The New Orleans Saints are preparing to enter the NFL’s free agency period, and like every other team, they’ll be looking for the perfect fits – the perfect matches, the perfect players to join their team. Here’s our list of the four 2019 free agents who could best meet the Saints’ needs.
4. TE Jesse James, Pittsburgh Steelers
We’ve written about James before, and time has done nothing to make him look like a less appealing option for the Saints in the free agent market. James is an iron man – recording 2,326 snaps the last three years – with room to grow; he’s only 25 years old. And he accomplished that while playing second-fiddle to Vance McDonald. There’s reason to believe he could step up in a big way given the opportunity.
James is the youngest free agent tight end on the market and has done the most with the least, catching 30 of 39 targets and averaging over 14 yards per catch in 2018. He wouldn’t be just someone to help see through the final days of Drew Brees’ career, but an asset to help for the future. If nothing else, pairing him with Josh Hill in two-tight end sets while a rookie draft pick focuses on crushing it in the slot reads like a sound plan.
3. WR Jamison Crowder, Washington
A lingering ankle issue and late-season wrist injury derailed Crowder’s 2018 campaign, but he still showed he can thrive as a slot specialist down the stretch. He was a safety valve for interim quarterback Josh Johnson, leading the team with 12 catches for 218 yards in a three-game stretch to close out a forgettable year. This was the first season Crowder missed serious time as a pro, having appeared in 47 of 48 possible games the previous three years.
When healthy, Crowder can threaten defenses at every level of the field from the slot thanks to his physicality after the catch and efficient route-running. With starter Alex Smith not expected to play in 2019 and his contract up, look for Crowder to try to get out of Washington’s sinking ship. He could thrive in New Orleans as a slot receiver, winning in many of the same ways Willie Snead and Lance Moore once succeeded.
2. Danny Shelton, New England Patriots
A union between Shelton and the Saints has been brewing for years. New Orleans loved him as a prospect coming out of Washington, and would have selected him instead of Andrus Peat had he been available in the draft. The Cleveland Browns dashed those plans by trading up to get Shelton, then traded him away a few years later.
The big defensive lineman was at the bottom of the Patriots’ rotation until their playoffs push began in Week 16, at which point they unleashed him. Shelton turned into a focus point for the defense and was wildly disruptive during Super Bowl LIII, winning his snaps and frustrating the Los Angeles Rams offense. The Saints stand to lose starting nose tackle in Tyeler Davison when free agency opens up, but they could pick up an upgrade by signing Shelton.
1. Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints
Call it a cop-out if you want (we never said this wouldn’t include in-house free agents), but keeping Ingram in New Orleans for the rest of his pro career must be a high priority for the Saints. Ingram’s post-suspension performance in 2018 left a lot to be desired — including him coming up just short of a team record for rushing yards — but he still proved his worth, providing a rallying point for team morale and keeping Brees clean in the face of pressure.
Ingram still has plenty of tread left on his tires and can continue to pair with Alvin Kamara as one of the great one-two punches at running back in the game today. His value on third down can’t be undersold, ably picking up pass rushers and catching the occasional pass. The Saints cut every candidate they brought in to replace Ingram, demonstrating how much he means to the team. His contract demands won’t be more than the Saints can afford, and they should be more than eager to keep him in the fold.
