Saints after Malcolm Butler, Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie in free agency
By John Buhler
The New Orleans Saints want to improve their secondary. They are reportedly in pursuit of cornerbacks Malcolm Butler and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
The New Orleans Saints got back to their winning ways in 2017. They won the NFC South for the first time since 2011 and reached the NFC playoffs for the first time since 2013. New Orleans crushed it in the 2017 NFL Draft, but lost in catastrophic fashion to the Minnesota Vikings with the Minneapolis Miracle in the divisional round.
The Saints did land an elite cornerback in the draft in Marshon Lattimore. However, it does not seem like the Saints are done upgrading their defensive backfield. They are going to be ultra-aggressive in free agency. New Orleans has reportedly targeted Malcolm Butler and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in this upcoming class.
Remember when the Saints and the Patriots almost made a trade for Malcolm Butler? I’m told there is new interest in getting him to New Orleans as a Free Agent, but they also have their eyes on veteran corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 12, 2018
Last offseason, the Saints tried to trade for Butler with the New England Patriots, but could not strike a deal. The Super Bowl XLIX hero played a ton during the regular season for the Patriots, but saw just one special teams snap in the Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s almost certain that Butler’s days in Foxborough are over.
What is certain is that Rodgers-Cromartie’s days with the New York Giants are done. He was released by New York on Sunday afternoon. The Giants had a toxic locker room last fall, with much of it coming from the secondary. Rodgers-Cromartie is a two-time Pro Bowler, but will have to play elsewhere in free agency.
Obviously, the Saints will prioritize landing Butler this offseason. New Orleans finally has some money to work with in free agency. However, they do have to put together a contract for aging franchise quarterback Drew Brees. Brees cannot be franchise tagged and will be a free agent if the Saints can’t bring him back into the fold for 2018.
Rodgers-Cromartie would be a cheaper option than Butler on the open market. However, who is to say that he won’t be a more productive player in 2018? Some could argue that Butler was a system player in Bill Belichick’s New England defense. Rodgers-Cromartie has been a successful defensive back in multiple stops along his NFL journey.
Next: 2018 NFL free agency tracker
Either way, the Saints are clearly in the market to get better in the secondary. They will have to overspend to get their guy. That being said, the defensive backfield market is more bountiful than at other positions in this free agency cycle. New Orleans won’t be frugal in addressing its defensive back needs. Maybe either Butler or Rodgers-Cromartie make it to The Big Easy full time this spring?