Don't close that book just yet: Cam Jordan is set for Year 16 in black and gold, agreeing to a new deal with the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday.
The news comes just hours after the team finished the first of two days of minicamp practices. Jordan flew into New Orleans on Tuesday to put the finishing touches on the deal, which is for 1 year. The contract will be incentive-laden, per a report from the NFL Network, which was also the case for the reworked deal he played on last year.
"At the end of the day it was a mutual benefit for us to come back, for what I want to do. ... I always believe in black and gold," Jordan said.
The Saints officially announced the news Tuesday afternoon, with Jordan signing the contract and holding a brief press conference. The presser began with Jordan's son, Tank, saying for his 11th birthday he wanted to come back to New Orleans. He said the nudges from his family and his connection to the city were what ultimately got the deal over the finish line.
Jordan indicated that 2026 is expected to be his final NFL season, though he did leave the door slightly cracked. He noted that his hope was to never go through an uncertain offseason like this past one. It was his first time testing free agency in his career.
"I definitely am going to take to this like every game is the last I ever play," Jordan said, "and I'm going to be ... overly appreciative of all my teammates."
The hurdles in the conversation were both monetary and from a role perspective. Jordan said "there were a few bumps" that had been smoothed out recently, and he was comfortable with the team's plan for him in Year 2 of Brandon Staley's scheme. Jordan led the team in sacks last season despite only playing 54% of the snaps, a steep decline from his prime years.
The Saints had been consistent in the messaging that Jordan was wanted back in the fold. Saints GM Mickey Loomis and head coach Kellen Moore made clear multiple times that there was an offer on the table and the ball was in Jordan's court. Jordan said that Moore called him personally asking him to come in. He also told a story that he was in Miami earlier this week to attend a World Cup game and called Saints GM Mickey Loomis to set up the meeting.
"He's like, 'we need you to be all in,' and I was like, I don't know any other way," Jordan said. "I don't dip toes in the water. I dive in."
Jordan returns to the team that drafted him in the first round way back in 2011. He is the team's franchise leader in sacks with 132 and currently sits at No. 17 on the all-time list. The 36-year-old noted that finishing his career on the same team played a role in his desire to come back. He had several former teammates reaching out, trying to convince him to return to the Saints. That group included players like Terron Armstead, Mark Ingram and Demario Davis, the latter of whom departed in free agency earlier this offseason.
The decision to return was also marked by his goal to continue his community work, which includes weekly school visits and a program that's sending students to Louisiana colleges on full-ride scholarships.
"You see how I'm so involved in the community, it'd feel wrong to be in another city not giving back to this city," he said. "At least that's how I looked at it. ... Everything that we want to do in the city. It'd be surreal to not be here."
Next up on Jordan's schedule will be a physical, after which he'll be cleared to return to activity with the team, though he wouldn't necessarily commit to participating in Wednesday's practice.
"We'll see," he said.
Jordan is coming off a resurgent season in which he led the team with 10.5 sacks. He'll now join a rotation led by Chase Young and Carl Granderson. The Saints also re-signed Chris Rumph and Jordan will be in the mix with new additions Tyree Wilson -- acquired in a trade with the Raiders -- and former Patriots OLB Anfernee Jennings.
