New Orleans Saints: Time to move on from Willie Snead
After a suspension and low numbers in a contract year, the New Orleans Saints should move on from Willie Snead in 2018.
The 2017 season was bananas for the New Orleans Saints. They had such an impressive year overall, despite losing to the Vikings in the second round of the playoffs. One thing that stood out was how many players stepped up, particularly how amazingly their 2017 draft class performed and how the defense turned things around. One name not getting a lot of attention though was Willie Snead.
Snead had been a cornerstone in the Saints offense since 2015. In those two years, he became one in Drew Brees favorite targets. In 2017, the Saints shipped Brandin Cooks to the Patriots and it was supposed to be Snead’s time.
Unfortunately for the Saints, Snead was suspended for the first three games due to a DUI. Despite returning in Week 4, Snead struggled. His chemistry with Brees had started to fade and other players such as Ted Ginn Jr., Brandon Coleman and Alvin Kamara were getting looks. The trend continued for the rest of the season and into the postseason.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
One big question mark remains over Snead and his future with the Saints. In 2018, Snead will likely not be in New Orleans. With such a drastic plummet in his production, it’s hard to imagine how he’ll work his way back up. No one really expected this kind of decline. With Snead going set to become a restricted free agent, it’s likely they’ll decide to tender him or let him walk. Tendering the wideout is an attractive option as lot of teams could be looking for a decent wide receiver and Snead fits the bill.
Even with a dip in production, his previous two seasons were great. Considering he shared targets with Cooks and Michael Thomas, Snead made an impact.
If the Saints do decide to keep him, it could work. He’ll more than likely sign another one-year deal to test the waters. However, they’ll also be having contract talks with Drew Brees. It’s obvious which will be a higher priority.
Next: NFL Power Rankings: Patriots, Eagles earn Super Bowl berth
Sadly, it looks like this will be the end of Willie Snead’s time in New Orleans. The last two seasons have been great, but this dip in production could spell the end. Hopefully, Snead can find new life with a team like he did the Saints.