We’re a month away from free agency’s busy signing period, and the New Orleans Saints have some tough decisions to make for a number of players whose contracts are up in March. They’re also over the salary cap by an estimated $57 million, so the team has its work cut out for them in just reaching cap compliance before they can worry about which players to re-sign in the spring.
But this is a critically important phase in the NFL’s offseason calendar. The Saints need to choose who to sign, trade, release, and restructure in the weeks ahead. With so few resources at their disposal, every move counts. It’s going to be challenging for general manager Mickey Loomis and his front office staff.
Here’s our take on which of these Saints free agents will return for 2023 or leaving on the open market:
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Johnson broke out last season not just as a highly productive red-zone threat, but as the team’s best option at tight end. He’s a restricted free agent in 2023 and it should be easy for the Saints to retain him, but you’d like to see him return on a multi-year extension (which is what they did with defensive end Carl Granderson in the same situation last offseason) so we aren’t having this same conversation in 2024.
Prediction: STAY
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Onyemata’s best days might be behind him but he was still New Orleans’ top interior lineman last year, and the defense would feel his absence. A complicating factor is that he’ll leave a $10.1 million cap hit penalty behind in dead money if he isn’t re-signed. The Saints should retain him so those funds are put to better use in a reworked extension.
Prediction: STAY
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The Saints would probably like to have Davenport back on a deal that makes sense for them, but he should have plenty of free agent offers as the top edge rusher available. New Orleans shouldn’t enter a bidding war for his services even if the Atlanta Falcons get involved (and they’re expected to be in the mix after making his old position coach their defensive coordinator).
Prediction: GO
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Harty is only a year removed from his 36-catch, 570-yard breakout year with New Orleans but things couldn’t have gone worse for him in 2022. He was less effective prior to a season-ending turf toe injury, and he’s been supplanted by a younger player…
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