CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 14: Geno Atkins #97 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on during a game against the Houston Texans at Paul Brown Stadium on September 14, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Texans won 13-9. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
The New Orleans Saints went into this offseason knowing that they would most likely lose their No. 1 star defensive tackle, Sheldon Rankins. He was ending his rookie contract and his market value has risen to roughly $10-13 million per year.
New Orleans couldn’t pay that if they wanted to. In fact, they also traded another defensive tackle Malcom Brown for a seventh-round pick.