The New Orleans Saints just took their first loss of free agency, losing linebacker Demario Davis to the New York Jets. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the two have agreed to terms on a two-year, $22 million deal with $15 million guaranteed.
It's a reunion for Davis, who played with the Jets from 2012-2015 and 2017 before coming to the Big Easy. He'll also get to reunite with Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, who used to be the Saints' defensive back coach. The two were only with each other for three years before Glenn went to Detroit, and during that time Davis put up some of the better numbers of his career.
It's a huge hit to the Saints' defense, which will undoubtedly have some sort of power vacuum now. The door for additions is certainly open, but it also brings an opportunity to two young linebackers already on the team: Pete Werner and Danny Stutsman.
Demario Davis' decision just confirmed the inevitable
Davis prepared the Who Dat Nation for this move before the Super Bowl happened. Saints fans were put on notice when Davis told Kay Adams he was returning to the NFL when asked about returning to the Saints.
While Davis didn't overtly state he wasn't returning to the Saints, the answer revealed a lot. It was the first time Davis not returning even seemed like an option. A little over a month later, that's exactly what happened.
This closes out a major chapter in Davis' career. In his 14 years in the league, he hadn't stayed in one place this long ever. The linebacker spent 8 years with the Saints, and was an impact player from Day 1. His presence on the field as a player and leader is going to be difficult to replace. Unfortunately, it probably won't be replaced immediately