’s 2022 salary cap number will fall, but it’s sure to be significantly lower than the $10.1 million cap hit that made him subject to cost-cutting conversations all offseason. This surely gets the Saints under the cap, and then some, having previously restructured their contract with defensive end Marcus Davenport.
One sobering reality, though, could be what this means for Adebo in the context of the looming Deshaun Watson trade talks. Houston is said to want some young starting-quality players on their cheap rookie contracts in addition to premium draft picks, and Adebo fits that description. Maybe the Saints are expecting to lose Adebo in a potential Watson trade and chose to re-up Roby as his replacement. We’ll just have to wait and see.
