After making it known that he intended to continue playing in 2025, Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan is making it happen. Though Jordan profiled as a release candidate, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football confirms that the team and Jordan have reached an agreement that will keep him in New Orleans for his 15th season.
It is believed that Jordan, who was due $12.5MM in 2025, is accepting a pay cut. After all, despite again starting a full slate of games last season, Jordan finished the year with a 47% snap share, which was by far the lowest mark of his career (he had never appeared in less than 70% of the Saints’ defensive snaps).
Along with the reduced playing time came a corresponding downturn in overall performance. For the first time since his rookie season all the way back in 2011, Jordan finished with a below-average Pro Football Focus grade; his 57.4 overall mark placed him 87th out of 119 qualified edge defenders, and his 54.3 pass rush grade was especially jarring in light of the sack artist’s history of production in that regard.
Jordan, who will be 36 by the time Week 1 rolls around, has just six sacks across the past two seasons after never posting fewer than 7.5 from 2012-22. At this stage of his career, the potential Hall of Famer and eight-time Pro Bowler is clearly a rotational piece.
Clearly, however, the Saints’ new regime and new DC Brandon Staley have prioritized continuity on the edge; New Orleans recently restructured the contract of defensive end Carl Granderson and agreed to re-sign Chase Young. The club also acquired Davon Godchaux via trade in an effort to fortify the interior of the D-line.
Jordan, who has reportedly become accustomed to treating the Saints’ final home game each year as if it could be his last in the Superdome, will have at least one more last hurrah.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.