- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 366,971
- Reaction score
- 43
The New Orleans Saints struck out twice at wide receiver this week -- and the Seattle Seahawks got the better of them both times. First, Seattle signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling away from them as a free agent. Then, the Seahawks outbid the Saints to recruit Cooper Kupp.
It's clear the Saints have a need at wideout behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. And they have money to spend in free agency. We're guessing that bigger names like Amari Cooper and Stefon Diggs are still outside their budget, but whether they're searching for an impact starter or just improved depth, these four names make sense.
Allen is the most obvious name on our list because he's played for Kellen Moore before; he had one of the best seasons of his career in 2023 taking point in Moore's offense, totaling 1,243 yards and 7 touchdowns off of 108 receptions. And he did that in just 13 games. Injuries have been an issue for him in recent years but Allen still had a respectable 744 receiving yards and 7 more touchdowns on the Chicago Bears in 2024. Like Kupp, he could bring size and NFL experience to the receiving corps which the Saints otherwise lack.
Boyd took a backseat in the Tennessee Titans offense last year, posting his worst numbers since his 2017 sophomore campaign (39 catches for 390 yards, without scoring a touchdown). But he's another receiver with size and real pro experience, having appeared in 136 games since entering the league back in 2016. He signed with the Titans last year on a single-season deal valued at $2,400,000 so he'd be much more affordable than the options at the top of the market. But this might be a year where you get what you pay for at wide receiver.
Pascal was limited to run blocking with the Arizona Cardinals last year -- he only ran 17 routes all season while otherwise being asked to block on 52 snaps. That would probably be the expectation for him in New Orleans, but we've seen guys do well in that role before like Tre'Quan Smith and Brandon Coleman. Pascal hasn't had more than 400 yards in a season since 2020 while playing for the Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cardinals so he wouldn't be seen as more than a depth signing with the Saints. But he might be an upgrade over some players they do already have on the roster.
Johnson is another receiver with a big frame, though he hasn't found much success since leaving the Tampa bay Buccaneers back in 2022. He didn't last with the Las Vegas Raiders, who claimed him off waivers, or the Houston Texans, who let him go after two games. He only got on the field in one game with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023. But something may have clicked in 2024, or he at least got more opportunities. Johnson totaled 26 receptions for 291 yards and a score across 15 games with L.A. He's still just 26 years old and could be worth bringing in for a look.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL free agency: 4 wide receivers for Saints after missing Cooper Kupp
Continue reading...
It's clear the Saints have a need at wideout behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. And they have money to spend in free agency. We're guessing that bigger names like Amari Cooper and Stefon Diggs are still outside their budget, but whether they're searching for an impact starter or just improved depth, these four names make sense.
Keenan Allen
Allen is the most obvious name on our list because he's played for Kellen Moore before; he had one of the best seasons of his career in 2023 taking point in Moore's offense, totaling 1,243 yards and 7 touchdowns off of 108 receptions. And he did that in just 13 games. Injuries have been an issue for him in recent years but Allen still had a respectable 744 receiving yards and 7 more touchdowns on the Chicago Bears in 2024. Like Kupp, he could bring size and NFL experience to the receiving corps which the Saints otherwise lack.
Tyler Boyd
Boyd took a backseat in the Tennessee Titans offense last year, posting his worst numbers since his 2017 sophomore campaign (39 catches for 390 yards, without scoring a touchdown). But he's another receiver with size and real pro experience, having appeared in 136 games since entering the league back in 2016. He signed with the Titans last year on a single-season deal valued at $2,400,000 so he'd be much more affordable than the options at the top of the market. But this might be a year where you get what you pay for at wide receiver.
Zach Pascal
Pascal was limited to run blocking with the Arizona Cardinals last year -- he only ran 17 routes all season while otherwise being asked to block on 52 snaps. That would probably be the expectation for him in New Orleans, but we've seen guys do well in that role before like Tre'Quan Smith and Brandon Coleman. Pascal hasn't had more than 400 yards in a season since 2020 while playing for the Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cardinals so he wouldn't be seen as more than a depth signing with the Saints. But he might be an upgrade over some players they do already have on the roster.
Tyler Johnson
Johnson is another receiver with a big frame, though he hasn't found much success since leaving the Tampa bay Buccaneers back in 2022. He didn't last with the Las Vegas Raiders, who claimed him off waivers, or the Houston Texans, who let him go after two games. He only got on the field in one game with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023. But something may have clicked in 2024, or he at least got more opportunities. Johnson totaled 26 receptions for 291 yards and a score across 15 games with L.A. He's still just 26 years old and could be worth bringing in for a look.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL free agency: 4 wide receivers for Saints after missing Cooper Kupp
Continue reading...
