We’ve got a better idea of which positions the New Orleans Saints should reinforce after two preseason games and a month of training camp practices, but time is running out with roster cuts looming a week away — and the start of the regular season sitting just beyond that.
And, as always in the NFL, it all starts in the trenches for the Saints. Their pass rush has been erratic throughout the summer and poor depth along the offensive line is a problem that isn’t going away. There are other areas of need, but those should be top priority. It’s possible that young guys can continue to develop and overcome those concerns, but the Saints have enough resources and high standards that shouldn’t let them feeling content about who they have in the building.
New Orleans has been proactive in bringing in veteran backups like linebacker Jaylon Smith, safety Johnathan Abram, running back Darell Williams, and wide receiver/returns specialist Lynn Bowden Jr. That same enterprising approach should extend to other positions.
The latest estimates from Over The Cap give the Saints $11.3 million to spend on fine-tuning their team, and none of these players would break the bank. With that in mind, here’s a quick list of veteran free agents who make a lot of sense for what the Saints still need to build this team:
DE Carlos Dunlap
The Saints have brought in several former Kansas City Chiefs already, so why not reunite Dunlap with his Super Bowl-winning teammates Khalen Saunders and Ugo Amadi? They’ve targeted former Chiefs players like Tyrann Mathieu, Tanoh Kpassagnon, and Darrel Williams before. Dunlap would fit right in.
Depending on where you look, the 6-foot-6 pass rusher is listed at anywhere from 277 to 285 pounds, but either way he nails the size requirements the Saints maintain at defensive end. And New Orleans could use more juice off the edge. Isaiah Foskey looks like a typical slow-to-develop pass rusher; Payton Turner has come on strong this summer, Cameron Jordan is still reliable, but neither Carl Granderson nor Tanoh Kpassagnon have really flashed through two preseason games. At worst Dunlap would add serious competition to a room that could use it. At best he could push an inferior player down the depth chart and be an asset on passing downs.
Dunlap signed with the Chiefs last year for just $3 million and posted more pressures (41) than anyone in New Orleans (Jordan’s 37 led the team), despite having celebrated his 34th birthday in February. The Saints can afford him and they aren’t productive enough at defensive end to not consider him. They can’t bet everything on Turner’s preseason highlights.
OL Jason Peters
Peters was one of the oldest players in the NFL last year, and he’ll turn 42 next January. But there’s still a clear role for the nine-time Pro Bowler in New Orleans. With James Hurst competing with Andrus Peat to start at left guard, the backup plan behind second-year left tackle Trevor Penning is, well, not exactly inspiring confidence.
Lewis Kidd is the only other player to take a snap at left tackle in preseason, and he’s been penalized twice while yielding three pressures (including a sack) in pass protection. Kidd made the roster last year as a versatile backup at tackle and guard, but the Saints should have more of a buffer between him and Penning going into the season. Six different backup linemen, including Kidd, were responsible for eight penalties in Sunday night’s flag-filled preseason game. They need a seasoned veteran who can be trusted to not make mistakes when he’s on the field while deferring to his younger teammates.
That’s a role Peters is well-suited for. He totaled 268 snaps across 13 games last year for the Dallas Cowboys (about 21 reps each week), lining up not just at left tackle (172 snaps) but also at left guard (55) and right tackle (33), while sometimes stepping in for overloaded sets as an extra blocker. And he didn’t draw a single penalty flag. If he’s willing to sign for a similar amount to what Dallas paid him last year (the veteran’s minimum with modest guarantees) and play a similar role as a veteran resource for guys like Penning and Kidd, it should be a no-brainer for New Orleans.
TE Cameron Brate
The regular season depth chart at tight end is probably set — Juwan Johnson is the focal point as one of Derek Carr’s favorite targets, but Foster Moreau can capably catch passes and clear the way as an inline blocker. Taysom Hill is still listed here even though he doesn’t handle a ton of tight end-style assignments. If Jimmy Graham’s health allows it, he’ll have a spot on the 53-man roster, too.
But things aren’t as settled as they may seem. Injuries have sidelined veteran backups like Jesse James. Lucas Krull dropped a couple of passes in the second preseason game after missing the first one with an injury, and he doesn’t offer much as a blocker. J.P. Holtz is solid but he’s not someone who should regularly be in the lineup given his limitations as a receiver.
That brings us to Brate. If Krull continues to struggle as a receiver and health issues continue to trail James and Graham, the 32-year-old would make a lot of sense to round out the depth chart. He’s one who got away from the Saints before — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers poached him from their practice squad — and he developed into a very solid playmaker in Tampa Bay. Brate has been thrown to 430 times and dropped just 14 passes in his NFL career.
Brate’s best days are behind him, but he could fit into the Saints’ plans as a red-zone weapon and reliable target on third downs just like they intended for Graham and Krull. He would have to sign for the veteran minimum given the team’s other investments at the position, but it’s not the worst landing-spot he could hope for after carving out an impressive career as a Buccaneer.
