A lot of familiar faces might be walking out the door again for the New Orleans Saints this offseason. 29 different players will see their contracts expire in March, setting them up for free agency — in many cases, for the first time of their careers.
But there are different levels to this. Some players are going to be classified as unrestricted free agents, meaning they can entertain any and all offers from around the league. Others will be listed as restricted free agents, which means the Saints will have at least the right of first refusal once they’re on the open market. And a couple of players carry exclusive rights free agent status, which means their options are to play for New Orleans or nowhere else.
And a handful of players will see their contracts automatically expire in March, putting them into unrestricted free agency, while leaving a salary cap hit behind as “dead money” that stays on the books from previously restructured deals. Paying costs for players no longer on your roster isn’t ideal, so we should expect the Saints to at least make an effort at retaining them.
That’s enough setup. Here’s the list:
Sep 25, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata (93) gets…PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 01: Marcus Davenport #92 of the New Orleans Saints looks on against…New Orleans Saints defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon (90) rushes around Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter…Sep 11, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Deonte Harty (11) returns a…PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 01: Andy Dalton #14 of the New Orleans Saints looks on after…SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 27: Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers runs for…TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 05: Shy Tuttle #99 of the New Orleans Saints celebrates after sacking…New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Kentavius Street (91) in action during an NFL football game against…ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 11: Safety Justin Evans #30 of the New Orleans Saints knocks a…Oct 20, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Saints safety Chris Harris Jr. (19) against the…Dec 18, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) passes to…Sep 25, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback P.J. Williams (26) comes off…NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 09: Mark Ingram II #22 of the New Orleans Saints reacts…Dec 24, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) breaks up a…New Orleans Saints safety Daniel Sorensen (25) reacts during an NFL football game against the Tampa…NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 18: Andy Dalton #14 of the New Orleans Saints hands the…SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 27: Dwayne Washington #24 of the New Orleans Saints warms up…Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; New Orleans Saints safety J.T. Gray (48) celebrates in the…Jan 1, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Isaac Yiadom (36) during warmups against…PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 01: Ty Summers #58 of the New Orleans Saints looks on against…New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Ethan Greenidge (73) jogs off the field after an NFL game…Nov 20, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (83) celebrates…New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marquez Callaway (1) runs from Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Kemon Hall…Oct 20, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Saints punter Blake Gillikin (4) against the Arizona…Jan 1, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Malcolm Roach (97) celebrate a…New Orleans Saints linebacker Chase Hansen (40) celebrates with teammates after he returned an interception for…New Orleans Saints linebacker Andrew Dowell is pictured during an NFL football game against the Seattle…New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Albert Huggins (95) waits for play to resume during an NFL…Nov 21, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New Orleans Saints guard Calvin Throckmorton (76) prepares to block…
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