It might not feel like it, but we’re already in the middle of the New Orleans Saints’ rebuild. The high-end rosters that defined Drew Brees’ final years with the team have gotten older and lost key players in each phase of the game: offense, defense, and special teams. To be frank, the Saints haven’t played enough competitive football over the last two seasons to look at them in the same light as the squads that preceded them.
With the 2023 offseason around the corner, it’s important the Saints take a hard look at the shape of their roster and consider which free agents to prioritize in the spring. There are many players they should bring back, but some in-house free agents should take priority. Here are seven on top of our list:
1
TE Juwan Johnson
Johnson has become the team’s best option at tight end, and though he’s a restricted free agent he should be an easy choice to re-up in the spring.
2
LB Kaden Elliss
Elliss stepped up in a big way when Pete Werner missed time with an injury, and he looks like he could be part of the future at linebacker for New Orleans. Retaining him is important as Demario Davis finishes out his career.
3
P Blake Gillikin
Gillikin has had an up-and-down second season with the Saints, but we’ve seen him at his best and he deserves another year to show consistency in the game’s third phase.
4
DT David Onyemata
He may have fallen off from his previous heights, but Onyemata is still the best interior lineman in New Orleans and it would be smart to bring him back at an affordable rate if he’s up for it. There are some similarities here to Terron Armstead’s situation in the 2022 offseason.
5
DT Kentavius Street
Street was a nice find for the Saints. He’s made some plays as a pass rusher and has stood out in the interior rotation. It would be wise to keep him on the depth chart though he’s probably not built for a starting role.
6
S J.T. Gray
Gray is a key player on special teams for the Saints and they missed him when he was sidelined by a hamstring injury. There aren’t many players better than him covering punts and kickoffs around the league.
7
OL Calvin Throckmorton
Throckmorton is an exclusive-rights free agent and should be a no-brainer to return to New Orleans. He’s filled in well as a backup while getting valuable experience replacing injured starters the last few years. His athletic limitations have been on display at times, though, so he’s best used in that reserve role.
