The start of NFL free agency, or at least the "legal tampering" period is less than a week away, and there's a long list of Saints players set to hit the open market.
Teams can start negotiating with agents for free agents from other rosters as of March 9, in many cases agreeing to deals that can not become finalized until March 11, the first day of the new league year. That second date is when players with expiring deals officially become free agents.
The Saints have 17 such players with vastly varying circumstances. The Saints theoretically get extensions done with anyone from that group prior to March 9, taking them off the list. There will also need to be contract restructures prior to the new league year to clear the roughly $10M cap overage, and additional restructures to clear the space necessary for signings.
But as of now (March 5), let's take a look at the 17 players set to hit free agency, lay out their particular set of circumstances and predict whether we expect them to be back for 2026. We'll also break down the one signing of the offseason to date, one retirement/hire, and one player under contract who represents a major potential decision.
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ALREADY DONE
Signed
S Julian Blackmon
- Age: 27
- Years with team: 1
- 2025 stats: 1 game (1 start), 7 tackles, 1 pass defensed
- Deal: 1-year, $1.5M
What to know: The Saints went into last season with a veteran safety tandem of Blackmon and Justin Reid, but that lasted just one game. Blackmon was added to the roster after Tyrann Mathieu's retirement and won the starting safety job out of camp, but suffered a season-ending injury in a Week 1 loss to the Cardinals. The Saints were able to buy low, again, on a player still in his prime with 63 career starts. The gamble is that he can stay healthy. It'll be interesting to see if he ends up in the mix for the nickel corner spot.
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Retired
C/G Will Clapp
- Hired as assistant offensive coach
What to know: Clapp had a season-ending injury in the preseason and never played in a game during his return to the Saints. He retired this offseason but will be sticking around as an assistant coach, not unlike head coach Kellen Moore, who went from being a Cowboys QB in 2017 to assistant coach in 2018. He also follows in the footsteps of another pair of linemen-turned-coaches in Zach Strief (now the Broncos OL coach) and Jahri Evans, who departed this offseason for a job with the Steelers.
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NOT A FREE AGENT (but a big question)
RB Alvin Kamara
- Age: 30
- Years with team: 9
- 2025 stats: 131 carries, 471 yards, TD
What to know: Alvin Kamara isn't a free agent, but he is on the wrong side of 30, is coming off the least productive season of his career and currently has the highest cap hit of all NFL running backs in 2026. Those factors would typically combine to mean a player ends up hitting the open market. That said, I'd be very surprised if Alvin ends up on another roster next season and it'd be VERY disappointing if his Saints career ended with a cut. He's not really a trade candidate (mainly because he's said plainly that he'd retire before playing anywhere else). Cutting him outright would mean an $18M dead cap charge this year. Making him a post-June 1 cut would push $8M of that to 2-2027, but it'd still mean $18M total dead cap charge for a player not on your roster. That's not a scenario I expect the Saints to be all that keen on. To me these are the two most likely roads ahead:
Option A: The Saints approach Kamara with a similar rebalanced deal that they presented to Cam Jordan last season. Kamara is due an $11M base salary in 2026 and the Saints will want to convert a good chunk of that to incentives. If AK has a highly productive season, you won't mind paying it. If he doesn't, the team claws some money back. The biggest questions are:
- Will Kamara actually agree to a reworked, incentive-laden deal structure?
- Would the Saints actually cut him if he didn't?
Option B: Kamara decides to retire. It's not out of the question and Alvin has always been a bit mercurial when it comes to his career longevity. It would be a decision that means forgoing a good chunk of salary and the Saints would likely go the same route they did with other veteran retirements, dropping the base salary down to the league minimum and waiting until June 1 to process the retirement so they could split the cap charge over two seasons.
One way or the other, expect something to happen to happen to that contract.
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THE VETERANS
There are three face-of-the-franchise players set to hit free agency in 2026, and at this stage none have been extended.
LB Demario Davis
- Age: 37
- Years with team: 8 years
- 2025 stats: 17 games (17 starts), 143 tackles (career high), .5 sacks, 6 TFLs, 3 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery
What to know: The Saints and Davis have both said the hope is for him to remain in New Orleans, but it sure looks like the veteran linebacker is going to truly test free agency for the first time since signing here in 2018. It'll be interesting to see what Davis' market is and exactly how high the Saints would go to remain competitive. One thing to consider is that if Davis does end up off the Saints roster in 2026, his future dead cap charges ($14 million) would accelerate to this season. The Saints could stave that off for at least a year with an extension for a player that doesn't really seem to be slowing down despite his age. There's also an argument to be made that it's time for a youth movement at linebacker. We'll have to wait and see.
Prediction: re-signed
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DE Cam Jordan
- Age: 36
- Years with team: 15
- 2025 stats: 17 games (17 starts), 47 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 15 TFLs, 2 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery
What to know: A very similar scenario to Davis with a few major exceptions, the first being that prior to the 2025 season it sure did seem like Cam didn't have another 10-sack season in him. He even accepted a reworked deal that built in significant incentives, many of which he hit. But how much will you invest in him potentially doing that again? Jordan values his New Orleans legacy as much as any player has or will. He's committed to playing another season regardless of what happens. Much like Davis, there's a significant dead cap charge that would come due in 2026 ($18.7M) if Cam lands on a different NFL roster in 2026.
Update: The Saints and Jordan are not expected to agree to an extension by the new league year, according to a report from ESPN, meaning Jordan will become a free agent for the first time in his career. A deal could still get done, but in that scenario the Saints would have to account for the dead money and the new money.
Prediction: re-signed
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TE/QB Taysom Hill
- Age: 35
- Years with team: 9
- 2025 stats: 13 games (5 starts), 52 carries, 114 yards, TD; 11 catches, 91 yards; 2-6 passing, 57 yards, TD
What to know: Unlike the two players above him on this list, Taysom Hill is NOT coming off a season that makes you forget about his age. He worked back from a major knee injury in 2024 and appeared in 13 games, but he simply didn't seem to have the top-end gear that Saints fans have grown accustomed to seeing. Maybe he will with a full, normal offseason to get back right, but it sure seems like the Saints should be ready to move on. Taysom opting to retire would simplify things and give the most satisfying conclusion to his Saints career, but there will be a $13 million dead cap charge either way. It's possible the Saints bring him back, but it'd likely have to be close to a minimum deal.
Prediction: not re-signed (likely retirement)
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BIG(ish) MONEY
The Saints really only have one player to land in here, but the spirit of the section is "players that might land a deal that's bigger than the Saints are willing to pay" so there are actually two players that might qualify for very different reasons.
CB Alontae Taylor
- Age: 27
- Years with team: 4
- 2025 stats: 17 games (16 starts), 83 tackles, 11 passes defensed, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions
What to know: A few years back Alontae Taylor accepted a move to the nickel corner spot, despite making it clear at the time that he knew it wasn't the best financial move for his career. It was a team-first move, but it was also foreshadowing this offseason and what makes it feel like an inevitability that he'll walk in free agency. The Saints will want to play Taylor as a nickel corner. Taylor will want to be paid as an outside corner. The difference is significant. Bears DB Kyler Gordon is the top-paid nickel corner at $13M per year. Paulson Adebo is the 13th-highest-paid outside corner at $18M per year. There will almost certainly be teams looking to sign Taylor as an outside corner with versatility to play the slot if needed, and he has a case to be paid in the Adebo range. The Saints have a pair of young starters at the outside corner spot (Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley). Even if the Saints were willing to make Taylor the league's highest-paid nickel (a big if), they probably wouldn't be the top offer. All that is to say: Be prepared for Taylor to be wearing a different uniform next season. The good news is that there'll be no dead cap to account for.
Prediction: not re-signed (big contract elsewhere)
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C/G Luke Fortner
- Age: 27
- Years with team: 1
- 2025 stats: 17 games (10 starts)
What to know: This time last year I doubt many were considering the idea "what if the Saints can't afford to retain Luke Fortner," but here we are. The Saints added Fortner in a trade that sent Khalen Saunders to the Jaguars, and he ended up being critical depth once Erik McCoy went out for the season due to injury. There were hiccups, but he largely played well. PFF gave him an overall grade of 66.5, which ranked 18th among centers. The Saints would probably love to have that depth again, but how much will they be willing to pay for it? Some estimates project Fortner's market value to be in the range of $6M per season, which would be a big number for center depth.
Prediction: re-signed
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MINIMUM-RANGE DEALS
The following players are veterans who could be had for somewhere in the range of the league minimum or slightly above. The question is less whether the Saints can afford to bring them back as much as it is whether they want them back/whether the player wants to return or feels they have a better option.
TE Foster Moreau
- Age: 28
- Years with team: 3
- 2025 stats: 11 games (9 starts); 7 catches, 59 yards
What to know: Moreau was rehabbing a knee injury heading into 2025 and got a late start on just about everything. Head coach Kellen Moore has spoken glowingly about Moreau in the past, and as a New Orleans native perhaps he takes a team-friendly deal to stick around. The Saints probably need to find another answer at the position, regardless. There would be a $1.4M dead cap charge if he doesn't return.
Prediction: Re-signed
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S Terrell Burgess
- Age: 27
- Years with team: 1
- 2025 stats: 16 games (1 start), 22 tackles, 3 passes defensed
What to know: From early on in camp it was clear that Burgess was a player that DC Brandon Staley liked. He was a key part of the safety rotation throughout camp, and while he didn't make the initial roster, he started the season on the practice squad and was ultimately called up to the active and appeared in 16 games. He's a solid player and the Saints will likely want to bring him back on a minimum deal.
Prediction: Re-signed
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G Dillon Radunz
- Age: 27
- Years with team: 1
- 2025 stats: 15 games, 10 starts
What to know: Much like Fortner, Radunz saw significant action in 2025 due to injury. While he had a few hustle plays, including chasing down Miami's Rasul Douglas to prevent what would've otherwise been a pick-6, the results weren't overwhelmingly positive. Radunz graded out above average as a run-blocker, per PFF, but his overall grade was a 48.5, which ranked 75th among NFL guards. The Saints could potentially bring Radunz back, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them look elsewhere.
Prediction: not re-signed
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G/T Landon Young
- Age: 28
- Years with team: 5
- 2025 stats: n/a
What to know: Young was another player who appeared in line for a significant role but suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason. The team ended up trading for Asim Richards, who filled the swing tackle role that Young had taken over since the retirement of James Hurst. Young has been a team-first player and done everything the team had asked of him. Perhaps that buys him another year to compete for a job.
Prediction: not re-signed
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DT Jonathan Bullard
- Age: 32
- Years with team: 1
- 2025 stats: 15 games, 6 starts; 26 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2 passes defensed
What to know: Bullard was a sneaky important player for the Saints interior defense last year. Remember all those short-yardage stops? A lot of that can be attributed to the big boys in the middle. Bullard was one of those. I wouldn't be surprised to see him back for another go, but he is 32 and the Saints are bringing back Vernon Broughton, a third-round pick who only appeared in one game last year before a season-ending hip injury. There's some work the team needs to do on the interior DL.
Prediction: re-signed
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IDL Jonah Williams
- Age: 28
- Years with team: 1
- 2025 stats: 15 games (1 start), 18 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 TFLs
What to know: Another veteran player who began the year on the practice squad and was a steady contributor by the end of it. Williams is a player who falls into the happy medium of played well enough to bring back, but not well enough to command much on the open market. I expect he'll return.
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DT John Ridgeway
- Age: 26
- Years with team: 2
- 2025 stats: 4 games (2 starts), 11 tackles, 1 TFL
What to know: Ridgeway was on the roster bubble before suffering an injury late in camp that sent him to IR for a majority of the season. He did return late in the year and made a few impact plays, and the team thought enough of him to keep him around through the injury. He's still young and won't cost much if the Saints decide to bring him back.
Prediction: not re-signed
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WR Dante Pettis
- Age: 30
- Years with team: 2
- 2025 stats: 8 games (0 starts); 9 catches, 127 yards
What to know: Pettis has been up and down from the Saints practice squad each of the past two seasons and always has upside as a return specialist. He's just a steady player and the Saints roster currently doesn't have a return ace. If that doesn't change in free agency or the draft, don't be surprised if Pettis is brought back for a third season.
Prediction: re-signed
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Edge Chris Rumph II
- Age: 27
- Years with team: 1
- 2025 stats: 17 games (0 starts); 47 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 pass defensed, 1 forced fumble
What to know: Rumph was a player familiar with Brandon Staley's defense who earned a role throughout training camp. He didn't do anything particularly eye-opening, but he was consistent and always played with energy. It's clear he's a favorite of the defensive staff and I fully expect him to be back competing for a role again this offseason.
Prediction: re-signed
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TE Jack Stoll
- Age: 28
- Years with team: 1
- 2025 stats: 15 games (4 starts); 6 catches, 46 yards, TD
What to know: Stoll was brought in as a blocking TE option and that's what he did. He had familiarity with Kellen Moore's scheme from Philadelphia. He won't cost much, so he could definitely return, but I think the Saints should be looking to upgrade at TE. Another former Eagle in Dallas Goedert would be my target.
Prediction: not re-signed
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CB Michael Davis
- Age: 31
- Years with team: 1
- 2025 stats: 11 games (0 starts); 4 tackles
What to know: Midway through the season the Saints brought in Michael Davis to help solidify the special teams units, and I felt like he did that as well as could be hoped. Special teams coordinator Phil Galiano has a big task ahead in turning that unit back into a strength, and I have a feeling he's going to want Davis back as one of the aces of that group.
Prediction: re-signed
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S Ugo Amadi
- Age: 28
- Years with team: 3
- 2025 stats: 7 games (0 starts)
What to know: Amadi is one of the longest-tenured defensive backs on the team, which is wild to think about. A lot has changed. That said, it feels like his role was overtaken by Terrell Burgess last year. He does offer some nickel depth in a pinch, and perhaps that's enough to land him another 1-year deal, but I don't see him as a viable candidate to start in the slot.
Prediction: not re-signed