The New Orleans Saints have plenty of needs in the offseason.
When the team gets a new head coach, which should be sometime this week following the Super Bowl, that's where some real work begins.
For the Saints, they have a coaching staff to fill out before the Scouting Combine at the end of the month and then major player decisions to make before the new league year on March 12. Needless to say, business will pick up. We'll start seeing new hires and restructures soon.
I previously looked at the state of the quarterback, running back and wide receiver spots with Sports Illustrated, so we’re bringing it all over here to continue to look at what the team needs in the offseason and assessing the priority levels. Today's focus is on the tight end room.
Saints Tight End Overview
Players Under Contract: Taysom Hill, Foster Moreau, Dallin Holker, Treyton Welch (reserve/future), Michael Jacobson (reserve/future)
Free Agent Outlook: Juwan Johnson (Void)
Priority Level: Critical
Considering two of the Saints players who are under contract are coming off major injury (Moreau and Hill) and won’t be on the field anytime soon, the need to get some help here is imperative.
Juwan Johnson is being viewed as one of the top free agent tight end targets this offseason, which will make things interesting for New Orleans. The void years in his contract run through 2028, and the Saints will incur $4.625 million in dead money if they can't re-sign him.
Dallin Holker is the most viable option on the roster, and it was quite surprising to see how little he was used after such a strong training camp and making the final roster. He only appeared in just 73 offensive snaps, which was just 6.7% of the total. For perspective, Jake Haener had more than him and late addition Clyde Edwards-Helaire finished with 44 total snaps.
What's Out There?
While free agency could be a route the Saints look, it might depend on who New Orleans gets as their next head coach. Bringing in Kellen Moore after the Super Bowl, which is the expected play, will presumably bring a new style of offense to the table. The other part of this is who their quarterback ends up being.
When it comes to available players, here's what's projected to be out there currently, ranked based on their playing time last season.
- Tyler Conklin, Jets
- Zach Ertz, Commanders
- Austin Hooper, Patriots
- Tommy Tremble, Panthers
- Mike Gesicki, Bengals
- John Bates, Commanders
A name that could be under the radar is Stone Smartt, given the ties to Moore. C.J. Uzomah could be another.
The draft has plentiful options for the Saints to consider, with them being able to get someone talented with one of their six picks inside the Top 150.
- Day 1: Tyler Warren (Penn State), Colston Loveland (Michigan)
- Day 2: Gunnar Helm (Texas), Mason Taylor (LSU), Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green), Elijah Arroyo (Miami), Oronde Gadsden II (Syracuse)
New Orleans might be forced to look at re-signing Juwan Johnson, assuming he wants to stay with the Saints. That wouldn't be a bad thing, as he battled through some injuries last year and really wasn't himself. The right visionary could help unlock more potential here.
Free agency might bring a name or two in, and New Orleans will undoubtedly have more in the mix when they get to training camp. I'd also like them to keep tabs on the UFL. They have to look to the draft and get a fresh toy for their new offense, but the question is who will they end up with when it's all said and done?
