BakoSaint

The Saints do not need to get older and more injury prone with OBJ, plus he probably expects a lot of money based on name recognition and being overpaid by the Ravens.

If we want to add another receiver. Corey Davis is supposed to be a very good blocker, should cost less, isn't quite as old and hasn't had quite as bad injuries, and is generally good for the 500-ish yards OBJ produced with the Ravens.

rezburna

I think we can get him for like $5 million or so and he’d carry more gravity on the field than Davis. This is a very deep WR draft though. OBJ isn’t needed, but I like the idea of him joining his hometown team. Good for morale like the Badger.

BakoSaint

I just don't know if orchestrating a feel-good nostalgic greatest-hits reunion tour is how championships are won. Jimmy Graham carried gravity. Jarvis Landry carried gravity. Foster Moreau carried gravity. Bringing back Mark Ingram after his stint with the Ravens and Malcolm Jenkins after his stint with the Eagles carried gravity. We have been carrying a lot of gravity and levitating around .500 serving feel good comfort to the masses.

Meanwhile if you save a roster spot for some young kid who doesn't carry any gravity at all, maybe they are the next Brock Purdy, Rasheed Shaheed, AT Perry, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nakau, Kirk Cousins, etc. If we bring in a veteran I would rather they be a lunch pail do your job reliable blocker, not a big name past diva who is past their prime. The Saints have no lack of beloved veterans with long associations with the team or state who are passed their prime. We may lead the NFL in that category by a wide margin. I just don't see doubling down as the right move.

Also I don't see him as a great fit. We are loaded with edge deep threats at receiver already. We need blocking, size, and over the middle. To my knowledge OBJ is not particularly known as a blocker, is undersized, and although he can go over the middle, going over the middle would subject him to greater injury risk from big hits.

Hunter Renfrow is a similar option but in that case it gets even weirder with the Raider-Carr nostalgia and chemistry. He is more of a dedicated slot receiver. I just would rather save a spot for young players with upside and take risks to grow not settle for .500 nostalgia. If either player wants to come to camp without guaranteed money and just increase competition, that could be ok, more competition is always good.

K Major

Id take a flyer on Michael Gallup.

K Major

If the Saints make any other moves in Free agency, I'd take a flyer on former 2nd rounder (G) Dalton Risner.
If he doesn't work out, no biggie didn't cost a lot. If he plays well, super ... he is a cheap starter. Doesn't miss work on Sundays. Reliable player.

Carrmax needs all of the protection he can get.

AsylumGuido

For anyone wanting to trade Lattimore thinking we'll get something of value ...

BakoSaint

I agree that we should not expect much value in return for trading Lattimore. Even though his age sounds young, he has a lot of wear on the tires for an NFL cornerback, is showing signs of reduced performance, and has only played half the games the last two years. Really he was only super elite his rookie year and since then he has a habit of completely shutting down Mike Evans or Julio Jones so that he can relax the next week and give up decent yardage to some random receiver, so its important to remember he is a borderline pro bowler who has not made the pro bowl the last two seasons, not a perennial all pro like some homers make him out to be.

The reason to potentially trade Lattimore even if you don't get much in return, is that his $18 million a year salaries for 2025 and 2026 do not look to be a very good value as his quality and quantity of play decrease, and Adebo and Taylor have more youth, upside, and durability. While trading him would create a big cap hit immediately, it would free up a lot of money down the road that could be used to retain existing players or to add new players at positions where we dont have two young projected starters with high upside.

That said, a players trade value is not solely based on their ability, its also based on cost. If Lattimore is being offered for trade with an $18 million salary for the upcoming season his value is very low. But if the Saints have just restructured Lattimore's contract, converted $17 million to a signing bonus that will stick on the Saints books even if he is traded, and a team has the ability to acquire Lattimore for $1 million for a year, regardless of exorbitant costs for future years where he would be cut if he did not take a pay cut, then Lattimore could be worth a 2nd or 3rd round pick more because its a cap mechanism to basically trade money for a draft pick knowing Lattimore is surely worth more than $1 million and could offer win-now value.

Knowing that Ram, Mathieu, and Davis took pay cuts, its reasonable to wonder if other players on the team were presented with pay cuts and refused. Lattimore is not worth $18 million a year playing 50% of games at his age and not playing at the most elite level when healthy. Its possible the Saints are discussing a pay cut. The only way any players will ever take pay cuts that make sense for the Saints if sometimes when they don't they get cut or they are traded to a team that views them as a 1 year rental and presents the risk of learning a new system. So we have to cut or trade some players whose salaries no longer make sense, unless we want to overpay everyone.

BakoSaint

Chandler Jones is on ABs level.

papz

Saints free agency: Experts hand out grades for New Orleans

USA Today: C-

USA Today’s Nate Davis was unimpressed by the Saints’ moves, though he noted a more conservative approach to free agency was probably necessary:

Aside from a few minor pickups (LB Willie Gay, WR Cedrick Wilson Jr., QB2 Nathan Peterman) before landing DE Chase Young on a one-year, $13 million offer this week, they’ve pretty much sat on the sideline while restructuring contracts throughout the roster as they do yearly. A more measured approach was going to be needed here eventually.

Pro Football Focus: B

Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger took a brighter view of the Saints’ additions and losses, crediting them for finding good value on the free agent market while getting younger at key positions:

With a lot of mid-tier and/or specific role linebackers doing well so far through the first day and a half of free agency, this is a good value for Gay. New Orleans gets a solid third linebacker to pair with Demario Davis and Pete Werner.

Full article

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

All little common sense goes a long way.

saintsfan1976

USA Today. The "news" paper for 6th graders.

Not the be all end all but at least PFF takes an in-depth look using analytics-based metrics.