Saints absorb more salary but also add defensive line depth
Many fans believe this is the offseason in which the New Orleans Saints will finally be forced to confront their extremely inflexible salary cap situation. Actions do have consequences after all, right? Well, general manager Mickey Loomis is not quite ready to face them, as evidenced by his latest move. The team has agreed to a trade with the New England Patriots to acquire veteran defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Saints are sending a 2026 seventh-round draft pick to Foxborough in exchange for the 30-year-old. Godchaux is a Plaquemine, Louisiana native and played three seasons for the LSU Tigers, so he should receive a warm homecoming from the community. The Pats gave him permission to seek a trade at the end of February, and it appears he may have found his preferred landing spot.
But however nice this story may be on a sentimental level, New Orleans' decision to incur more salary at this time is a little hard to comprehend. Godchaux has two years and almost $10 million remaining on his contract and does not jump out as an ideal candidate for a franchise that contains question marks aplenty. Though, Loomis has made it clear he is not interested in initiating a full rebuild. Restructuring Derek Carr's contract reiterates that stance, and so does this move.
The newest member of the squad recorded 67 combined tackles in 17 games with the Patriots last season and is a lauded run-stopper, so perhaps he can add immediate value to New Orleans' defensive line.
The team better hope so, anyway. Given their inauspicious circumstances, the Saints must hit on most of their offseason investments. If nothing else, Davon Godchaux should be extra motivated to compete for his home-state squad.
What are the Patriots planning?
As for New England, this trade is about clearing cap room and paving the way for the future. The Patriots, much like the Saints, are moving toward a new era of football.New head coach Mike Vrabel and new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams intend to redefine the defense, which means some additional farewells might have to be made. It will be interesting to see if either or both teams elect to stay active in the beginning of an always frenetic NFL offseason.
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