The New Orleans Saints spending their first-round pick in the 2020 draft on Michigan prospect Cesar Ruiz sent a shockwave through the fanbase and the roster itself. Ruiz figures to compete with Erik McCoy (last year’s top draft pick) for the starting job not just at center, but at guard, too. The Saints didn’t spend so much draft capital on those two players for them to ride the bench.
But there’s one problem: the Saints have two Pro Bowlers slotted in at each guard spot. Andrus Peat signed a contract extension that guarantees he’ll be around until at least 2022, but Larry Warford is entering the final year of his contract. That creates an opportunity for the Saints to move up and address another roster need, like linebacker. With so many players headed for free agency in 2021, the Saints might get a jump on things by swapping big contracts for immediate upgrades.
Here are four Saints players who could be traded this weekend:
Larry Warford
Warford’s name has come up in trade speculation before, with The Athletic speculating that he could be moved for a third-round draft pick earlier this month. That’s caused by a drop off in his level of play, despite his three consecutive Pro Bowl trips — ignore the grades from Pro Football Focus and watch him getting bulldozed in the playoffs loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Moving Warford now would allow the Saints to play both Ruiz and McCoy in 2020. It would also free up more than $7 million against the salary cap, which the Saints could use after Monday’s compensatory draft pick cutoff to add more impactful veterans.
Maybe the Saints could package Warford’s contract with one of their future draft picks. They’re already projected to receive an extra third-round comp pick after losing Teddy Bridgewater, so they might be more willing to make a move. Could a combination of Warford and next year’s third rounder get the Saints back into the second round?
One team to watch: the Baltimore Ravens, who are replacing Marshall Yanda with last year’s fourth-round pick. They’ve gone after former Saints often in recent years, signing both Mark Ingram and Willie Snead in free agency. Baltimore also has multiple picks in the second and third rounds.
Nick Easton
If Warford doesn’t get traded, Easton would be a logical candidate to come up in trade talks. Paying both Easton and Warford to ride the bench behind McCoy, Ruiz, and Peat isn’t the best use of resources. While trading or cutting Easton wouldn’t save as much salary cap space as moving Warford, the Saints could still recoup more than $3.8 million by getting out of his contract.
Offensive line play is sagging around the NFL, even with the addition of this year’s rookie class. While Easton was inactive for a stretch of early-season games last year, he did start later in the year at left guard and could appeal to needy teams around the league. The Saints could maybe get a late-round draft pick for his services if they can find the right trade partner.
Marcus Williams
Alright, let’s get a little weird. Williams is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the impressive stats he’s piled up (10 interceptions, the most of any Saints player from 2010 to 2019) mean he’ll be due a massive payday next summer.
That might not appeal to the Saints. Williams is one of many young stars on the road to free agency, and he may not factor into their plans due to the combination of rising salaries for free safeties and Williams’ low-light reel of gaffes in big moments. Is he someone the team is prepared to pay $14 million or more per year?
If not, moving him now and getting a high draft pick in return might be the move. There are a number of safeties available in the second round (where Williams himself was originally picked), and the Saints could find a cheaper replacement by trading Williams to a team wanting a more finished product. Crazier things have happened.
Then again, bailing on someone you’ve drafted and developed doesn’t really follow the Saints’ precedent. This one might be a reach.
Alvin Kamara
Will the Saints agree to a long-term contract extension with Kamara? At this early stage, we just don’t know. His value is all over the place due to his status as a part-time player, but his best plays rival anything accomplished by the NFL’s best running backs. Christian McCaffrey securing a $16 million per-year deal is going to elevate Kamara’s asking-price.
Just like with Williams, Kamara is a player the Saints might not plan on keeping around past 2020. It would be a shame for that to happen considering how integral he’s been to their success lately (not to mention the star power he adds to the locker room), but football is a business. And if another team is willing to give up, say, a second-round draft pick, then Kamara might be on the outs.
The Saints got nice production out of Latavius Murray last year, and he arguably deserved more touches than he got. They can find other players who can do some of the things that Kamara does well, but it’ll be tough to add a rookie who does what the annual Pro Bowler does best. Barring a great offer, it’s tough to imagine the Saints move Kamara, but it’s not impossible.
