Veteran safety Jeff Heath has secured another opportunity. The Saints have reached an agreement with the former Cowboys and Raiders defender, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Heath joined fellow safety Andrew Sendejo at a workout Friday, and the Saints are going with the younger of the two. Heath is not especially young, by NFL terms, at 30. But he has been a starter for most of the past four seasons. The Saints have been busy with additions Friday, having just signed kicker Aldrick Rosas as well.
The Cowboys turned to Heath as a starter from 2017-19, and the former UDFA caught on with the Raiders in free agency last year. With Las Vegas, Heath was a part-time starter. But he intercepted three passes. For his career, the eight-year veteran has 11 picks and has made 59 starts.
Pro Football Focus viewed Heath’s 2020 season fondly, slotting him as a top-20 safety. Nevertheless, the Raiders cut bait halfway through Heath’s two-year deal, releasing him shortly after the draft.
The Saints are bringing back their safety tandem from 2020 — Marcus Williams and Malcolm Jenkins — and used some deft cap maneuvering to find room for Williams’ franchise tag. Heath stands to provide insurance behind New Orleans’ starters.
Heath is much faster and better in coverage as compared to Sendejo, who is a hard hitter but not much of a range-y safety.
Heath can lost occasionally in coverage, but he’s got great hands and is pretty good at tackling and moving to spots. He’s a high effort safety, which is important, and has been a good special teams player as well (that unfortunate hit to Ricardo Lockette notwithstanding). He’s also best playing a high zone, which the Saints enjoy using. I think this is a good signing personally for New Orleans.