After the Chiefs gave Drue Tranquill another contract, Willie Gay will head elsewhere. The longtime Kansas City regular will resurface in New Orleans.
The Saints are adding Gay on a one-year contract worth up to $5MM, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Considering the value Tranquill received, the Chiefs made their choice. Gay, a four-year Chiefs starter, will now look to raise his stock with the Saints.
After grading as at least an above-average linebacker through his first three seasons in the NFL, Pro Football Focus ranked Gay only 72nd among 82 qualifying linebackers this past season. The former second-round pick’s snaps declined throughout the year, although that was also due to a shoulder injury.
Still, Gay managed to finish the season with 58 tackles, and he’s only a year removed from a career year in 2022 when he finished with 88 stops and 2.5 sacks. Heading into his age-26 season, there may not be a whole lot of untapped potential, but Gay has shown that he can at least be a dependable option in the linebackers room.
The Saints have been busy working on deals with linebackers during the opening days of free agency. We learned yesterday that the organization was extending Demario Davis despite the LB still having a year left on his contract.
dougdeb@hotmail
Sad to see him go. Good luck in the big easy
A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one ⚜️
That’s a steal.