The New Orleans Saints were one of the worst teams in the NFL last season, but they have a clear direction now with Tyler Shough and Kellen Moore leading the way. Shough showed tons of potential at the quarterback position during his rookie year, and Moore is a brilliant young coach. New Orleans will want to take the next step forward this upcoming season, so getting active in free agency makes sense. So, who should the Saints target on the open market?
The Saints need a veteran receiver
While Shough impressed under center once being handed the reins last season, the Saints would be smart to surround him with help. He is still a developing quarterback, yet New Orleans' receiving corps leaves a lot to be desired. The team traded Rashid Shaheed last season, leaving Devaughn Vele, Chris Olave, and Mason Tipton as their top pass catchers.
That is extremely underwhelming, especially when considering there are concussion concerns surrounding Olave. Luckily, this free agent class is stacked at receiver. Stefon Diggs was recently released by the New England Patriots, and he'd provide support for Shough in a big way.
Diggs will now be playing on his fourth team in as many years, but he still has plenty left in the tank. He was the leading receiver on a team that played in the Super Bowl last season, and he elevates the passing game of whichever offense he plays on. The four-time Pro Bowler has 942 receptions and 11,504 receiving yards over his career.
Diggs is a steady receiver who has plenty of experience learning a new offense and thriving in it. His best days are in the rearview mirror, but he really proved doubters wrong during his season with the New England Patriots. If the Saints signed him, they would know exactly what they would get out of him. Shough and the offense as a whole would reap the reward.
New Orleans should sign an All-Pro lineman
While Shough would love a new weapon to target, he'd also likely appreciate having more protection. The Saints had one of the worst offensive lines last season, and they need upgrades. They are also at risk to losing Dillon Radunz in free agency, too. The team should pursue interior offensive linemen on the open market, and Joel Bitonio is one of the best options.
Bitonio made seven Pro Bowls and was elected to two All-Pro teams during his time with the Cleveland Browns. He is now 34 years old and not quite the player he once was, but on a cheap, short-term contract, he'd make a lot of sense for the Saints to bring in. Bitonio's leadership and experience would help the entire offensive line as a whole improve.
At 320 pounds, Bitonio is a huge blocker. He thrives both in pass and run protection. Not only would Shough stay upright more often with Bitonio in the trenches, but he'd help Alvin Kamara potentially have a late-career resurgence, too. Kamara is one of the league's great pass-catching running backs, but his production has been dropping in recent years. The Saints just signed Travis Etienne as well, so this potential combination would give New Orleans a scary rushing attack.
Teams are already getting active in free agency. So far, the Saints have been relatively quiet. As the dust starts to settle, expect the team to start pursuing their free agent targets. Perhaps Diggs and Bitonio will be among them. New Orleans has around $19 million in cap space to work with.
