Saints Made Multiyear Offer To K’Lavon Chaisson

The Saints have been shopping around for edge rushers this offseason. Connected to Arvell Reese and Rueben Bain Jr. before the draft, New Orleans also made an offer for Kayvon Thibodeaux. The team ultimately pivoted to Tyree Wilson when the Giants rejected their proposal.

Weeks earlier, however, New Orleans was in the K’Lavon Chaisson market. This would have been a homecoming of sorts for the LSU product, and the Saints outflanked the Commanders in terms of contract length. But it sounds like the former first-round pick was willing to bet on himself rather than be tied down to a multiyear deal at a less-than-desirable rate.

Chaisson’s YouTube channel presented a look into his free agency decision. The seventh-year pass rusher’s agent (David Mulugheta) communicated to him a Saints three-year offer, though it does not sound like NFC South team would have placed him much higher — in terms of AAV — than Washington’s proposal (one year, $11MM). Mulugheta indicated he attempted to move the Saints to $13MM per year; the team not getting there created a decision on term length.

As Mulugheta explained to his client the Patriots did not make an offer, preferring Dre’Mont Jones to help in run defense from the EDGE position, the two discussed the Saints and Commanders (Jones signed a three-year, $36.5MM Pats contract). Mike Vrabel said at the Combine he would “love” to retain Chaisson, but nothing ended up materializing on that front.

It is not known how much guaranteed money New Orleans was offering, but the video points to guarantees into Year 2. Chaisson, however, preferred to bet on himself. This led to the late-blooming sack artist declining to return to Louisiana.

I’m not gonna lie, I think that Commanders (offer), only because … you know, they’re competitive. So, we’re going to be in some time of playoff race,” Chaisson said. “I’m going to have more opportunities to be ahead (in) the game. I don’t know about the Saints; I don’t know what they offense look like. To know, like, we’ll be playing from ahead to even have rush opportunities.”

Chaisson, who is heading into an age-27 season, broke through with the Patriots after failing to justify his draft slot with the Jaguars. He joined the Raiders on a one-year, $1.13MM after the Panthers released him in 2024; his 2025 Pats contract came in at one year and $3MM. Chaisson recorded 7.5 regular-season sacks and three more in the playoffs. Mulugheta advised his client to avoid a multiyear deal for less than $11MM per when the Commanders were offering that in a “prove it” scenario.

After the EDGE market transformed throughout 2025, Chaisson opted to take the Commanders’ offer in hopes teams present better proposals — he mentioned a future deal beyond $20MM per year — in 2027. This is an interesting behind-the-curtain look at Chaisson’s process. In the video, he also inquires about the Buccaneers and Ravens, but without much traction from either, the decision came down to the Commanders or Saints.

PFR ranked Chaisson 32nd in this year’s free agent class, predicting some teams would deem his Patriots breakthrough as insufficient for a big multiyear offer. The Saints gave Chase Young a three-year, $51MM deal in 2025, but they had seen him excel with the team in 2024. Chaisson, who will team with Odafe Oweh in Washington, will hope to make a similar jump (Young played on a one-year, $13MM deal in 2024). Meanwhile, Oweh signed a four-year, $100MM deal with the Commanders.

Although the Saints finished with a better record than the Commanders last season, Chaisson looks to view the latter in higher regard because of Jayden Daniels‘ presence. The team, after all, voyaged to the NFC championship game during Daniels’ healthy rookie season before regressing as its quarterback battled multiple injuries. The Saints finished 6-11 last season and saw promise from Tyler Shough, but Chaisson will bet on Daniels presenting him with more pass-rushing snaps in Washington.

Saints Offered Giants Fourth-Round Pick For OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux

Although Joe Schoen dismissed trade talks involving Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Friday report about Saints interest in the former Giants top-five pick appears to have been accurate. New Orleans did pursue Thibodeaux, only to see their effort fail before pivoting to Tyree Wilson on Saturday.

New Orleans sent Las Vegas a fifth-round pick for Wilson and a seventh, and although the team declined the incoming pass rusher’s fifth-year option, it will determine his fit alongside Chase Young beginning soon. Wilson was not the Saints’ first choice, though, with The Athletic’s Dan Duggan indicating the team made a better offer for Thibodeaux.

The Saints offered a fourth-round pick for Thibodeaux, per Duggan, who adds the Giants held out for a second-rounder. It is unclear if this was the only offer a team made during the draft.

Considering Thibodeaux’s inconsistency, injury history and contract status, a second-round pick is probably unrealistic. But New York stuck to its guns, even after yet another top-five investment in a pass rusher (Arvell Reese). While Reese will begin his career as an off-ball linebacker in New York, the Giants will surely explore capitalizing on his hybrid skillset.

The Giants having extended Brian Burns — a 2025 second-team All-Pro — and drafted Abdul Carter third overall last year. Reese may be opening his career at ILB, but the Giants will undoubtedly deploy him as a rusher frequently. Even the franchise that popularized the NASCAR package around an edge-rushing surplus in the early 2010s may not have a good way to get Burns, Thibodeaux, Carter and Reese on the field together too often. While the Giants have held firm on Thibodeaux, trade rumors have followed the 2022 draftee for a while.

Now in a contract year, Thibodeaux is also tied to a $14.75MM full guarantee for 2026 — his fifth-year option salary. That affects his trade value. The Broncos received first- and fourth-round picks for Bradley Chubb in his 2022 fifth-year option season, while the Commanders fetched a second-round return from the Bears for Montez Sweat a year later. Both players had shown more promise than Thibodeaux on their respective rookie contracts. A few edge rushers in recent years — from Jaelan Phillips to Chase Young to Yannick Ngakoue to Dante Fowler — have brought third-round returns or a third plus a Day 3 choice. This is probably the best the Giants can hope for in a 2026 Thibodeaux trade.

I mentioned in our Giants Offseason Outlook piece that the Giants stringing this situation out until the trade deadline may be the best way to maximize Thibodeaux’s value. Of course, that is before the team chose to make another prime investment at the position via Reese. With Reese needing to see pass-rushing time, it is certainly possible the Giants do not let this trade market reach the regular season.

The Saints held No. 132 overall in Round 4; their Round 2 selection came in 42nd. The latter pick was understandably a no-go in a trade; New Orleans chose Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller with that choice. Although the Saints traded for Wilson, one year remains on his contract (he is only due $4.2MM this year). Two years remain on Young’s three-year, $51MM pact while two seasons are also left on Carl Granderson‘s four-year, $52MM extension. No guaranteed money remains on Granderson’s accord. The Saints did not draft an edge rusher this year.

An early-March report indicated the Giants would “prefer” to trade Thibodeaux; again, that came well before the team knew Reese — closely linked to the Jets at No. 2 — would be available at 5. A draft-week report suggested the Giants would accept a mid-round pick for the fifth-year rusher, but the team is not there yet. If the Giants stand pat here, we may see a fascinating redux of their oversaturated pass-rushing groups from the early ’10s — which housed Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul and Mathias Kiwanuka.

This quartet has obviously not proven to be on that level, but teams rarely feature this level of EDGE talent together, making it a must-follow position group for as long as Thibodeaux stays in the Big Apple.

Saints Add 10 UDFAs

The Saints left the draft with eight rookies, and they’ve added 10 more players to their class. The team announced the signing of the following undrafted free agents:

Alan Herron was among the UDFAs to earn a chunk of money from the Saints. According to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell, the Maryland offensive tackle got a $25K signing bonus and a total guarantee of $272.5K. After spending two years at Division II Shorter University, Herron joined Maryland ahead of the 2024 campaign. He struggled during his first season at the school but he improved his performance in 2025, earning him an All-Big Ten honorable mention.

After finishing his Texas State tenure as the school’s all-time leader in field goal percentage (88.6), Mason Shipley left for Texas in 2025. He finished this past year converting 20 of his 24 field goal attempts, with a season-long of 53 yards. Charlie Smyth didn’t run with the opportunity in 2025, as the rookie kicker made 12 of his 16 FG attempts for the Saints. Shipley should provide some competition at the kicker position, and the rookie could end up earning a roster spot with a strong summer showing.

Saints To Sign CB Martin Emerson

2:01pm: Emerson’s visit evidently went well. He is signing a one-year deal with the Saints, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports. Emerson, 25, intercepted four passes with the Browns in 2023, helping Cleveland rank first in pass defense during that playoff campaign, and broke up 29 passes between the 2022 and ’23 seasons.

The former Jim Schwartz piece can boost his 2027 free agency stock with a solid Saints season. Emerson will join a Saints team that waited until Day 3 to draft a corner despite losing Adebo and Taylor in free agency over the past two years. The Saints, who also traded Marshon Lattimore at the 2024 deadline, may need Emerson to commandeer a starting job. And it looks like the team is confident the former third-round pick will be recovered from his July Achilles tear.

12:46pm: Mickey Loomis said the Saints were interested in adding a cornerback early in the draft. The Chiefs certainly thought this was the case, trading in front of the NFC South club to make sure they landed LSU’s Mansoor Delane.

New Orleans did use fifth- and seventh-round picks on corners, but after losing Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor in consecutive offseasons, the team could use more help. Martin Emerson is now on the Saints’ radar, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport noting the sides will meet today. Emerson was a regular starter in Cleveland before a summer 2025 Achilles tear.

Emerson, a two-year boundary CB starter with the Browns, met with the Texans earlier this month. He is not expected to return to Cleveland, and the Achilles tear represented a bad contract-year break. A one-year “prove it” deal — something most of the remaining FAs will need to settle for — may well be in the cards now.

Loomis said (via ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell) the Saints did have plans to grab a corner earlier; those not materializing leaves New Orleans vulnerable for the time being at the position. Taylor showed impressive versatility as a Saint, logging more than 1,500 snaps inside and outside during his four-year stay. While the Saints did see rookie Quincy Riley play 54% of their defensive snaps in a five-start 2025, they have not filled Taylor’s nickel post yet. Two years remain on Kool-Aid McKinstry‘s rookie contract. The Titans gave Taylor a three-year, $58MM deal with $42MM guaranteed at signing.

Emerson had usurped Greg Newsome as the Browns’ No. 2 corner, outsnapping the older cover man in 2023 and ’24. The 6-foot-2 defender has played almost exclusively on the boundary as a pro, making him ill-suited for a nickel role. Pro Football Focus graded Emerson as a top-30 corner as a rookie but slotted him outside the top 60 the following year and then placed him 113th out of 117 qualified options in 2024. The Browns, who eventually traded Newsome for Tyson Campbell before last year’s deadline, were still planning on using Emerson as a 2025 regular before his injury.

It appears we are moving closer to seeing Emerson catch on somewhere. Unless the experienced corner (33 career starts) needs more time to recover, landing with a team before its OTA sessions start makes sense.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/27/26

NFL teams have begun making roster adjustments following the conclusion of the 2026 draft. Here are the latest moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Received international exemption: OL Kilian Zierer

New England Patriots

  • Waived: WR John Jiles, TE Marshall Lang

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

San Francisco 49ers

Gill was a Bears seventh-round pick in 2022 who ranked among the league’s bottom 10 punters during his first two seasons in Chicago. He then served as one of the Buccaneers’ three punters in 2024 and did not sign with another team until joining Atlanta’s practice squad this past January. He then signed a reserve/futures contract with the Falcons. Former Patriots All-Pro Jake Bailey then arrived in March on a three-year, $9MM deal, solidifying the team’s punter situation in 2026 and resulting in Gill’s release.

Leal never lived up to his third-round draft billing in Pittsburgh, appearing in just 32 games with one sack and three tackles for loss across the last four seasons. He signed a reserve/futures contract with the Giants in January, but he was deemed surplus to requirements after defensive line additions in free agency and the draft.

Akers, 26, finished the 2025 season as a Super Bowl champion with the Seahawks. The departure of Kenneth Walker in free agency preserved the possibility of a 2026 role in Seattle, but the team quickly restocked their backfield by signing former Packer Emanuel Wilson and drafting Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price. Akers has played for four different teams across his six-year career and will now be looking for a new home.

Saints Decline OLB Tyree Wilson’s Fifth-Year Option

The Raiders sending Tyree Wilson to the Saints during the draft gave New Orleans the responsibility of exercising his fifth-year option. As expected based on the former top-10 pick’s track record to date, the Saints are passing.

New Orleans will decline Wilson’s 2027 option, GM Mickey Loomis said (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The longtime Saints GM indicates this will be a one-year trial run for Wilson, who is now in a contract year.

[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]

Wilson has not come close to justifying his draft slot. The Raiders, who did extensive quarterback work in 2023, chose the Texas Tech EDGE prospect seventh overall. At the time, rumors had Wilson as a possible pick over Will Anderson Jr. But the Big 12 product did not end up going above the future star, whom the Texans correctly pegged as a defensive cornerstone at No. 3 overall. Injury issues have plagued Wilson, but he and Anderson reside several tiers apart based purely on performance through three seasons.

Coming off a foot injury that ended his Texas Tech career early, Wilson came off the active/NFI list during his first Raiders training camp. At the time, Wilson was set to be a rotational rusher behind Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones. But the latter’s strange Las Vegas exit stripped the Raiders of a former All-Pro soon after. Wilson, though, did not become a Crosby sidekick liked the Raiders hoped. Ownership fired Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler hours after the 2023 trade deadline, and the team has since churned through more regimes after firing Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco before canning Pete Carroll a year later.

John Spytek remains in the GM chair for a second year, but he did not draft Wilson. The bottom-rung option number for linebackers checks in at $13.75MM; for defensive ends, Tier 4 on the option ladder comes in at $14.48MM. OverTheCap classifies Wilson as a D-end, though the Raiders used a 3-4 scheme throughout his time with the team. The Saints also now use a 3-4 base alignment under DC Brandon Staley. This is immaterial relating to Wilson, however, as he likely did not generate much discussion about this option being exercised in either Vegas or New Orleans.

Turning to Malcolm Koonce as a Crosby sidekick over Wilson, the Raiders used the latter as a starter in just seven games during his three-season Nevada stint. For that low start number, Wilson did produce some interesting results under Patrick Graham. Wilson combined for 14 tackles for loss from 2024-25, totaling 8.5 sacks as an auxiliary rusher during that time period.

The Raiders used Wilson on 50% of their defensive snaps in 2024 and 41% of their plays, with Koonce back healthy after a missed 2024 season, last season. Wilson also saw scant action as an inside rusher as a Raider, giving Staley more options.

Crosby was all set to head to Baltimore via a blockbuster trade, but the Ravens nixed it after failing the All-Pro on a physical. During the time when it looked like Crosby would indeed become a Raven, the Raiders re-signed Koonce and added Kwity Paye. Crosby returning to the Raiders does not guarantee he will finish the season there, but entering the draft, Wilson had a narrower path to playing time. The fourth-year vet could see more work in New Orleans, which traded No. 150 overall to acquire him and a seventh-round pick.

The Saints have not re-signed Cameron Jordan, but they return Chase Young and Carl Granderson on the edge. Although the Saints were linked to potentially making a first-round investment at this position, that did not come to pass. Wilson joins post-draft signee Anfernee Jennings among Saints additions here, and the former college star will attempt to up his stock — for either a Saints extension or a 2027 free agency bid — in 2026.

Cameron Jordan Unsure Of Saints Future

Heading into the draft, the outlook for Saints mainstays Cameron Jordan and Alvin Kamara were unclear. Kamara is still under contract, but Jordan’s chances of signing another New Orleans deal do not appear to be strong.

The Saints’ draft class does not include any edge rushers. The team has, however, been active in adding veterans in the front seven. A trade with the Raiders for defensive end Tyree Wilson was worked out on Saturday, while hybrid linebacker Anfernee Jennings agreed to terms on a contract yesterday.

Wilson and Jennings will look to offer depth to a Saints pass rush which still includes Chase Young and Carl Granderson. Jordan, 37 in July, would be counted on to remain a key presence in that regard if he were to re-up with New Orleans once again. The eight-time Pro Bowler continues to leave the door open to a free agent departure, though.

“I don’t know,” Jordan said (via Matthew Paras of NOLA.com) when asked about his future. “There’s nobody who produced the way I did last year, so. My talent speaks for itself. And if things work out, phenomenal. I’ve always said I understand the business side to it, so I’ve never worried about it.”

Jordan has made 254 combined regular and postseason appearances during his career; all of them have come with the Saints. A member of the 2010s All-Decade Team, he has remained highly durable through the late stages of his NFL tenure. Jordan amassed 10.5 sacks last season, almost as many as Wilson has totaled in his three-year career to date. Team and player have agreed to five contracts over the years, and as the post-draft wave of free agency plays out it will be interesting to see if a sixth pact is in store.

The Saints still have their rookie class to sign, but doing so and finalizing the Jennings deal will leave them with a small amount of cap space. Whether or not any of it is used to keep Jordan in place for a 16th New Orleans season will make for a noteworthy mid-offseason storyline.

Saints To Sign LB Anfernee Jennings

Anfernee Jennings saw his Patriots tenure come to an end last month. The veteran linebacker has managed to line up his next gig immediately after the draft, though.

Jennings has agreed to a deal with the Saints, as first reported by Nick Underhill of New Orleans.Football. Numerous free agent signings can be expected after Monday, since that is the point where the 2027 compensatory pick formula is no longer affected. Since Jennings was cut earlier this offseason, however, he was free to sign at any time without impacting the Saints’ outlook in that regard.

A third-round pick in 2020, Jennings spent each of his first six years (and five seasons) in New England. He joined the team as a middle linebacker but also saw time on the edge over time. Jennings served as a full-time starter in 2023 and ’24, but the arrival new head coach Mike Vrabel resulted in a drop in defensive playing time. The Alabama product handled a snap share of just 33% in 2025, although he managed a pair of sacks during the season (and another two during New England’s run to the Super Bowl).

Jennings was cut in March in a move which came as little surprise since he was a trade candidate leading up to the deadline. The 28-year-old will look to earn at least a rotational role upon arrival in New Orleans, a team which made an addition to its front seven yesterday. During Day 3 of the draft, the Saints swung a trade with the Raiders for edge rusher Tyree Wilson. He and Jennings will be in place for OTAs as they attempt to earn a spot with New Orleans.

The Saints entered Sunday with nearly $14MM in cap space. That figure will be reduced once the team’s draft class is signed, while the acquisitions of Wilson and now Jennings point further to New Orleans choosing to move on from Cameron Jordan. The franchise icon remains unsigned at this time, and general manager Mickey Loomis noted the draft would play a role in determining how the team proceeded with respect to a re-signing.

New Orleans did not select any edge rushers or linebackers this weekend. With Wilson and Jennings in place, though, the team has added depth at that spot entering spring practices. It will be interesting to see how things play out with Jordan moving forward.

Saints To Acquire OLB Tyree Wilson From Raiders

A former top-10 pick chosen two Raider regimes ago, Tyree Wilson will not play for Klint Kubiak. The Raiders are trading the fourth-year edge rusher to the Saints, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report.

The Raiders will receive No. 150 from the Saints in exchange for Wilson and a seventh-round pick (No. 219 overall), Rapoport adds. New Orleans will now decide on Wilson’s fifth-year option, which was not expected to be exercised by Las Vegas.

With the 150th pick, the Raiders are selecting safety Dalton Johnson, reuniting him with Arizona teammate and second-round pick (No. 38 overall) Treydan Stukes. Las Vegas has now rebuilt a room that entered the draft with just two players: Jeremy Chinn and Isaiah Pola-Mao. Both started for the Raiders in 2025, but they only have one year remaining on their contracts. Stukes will have a role right away, and in a rebuilding year, the team may also give Johnson some playing time to see what he can do and how he can develop.

New Orleans was in the Kayvon Thibodeaux market, with Rapoport indicating the team spoke with the Giants on the former No. 5 overall pick. But with New York not budging on compensation, the Saints moved on and will add Wilson. The latter has not shown comparable form to Thibodeaux, but the draft pedigree is similar. The Raiders chose Wilson seventh overall out of Texas Tech in 2023.

Wilson has never gotten close to living up to that billing. He has just seven career sacks with never more than two in a single season. He has been more productive against the run with 22 tackles for loss, including 10 in the last two years.

The 25-year-old will add depth to the Saints’ stable of edge rushers, which currently lacks proven talent outside of Chase Young and Carl Granderson. Despite having the size to flip to the interior as a pass rusher, Wilson has rarely been used in that role. His new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley could attempt to unlock some versatility to get more production out of the 6-foot-6, 275-pound defender.

2026 NFL Draft Results: Team By Team

Here is every team’s haul from the 2026 NFL Draft:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Round 1, No. 3: Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
  • Round 2, No. 34: Chase Bisontis (G, Texas A&M)
  • Round 3, No. 65: Carson Beck (QB, Miami)
  • Round 4, No. 104: Kaleb Proctor (DT, Southeastern Louisiana)
  • Round 5, No. 143: Reggie Virgil (WR, Texas Tech)
  • Round 6, No. 183: Karson Sharar (LB, Iowa)
  • Round 7, No. 217: Jayden Williams (T, Ole Miss)

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

  • Round 2, No. 35 (from Titans): T.J. Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
  • Round 2, No. 62: Davison Igbinosun (CB, Ohio State)
  • Round 4, No. 102 (from Raiders): Jude Bowry (T, Boston College)
  • Round 4, No. 125 (from Bears via Chiefs and Patriots): Skylar Bell (WR, UConn)
  • Round 4, No. 126: Kaleb Elarms-Orr (LB, TCU)
  • Round 5, No. 167 (from Texans): Jalon Kilgore (S, South Carolina)
  • Round 5, No. 181 (from Lions)*: Zane Durant (DT, Penn State)
  • Round 7, No. 220 (from Jets): Toriano Pride Jr. (CB, Missouri)
  • Round 7, No. 239 (from Eagles via Jaguars, Browns and Bears): Tommy Doman (P, Florida)
  • Round 7, No. 241 (from Bears): Ar’maj Reed-Adams (G, Texas A&M)

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

  • Round 1, No. 11 (from Dolphins): Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
  • Round 1, No. 23 (from Eagles): Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, Central Florida)
  • Round 3, No. 92 (from 49ers): Jaishawn Barham (EDGE, Michigan)
  • Round 4, No. 112: Drew Shelton (T, Penn State)
  • Round 4, No. 114 (from Falcons via Eagles): Devin Moore (CB, Florida)
  • Round 5, No. 137 (from Eagles)*: LT Overton (EDGE, Alabama)
  • Round 7, No. 218 (from Titans): Anthony Smith (WR, East Carolina)

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