The New Orleans Saints restructured linebacker Peter Werner’s contract late this week. The move obviously impacts Werner, but it also opens the door wider for potential Cam Jordan or Kenny Moore II deals.
Werner is fan favorite trade bait. Whenever fans start talking about trading veterans, Werner is one of the first names thrown out. Danny Stutsman waiting in the wings certainly adds to the doubt of Werner’s job security. However, this restructure makes a trade this season unlikely.
Werner had $5.035 of his salary turned into a signing bonus. With this move, the Saints created an extra $4.028 million of cap space. The next question becomes what do the Saints have in mind with their newfound money?
Saints clearing room for Kenny Moore makes sense
The move gives the Saints more than enough room to cover the entire rookie class. It’s hard to not wonder if they’re preparing to pursue another free agent.
As you look around the roster, it’s not many positions the Saints are likely to address. Cam Jordan is still on the open market, and he’s the cream of the crop as far as free agent edge rushers go. Other than him, the Saints will probably call it a day with the additions of Tyree Wilson and Anfernee Jennings. Wide receivers are often plentiful at this point, but they stacked the receiver room in the draft.
One player that makes a lot of sense is Kenny Moore II. From a purely timing standpoint, it adds up. The slot corner was recently granted his release from the Colts, and the Saints make a move they could have made at any point this offseason.
Maybe that’s connecting dots you want to connect, but it’s a theory that’s worth keeping in mind. Moore would be a plug and play replacement for Alontae Taylor. It’s that piece that makes him such an attractive signing.
Julian Blackmon and Jonas Sanker are the current best bets to replace Taylor. Putting one of them at safety and one in the slot would allow the Saints to put their best 5 defensive backs on the field at once. They haven’t played the position, though, and that’s the advantage Moore has.
You don’t have to train a player with the requisite traits to play the position. Instead, you get a player with experience and production at the position. It removes the guesswork and checks the box with certainty. Werner’s restructure gives the Saints a bit more flexibility if they are pursuing Moore.
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