Feb. 16, 2026, 4:55 a.m. CT

2026 NFL free agency is set to put together some fun pairings around the league, with quite a few big-name players set to hit the open market. While many of these players are outside the skills positions, there are plenty of options to choose from at the vast majority of spots once March rolls around.

One of the names who may fly under the radar a bit among fans is safety Alohi Gilman, a former sixth-round pick who has rapidly showcased his capabilities on the field. A former Los Angeles Chargers player, Gilman picked up 5 interceptions, 5 forced fumbles, 252 tackles, 27 pass deflections, and a sack in 73 games there. Then he was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in 2025 and broke out in a big way.

Fox Sports analyst Greg Auman recently predicted where each big-name free agent will head this offseason, with Gilman, his No. 99-ranked free agent, heading to New Orleans on a relatively reasonable projected deal.

Gilman, 28, helped turn around the Ravens’ season after he was acquired from the Chargers. He has a history with Jesse Minter from their Chargers days, so he could stay in Baltimore, or follow John Harbaugh to the Giants, or reunite with Brandon Staley and the Saints. He’s active around the ball, with five career forced fumbles and six recoveries, not bad for a defensive back. He just finished a two-year, $10 million contract and should be in line for the same moving forward.

Prediction: Signs with Saints

Gilman has become extremely versatile in the last few seasons, and 2025 was a prime example of that. Across 1,026 snaps, 543 came at free safety, 314 came in the box, 106 came in the slot, 49 alongside the defensive line, and 14 as an outside cornerback.

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While the Saints do already have Justin Reid, Jonas Sanker, and Julian Blackmon to choose from at deep safety, Gilman would provide some exceptional value in the box, whether or not Alontae Taylor were to leave. It will just depend on whether the team deems safety to be a position of need at this moment, or if they’d rather go get a cornerback instead.