The New Orleans Saints already have made a handful of moves, could there be more on the way?
That seems pretty likely. There surely will be more additions and subtractions by the time the 2025 National Football League season gets here.
It’s going to be interesting to see how the Saints decide to handle the next few months with free agency in full swing, the NFL Draft kicking off in April, and teams hitting the field not long after.
There are guys out there bringing into town but there could be subtractions and Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker called Demario Davis the team’s top trade candidate.
"New Orleans Saints: LB Demario Davis," Locker said. "Derek Carr and Tyrann Mathieu were clear options to be on this list, but both appear in steady shape on the Saints’ roster heading into the 2025 season. Davis, though, has a little more uncertainty after his contract was restructured, leaving him on a one-year deal.
"Despite playing his 13th season, Davis was still strong last year, earning an 80.2 PFF run-defense grade. More specifically, his 81.3 PFF overall grade from Weeks 11-18 ranked fifth among qualified linebackers. Still able to play at a high level, at least against the run, Davis could draw trade interest even at age 36."
He has one year left on his two-year, $17.25 million deal with New Orleans. Davis is 36 years old and spent the last seven years in New Orleans. He had two sacks last year, but racked up 13 sacks across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Saints Predicted To Pick Up Option With 24-Year-Old Star
There are more decisions that need to be made across the National Football League than just free agency and the NFL Draft over the next few months.
One other decision that will need to be made by franchises is whether or not to pick up fifth-year options for players selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. For the Saints, they will have to decide whether or not to pick up former No. 11 pick Chris Olave's option. This is a pretty easy decision.
He had over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons before injuries forced him to play in just eight games in 2024. It seems like a no-brainer for Olave's option to be picked up. Pro Football Focus' Bradley Locker made a list predicting each team's five-year option decisions and unsurprisingly predicted the Saints will pick up Olave's option.
"Pick No. 11 — WR Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints: Picked up," Locker said. "Olave has been a dynamic receiver during each of his three NFL seasons with the Saints, securing an 82.9 PFF receiving grade or better since 2022. He sits in the 93rd percentile for yards per route run and the 84th percentile for PFF receiving grade versus single coverage over that span. The only hesitation in rewarding him with a big extension is his durability after a shortened 2024, but the Ohio State alumnus is certainly worthy based on the advanced metrics."
Olave is a star and is the team's top receiver. Any decision other than picking up the fifth year on his deal would be a shock.
