The Saints have begun extension talks with Cameron Jordan. This would mark a rare three-extension career for a non-quarterback, but Jordan — the Saints’ all-time sack leader — has continued to display durability and quality production into his mid-30s.
Although no deal is done, it does not sound like the Saints will chance letting Jordan come close to hitting free agency in 2024. The contract-year pass rusher remains firmly in the organization’s plans, with GM Mickey Loomis indicating Jordan will be a one-team player.
“He’s meant so much, not just to the organization, but the community and how he embraced New Orleans. He’ll definitely be with us for the duration of his career,” Loomis said during a Sirius XM Radio interview (Twitter links via NOLA.com’s Rod Walker). “He’s going to be able to play for us as long as he wants to and as long as he can.”
Jordan, 34 in July, is finishing up a three-year, $52.5MM deal he inked in 2019. One more year will match Saints Hall of Fame pass rusher Rickey Jackson, the franchise’s sack leader if unofficial totals before the sack era are included, but Jordan (115.5 career sacks) appears to be eyeing a move past Year 13. The 2011 first-round pick has missed just two games throughout his career, totaling an astounding 16 games played in all 12 of his NFL seasons.
New Orleans’ defensive line anchor totaled eight sacks last season but saw his quarterback-hit number drop from 22 (in 2021) to 13. The Saints lost five-year Jordan sidekick Marcus Davenport in free agency but have 2021 first-round pick Payton Turner and 2023 second-rounder Isaiah Foskey in place as wingmen going forward. The team also let longtime D-tackle starter David Onyemata walk in free agency; first-rounder Bryan Bresee will be charged with replacing him.
In the years since Jordan’s third Saints contract, T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Joey Bosa, Maxx Crosby and Bradley Chubb have signed deals at or north of $20MM per year. Jordan did not become the NFL’s highest-paid edge rusher in 2019 and will not threaten that place this year, especially with Nick Bosa ticketed for a contract north of $30MM per year. But Jordan remains a top-10 highest-paid D-end. A lucrative short-term deal that will help on the void-years front the Saints regularly navigate would stand to be mutually beneficial. Jordan’s current contract, which the team restructured again this offseason, contains a $23.3MM void charge. That puts the onus on the Saints to extend him before the 2024 league year. It sounds like they are ready to do so.
Only Jackson and Drew Brees have started more games than Jordan (191) with the Saints. Given his lack of an injury past, Jordan should be expected to cruise into second place on this list this season. He would need to play into the 2025 season in New Orleans to surpass Brees (228). That might not be out of the question.
Sounds ominous. Watch out cam!