Saints’ fifth-year option approach has shifted as price tags rise

By Ross Jackson

Since the installation of the fifth-year option for first-round picks began in 2011, it’s been a core part of the offseason with a May 1 deadline to keep a cost-controlled player on a rookie contract under team control for an additional year.

The New Orleans Saints have another one of those decisions to make this offseason with starting defensive tackle and 2023 first-round selection Bryan Bresee. 

Bresee is eligible to have his team option picked up for the 2027 season. It’s a decision the Saints will have to make soon after the NFL Draft has concluded. Looking back at the team’s history with these decisions, there’s a clear parallel between the rising costs for these options and the Saints’ willingness to exercise them.

A fifth-year option is a guaranteed contract amount based on a variety of factors including playing time and Pro Bowl appearances. While Bresee doesn’t check boxes for accelerated calculations, his projected basic fifth-year option is still a sizable $12.999 million. 

The calculation for a basic fifth-year option is the average of the third to No. 25 salaries at a player’s position over the previous five years.

While contract values at the position go up around the league with extensions, free agency signings and a rising salary cap, these club options become more expensive as well.

For instance, the Saints picked up the fifth-year option for 2016 first-rounder and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. At the time, that option was only $7.7 million. 

Over the years, the Saints have picked up fewer and fewer of these options.

2011 DE Cameron Jordan – Option exercised

2013: S Kenny Vaccaro – Option exercised

2014: WR Brandin Cooks – Traded before option

2015: OL Andrus Peat – Option exercised

2016: DT Sheldon Rankins – Option exercised

2017: CB Mashon Lattimore and T Ryan Ramczyk – Options exercised

2018: DE Marcus Davenport – Option exercised

2020: OL Cesar Ruiz – Did not exercise

2021: DE Payton Turner – Did not exercise

2022: WR Chris Olave – Option exercised; T Trevor Penning – Did not exercise

After the team’s 2018 year, options began to be declined after being accepted every year with the exception of Cooks, whose fifth-year was instead picked up by the New England Patriots following his departure from New Orleans.

For Ruiz, despite not having his picked up, he was still extended. Meanwhile Turner did not return to the team, departing in free agency and Penning was traded at the 2025 trade deadline.

There’s enough information to say that as salaries have risen, fully guaranteeing a fifth-year player’s salary has become more challenging. How the Saints handle Bresee’s deal will be intriguing as his fifth-year option is worth more than his rookie contract earnings over his first four seasons ($12.26 million).