New Orleans Saints: Cameron Meredith offer is quiet victory

The New Orleans Saints haven’t made a lot of noise during free agency but making an offer to Cameron Meredith marks another smart and exciting move.

Despite a lack of star-studded moves, the New Orleans Saints are winning at free agency this offseason. The team resigned two huge impact players along with bringing back some former studs and recently, extending an offer to Cameron Meredith. In baiting Meredith, the team has quietly made a splash in free agency.

Last month, the Saints made a ripple in free agency. Instead of signing some big names, they focused on getting players they can force to fit them or quality over quantity. That should be their tagline for their 2018 offseason.

That sentiment rings true in the offer for Cameron Meredith. At age 25, Meredith is relatively young and has only been with the Bears since 2015. Despite the team’s poor quarterback play, Meredith was relatively successful. His best season came in 2016 when Meredith finished with four touchdowns to go with almost 900 yards on 66 receptions.

2017 was poised to be a huge year for Meredith. Unfortunately for him and the Bears, Meredith sustained an ACL injury and had other knee-related issues. Even though he didn’t play in 2017, it was assumed the Bears would keep him. Thankfully, the Saints offered him a deal.

There’s always a slight risk of signing an injured player. It’s unclear if Meredith is completely healed so there’s some concern there. Additionally, Meredith still has to learn the team’s playbook and foster a relationship with Drew Brees.

The Saints were smart about his contract. They only offered him two years and $10 million, a relatively cheap contract. His injury and him not playing in 2017 probably helped them to secure the deal. Even though there’s some risk, I see a higher possibility for a reward.

For the Saints, Meredith adds more security at wide receiver. Depending on how well Meredith meshes with Brees and how quickly he learns, he could be the team’s No. 2 receiver. Pairing him up with Michael Thomas could be a nightmare for opposing defenses.

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Since losing Cooks, the Saints have lacked depth at wide receiver. Meredith has a chance to step up and be a suitable replacement for Cooks. While Meredith is taller and bigger, he can bring some of the explosiveness the team’s missing. He’s not only fast, but a great route runner and can make tough catches.

Paired with Drew Brees, there’s no telling what could happen. Extending an offer to Meredith is not flashy, but important nonetheless. As long as he’s healthy and fits into their offense, Meredith has the potential to be a star. All we can do for now is hope the Bears don’t match it or all our hopes go out the window.