Decision day is approaching for the New Orleans Saints.
When the league’s negotiating window for free agency opens Monday, the Saints are slated to have 17 free agents hit the market — barring a last-minute extension that would keep them under wraps. And depending on how the next few weeks unfold, this offseason could mark the end of an era for a number of longtime Saints contributors.
“Obviously, we got a bunch of veterans that we'd love to keep here and be a part of this,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said at the NFL scouting combine last week.
Let’s take a look at the more notable decisions the Saints have to make, and whether those players will be staying or leaving.
Demario Davis
Davis and the Saints have a mutual interest in getting a deal done, but the 37-year-old linebacker might reach the market first to officially see his options.
Even at his advanced age, Davis is still playing at a relatively high level and would be a nice fit for a contender. Could the Denver Broncos, fresh off an AFC championship game appearance, be a fit? Former Saints coach Sean Payton, now in Denver, has listed linebacker as a need, but the Broncos typically have skewed younger as they’ve fleshed out the roster. The Bears are also remodeling their linebacker room, but based on feedback from the combine, a reunion with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen doesn’t appear likely.
If Davis leaves, second-year linebacker Danny Stutsman would be in line to see more playing time — but there’s a sense the Saints would miss Davis’ veteran presence. And, as well as New Orleans’ defense played last season, would the unit see a significant drop-off without Davis? Throw in the fact that Davis has been in New Orleans for eight seasons, and there are a lot of reasons for the relationship to keep going, so long as price doesn’t get in the way.
Prediction: Staying
Cam Jordan
At the end of his season media availability, Jordan made clear he wouldn’t take another “half-off” contract after a resurgent 10½-sack season. But was that simply posturing — or a hard-line stance that could derail negotiations?
Regardless of whether Jordan returns, the Saints would like another pass rusher to add to the fold. That addition could, in theory, move Jordan down the pecking order even further. Would Jordan be OK with a reduced role after his best season in years? That’d be a tough ask.
But Jordan was content to prove the Saints wrong last year, and he could do it again while on the roster for another year. Though he’s another year older, Jordan showed he at least could finish at the right moments — something that had been missing for New Orleans over the last few years.
Keeping Jordan, a franchise icon, would make sense.
Prediction: Staying
Alontae Taylor
The gap between what nickel cornerbacks are paid and what Alontae Taylor wants to be paid could be too much for the Saints to overcome.
Taylor saw former teammate Paulson Adebo get a three-year, $54 million contract from the New York Giants last year, and in the prime of his career, he can’t be blamed for seeking a comparable deal. That said, Taylor has played most of his snaps in the slot — a position whose highest-paid player (Kyler Gordon) earns only $13.3 million per year. That dynamic creates a tricky negotiation, and the Saints and Taylor haven’t seen eye to eye yet.
Perhaps the sides can reach a common ground, but there’s bound to be other teams interested in Taylor. The Las Vegas Raiders have tons of cap space and a coaching staff that's familiar with Taylor. The Dallas Cowboys, according to Sports Illustrated, are also expected to be in the mix. Taylor has shown plenty of versatility throughout his career, so a team may very well be fine with paying — or even playing — him as an outside corner.
The fact that the Saints tried to get an extension done during the season and couldn’t also doesn’t seem to bode well for Taylor’s return.
Prediction: Leaving
Luke Fortner
Acquiring Fortner from the Jacksonville Jaguars in the preseason proved to be such a prudent move that owner Gayle Benson touted it as one of Mickey Loomis’ accomplishments when defending the longtime general manager.
And Loomis did deserve credit. Fortner became a dependable starter after center Erik McCoy went down, so much so that the Saints are anticipating he’ll receive an opportunity to start elsewhere next season. That opportunity, as well as the price tag that comes with it, makes Fortner’s return for another year unlikely.
Prediction: Leaving
Alvin Kamara
Kamara isn’t a free agent, but he’s worth including in this discussion because of the uncertainty around his situation.
Seen as a popular cut candidate, Kamara holds an $18.2 million cap hit for next season — which has led many to assume the Saints would be willing to move on from the 30-year-old. New Orleans could clear $8.5 million in salary cap space with a post-June 1 release.
But what the Saints will do is anyone’s guess. New Orleans has been tight-lipped about whether it is willing to move on, or whether it even sees Kamara’s cap hit as too high. Would Kamara be willing to take a pay cut if the Saints asked? And what happens if he’s not open to such a move?
The Saints could very well bring in another back, but that doesn’t mean Kamara’s time in New Orleans is automatically over. There’s still a lot here to play out.
Prediction: Staying on a reduced cap hit
Taysom Hill
Like with Kamara, the Saints haven’t said much about Hill’s future. They’re giving him the space to decide whether to retire.
If he does hang up his cleats, Hill’s performance against the New York Jets was a perfect send-off. He not only set a league record by becoming the first player since the NFL-AFL merger to record at least 1,000 career yards in passing, rushing and receiving, but the Saints specifically made sure he went out with style in his last home game. That’s a great memory to go out on, even if Hill’s 2025 campaign wasn’t what he expected coming off a torn ACL.
Barring an unexpected extension, Hill will be a free agent come next week. That makes him eligible to sign with another team. But is there even a market if he wants to keep playing?
It would be helpful for the Saints if Hill announced his plans soon.
Prediction: Leaving (retired)