The New Orleans Saints lost starting linebacker A.J. Klein to the Buffalo Bills, who agreed to a contract offer worth $18 million over the next three years (carrying $9.7 million in guarantees), per Sirius XM NFL Radio’s Adam Caplan. Klein had mainly played on the strong side for the Saints, but started most of the 2019 season next to Demario Davis in nickel sets, which the Saints typically use more often than their base 4-3 defense.
It’s a nice payday for Klein, who first joined the Saints three years as a free agent pickup from the NFC South-rival Carolina Panthers. Now he’s reunited with his former defensive coordinator in Bills coach Sean McDermott, and will get to play next to a talented young linebacker in Tremaine Edmunds.
This is also something of a big loss for the Saints, having earlier whiffed on recruiting New England Patriots free agent Jamie Collins (who agreed to terms with the Detroit Lions). Now, the Saints must wait and see whether Alex Anzalone or Kiko Alonso can remain healthy for 16 games next to Davis, or else pursue another veteran free agent.
It’s worth noting that Klein leaves as an unrestricted free agent before the Saints have signed any new additions of their own. This means that they will now qualify for a compensatory pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, valued approximately as a sixth-round selection. Of course, the Saints are always more aggressive in free agency than expected, so this should change soon.
