A top-tier offensive lineman joins the Saints, significantly boosting their blocking. This bargain signing addresses a key weakness, elevating their play.
The New Orleans Saints have had their fair share of offseason doubters in early free agency. Some have question whether or not the team has truly addressed its needs.
The pressing needs heading into the offseason were running back, wide receiver, offensive line and defensive line, pending the potential departure of veteran defensive end Cameron Jordan.
Jordan is gone and the Saints have not really addressed wide receiver. However, they have made impactful free agent moves in the ones they have made.
ESPN analyst Seth Walder discussed why they made a Top 10 addition in signing Buffalo Bills free agent guard David Edwards. Walder graded the move with an A- with the following justification.
"Last season in Buffalo, Edwards ranked in the 83rd percentile in pass block win rate and 86th percentile in run block win rate among guards. That is all you need to justify this contract and then some. But the fact that Edwards, who will turn 29 this month, put up similar numbers in 2024 (76th percentile in both metrics) should bolster our confidence even more.
At just over $15 million per year, I think this deal is a bit of a bargain. Compare that to last season, when Aaron Banks was in the 41st and 29th percentiles in the two win rates and scored what would be a $20.8 million per year deal in the 2026 cap environment. Or Will Fries in the 56th and 83rd percentile, respectively, over five games in 2023 earning today's equivalent of $18.9 million per year. In relation to that, Edwards' deal looks like great."
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III finds an opening and follows guard David Edwards during second half action. Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesThe Saints still have needs to fill after the signing. Some would like them to add more on the offensive line after the team struggled to move the ball much offensively last season. While the team did replace star linebacker Demario Davis with Kaden Elliss and made important additions at tight end and running back, it did not yet adequately address defensive line and wide receiver. Those moves could still come later.
Despite what they did not do, the team did plenty in bringing in Edwards to fill a need at guard. Edwards stands to improve what were bottom 10 units in the NFL in both pass and run blocking win rates, per Walder. The Saints were able to add him on a contract that both Edwards and New Orleans could be happy about over four years of the deal.