Report: Saints’ DE Cameron Jordan is headed to free agency

By Ross Jackson

The New Orleans Saints may be bracing to lose a mainstay when NFL free agency opens on March 11.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Saints’ defensive end Cameron Jordan and the team will not reach an agreement on a new deal by the time free agency begins. Jordan will, for the first time in his 15-year career, head to the open market. Schefter also reported that the defensive leader is open to leaving New Orleans.

Eight-time Pro-Bowl DE Cameron Jordan, who has spent his 15-year career in New Orleans and had 10.5 sacks last season, will not have a new deal in place with New Orleans by next week and now will hit free agency for the first time in his NFL career, per sources. Jordan will play… pic.twitter.com/r5Q9sfk3am

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 5, 2026

Testing the open market does not inherently mean that Jordan’s time in the Crescent City has come to an end. Jordan plans to play in 2026 and, depending on the market he receives outside of New Orleans, could return to the Saints after exploring other options.

This will be a major story to follow for New Orleans, who would be undertaking a major shakeup across its roster with one of the team’s cornerstones potentially on his way out.

Jordan wrangled 10.5 sacks last season, his most since 2021. He also had 46 combined tackles, 15 tackles for a loss and 15 hits on opposing quarterbacks. The New Orleans fixture put up impressive numbers despite playing the second-fewest snaps of his career last year.