Top players that the Saints must re-sign in NFL free agency in 2024

Will the New Orleans Saints begin to implement a salary cap reform in 2024?

The salary cap is frequently taken into account by teams as they decide which players to re-sign. To assist with the accounting, the amount of money allocated each contract, whether it is a base wage or a bonus, and the length of the agreement are all mentioned. We won’t go into it here because it’s a complicated science and we’re not qualified to.

Which brings us to the Saints of New Orleans. The Saints, a team that for more than ten years has viewed the salary cap as if it were a pool sign that said, “Wait 30 minutes to swim after eating.” The Saints will sign a player if that is their desire. There’s nothing to worry about; the salary ceiling is just a suggested set of principles.

However, that doesn’t mean the Saints should run it back just because some of their biggest players and team mainstays have contracts that are about to expire. This is partly the reason the Saints were placed on the NFL’s squishy ground in the first place. They appear to be delaying a rebuild in favor of keeping expensive players for season after season.

Which players from the 23 players on the 2023 roster who are eligible for free agency should the Saints try to negotiate for more contract space? Although 9-8 is a respectable record, it is not good enough for a postseason trip, so the roster needs to be adjusted. However, these three athletes have shown themselves and ought to return in 2024.

Rashid Shaheed, WR

A second-year undrafted wide receiver out of Weber State, Shaheed emerged in 2023 as a big-play threat every time he ran a route. He finished second on the Saints in receiving yards behind Chris Olave, while averaging more than two and a half yards per reception than Olave did.

Shaheed also tied for the team lead with five receiving touchdowns, and had seven receptions of 40+ yards. Only the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill (nine) and Amari Cooper of the Cleveland Browns (eight) had more.

Shaheed is a potent player for the Saints offense, despite his ups and downs during the season.Most importantly, he is a free agent with exclusive rights. He will therefore be unable to negotiate with other teams if the Saints extend a qualifying offer to him for a year at the “league minimum salary based on the player’s experience level.”

Thus, Shaheed should be kept by the Saints, and they probably will.

CB Isaac Yiadom

Yiadom joined the New Orleans Saints in order to strengthen the secondary and excel on special teams. He achieved the second goal, but as a cornerback in 2023, he notably exceeded expectations.

Yiadom stepped up and excelled in coverage when Marshon Lattimore’s ankle injury forced him into action in Week 10. Of the players in the NFL, only seven had more passes defended than him (14) and his 48.9 percent completion rate allowed on targets was 12th.

Yiadom will not be the Saints’ starting cornerback for the duration of the season. However, he shown this season that in addition to his importance as a special team player, he possesses important coverage skills.

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