Offline
Gained:
Starters /possible starters (7)
New players (3):
S Justin Reid
CB Isaac Yiadom
NT Davon Godchaux (via trade)
Re-signed (4):
DE/OLB Chase Young (re-sign)
DT/DE Nate Shepherd (extension)
TE Juwan Johnson (re-sign)
Depth players (6):
re signed (3)
WR Dante Pettis
LB Nephi Sewell
T Landon Young
New depth/backups/STs (4):
DT/DE Jonah Williams
TE Jack Stoll
WR/KR/ RB Velus Jones Jr.
T/G Will Clapp
Lost:
Former starters (2):
CB Paulson Adebo
S Will Harris
Depth players (4):
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
DE Payton Turner
CB Shemar Jean-Charles
LB Willie Gay Jr.
Remain unsigned (6):
Key depth (3)
G Lucas Patrick (former starter)
CB Ugo Amadi
DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
Underperfomers (2):
RB Jamaal Williams (released)
G Shane Lemieux
Analysis:
For compensatory pick purposes, the Saints are projected to land a 4th rounder and a 7th rounder for the losses of Adebo and MVS.
The team brought in 3 players that are certain to be key contributors, all defensive players (Reid, Godchaux, Yiadom), and lost 3 of them (Adebo, Harris, Gay) also on D.
It's already been established that the team doesn't want to blow up the team and start over. The key re-signs are consistent with this idea. The team only spent real money to keep Young, Johnson and to sign Justin Reid. The Yiadom signining is interesting because he could end up playing a lot of starter snaps since they lost Lattimore and Adebo. The team upgraded the Safety position but lost CBs in the process, so the overall talent of the secondary hasn't changed drastically.
Depth wise, the team has been more surgical. They signed 4 new backups (3 on offense, 1 on defense), and are losing or letting go 8 depth pieces and 1 former starter. Patrick is already fielding visits so you'd imagine he will be signed by another team in the near future.
Expect the team to rebuild its depth through the draft. They are losing 7 players that played key depth roles last year (Patrick, Amadi, Turner, Jean-Charles, MVS, Williams, Gay), with no sure-thing replacements in the team right now for:
1. Starting Left Guard.
2. Starting boundary corner (although Yiadom could possibly fill that role).
3. Backup nickel CB and DB depth.
4. Pass rush depth and rotation.
5. third LB and depth.
6. RB 2
7. Third WR /Possesion WR
They have 4 picks in the top 100, 2 picks in round 4, and 3 dart throws rounds 6 and 7. This means that ideally the team could find two starting caliber players and two fringe starters/depth players through the draft.
The team could still try and find more depth pieces or possible starters in the free agent pool to even-out net gains and losses, or they can bank on developping underperformers and young talent in the team. On offense:
1. Saldiveri could develop as a starting LG.
2. WRs Means, Tipton or Austin Jr could vie for WR 3.
3. RBs Miller and Mims could compete for RB 2.
4. Hergel could be OL good depth alongside Clapp and Young.
5. DE/OLB Foskey is the obvious candidate to improve the pass rush.
6. LBs Orji and Ford could make adequate depth.
7. NT Boyd could bolster the Dline.
8. CB Payton could become a contributor as well.
But all of them need to be coached up and they have to avoid injuries. There is no clear cut ascending player in this group.
Starters /possible starters (7)
New players (3):
S Justin Reid
CB Isaac Yiadom
NT Davon Godchaux (via trade)
Re-signed (4):
DE/OLB Chase Young (re-sign)
DT/DE Nate Shepherd (extension)
TE Juwan Johnson (re-sign)
Depth players (6):
re signed (3)
WR Dante Pettis
LB Nephi Sewell
T Landon Young
New depth/backups/STs (4):
DT/DE Jonah Williams
TE Jack Stoll
WR/KR/ RB Velus Jones Jr.
T/G Will Clapp
Lost:
Former starters (2):
CB Paulson Adebo
S Will Harris
Depth players (4):
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
DE Payton Turner
CB Shemar Jean-Charles
LB Willie Gay Jr.
Remain unsigned (6):
Key depth (3)
G Lucas Patrick (former starter)
CB Ugo Amadi
DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
Underperfomers (2):
RB Jamaal Williams (released)
G Shane Lemieux
Analysis:
For compensatory pick purposes, the Saints are projected to land a 4th rounder and a 7th rounder for the losses of Adebo and MVS.
The team brought in 3 players that are certain to be key contributors, all defensive players (Reid, Godchaux, Yiadom), and lost 3 of them (Adebo, Harris, Gay) also on D.
It's already been established that the team doesn't want to blow up the team and start over. The key re-signs are consistent with this idea. The team only spent real money to keep Young, Johnson and to sign Justin Reid. The Yiadom signining is interesting because he could end up playing a lot of starter snaps since they lost Lattimore and Adebo. The team upgraded the Safety position but lost CBs in the process, so the overall talent of the secondary hasn't changed drastically.
Depth wise, the team has been more surgical. They signed 4 new backups (3 on offense, 1 on defense), and are losing or letting go 8 depth pieces and 1 former starter. Patrick is already fielding visits so you'd imagine he will be signed by another team in the near future.
Expect the team to rebuild its depth through the draft. They are losing 7 players that played key depth roles last year (Patrick, Amadi, Turner, Jean-Charles, MVS, Williams, Gay), with no sure-thing replacements in the team right now for:
1. Starting Left Guard.
2. Starting boundary corner (although Yiadom could possibly fill that role).
3. Backup nickel CB and DB depth.
4. Pass rush depth and rotation.
5. third LB and depth.
6. RB 2
7. Third WR /Possesion WR
They have 4 picks in the top 100, 2 picks in round 4, and 3 dart throws rounds 6 and 7. This means that ideally the team could find two starting caliber players and two fringe starters/depth players through the draft.
The team could still try and find more depth pieces or possible starters in the free agent pool to even-out net gains and losses, or they can bank on developping underperformers and young talent in the team. On offense:
1. Saldiveri could develop as a starting LG.
2. WRs Means, Tipton or Austin Jr could vie for WR 3.
3. RBs Miller and Mims could compete for RB 2.
4. Hergel could be OL good depth alongside Clapp and Young.
5. DE/OLB Foskey is the obvious candidate to improve the pass rush.
6. LBs Orji and Ford could make adequate depth.
7. NT Boyd could bolster the Dline.
8. CB Payton could become a contributor as well.
But all of them need to be coached up and they have to avoid injuries. There is no clear cut ascending player in this group.
Last edited:
