ESPN takes another harsh swing at the New Orleans Saints following NFL's biggest free agency moves
Free agency always creates new narratives around the NFL. Accordingly, power rankings before the draft comes always begin to make their way around social media and the internet. Useful or not, it's more content to try to put all of the teams' together to get a good read on how everyone has changed so far […]
Free agency always creates new narratives around the NFL. Accordingly, power rankings before the draft comes always begin to make their way around social media and the internet.
Useful or not, it's more content to try to put all of the teams' together to get a good read on how everyone has changed so far this offseason.
Saints' power ranking from ESPN
ESPN's NFL Nation group put together a full ranking of every team. These rankings are "based off the moves each has made this offseason".
Our power panel of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities evaluates how NFL teams stack up against one another, ranking them from 1 to 32. — ESPN
The Saints landed at 29th on the rankings.
They're projected as last in the NFC South. The Carolina Panthers are the closest divisional team to New Orleans, at 25th. The Saints' way-too-early ranking from earlier in the offseason was 27, so they've fallen even further.
Clearly, ESPN doesn't prefer how they're navigating the offseason whatsoever.
This is not the first time that ESPN hasn't been a fan of New Orleans' decisions this offseason. They weren't fans of the Chase Young re-signing by Mickey Loomis and the front office in New Orleans.
ESPN, however, doesn't like this move at all for the Saints, giving New Orleans a "D" for their decision to give Young over $50 million.
The problem for ESPN isn't Young's talent. Instead, it's the contract that Young received from New Orleans and its impact on the Saints' salary cap situation. — Zach Ragan
As of this writing, before Young's deal hits the books, the Saints are $11 million over the 2025 cap — and only $48 million under the 2026 cap. And that was before this deal, which presumably will be light in 2025 (and therefore more expensive in 2026 and beyond).It doesn't really matter what you think of Young. I think he's not bad! He isn't even 26 yet! Once it became clear he was never going to be the player he was promised to be when he was the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, he settled into a role that will be useful for seasons to come. He isn't a star but can rush the passer a little, and that's worth something……there should be no lauding what the Saints did here, because they are doing what they always do — spending future money when they shouldn't. — ESPN
With this rankings piece, ESPN also had a writer pinpoint an under-the-radar move for each team. The Saints' nod was for signing veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom. The CB has experience playing for the Saints, and his final year with the team was impressive in 2023.
The Saints are going to need cornerback depth now that Paulson Adebo and Marshon Lattimoreare gone, and Yiadom played well when he started eight games due to injuries in 2023. He returns on a moderate contract and will give the Saints a familiar face in a defensive backs room that has gone through a lot of changes in the past few months.
— Katherine Terrell
I like this choice because Yiadom is great depth, and he has experience with some of the players on New Orleans' defense. They still need more help at cornerback, though.
We will see how Yiadom affects the secondary for the Saints next season. Regardless, expectations are quite low for New Orleans in 2025, according to ESPN.
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