The New Orleans Saints have a big need at guard heading into this spring, with Cesar Ruiz a possible trade candidate and the other guard spot simply not reliable. David Edwards’ name has come up several times as a potential option for New Orleans to sign, and he would certainly be a great addition to their offensive line given his success and veteran leadership.
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A recent predictive free agent list by Greg Auman of Fox Sports had Edwards listed as the 28th player set to hit free agency. Unfortunately, he predicted the veteran star would sign with another NFC team, coached by a former Saints staff member.
Edwards, 28, has been a bargain for the Bills the past two years, starting at guard and earning $6 million over two years. He will cost significantly more as a free agent, with some projections approaching $20 million per year. Does Buffalo’s promotion of Joe Brady as head coach make them more likely to want to keep their offensive line intact? It will be expensive to retain all of them, so it’s possible they re-sign one of their two free agent starters and use the draft to replace the other.Prediction: Signs with lions
Detroit certainly needs help on the offensive line, no doubt, and given their cap space situation, replacements may need to be made on the interior, and potentially for Taylor Decker if he ends up being released. This would be difficult for the Saints, but there are plenty of quality guards who will be available when March 11 rolls around.
Establishing the guard position before the draft would be optimal, as it would allow the team to focus more on wide receiver or potentially running back, both strengths in this draft class. Ultimately, we’ll see if New Orleans is able to find the money to sign a player like Edwards, solidifying the spot long-term, or opt for a replacement option.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Lions Predicted to Outbid Saints for Bills Free Agent David Edwards