Roster cuts will sweep through the NFL this weekend, following the final week of preseason games. It’s a hectic time when every team must narrow down its roster from 90 players to just 53, with many of those released becoming eligible for signing on the waiver wire. Each team will also be trying to stash players on their 10-man practice squad, or maybe land on injured reserve. It’s one of the busiest weeks for trading players in the NFL, outside of the October trade deadline and April’s draft.
The New Orleans Saints will be on the lookout for ways to improve, or at least get an early look at potential assets by swapping a conditional, late-round draft pick for someone who they may not be in position to claim off of waivers. Here are four players the Saints should consider calling about when trade talks pick up around the league.
WR Kenny Stills, Miami Dolphins
Stills has been in an embattled situation with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, as well as first-year head coach Brian Flores, and the NFL’s new entertainment and social justice partner, Jay-Z. Between questioning Ross’ commitment to criminal justice reform against his political ties and criticizing the NFL’s own machinations, Stills has done a lot to put himself at odds with the team’s shot-callers. And The Miami Herald reported earlier this week that the Dolphins have made him available in trade discussions.
From a purely football-oriented perspective, Stills would be exactly what the Saints need at wide receiver. He’s thrived in the offense before (having been drafted by the Saints back in 2013, before they traded him to Miami in 2015) and is a younger option than Ted Ginn Jr. while offering more pro experience than Tre’Quan Smith, Keith Kirkwood, Austin Carr, or the host of rookies and second-year players the Saints currently have. He already knows the playbook, and would slot into the starting lineup opposite Michael Thomas seamlessly.
As for Stills’ vocal off-field performance, speaking out against police brutality and gun violence: almost everything he’s said has been echoed by Saints head coach Sean Payton and linebacker Demario Davis, though Davis is more willing to give Jay-Z benefit of the doubt before flaming his partnership with the NFL. Stills would fit right into one of the more progressive, high-character locker rooms in the NFL.
Potential asking price: 2020 sixth-round draft pick
T Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Philadelphia Eagles
“Big V” might be the best swing tackle in the NFL, with starter’s experience at both the left side (in place of Jason Peters) and on the right (filling in for Lane Johnson). He’s also in the final year of his rookie contract. The Saints have six good offensive linemen of their own in their starting five, plus co-starting center Nick Easton (who will likely end up being the first guy up off the bench), but their depth at tackle is hazardously thin. Nobody has emerged this summer as an ideal backup for Terron Armstead. Their best solution — if and when he misses time — remains moving Andrus Peat to the left tackle spot and plugging Easton into the starting lineup. Their best solution shouldn’t mean making moves at two different positions.
Acquiring Vaitai would give the Saints a great one-year fix at the position, reinforcing an area of weakness and opening the door for a compensatory pick next summer if he leaves in free agency. That’s a better return than they’ve gotten out of many recent draft picks (only three of their seven picks from last year are still on the team, and reserve guard Will Clapp may be cut). The Saints have spent a lot to protect Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara. What’s a little more with a potential Super Bowl on the line?
As for why the Eagles would be willing to move Vaitai, much less to an NFC rival: They just selected the best left tackle prospect in the draft with their first-round pick, landing Andre Dillard out of Washington State. The drop-off from Vaitai to Dillard (if there is any) won’t be huge, and they can get immediate returns on that investment by trading Vaitai. And given his contract status, they probably see him leaving in a year anyway. Better to recoup a draft pick now than wait it out in hopes of a compensatory selection.
Potential asking price: 2020 fourth-round draft pick
CB Josh Norman, Washington Redskins
Of the scenarios we’re laying out, this is the least realistic. Any team that trades for Norman must take on an $11.3 million salary cap hit (with Washington accounting for the $3 million signing bonus already committed to him), which is a lot to ask. It’s not too much to ask given the Saints’ salary cap manipulation this summer, having hammered out long-term contracts with fixtures like Michael Thomas, Cameron Jordan, and Wil Lutz. If the Saints truly want to go get Norman, they can make it happen. They can also cut him next year and save $12.5 million against the salary cap if things don’t work out.
And the Saints may be motivated to go looking for better options on the outside. The way things stand now, Marshon Lattimore and Eli Apple will start at the top two corner spots, with Ken Crawley backing them up. Whoever wins the nickel job between P.J. Williams and Patrick Robinson would be focused on lining up over the slot, not cross-training to play out on the boundary.
Apple’s performance in training camp has been solid, at times even impressive. But some mistakes in preseason games — like losing sight of a ball to Minnesota Vikings receiver Adam Thielen, allowing a big touchdown in single coverage — should give fans (and maybe the Saints coaches) pause. Crawley remains the same player he’s been for most of his career, playing without discipline in coverage and drawing too many penalty flags.
What if Norman’s financial commitments and off-field antics (like calling out fans and leap-frogging a bull in Spain) have worn thin on a team that’s ready to blow it all up in the wake of Alex Smith’s career-threatening injury? Case Keenum won’t take them any closer to the playoffs than he did the Denver Broncos last year. The Saints were the second team in line to sign Norman when he last became available, losing out to Washington. Maybe things line up to where they can exchange one problematic cornerback (Crawley) for another, and add a player they’ve been eyeing for a while. How it ends up with Apple and Norman competing for a starting gig would remain to be seen, but that’s great depth however it shakes out.
Potential asking price: CB Ken Crawley and a 2020 sixth-round draft pick
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