New Orleans Saints: Free agency begins with smart, necessary moves
Less than a week into free agency, the New Orleans Saints are making key moves and smartly re-signing who they need for a successful season.
This offseason has been relatively tame for the New Orleans Saints. The team added some fresh faces, brought back some former players and signed some key players. Easily, the most important was Drew Brees. A day before he became a free agent, the team signed him for another two years.
Despite Brees being the most important, the team made another smart move. Less than a week after signing Brees, they re-signed Alex Okafor for two more years. Okafor was a gem last season and proved his worth to the defense.
Obviously, the pros outweigh the cons for Okafor. Despite his trouble with the law, Okafor has been relatively low-key off the field. We’ve been hearing more about his on-the-field work. The other con in re-signing Okafor is his injury, a torn Achilles taking him out for Week 11 and beyond.
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Luckily, the Saints are willing to overlook his injury and give him a second chance. With all the singings they’ve done so far, Okafor has been the most important. Time is winding down for Cameron Jordan and he needs someone who can handle the team when he retires.
Okafor proved himself worthy last season, but it all comes down to 2018. Looking back at 2017, Okafor fit better in the Saints defensive scheme versus Arizona’s. There’s no comparison in stats as Okafor finished 2018 with almost tripled the number of tackles made and had the best season of his career.
The contract the Saints signed him to isn’t spectacular by any means. He was signed for a one-year, $2 million dollar contract last season, so it’s a step up. According to ESPN, it’s a two-year deal with an estimated $10 million.
The Saints aren’t putting all their eggs in one basket, though. They know Okafor deserves to get paid more, but they need more. They need to know Okafor can play a full season, keep playing every down and get some added security.
Ultimately, the decision is up to Okafor. 2018 can go two ways for the defensive end out of Texas. If he continues playing at a high level and be a nightmare to opposing offenses, he’ll show how much of an impact he makes and hopefully, be signed long term. If he fails to produce, then the team will either have to rely on other players or head into the draft, looking for an answer in 2019.
Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Post-free agency 3 rounds
In a dominant NFC South and a huge chance at a Super Bowl, resigning Okafor was a must. The Saints probably won’t make a huge splash this offseason and that’s okay. The team is taking the steps they need to succeed and signing Brees and Okafor is exactly that.