The New Orleans Saints' defense was surprisingly one of the most formidable units in 2017. It seems New Orleans is looking to keep it that way by securing some of its members up front.

Defensive end Alex Okafor garnered some interest from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and even paid them a visit earlier this week. However, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Saints were able to stop him from going to their NFC South rival by signing him to a two-year deal worth up to $10 million:

The Saints are re-signing pass-rusher Alex Okafor to a 2-year deal worth up $10M, source said. He visited the Bucs but stayed home.

New Orleans signed Okafor prior to the 2017 season following his solid tenure with the Arizona Cardinals. The former fourth-round pick out of Texas immediately established himself as the starter opposite of defensive end Camron Jordan.

Okafor took full advantage by registering a career-high 43 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 10 games. Unfortunately, his season was cut short after he suffered a torn Achilles in Week 11 versus the Washington Redskins. However, there seems to be little concern about his recovery process for next year considering the interest from the Saints and Bucs.

Okafor flashed his versatility by playing well against both the run and the pass in his debut season with the Saints. That said, his signing essentially solidifies the group while allowing New Orleans to focus on other areas of concern before the 2018 NFL Draft. There are still some big names left on the market and the Saints have not been shy about potentially making a splash in free agency.