Monday has arrived.
The NFL Free Agency legal negotiation window opens at 12 p.m. ET, and the New Orleans Saints are expected to be strategically aggressive. With key players like Cameron Jordan and Alontae Taylor approaching free agency, the team must have a plan to either re-sign these players or develop a succession plan to replace them.
The Saints sit currently with $19.6 million in available cap space, according to Spotrac, and there are plenty of starting-caliber players they may go after on the open market. Do they find a Jordan replacement? Does New Orleans sign an Alvin Kamara replacement?
1. Travis Etienne Jr, RB
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) leaps to score a rushing touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Jets 48-20. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The aforementioned Kamara replacement could come at the hands of former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr.
Etienne, a former first-round pick, is a younger, more explosive version of what the Saints’ offense would like out of a running back. If he can stay healthy, Etienne would thrive in Kellen Moore’s system and take control as the lead back immediately.
The former Clemson Tiger racked up nearly 1,400 scrimmage yards in 2025. He could end up in the $8-12 million-per-year range.
2. Evan Neal, OG
Aug 24, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Evan Neal (73) after the game at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
It’s safe to say that Evan Neal’s career hasn’t lived up to the hype.
Drafted No. 7 overall by the New York Giants in the 2022 NFL Draft, Neal looked to be the anchor of the offensive line in New York for the foreseeable future. The Giants saw a potential All-Pro caliber offensive tackle.
That didn’t happen.
Neal didn’t play a single snap in 2025 and only started 14 games for the Giants between the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He was moved to offensive guard in the 2025 offseason, which could be something that New Orleans takes an interest in.
3. Jalen Nailor, WR
Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (1) celebrates after a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Jalen Nailor, selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, totaled a career-high 444 receiving yards in 2025 on 29 receptions, adding four touchdowns to his second-straight 400+ yard season.
Many around the league believe that Nailor, who has played next to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison for the majority of his career, hasn’t reached his ceiling and could be a 700- or 800-yard receiver on another team.
If the Saints could bring Nailor in at around $5 million per season, they’d add an effective contributor to Moore’s offense led by Tyler Shough. He’d be able to alleviate some of the pressure that Chris Olave faces on a game-by-game basis as well.