The free-agent market has been tricky for the New Orleans Saints because they don’t have a lot of money to spend. However, with these three cornerbacks who weren’t signed in the first or really second wave of free agency, deals might be able to be done.
These three veteran cornerbacks would be excellent additions alongside Marshon Lattimore and they would also allow Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to remain the slot corner and safety backup. Most of all, these guys would allow the Saints to not spend a draft pick on a cornerback.
With cornerback being the highest Saints draft need, they could open up a pick by signing a veteran cornerback and not drafting one.
Right now, the team does not have a clear-cut No. 2 defensive back. They have options that they could put there, but no one stands out. Because of that, most analysts have the cornerback position as the most needed drafting position for the Saints.
If New Orleans was able to reel in one of these guys, they could spend another draft pick addressing other needs on the team like WR, DT, DE, and others. Their signing would also prove more beneficial in the talent and experience they have.
Saints potential free-agent cornerback signing: Casey Hayward
Casey Hayward or “Showcase” has been a staple on the Los Angeles Chargers defense for the last five years after spending the first four years of his career with the Green Bay Packers. Hayward has been dependable only missing four starts in five years with the Bolts.
Hayward isn’t the shiny and flashy cornerback that is going to get you 15 interceptions a year, but he is the type of player that opposing quarterbacks notice and stays away from. He started 13 games last year battling a couple of minor injuries.
He still finished with one interception, eight passes defended, and 41 tackles. You might look at those stats and think, how can you say he is good with such low statistics. When you think about it, that is the beauty of the cornerback position.
If you are extremely talented, quarterbacks aren’t going to throw your way resulting in you never seeing the ball. Hayward only allows 0.64 yards per coverage snap in 2020 which is good for the top five in the entire NFL — along with every other cornerback on this list.
Saints potential free-agent cornerback signing: Richard Sherman
Richard Sherman is the highest-profile name on this list. He made a name for himself as a part of the Seattle Seahawks defense that became incredibly popular and even made themselves a path to Sherman’s first Super Bowl appearance.
Sherman is a five-time Pro Bowl cornerback with three first-team All-Pro selections. He has made Super Bowl appearances with the Seattle Seahawks and most recently, the San Francisco 49ers. Sherman has had a luxurious ten-year career.
Going into his 11th season, Sherman is still locking down receivers of the highest-profile. In 2019, Sherman’s last full year with the Niners, he had 61 tackles, 11 passes defended, and three interceptions for one touchdown.
In 2020, Sherman spent most of the season on the sideline with an injury, which might be part of the reason he is still on the market in the second wave of free agency. Either way, the Saints need to make a strong push to sign him with whatever money they have left.
Saints potential free-agent cornerback signing: Brian Poole
Brian Poole has been in the NFL for five years now going on his sixth season. Poole spent the first three years with the Atlanta Falcons and the last two with the New York Jets. Poole has started between 7-10 games per season outside of 2017.
Poole was slated to have the best season of his career in 2020 until he had to have season-ending shoulder surgery in November of last year. Poole finished starting only seven games but had 44 tackles, two interceptions, and seven passes defended.
If he was never placed on the IR, Poole was projected to end the year with 100 tackles, 4.5 interceptions, and 16 passes defended. All of those would have been career-highs for the veteran cornerback from Florida.
Even still, Poole finished with 0.53 yards allowed per coverage snap in 2020 which was the best in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
Brian Poole isn’t as haughty a name as Richard Sherman or even Casey Hayward, but he would definitely make an impact if the Saints signed him. Outside of his injury history, Poole is my favorite candidate because he is the youngest and has the highest ceiling left.