New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis promised to be more active in free agency this offseason, but no one really believed him when he said it. However, the Saints have been delivering on their promise, landing a top free agent in Justin Reid, and aggressively pursuing others like Charvarius Ward. While finding those new pieces, the team has also made sure to re-sign important players like Juwan Johnson and Chase Young.
Now, the team is sitting with just over $30 million in cap space, with fans expecting a massive move to come soon. It’s unclear what move New Orleans has on its radar, but the team still has several things to address. While the offseason is off to a good start for the Saints, it’s important to note that the team hasn’t addressed many of the major issues that plagued them last season.
While New Orleans was struggling towards its 5-12 record, the team had three major issues that led to their demise. Those issues were the lack of depth on the offensive line, the wide receiver room, and the secondary. Now, multiple weeks into free agency , the Saints still aren’t strong in any of those areas.
Saints must still build depth at key position groups
New Orleans has been striving to rebuild those units, signing linemen Will Clapp and Landon Young, as well as cornerback Isaac Yiadom, but the team still doesn’t have enough. The Saints need to add starting-caliber players at left guard, wide receiver, and cornerback. The team must accomplish that for fans to really feel good about the offseason.
Fortunately, there are still some quality players available that would address New Orleans’ needs. The three that make the most sense are Teven Jenkins, Asante Samuel Jr., and Keenan Allen. Allen previously played under Kellen Moore, so he could easily fit in at wide receiver, and the same goes for Samuel, who has already played corner in a Gus Bradley defense. Jenkins doesn’t have a connection to the coaching staff, but he’d be a great option to start at the left guard spot.
New Orleans has shown good self awareness this offseason, bringing in players at positions of need, so the team clearly knows what else it needs to address. Hopefully, the Saints will take care of everything before it’s time to play football again.