Saints Linked Again To Eagles' Former No. 11 Overall Pick: 'Major Priority'

Could the New Orleans Saints continue their productive week and sign a Super Bowl-winning guard?

New Orleans has a vacancy at left guard, and a Philadelphia Eagles player is surprisingly still available in free agency.

On Thursday, LouisianaSports.Net’s Ross Jackson wondered whether the Saints can’t snag him.

“The Saints need a starter (at left guard), making it a major priority,” Jackson wrote. “The team manned this position with journeyman offensive lineman Lucas Patrick last year, but the play and health along the unit were inconsistent.”

“New Orleans reunited with offensive lineman Will Clapp on Thursday morning, and while he will add some experience and valuable depth potential, the team still needs someone to solidify the starting five. Available fit: Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Mekhi Becton.”

Becton has been linked to New Orleans by others this week, but it’s unclear whether or not the cap-straddled Saints have the means to pay him the $41 million deal he’s projected to land.

The former No. 11 overall pick out of Louisville played for the New York Jets between 2020 and 2023 before joining the Eagles last season and winning a Super Bowl. Becton has started 45 games in his career thus far and still has upwards of a decade of good football ahead of him at just 25 years old. He’ll have plenty of suitors in the coming days, and it’s frankly a surprise that he’s still available as of Thursday night. 

Some have speculated that he’s working on a deal behind closed doors to return to Philadelphia, which of course would place the Saints out of luck.