The Los Angeles Rams scored three points in Super Bowl LIII. As that awful title game wore on, it’s fair to ask — how many free agents-to-be on their sideline were thinking to themselves, ‘Wow, the New Orleans Saints could do better than this. I wonder what they’ll offer to sign me in a few weeks.’
To answer that question, we’re surveying the Rams’ list of unrestricted free agents along with every other NFL team in the march to the 2019 signing period. Here’s each previous entry in this series, updating daily and twice on Saturdays:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Atlanta Falcons
- Baltimore Ravens
- Buffalo Bills
- Carolina Panthers
- Chicago Bears
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Dallas Cowboys
- Denver Broncos
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Chargers
With that, we’re staying in Los Angeles one day longer.
Unrestricted free agents
- CB Sam Shields
- DE Dante Fowler Jr
- DT Ndamukong Suh
- DT Dominique Easley
- DT Ethan Westbrooks
- FS LaMarcus Joyner
- LB Ramik Wilson
- LB Bryce Hager
- LB Matt Longacre
- OC J.J. Dielman
- OG Rodger Saffold
- QB Sean Mannion
- RB C.J. Anderson
- TE Henry Krieger-Coble
Options for the Saints
Any list dealing with the Rams has to start with defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. He nearly signed with the Saints in the 2018 free agency period, but business interests outside football lured him to L.A. Now that Suh has had a year to explore those opportunities, don’t be shocked if he’s more willing to join a team that’s proven they can win a Super Bowl. The Saints have several openings in the starting lineup for their defensive line, and Suh — whose ‘down year’ in 2018 would still have led the Saints in several important stats — would be an easy fit.
Backup linebackers Ramik Wilson and Bryce Hager are interesting prospects. They were core special teamers for the Rams, with Hager leading the team in snaps played on the coverage units (379) and Wilson not far behind (216). Wilson got more run with the defense than Hager, picking up 36 combined tackles (26 solo) on just 157 snaps. He also clinched a late-season victory over the Green Bay Packers by forcing and recovering a fumble on a kickoff late in the game. The Saints’ top two backup linebackers, Craig Robertson and Manti Te’o, are each slated to leave in free agency and either of these players would make sense to replace them.
