NFL free agency is off and running, and we're keeping track of every major signing, trade and release of the 2026 offseason, with analysis from our NFL nation reporters and grades from our experts.
The new league year begins Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, which means free agents can be made official after that. The first round of the 2026 NFL draft begins April 23 on ESPN.
Here's a breakdown of every 2026 NFL free agent signing by the New Orleans Saints and how each will impact the upcoming season:
David Edwards, G
The former Buffalo Bill is agreeing to a four-year deal, $61 million according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
What it means: The Saints knew they needed to invest in their offensive line. Not only do they have a young quarterback to protect, but they identified the run game as one of their biggest problems. New Orleans clearly set out to fix that, not only adding RB Travis Etienne Jr. but solidifying the left guard spot by signing Edwards.
The left guard spot has been filled by a series of short term investments over the years, now the Saints have shown they're serious about fortifying the interior of the offensive line.
Travis Etienne Jr., RB
The former Jaguars running back will be signing a four-year, $52 million deal with the Saints.
What it means: The Saints needed to add more playmakers to their offense, and Etienne, a Louisiana native can also catch passes.
He rushed for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns with the Jaguars last season and caught 36 passes for 292 yards and six touchdowns. Adding Etienne, 27, is a sign of the transition that could be taking place in the Saints running back room moving forward. Longtime running back Alvin Kamara, 30, has finished the past two seasons injured.
Ryan Wright, P
The Saints are set to sign Wright to a four-year deal, with a $2.5 million signing bonus and $8 million guaranteed.
What it means: A punter might not be the most exciting free agent signing, but the position was one of the Saints' biggest needs this offseason.
Kai Kroeger averaged only 37.3 net yards-per-punt, which ranked among the bottom of the league. The Saints struggled before that, cycling through Matthew Hayball, Lou Hedley, and Blake Gillikin after parting ways with longtime punter Thomas Morstead following the 2020 season.
Investing in the position makes sense instead of going through another training camp with the job up for grabs.
John Ridgeway III, DT
The Saints are signing the defensive tackle to a two-year, $6.2 million deal. The deal includes a $1.65 million signing bonus and $1.65 million guaranteed.
What it means: New Orleans acquired Ridgeway for a Day 3 pick and he has been a depth-type player for the past two seasons. Ridgeway missed a significant portion of the season last year while on injured reserve, but he'll return to the defensive line rotation as a backup and depth for their run defense.
Noah Fant, TE
The tight end and the Saints agreed to a two-year deal Monday.
What it means: New Orleans has had interest in Fant dating back to last year when he visited the team during training camp. Fant signed with the Cincinnati Bengals and had his ups and downs during his one season there -- he had 34 catches for 388 yards and three touchdowns but also lost three fumbles, which were all returned for touchdowns.
Fant was used as a run blocker on 142 plays and had an 82.3% "win" rate on those plays, according to TruMedia. Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau could become free agents on Wednesday, so bringing in another tight end makes sense for the Saints.
