The New Orleans Saints must fortify their offensive line this offseason.
A particular area of concern is left guard. New Orleans GM Mickey Loomis might draft an O-lineman in a later round of the upcoming NFL draft, but Loomis should also snag an experienced player in free agency.
The Saints are handcuffed by a bad cap situation, so they’ll have to shop for cheap options. On Friday, Athlon Sports’ John Hendrix suggested giving former Notre Dame center Sam Mustipher a shot on a bargain deal.
Hendrix also mentioned another name: Robert Jones of the Miami Dolphins (Jones is now a free agent).
“Maybe someone like Sam Mustipher could come to New Orleans for depth with an upside to compete,” Hendrix wrote. “A player not related to the staff I’d like to see the Saints look at would be Robert Jones (Dolphins).”
Jones, 26, is a young player the Saints could bring in and develop for the long haul. Spotrac estimates his market value at $3.5 per year, which could result in something like a three-year, $10.6 million contract.
Jones has outperformed his undrafted status since being signed by the Dolphins in 2021. He has all the physical tools to be an effective starting guard.
No, he’s not Mekhi Becton, but the Saints have to be careful about spending any amount of money right now; that is, if they care at all about regaining some financial health in the Kellen Moore era.
New Orleans should be focused on bringing in players in their mid-twenties who don’t cost a lot but have upside. This is the path for the Saints to rebuild something in the next few years.
Jones fits into that category. He’s flying under the radar on the guard market and the Saints should have an offer ready.
