This was expected, but it still feels odd for the New Orleans Saints to be in this position. Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline came and went without the Saints applying the tag to any of their pending free agents, meaning star safety Marcus Williams and stud left tackle Terron Armstead will likely both reach the open market. And there’s a very good chance neither of them return to New Orleans after weighing offers from other teams.
It’s not ideal. It isn’t great. To put it bluntly, this is a major problem that could have been avoided a long time ago if the Saints had signed both players to extensions as soon as they were eligible as opposed to waiting until the eleventh hour. Losing an All-Pro left tackle and a 25-year-old ballhawk safety is going to hurt them on both sides of the ball.
But hey, maybe we’re putting the cart before the horse here. It’s possible Armstead or Williams don’t get the big offers we’re all expecting and ultimately return to New Orleans. It’s a long shot, but stranger things have happened. Once the Saints decided to not use the tag, letting each player get an idea of their market value — illustrating exactly how much they have to gain in moving on from New Orleans — is the best path forward. If they end up bolting, well, that’s the risk you’ve chosen to take.
