Saints free agency: The moves to date and their impact
By Tony Twillie
Does it help?
Unfortunately, a lot of our issues for the offseason revolve around the line play, which is where everything begins for a team’s success. On the offensive side, unless something else happens, the Saints’ first choice for center is a veteran who hasn’t been playing center, that they brought in ostensibly to fill that role.
An aside: With Andrus Peat set to make over $9 million this season, there could also be another move on the line to either move him along, not likely to happen this season, due to his versatility and Terron Armstead’s injury history or to have Easton maybe slide into Peat’s spot next season to avoid having to pay him $9 million again.
Their reserves are a 3rd season undrafted free agent that they liked enough to re-sign, but they didn’t love enough to make the starter (Cameron Tom), and a second year player who needs a bit more seasoning (Will Clapp). Everything begins with the center position and replacing Max Unger will not be easy.
On the defensive front, we know that Sheldon Rankins will definitely not be ready for the beginning of the season. Likely scenario is he’s on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) with the designation to return. I’m sure the Saints hope he can get in the lineup by November.
David Onyemata was arrested on drug possession charges and likely faces a suspension of about four games. And Tyeler Davison remains unsigned. We don’t know how the negotiation is going for him possibly returning to the Saints.
If Davison is not re-signed, that would currently leave Taylor Stallworth as the only member of the 53-man roster from this past year’s team who would be available on day one of the season. It would also leave us woefully low on depth and rotational players.
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Jay Bromley is unsigned also, he’s a run stuffer we could use. But we’re going to be hard pressed to get pressure on the QB like we did with Rankins and Davison or Onyemata working together. Onyemata will return and make an impact, but still we’ll need to get several games into the season to see that help.