The New Orleans Saints will be very selective in the 2019 NFL free agency signing period, considering prospects from every other team including the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here’s every previous entry in our daily series previewing the free agency landscape:
- 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
- Los Angeles Rams
- Miami Dolphins
- Minnesota Vikings
- New England Patriots
- New York Giants
- New York Jets
- Oakland Raiders
- Philadelphia Eagles
Next up, Pittsburgh:
Unrestricted free agents
- CB Coty Sensabaugh
- DT Daniel McCullers
- DT Leterrius Walton
- LB Ryan Shazier
- LB L.J. Fort
- LB Anthony Chickillo
- P Jordan Berry
- RB Stevan Ridley
- RB Le’Veon Bell
- SS Nat Berhe
- TE Jesse James
- WR Darrius Heyward-Bey
- WR Justin Hunter
- WR Eli Rogers
Options for the Saints
The name most fans will pick out on this list is tight end Jesse James, who should be the top free agent behind Oakland Raiders starter Jared Cook. James has never been more than a second-fiddle tight end, and for the Saints, that’s okay. There aren’t any All-Pro tight ends on the market, around their draft positioning, or on the roster already. It’s better to have two capable starters in James and Josh Hill while a nice rookie prospect develops free of the expectations to thrive right away.
A depth option would be wide receiver Eli Rogers (5-foot-10, 187-pounds), who has showed sure hands and an ability to get open in the past. He’s been limited with injuries so the Saints shouldn’t expect him to be a centerpiece, but he’s reliable. Rogers also has experience fielding punts with some success. Otherwise, the cupboard looks bare for Pittsburgh.
Of course we should mention running back Le’Veon Bell, but here’s all we have to say about that: if the Saints can’t afford to keep Mark Ingram, making running back a position to fill, then they certainly can’t afford to bring in Bell. Don’t get your hopes up.
