The Saints almost landed a top free-agent corner but were outbid by another team

The New Orleans Saints were working to land one of the top available corners, but another team swooped in and ruined their plans at the last second.

The cornerback room of the New Orleans Saints quickly became an issue for the team after trading away Marshon Lattimore and losing Paulson Adebo in free agency. New Orleans is well aware it needs to rebuild the unit, and that’s why the team has been active in free agency. So far, the only cornerback signing has been bringing back Isaac Yiadom, who spent last season with the San Francisco 49ers.

Turns out, the Saints actually had their sights set on another 49ers corner, which would’ve been a much bigger signing. Veteran corner Charvarius Ward has revealed that he was extremely close to signing with New Orleans. The only reason he didn’t is because his new team, the Indianapolis Colts, came in at the last second with a deal he couldn’t refuse.

Saints were close to signing Charvarius Ward but the Colts offered more

Ward revealed this during an appearance on The Ride with JMV, an Indianapolis radio show. The veteran corner explained that he was going to New Orleans, and the deal with the Saints was almost done. Before things could get finalized, Ward says the Colts came with a better deal that represents how great of a player he is.

That deal is three years, worth up to $60 million, wiki $35 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus. It’s unclear what New Orleans offered, but it was obviously less than that.

While fans hate almost moves, this does show that the Saints are playing ball. They are trying to improve quickly, and that was also evident in the signing of veteran safety Justin Reid. It would’ve been great if New Orleans landed Ward and Reid, but it’s not free agency without a few misses.

Now, the Saints have to pivot at the cornerback spot. There are several guys still available, but one who makes the most sense is Asante Samuel Jr. He’s still young, at just 25 years old, and he played under Brandon Staley during his time with the Los Angeles Chargers. A reunion in New Orleans would certainly elevate the Saints’ cornerback room.