NFL Free Agency: Saints have limited options to replace Nick Fairley
Pickings in NFL free agency are slim for the New Orleans Saints, who’ve lost a starter on their defense
Months after signing a four-year deal in NFL free agency Nick Fairley is on the New Orleans Saints non-football injury list for the entire season.
At 29-years-old Fairley’s career is in jeopardy after doctors cautioned regarding a heart condition. It’s something that teams knew of when Fairley was drafted during the first round in 2011, but years later has come up to haunt him.
Now New Orleans is left with a gaping hole in their defense, one Fairley filled for all 16 games last season. Sheldon Rankins, the Saints first round pick in 2016, will hold down his end of the fort at defensive tackle but the lingering hole could lead to havoc for a historically bad Saints defense.
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With the NFL Draft in the rear-view mirror, New Orleans has limited avenues through NFL free agency.
Veteran options that could possibly fit the Saints scheme may not be as productive as the undrafted free agents already in the Big Easy. Tony McDaniel is currently slotted to replace Fairley, playing in-between Rankins and Alex Okafor.
The marketplace for 4-3 defensive tackles consists of Devon Still, Jonathan Babineaux, Sen’Derrick Marks, and Arthur Jones. Marks is sadly the best of that bunch after being cut from Jacksonville in March.
Others who carry a better fit as a nose tackle include veteran Vince Wilfork, who’s publically leaned towards retirement, and former Texans second round pick Louis Nix.
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New Orleans may need to wait until roster cuts are made official in training camp to find a quality veteran.
Lions starter Haloti Ngata has been rumored to be on the chopping block with an inflated contract, possibly providing a quality upgrade for New Orleans.