Three players in a dangerous position down South.
Looking beyond the biggest names on the roster, the New Orleans Saints have built a talented squad on both sides of the ball. With skilled receivers, a lockdown secondary and ferocious front line, there is little room to penetrate the starting lineup for those who find themselves on the outside of it.
With multiple big contract decisions coming in 2021, that means many New Orleans players who are receiving compensation for riding the bench may find themselves without a job. Here are three of them.
Three players who won’t be on the Saints roster after 2020 season:
Nick Easton of the New Orleans Saints (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
3. LG — Nick Easton
New Orleans recently signed Easton to a four-year, $23 million extension, hoping to find a satisfactory replacement for center Max Unger. They quickly lost out on their investment, however, as rookie guard Erik McCoy took over the starting role and left Easton on the bench, despite receiving a hefty salary. Easton played 10 games in 2020, not as a center, but filling in for the injured Andrus Peat at guard. You could argue he struggled at playing out of position, but Easton never did enough to assert his role on the line above Will Clapp. That does not bode well considering New Orleans has found their man at center and Peat is returning to health. For a sixth man on the offensive line, the Saints can suffice with other men on their roster not named Nick Easton. They would save a great deal in the process as well.
Despite Larry Warford’s departure, the Saints have also already invested into their offensive line, signing Andrus Peat to an extension and drafting Cesar Ruiz. There is little incentive to hold onto Easton as a bench piece, meaning New Orleans may let him go in the offseason.