New Orleans Saints' Bargain Guide to the 2015 Offseason
The New Orleans Saints will attempt to upgrade their roster in a number of areas this offseason, and they’ll be looking to find the best bargain possible at each of these positions.
After entering the season with lofty aspirations, New Orleans stumbled its way through a 7-9 campaign in 2014.
Several factors contributed to the disappointing season, and if the Saints are to return to playoff contention in 2015, some major changes will have to occur.
Before the team dives headfirst into free agency, however, New Orleans must first address its salary-cap situation. General manager Mickey Loomis’ club is currently saddled with a cap number of $169 million for the coming season, which is far above what the final cap is expected to be.
Although Loomis has worked wonders with the cap in past years, he’s now faced with the challenge of clearing space while making significant improvements to a very average football team. This won’t be an easy task, but it’s certainly doable.
After the New Orleans front office trims down the team’s sizable cap number, the Saints will begin bargain shopping for upgrades at their biggest positions of need.
There is no shortage of areas the team must address this offseason, and we’ll take a look at some of them here. Following is a bargain guide to the Saints’ 2015 offseason, complete with realistic options in both free agency and the draft.
Cornerback
1 of 5
To put it mildly, the cornerback position was a glaring liability for the Saints in 2014.
No. 1 cover man Keenan Lewis carried his weight on a weekly basis, but New Orleans’ other starting corner spot was a black hole of substandard play for the entire season. Patrick Robinson, Corey White and Brian Dixon all struggled when given starts, although Robinson fared better later in the season as a nickel corner.
The Saints desperately need a solid No. 2 cover man this offseason. Free agency is fast approaching, and while New Orleans could draft a cornerback this April, the team’s best bet is to reel in a proven free agent.
Byron Maxwell of the Seattle Seahawks and Kareem Jackson of the Houston Texans would both make for nice fits in coordinator Rob Ryan’s man-based coverage scheme, and neither will be quite as pricey as the New England Patriots' Darrelle Revis or the Arizona Cardinals' Antonio Cromartie.
There’s also San Francisco 49ers Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox, either of whom would probably come cheaper than Maxwell or Jackson, while still providing the New Orleans secondary with a significant upgrade.
The Saints may not be able to reel in a surefire Pro-Bowler, but with such an abundance of quality corners in this year’s crop of free agents, New Orleans should be able to make room for a solid starter to pair with Lewis.
Inside Linebacker
2 of 5
Inside linebacker wasn’t as big of a weak link as the cornerback position in 2014, but it was far from a strength.
Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne racked up a combined 227 tackles, but there were many times when the both members of the duo were caught out of position. This allowed opposing ball-carriers to rip off huge runs against the Saints defense, and it happened far too often.
Hawthorne is due to deal New Orleans a $6 million cap hit next season. For this reason, along with his inconsistent play, there's a possibility he'll be released this offseason.
As for free agency, the big names at the position this offseason include Brandon Spikes of the Buffalo Bills, Rolando McClain of the Dallas Cowboys, Rey Maualuga of the Cincinnati Bengals and David Harris of the New York Jets. New Orleans could make a run at one of them, but the price would be steep, and the Saints won’t be able to afford a top-flight corner if they go this route.
Twenty-seven-year-old free agent Josh Mauga is under the radar and in the prime of his career, and he would perhaps be a better bargain. He rang up 103 tackles this past season for the Kansas City Chiefs, and he’ll make for a far more affordable option than the players named above.
Of course, if New Orleans opts not to address the position via free agency, there's always the draft. Georgia's Ramik Wilson, Michigan State's Taiwan Jones and Clemson's Stephone Anthony are all projected as mid-round picks, and any of them would make for a solid addition to Ryan's defense next season.
Pass-Rusher
3 of 5
The Saints secondary had its woes in 2014, but the group didn’t receive much help up front from the pass rush, which turned out to be a massive disappointment.
After turning in impressive performances the previous season, the Saints expected Cam Jordan and Junior Galette to make major noise in 2014. The duo underperformed, however, for the majority of the season, while receiving little help from the likes of fellow starters Akiem Hicks and Parys Haralson.
Yes, Galette finished with 10 sacks, but he disappeared for large stretches of games. He’s also facing a major off-the-field issue this offseason, and his future with the team is now a question mark.
Considering the importance of an effective pass rush to Rob Ryan’s scheme, there’s a strong possibility that New Orleans will use its first-round draft pick this season on an end or an outside backer who can get after the quarterback.
This year’s draft class is loaded with talented pass-rushers. Missouri’s Shane Ray and Clemson’s Vic Beasley are two highly rated players who could immediately contribute, as are Dante Fowler Jr. of Florida and Alvin Dupree of Kentucky.
In the event the Saints decide to go with an offensive lineman or another position in the Round 1, they could try and find a sleeper pass-rusher in the middle-to-late rounds.
On the free-agent front, there isn’t a whole lot to choose from in this year’s crop outside of Justin Houston, who had an incredible 22 sacks for the Chiefs in 2014. Houston is likely out of New Orleans’ price range, but the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Jason Worilds makes for an interesting option.
Worilds recorded 7.5 sacks this past year, which easily surpassed the total of Saints starting outside backer Parys Haralson, who totaled just three.
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Offensive Line
4 of 5
The New Orleans offensive line was a solid run-blocking unit this past season, but the group’s pass protection was consistently lacking.
Opposing defenses routinely hurried quarterback Drew Brees and forced him off his spot, which partially contributed to his high number of interceptions (17).
The pressure came not only from the edges, but from up the middle, as well. Saints guards Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs did their part in the ground game, but both had some less-than-desirable moments when matched up against strong interior pass-rushers.
Evans and Grubbs are both set to deliver huge cap hits to New Orleans next season, and there’s a chance the team will have to let Grubbs go this offseason.
Backup interior lineman Tim Lelito did a satisfactory job in replacing oft-injured center Jonathan Goodwin throughout the season, and he could make a capable replacement at guard if New Orleans decides to cut Grubbs loose.
Of course, this would leave the center position open, as it seems unlikely that the Saints will re-sign the 36-year-old Goodwin for a 14th NFL season.
New Orleans’ best option would be to bring in a veteran center via free agency. Oakland’s Stefen Wisniewski will be hotly pursued, and he’ll come with a hefty price tag, but Kansas City’s Rodney Hudson would also make for an excellent fit in New Orleans. If the Saints can’t reel one of them in, they'll likely address the position in the draft.
As for the two tackle spots, the future is uncertain. Left tackle Terron Armstead had an up-and-down year in 2014, and the possibility exists that New Orleans could move him to the right side and draft a promising left tackle in the first round.
LSU’s La'el Collins and Stanford’s Andrus Peat are both viable options at pick No. 13.
Right tackle Zach Strief, meanwhile, turned in an average showing in 2014. The 31-year-old will account for a $3.2 million cap hit in 2015, and he’s only in the second year of a five-year deal. If the Saints draft an offensive tackle in one of the first two rounds, Strief’s days in New Orleans could be numbered.
Nose Guard
5 of 5
The nose guard position was a burden on the Saints' ability to win games in 2014, as the lack of quality play at the position factored into the team's defensive struggles.
Brodrick Bunkley performed well throughout New Orleans’ divisional playoff run in 2013, but he took a step back last season. Opposing running backs often scampered through the Saints' defensive middle with little resistance.
New Orleans’ run defense sank even lower when Bunkley was placed on injured reserve in late November. His replacement, second-year man John Jenkins, was shoved out of the way at the point of attack with regularity.
If the Saints are to contend in 2015, they must make improvements at this position.
Denver Broncos free agent Terrance Knighton is one of the league's top free agent nose guards. His presence in the middle of Ryan’s defense would work wonders for the Saints in terms of run support, and he’s also a formidable pass-rusher.
Knighton will be a tough get, however, as he’ll command a mammoth contract.
With that in mind, Arizona Cardinals free-agent nose guard Dan Williams could end up being a better bargain. He’s not an outstanding pass-rusher like Knighton is, but his ability to stuff the run is unquestioned. If the Saints are unable to snag Knighton, Williams could end up giving them more bang for their buck.
Saints salary-cap numbers obtained via OverTheCap.com.
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