What will the New Orleans Saints do next? They want to return to NFL relevancy, and they have just signed a brand new quarterback. Yet, have they done a sufficient job of rebuilding their roster during NFL free agency? What are the remaining gaps? Who are they still seeking as they get ready for the regular season in 2023? Here we'll look at the 4 best NFL free agents still available to round out the roster of the Saints.

The Saints may be in a slightly better position than their NFC South rivals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in terms of salary cap space. However, it is still not great news for the Saints. They enter the offseason with a deficit of about $55 million and a lengthy list of needs to address. This will undoubtedly be a challenging time for the team and its fans alike.

Still, they managed to acquire Derek Carr, who should be an upgrade under center. They also re-signed Jameis Winston in addition to getting RB Jamaal Williams and DL Khalen Saunders.

Looking ahead to the rest of the 2023 NFL season, the Saints will need to make more moves to rebuild themselves as serious postseason contenders. Remember that with a new head coach Dennis Allen at the helm, the Saints finished the 2022 season with a 7-10 record and missed out on the playoffs for the second year in a row. Again, they will also have to contend with a salary cap situation that ranks as the second-worst in the league. It remains a daunting task ahead of them, and it's far from over.

Let's look at the best free agents still available to round out the roster of the Saints.

1. S Ryan Neal

The Seattle Seahawks have issued a right of first refusal tender to safety Ryan Neal, who is a restricted free agent. This means that while Neal is free to negotiate with other teams, the Seahawks retain the option to match any offers he may receive. However, unlike other restricted free agency tenders, the Seahawks would not receive compensation draft picks if they decline to match an offer and Neal leaves.

It appears that Seattle is testing the waters to determine the market for Neal. However, there is a possibility that another team may offer a more lucrative deal than the Seahawks. Neal played in 14 regular-season games and started in 10 of them during the previous season. He also started in the team's playoff loss to the 49ers. Neal recorded a total of 76 tackles, one sack, one interception, and one forced fumble across all 15 appearances in 2022.

2. DL Chris Wormley

Although Marcus Davenport has immense talent, he has left for the Minnesota Vikings. More than ever, the Saints desperately need pass-rushing assistance. Enter Chris Wormley from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Wormley is another player who was under the tutelage of Brian Flores in Pittsburgh last season. He was a third-round draft pick by the Ravens in 2017 but didn't make a significant impact in his first three seasons. However, he showed tremendous improvement in recent seasons. In fact, back in 2021, he registered seven sacks, 51 tackles, and six tackles for a loss. Yes, his production dropped a bit in 2022 due to a knee injury that cut his season short. Still, he's a versatile player who can play multiple positions on the defensive line. Those include defensive tackle, nose tackle, and both right and left defensive end. He could be a very good addition to the Saints' defense.

3. WR DJ Chark

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
JC Latham (Alabama), Chris Braswell (Alabama not Jaguars), Cornelieus Johnson (Michigan) in action behind a New Orleans Saints logo with a 2024 NFL Draft background.

Dylan Bruton ·

The Saints have retained Michael Thomas but may still lose Jarvis Landry. Looking ahead, the team already has a solid No. 1 wideout in Chris Olave, but adding DJ Chark could provide them with a reliable No. 2 option. Again, however, this will depend on the team's ability to manage its significant salary cap deficit.

Chark signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions for $10 million after recovering from an injury, but he suffered from further injuries in 2022. This limited him to only 11 games. Despite this, he performed well towards the end of the season with 404 receiving yards from Weeks 12 to 18. That ranked 23rd among all wide receivers. Overall, Chark caught 30 passes for 502 yards, averaging 16.7 yards per reception. Though he has struggled with injuries, Chark has shown potential when healthy and may be worth a one-year deal with the Saints.

4. OG Isaac Seumalo

Former Philadelphia Eagles guard Isaac is considered one of the best blockers available in free agency. Despite struggling with injuries, including foot surgeries due to a Lisfranc injury in 2021, Seumalo has been an exceptional starter at left and right guard when healthy. He played well last season, allowing only one sack in over 1,000 snaps. That earned him the title of top player at both guard positions in free agency.

Despite his injury history, Seumalo is expected to receive a multi-year contract. Take note that Eagles' offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland referred to Seumalo's foot injury as “catastrophic.” However, the team still trusted him with the right guard position as soon as he was cleared to play. The reality is that Seumalo has proven to be a dependable starter when healthy. That makes him an attractive option for teams looking to strengthen their offensive line.