Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

The New Orleans Saints have declined the fifth-year option on cornerback Eli Apple’s contract, according to a report by NFL Network on Wednesday (May 1).

Apple, the 10th overall pick by the New York Giants in 2016, would have received $13.7 million for the 2020 season had the Saints added the option to his deal. All draft picks sign four-year contracts, but first-round picks have a fifth-year team option.

https://www.nola.com/resizer/H5vkkzy...PD34OEV3VY.JPG

The Saints acquired Apple in a trade last October as they sent the Giants a 2019 fourth-round pick and a 2020 seventh-round pick. New Orleans was seeking cornerback help after a rough start by Crawley, and Apple helped improve the secondary play in the second half of the season. In 10 games with New Orleans, Apple had 52 tackles, nine passes defensed and two interceptions, and he’s projected to start again in 2019.

However, the $13.7 million price tag of the fifth-year option would have made Apple among the highest paid cornerbacks in the league in 2020, and the Saints aren’t ready to commit to that high salary. The deadline for teams to pick up the option is Thursday (May 2).

Apple is still under contract for 2019 with a base salary for $2.5 million, but he’s now set to become an unrestricted free agent next March.

NOLA

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

Eli needs to ball out of control in 2019, then set himself up for a better/long term deal with the Saints or on the open market elsewhere.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

Have the Saints come around on the ways of the New England Patriots?

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

2019 make or break year for him......great move Saints.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

He's good but he's not $13.6 million good. I hope he understands that and signs an extension for a lot less.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

These guys make $12m+

I like Apple, but obviously he is not in the same class

Josh Norman
Trumaine Johnson
Xavier Rhodes
Patrick Peterson
Desmond Trufant
A.J. Bouye
Stephon Gilmore
Janoris Jenkins
Malcolm Butler
Aqib Talib

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

Tbh, I'm not worried about our defense at all this year(which is hilarious considering just a few years ago it was our Achilles heel). Our WRs/TEs will make or break us this year.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

In my mind, these two positions will be the most improved in 2019.

It helps adding an All Pro TE to the mix.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

He's not worth every penny of the fifth year option. However, he may be worth more than this years salary next year if he continues to improve. If not then renegotiate or move on.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

The script the NFL is writing will make or break the teams of their choice.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

I hope he tries to earn the big deal. I fear he may go the Bosa route. Quit on the team with an "injury" and hope some stupid team pays him next year.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

Can’t understand why this would shock anyone. He’s not worth 6 million so he sure as heck ain’t worth 14. I’m sure a long term will be in place soon.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

Apple frustrated me last year with all the blatant pass interference penalties. I was 100% positive he was going to draw one in the playoffs that would cost us.

There were times where he played well, but he was inconsistent. One game he would play well, the next game he'd be a penalty magnet. He also had those few games where he got shredded. When we played Dallas, Prescott was constantly targeting him and burning him. Same thing happened in the Steelers game with Big Ben often targeting whatever receiver he was covering.

I wanted Patrick Peterson last year instead of Apple.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

I mean you aren't wrong, but Lattimore got shredded vs Amari Cooper in the Dallas game and he also looked like a high school player in week 1 vs Evans.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

If lattimore looked like a high school player week one, then crawley was on the middle school level the whole year. But that dallas game the pass rush couldnt get to prescott and the defense was on the field way too long with the offense sputtering.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

Saints D sacked Dak 7 times and forced a fumble. David O, Demario and Cam played out of their mind. Zeke was held under 100 yards.

The defense was the only reason why we had a chance. I made it out to that game.

Re: Saints Will Not Pick Up Eli Apples 5th Year Option
 

Oh yea, my bad i was thinking about the pittsburgh game with the lack of consistent pressure on rapeisburger