The New Orleans Saints are hosting five-time Pro Bowl right guard Trai Turner for a free agent visit on the eve of training camp, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Turner, 30, is a New Orleans native who rose to prominence in recruiting circles at St. Augustine High School and played college football at LSU.
Turner went on to start 118 games in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers (who drafted him in the third round back in 2014), Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and most recently the Washington Commanders. Last year, Pro Football Focus charting found he allowed just 22 pressures (2 sacks) and was penalized four times on 431 snaps in pass protection. For context, the player he’d be competing with in New Orleans, Calvin Throckmorton, was charged with yielding 18 pressures (3 sacks) and five penalties on 163 fewer reps.
Depth is the most pressing concern for this Saints team. They have the top-end talent to compete with anyone, but the backups and reserves aren’t quite up to par after waves of free agents left the team in recent years without being replaced by quality draft picks.
Adding Turner would do a lot to settle concerns at offensive guard. Andrus Peat has never played a full season and Cesar Ruiz ended his promising 2022 campaign with an injury. Their initial backup, Throckmorton, led the team in false start penalties. You’d think James Hurst would fill in at guard once Trevor Penning is starting at left tackle, but Penning’s own injury issues cloud the picture. Having Turner ready to go into a game if Peat or Ruiz goes down would be nice.
And the Saints can afford him. Turner has earned about $3 million from the Commanders and Steelers on one-year deals in the last few years, which the Saints can easily fit on their books (they’re under the salary cap by more than $13.3 million). If Turner is interested in coming home and the Saints are willing to meet his reasonable contract demands, it’s a team-up that makes too much sense not to happen.
