Before we know it, the new NFL league season will begin. The Saints will have a lot of choices to make about the composition of their club for the upcoming campaign, and before March 13th arrives, they must decide which free players to retain. Which ones then ought to be given priority?
For New Orleans, we’re just considering unrestricted free agents, but we should anticipate that restricted free agents Adam Prentice and Lynn Bowden will be considered during the selection process. Many teams find it easier to turn these down due to the growing expense of tagging. To put things in perspective, the estimated cost of a right of first refusal is $2,828,000, and that just accounts for the initial tag. This is our classification of the Saints’ urgent decisions.
SELECTING SAINTS FREE AGENTS: MAKING DECISIONS
October 1, 2023: Isaac Yiadom (27), a cornerback for the New Orleans Saints, celebrates his interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Required Reference: Matthew Hinton-Sports TODAY USA On October 1, 2023, in the second half of the game at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, cornerback Isaac Yiadom (27&rpar} celebrates an interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Required Credit: USA TODAY Sports/Matthew Hinton
FIRST PRIORITY Yiadom Isaac, CB, 28 After substituting as a starter for eight games in the previous season, Yiadom is coming off of an incredible year. After being reunited with Joe Woods, he greatly flourished under his new coach, finishing in the Top 10 in the league with 14 pass defenses. Yiadom is a vital member of the special teams unit and has a lot of potential, regardless of what the Saints decide to do with Marshon Lattimore. Without a doubt, other clubs will be intrigued.
FIT TO BE HIGHLY CONSIDERED Lonnie Johnson (29), DB Johnson was a huge special teams player who occasionally filled in as a starter and served as an additional defensive back. I’m not sure if we saw everything he was capable of. His season was cut short by a knee injury, but I think it would be a good idea to have him return to play and provide depth at defensive end.
Jonathan Abram, 28-year-old DB Abram was the one guy from last season who really showed himself by believing in the process. After spending a lot of time in the film room, the former first-round pick finally had opportunities to play. The coaches saw a lot in those final two games, and if the club decided to move on from someone like Marcus Maye, he might be even more valuable to them.
ABOVE THE FENCE Andrus Peat, OL, 31 (Years Without Term) – Despite not being expected to start, he proved to be the team’s finest lineman last season. Could someone like Peat be useful to Klint Kubiak? That may be the case given his ability to travel through space and other things, but how much will New Orleans be required to pay him remains to be seen. You now have a $13.6 million decision to make, and it may be less if they decide to cut him after June 1. Maybe additional details may become available here in due course.
Zack Baun, age 28, LB One might argue that Baun did a tremendous job as a third-down pass-rush specialist. However, the Saints took far too long to realize that as well. It will be intriguing to determine Baun’s market worth because he is a crucial member of the special teams. By all means, New Orleans shouldn’t spend a fortune on him, and a 3–4 club may also give him a look.
DT, Malcolm Roach, 26 Roach’s season was ended by a knee injury sustained against the Lions, but prior to that he was a significant member of New Orleans’ interior rotation. Every week, he was putting on one or two plays that were well received. In addition to having some upside going after the quarterback, he can be a terrific run-stopper. If the team decides to take a different course in this situation, it may be another one-year contract for him.
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