Saints: 4 players who should receive extensions in the near future
By Justin Fried
1. Marcus Williams, FS, New Orleans Saints
If the Saints are going to get one long-term deal done before the start of the 2021 season, the safe bet is on safety Marcus Williams.
Perhaps the most overlooked member of that famed 2017 draft class, Williams has developed into one of the best safeties in the NFL, even if he doesn’t always receive the national recognition that he deserves.
The Saints were clearly aware of this too as, despite facing a seemingly impossible cap situation this offseason, they made the effort to place the franchise tag on Williams to keep him around.
The Saints know just how good and important Williams is to their defense, and the two sides seem motivated to get an extension done before the season starts.
At the moment, Williams has one of the highest cap hits on the roster with the tag figure for safeties valued at around $10.6 million.
That’s a hefty figure, one that could come down if the two parties agree to a long-term extension. Unlike the other candidates on this list, this one comes with a deadline.
The Saints have until July 15th to work out an extension with Williams or else he will be forced to play the 2021 season on the franchise tag.
It’s probably in the best interest of both parties to get this one done as soon as possible, however. The Saints need cap space to sign their draft picks and perhaps make another free-agent addition.
dark. Next. 3 trap games on 2021 schedule that Saints can’t afford to lose
Extending Williams could help them accomplish that. Expect this one to get done sooner rather than later.