Saints Lost $54 Million Sweepstakes At 'Last Minute'

The New Orleans Saints clearly haven't been shy in free agency.

Whether it has been retaining some of the team's top free agents, or looking to the open market for more talent, the Saints have been doing everything it possibly can. This had led the team to win some bidding wars, but also lose.

New Orleans reportedly beat the Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans in a bidding war for former Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid. Now, Reid will be with the Saints for the next three years after inking a $31.5 million deal.

One bidding war the team seems to have lost is for former San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward. Ward joined "The Ride With JMV" and shared that he actually thought he was signing with the Saints until the "last minute" before the Indianapolis Colts swooped in and got a deal done.

"Originally, I thought I was going to New Orleans," Ward said. "The deal was almost done. Then the Colts, I guess they realized how great of a player I am, and they came in and kind of beat out the Saints at the last minute."

Ward was one of the best cornerbacks available on the open market. He ended up landing a three-year, $54 million deal with the Colts. Ward is a one-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl champion, and would have given the Saints a much-needed boost after losing Paulson Adebo.

A deal didn't work out, but it's nice to hear that the Saints have been aggressive.

Saints, Cowboys Among Teams Competing For Superstar

The New Orleans Saints have one clear need on the offense right now and it seems like the team is looking to fill it with a superstar.

Cooper Kupp is available on the open market and arguably is the best pass-catcher looking for a new home right now. The Los Angeles Rams decided to move on from him and released him.

Kupp has dealt with some injuries in recent years, but that doesn't hide the fact that when healthy he is still one of the top receivers in football. Last year, he had 67 catches, 710 receiving yards, and six touchdowns in 12 games. That's pretty solid production, especially when considering the fact that there was another star receiver on the team getting plenty of targets in Puka Nacua.

He's 31 years old and has a Super Bowl MVP Award under his belt and one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history as well. In 2021, he had just under 2,000 receiving yards while racking up 145 catches and 16 touchdowns.

New Orleans has been linked to him since he was released and The Athletic's Jeff Howe shared that the Saints are among the teams interested in Kupp along with the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and Denver Broncos.

"WR Cooper Kupp's asking price has been as high as $15M per year, per sources," Howe said. "It sounds like he'd take less for a preferred destination. But if teams are willing to hit $15M, it would widen the list of landing spots.

"The Seahawks, Saints, Cowboys and Broncos are among the teams that have shown varying levels of interest in Cooper Kupp, per sources. The Cowboys are a long shot at the moment."

It would be an absolute game-changer if the Saints could get a deal done.