Top 3 Offseason Needs: New Orleans Saints

In advance of March 9, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the New Orleans Saints, who finished third in the NFC South after posting their third consecutive 7-9 record.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

• Chris Banjo, S (RFA)
• Sam Barrington, LB
• Travaris Cadet, RB
• Justin Drescher, LS
• Kasim Edebali, DE (RFA)
• Jahri Evans, G
• Nick Fairley, DT
• Roman Harper, S
• Tim Hightower, RB
• Tony Hills, LT
• Shiloh Keo, S
• Paul Kruger, DE
• Tim Lelito, G
• Michael Mauti, LB
• Sterling Moore, CB
• John Phillips, TE
• Jamarca Sanford, S
• Willie Snead, WR (ERFA)
• Darryl Tapp, DE
• Jason Trusnik, LB
• B.W. Webb, CB
• Kyle Wilson, CB

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2017:

1. Drew Brees, QB: $19,000,000
2. Cameron Jordan, DE: $12,047,000
3. Terron Armstead, LT: $11,500,000
4. Jairus Byrd, S: $11,200,000
5. Coby Fleener, TE: $7,500,000
6. Max Unger, C: $7,400,000
7. Kenny Vaccaro, S: $5,676,000
8. Mark Ingram, RB: $5,345,000
9. Zach Strief, T: $5,100,000
10. Thomas Morstead, P: $4,700,000

Other:

• Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $29,557,284
• 11th pick in draft
• Must exercise or decline 2018 fifth-year option for WR Brandin Cooks

Three Needs:

1. Find an edge rusher to play opposite Cameron Jordan: The Saints ranked 29th in DVOA against the pass in 2016, and much of that poor showing can be attributed to the club’s lack of pass rush. Defensive end Cameron Jordan led the team with 7.5 sacks, defensive tackle — and pending free agent — Nick Fairley was second with 6.5, and no other New Orleans defender posted more than four quarterback takedowns. Overall, the Saints finished 27th in team sacks and 28th in adjusted sack percentage.

Edge rushers Darryl Tapp and Paul Kruger are both headed for the free agent market, and while one or both could be retained, neither should be viewed as a priority one item. Instead, the Saints are likely going to look towards free agency and the draft in order to bring in new talent, especially given that New Orleans head coach Sean Payton said adding pass rush help is a “must.” Typically up against the salary cap, the Saints have nearly $30MM with which to work this offseason, and could clear more room by cutting ties with veterans such as Jairus Byrd and Thomas Morstead.

Given that the Cardinals’ Chandler Jones and the Giants’ Jason Pierre-Paul seem increasingly likely to be franchised by their respective clubs, the top edge defender on the market could be Melvin Ingram, who’s managed 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons with the Chargers. Ingram, 27, is also a candidate for the tag, but it’s unclear if a rebuilding Los Angeles team is willing to tie up ~$15MM in cap space on a single player. If he does reach the open market, Ingram should be the number one target for the Saints, who should have some familiarity with him given that former Chargers linebackers coach Mike Nolan now holds the same role in New Orleans.

Outside of the top few options, the free agent defensive end class is relatively barren, and the Saints could be forced to go bargain hunting. Datone Jones is still only 26 years old and has never seemed to fit in the Packers’ 3-4 look, but he could look to restart his career as an end in New Orleans’ 4-3 scheme. Ryan Davis posted 10 sacks for the Jaguars in 2014-15, and though his performance stalled last year, a move back to end could help. Veterans such as Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney could be targets on one-year deals, while Elvis Dumervil could also intrigue the Saints if he’s released by Baltimore.

If the Saints don’t find what they’re looking for in free agency, the trade market might offer at least one interesting solution in the form of Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson. Although New Orleans wasn’t among the list of teams that reportedly inquired on Richardson last year, the 26-year-old could be a nice fit as a defensive end under coordinator Dennis Allen. A player-for-player trade might even make sense — former first-round pick Stephone Anthony has apparently fallen out of favor with the Saints, and it’s possible New York would have interest in resurrecting his young career.

When April rolls around, New Orleans will have yet another opportunity to add edge players when the draft begins. The Saints hold the 11th overall selection, and figure to target a pass rusher with that pick. ESPN draftniks Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay both see New Orleans drafting a defensive end, as Kiper recently mocked Michigan’s Taco Charlton to the Saints while McShay thinks Stanford’s Solomon Thomas will head east. Myles Garrett (Texas A&M) and Jonathan Allen (Alabama) won’t be available when the Saints’ turn comes up, but Derek Barnett (Tennessee), Charles Harris (Oklahoma), and Carl Lawson (Auburn) could be in consideration.

2. Defend the middle of the field: Although the Saints struggled against outside receivers in 2016, health should help ameliorate that problem in 2017. Delvin Breaux, Damian Swann, P.J. Williams, and Kyle Wilson combined to play 240 snaps last year thanks to a myriad of injuries, so if that group can return to full strength next season, regression to the mean should help New Orleans’ progress against pass-catchers.

The more pressing area of need for the Saints, then, is finding defenders who can guard the middle of the field. Last year, New Orleans ranked 27th in DVOA against “other” wide receivers (typically slot men), 22nd against tight ends, and dead last against running backs catching passes out of the backfield. The Saints failed to defend routes that took opposing players over the middle or down the seam, meaning the club needs to target linebackers and safeties this offseason.

New Orleans, like a number of NFL teams, has become increasingly fond of deploying a three-safety look, substituting an extra back end defender in lieu of a linebacker. Jairus Byrd, Kenny Vaccaro, and Vonn Bell all played more than 700 snaps last season, while veteran Roman Harper added another 300 of his own. Harper is unlikely to be re-signed, while Byrd is also likely on the outs. Signed to a massive $54MM contract in 2014, Byrd has never lived up to that deal during his time with the Saints, and the club can clear $7.8MM in cap space by designating him a post-June 1 cut.

With Byrd potentially gone, the Saints would need to add another defensive back, and an ideal situation might be landing either Ohio State’s Malik Hooker or LSU’s Jamal Adams in the first round of the draft. Either scenario is probably closer to pipe dream than reality, however, as both safeties rank among Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com‘s top-four overall players. Budda Baker (Washington) or Marcus Williams (Utah) are more practical targets that could be available on Day 2, while Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers — who is expected to play something of a hybrid safety/linebacker role in the pros — could be exactly what the Saints are looking for.

In free agency, New Orleans should have a number of other options, although the club probably won’t be in the running for Tony Jefferson, who is expected to be the second-highest paid safety this offseason behind Eric Berry. The Saints aren’t in cap hell anymore, but spending extravagantly to bring in a third safety isn’t fiscally responsible. Instead, New Orleans should target more affordable players who can still contribute, such as Jahleel Addae (Chargers), Duron Harmon (Patriots), Rashad Johnson (Titans), or Quintin Demps (Texans).

The Saints should be expected to show interest in Marcus Gilchrist if he’s released by the Jets, while another, more high-profile New York defensive back could also be on New Orleans’ radar. Darrelle Revis is currently in legal hot water after an altercation that left two men unconscious, but if the charges are ultimately lessened or dropped, Revis may not be subject to a league-imposed suspension. Nevertheless, he’s still likely to be released by Gang Green, and if he’s willing to move to safety, Revis could make for an interesting addition to the Saints’ secondary.

In addition to safeties, New Orleans should also make a run at a free agent linebacker, and perhaps expend a mid-round pick on the position, as well. In Nathan Stupar and Craig Robertson, the Saints already employ two ‘backers who can defend the run, so the club needs to go after mid-level defenders who are capable of stopping opposing running backs and tight ends. The Bills’ Zach Brown, the Cardinals’ Kevin Minter, and the Raiders’ Perry Riley are earned top-30 coverage grades according to Pro Football Focus, and while Brown and Minter could each command more than $6MM annually, Riley should be a more economical signing.

3. Reinforce the interior offensive line: There’s no question the Saints offensive line was among the league’s best in 2016: the unit ranked first in adjusted line yards, fifth in adjusted sack rate, and finished 12th in Pro Football Focus’ year end rankings. However, the recent success enjoyed by New Orleans’ front five doesn’t mean the line won’t face questions in the very near future, and the Saints should tackle those potential concerns now rather than later.

2015 first-round pick Andrus Peat seems to be the fulcrum for the Saints’ offensive line, and his ability to play multiple positions will factor into New Orleans’ plans. Last year, Peat split time between left guard and left tackle, spending much of the year filling in for an injured Terron Armstead on Drew Brees‘ blindside. Peat’s long-term future isn’t on the left side, though, as he’s considered the successor to current right tackle Zach Strief, as Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune detailed today. Strief, 33, is likely to continue his career through at least the 2017 campaign, but Peat will probably take over right tackle after that.

Center should be locked down for the next several seasons by Max Unger, who is signed through 2019 after agreeing to an extension last summer. Right guard, though, is in flux. New Orleans brought back longtime Saint Jahri Evans for another go-round last year, and while he graded as the league’s No. 36 guard according to PFF, the 33-year-old Evans isn’t the long-term answer on the interior. While Evans could provide another seasons of production in 2017, the Saints need to start looking at guard options, especially given that interior line play is critical for the 6’0″ Brees.

No collegiate guard/center prospect is worth a top-15 pick this year, so the Saints will be forced to address the position on Day 2 or 3. In the second round, New Orleans could go after Forrest Lamp (Western Kentucky), Dan Feeney (Indiana), or Isaac Asiata (Utah), whom Rob Rang of CBSSports.com favorably compares to Raiders guard Gabe Jackson. Alabama’s Cam Robinson, meanwhile, is generally viewed as a tackle prospect, but Mike Mayock of NFL.com recently listed him at the guard position. If Robinson tumbles to the second round, the Saints could pounce.

If New Orleans re-signs Evans, the club probably doesn’t need to venture into the free agency for additional help. But if Evans isn’t in the Saints’ 2017 plans, the team will need to scour the market for a new right guard. The Saints do have internal options in Tim Lelito (a pending free agent) and Senio Kelemete, but both are probably best served in reserve roles. Instead, New Orleans could target someone like the recently-released Brandon Fusco, the Packers’ J.C. Tretter, or failed former first-round picks Jonathan Cooper or Chance Warmack. Orlando Franklin and/or D.J. Fluker — both of whom could be soon be cut by the Chargers — could also make sense.