New Orleans Saints Free Agents: Ranking Re-Sign Priorities for New Orleans
NFL free agency is right around the corner, and the New Orleans Saints must soon make some important decisions on whether they’ll re-sign a number of impending free agents.
The Saints limped through a disappointing season in 2014, as several high-priced players on both sides of the ball failed to perform up to expectations.
In the coming weeks, the New Orleans front office will explore the option of re-signing of some of its 2015 free agents. The new league year begins on March 10, and at 4 p.m. ET on that day, unrestricted free agents can sign with any team.
The Saints have a handful of reserves who will become free agents this year, as well as several starters. Although there will certainly be some tough calls to make, New Orleans’ poor showing in 2014 suggests the Saints will be doing a bit of housecleaning this offseason.
Linebacker Ramon Humber, defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick, wide receiver Robert Meachem and linebacker Moise Fokou are all unrestricted free agents this year. None of them are regular starters, however, and re-signing them isn’t likely a high priority for New Orleans this offseason.
The same could be said for backup defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker and reserve offensive tackle Bryce Harris, both of whom are restricted free agents.
As for some of its starters from the past season, New Orleans will have some tough choices to make.
Continue reading for an early look at some of the Saints’ key free agents heading into the 2015 offseason. The players are ranked in order of least important to most important for New Orleans to re-sign, although only one of them is likely to spark any type of bidding war.
7. Patrick Robinson
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Veteran Patrick Robinson began the season as New Orleans' No. 2 cornerback opposite ace cover man Keenan Lewis.
Unfortunately for Robinson, his time as a starting outside corner was short-lived. The former first-round pick was torched unmercifully for the first couple of weeks of the season, and he soon lost his position to Corey White.
White fared no better in coordinator Rob Ryan’s starting unit, as the Saints secondary was repeatedly picked apart by opposing quarterbacks.
Robinson, meanwhile, fared noticeably better later in the season as a nickel corner. He was routinely matched up with the opposition’s No. 3 and No. 4 receivers as opposed to its first and second options. Although Ryan’s defense continued to struggle, it appeared Robinson had found a niche as a slot cover man.
For the most part, however, he’s been a disappointment throughout his time in New Orleans, and re-signing him is probably a very low priority for the Saints. Given that the team could be looking to bolster its cornerback depth chart through both free agency and the draft, Robinson’s five-year stint as a Saint may be over.
6. Jonathan Goodwin
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Thirteen-year NFL veteran Jonathan Goodwin was brought in late last offseason, as the Saints decided to allow him to compete with second-year man Tim Lelito for the starting center spot.
The 36-year-old Goodwin would eventually win the job, but his season didn’t go nearly as smoothly as planned.
He started 14 games. But he battled multiple injuries, and his on-field performances weren’t exactly spectacular.
Given his rough go in 2014, there’s a decent chance Goodwin has played his last down of pro football. In the event he decides to return, he won’t be high on the Saints’ priority list, especially not with Lelito still under contract and possibly ready to assume a starting role.
5. Parys Haralson
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Another 2014 starter who’s set to become a free agent this coming March is Parys Haralson.
The outside linebacker has been a regular starter opposite Junior Galette for the past two seasons in which time he’s registered a rather underwhelming total of 6.5 sacks.
Granted, Haralson’s playing time has often been cut short when the Saints go to nickel and dime packages, but his production still hasn’t been what New Orleans needs out of the position.
The Saints could very well select a pass-rusher in the first round of this year’s draft, in which case re-signing Haralson would be a low priority.
General manager Mickey Loomis may come to terms with the nine-year veteran for the right price, but given the late-season emergence of undrafted rookie Kasim Edebali, Haralson’s days in black and gold could be over.
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4. Jamarca Sanford
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The Saints experienced a rash of injuries at the safety spot in 2014, and journeyman Jamarca Sanford was signed in Week 11 due to the team’s alarming lack of depth at the position.
Starting free safety Jairus Byrd was the first man down for New Orleans, as he was lost for the season with a knee injury in Week 5. Byrd’s backup (and nickelback), Rafael Bush, went down a few weeks later with a season-ending leg injury of his own.
Strong safety Kenny Vaccaro also struggled to stay healthy late in the season, and that’s when Sanford took advantage of his opportunity.
Although the New Orleans defense was subpar, the former Ole Miss standout jumped off the screen at times with some eye-opening hits on opposing backs and receivers. He even earned two starts, albeit late in the season when multiple players were on injured reserve.
Re-signing Sanford isn’t a high priority for the Saints this offseason, but there’s a chance it may happen, which certainly wouldn’t be terrible for depth in the secondary next season.
3. Shayne Graham
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Kicker Shayne Graham connected on 19 of 22 field-goal attempts in 2014, but that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be back in New Orleans next season.
Graham misfired on a couple of kicks at some crucial times this past year, and he was quite shaky on a number of his made attempts.
Even if the Saints opt to re-sign the 37-year-old Graham, it isn’t out of the question to think they may bring in a top-flight kicking prospect in the late rounds of the draft, in which case they would hold an open competition in training camp.
2. Travaris Cadet
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For four games this past season, running back Travaris Cadet filled in for the injured Pierre Thomas as the Saints’ primary receiving option out of the backfield. He finished the year with 38 catches for 296 yards and a touchdown, while also serving as the team’s primary kickoff returner.
At no point in the season was he overly impressive with his play, however, and he also coughed up two fumbles.
Unlike the other players on this list, Cadet is a restricted free agent. If the Saints don't extend a qualifying offer to him by March 10, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team. If New Orleans does elect to extend the offer, it can then match any subsequent offer from another team.
Although he possesses some considerable talent as a third-down back, it’s difficult to envision another team making a big run at Cadet in free agency. Bringing him back is hardly at the top of New Orleans’ to-do list this offseason, but there’s a chance the three-year veteran will return next season to provide depth in the backfield.
1. Mark Ingram
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The one truly big fish from the Saints’ 2014 roster who’s set to become a free agent is starting running back Mark Ingram.
After two disappointing seasons, the former first-round pick was much-improved in 2013, but it was this past season when he clearly cemented himself as New Orleans’ workhorse ball-carrier.
The former Heisman Trophy winner ran with an angry disposition all season long, and his willingness to fight for the extra yard on seemingly every play had to make an impression on the Saints’ front office.
Ingram finished the year just 36 yards shy of 1,000 for the season, while hauling in 29 receptions. For his efforts, he was honored with a spot in Sunday's Pro Bowl as a replacement for the Seattle Seahawks' Marshawn Lynch.
The Saints will certainly have to clear up some salary-cap space if they intend to re-sign him. With their current cap number for 2015 sitting at over $167 million, according to Over the Cap, this will likely require the restructuring and in some cases termination of numerous existing contracts.
One thing New Orleans has in its favor is the fact that running back isn’t a position of high demand in today’s NFL, and it’s possible the Saints will free up enough space to re-sign Ingram and keep him in the fold.
There’s still a chance they’ll have to outbid a couple of teams for his services, however, and it remains to be seen whether New Orleans will have the means, as well as the willingness, to do that.
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