The NFL off-season is always weird. Fans have the possibility of seeing their favorite players traded or cut. This week has been a doozy as the New Orleans Saints world lost one of its important players in Vonn Bell. Bell agreed to a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. The move has left others wondering the obvious: What are the Saints up to?
The former Ohio State University alumnus attended the 2016 NFL Draft. He was picked in the second round by the New Orleans Saints. His $3.97 million, four-year contract consisted of a $1.08 million bonus. He was named a back- up safety and ended his rookie season with impressive statistics such as 87 combined tackles, two forced fumbles, and starting in 14 games. In his last season with the Saints, Bell recorded 86 combined tackles, a career-high of 63 solo tackles, and his first professional interception.
Losing Vonn Bell: Could This Have Gone Another Way?
No one wants to see Bell leave. The Saints have always had an issue with the defense but one thing they never lacked was the talent. The organization had some powerful tools on defense and Bell was one of them. Honestly, this probably could have gone another way. Nick Underhill reported that the Saints actually offered Bell a contract of around 7.5 million a year. The organization then made moves on Malcolm Jenkins with around the same offer. Bell has signed with the Bengals for $6 million a year, an obviously lower contract than what the Saints offered. This could be a result of failed negotiations. It is not absolute. However, eyes will be on the Bengals to see how they utilize Bell.
It is safe to say the Bengals are already under the microscope as we get closer to the NFL Draft since the organization has the first overall pick. With that working in the organization’s favor, everyone is waiting to see if they will pick LSU quarterback, Joe Burrow.
Eyes on the Saints
While the loss has given others a chance to give Saints the side-eye, it is interesting to see what the organization is up to. The team has lost quite a few players (Teddy Bridgewater, A.J. Klein, Ted Ginn Jr., and Eli Apple) but they have also added players that might be valuable to the season. For instance, they have reunited with Malcolm Jenkins, who will most likely replace Vonn Bell, and added Emmanuel Sanders, who will probably be around to take so much pressure off Michael Thomas.
One of the concerns is building the team just right to go all the way. That’s always the goal. For star quarterback Drew Brees, time is winding down. Hopefully, the moves the Saints are making will help Brees and company achieve the ultimate goal in the next season.
