One week into free agency, pass rusher Cameron Jordan sits as one of the top 15 free agents still available after the market was picked in the first and second waves.
The Ed rusher has spent his entire 15-year career with the New Orleans Saints, but told former teammate Terron Armstead on “The Set with T.Stead” podcast that he would love to return, but it has to make sense for both sides.
“As much as I love the city of New Orleans, as much as I want to be in the city of New Orleans … If things don’t go my way, I understand the business nature of it all,” he said. “In my mind, I’m like, ‘sure,’ you see guys my age re-sign with a team because it’s the only team they’ve ever been with, and you’re like, ‘hell, yeah, we love it,’ but that’s his situation.” It may not be for my situation. As footballers we can only control what we can control. at the same time, if sent does not make sense, then we must find our own way.
“Just because I love the city and the organization doesn’t mean the city and the organization have to love me back. The city definitely has and always will. I’m just saying my love doesn’t mean it’s unrequited.”
Jordan believes the Saints can turn things around after some impressive offseason additions, including Travis Etienne and David Edwards on offense.
“I think the Saints could be in Super Bowl contention for the next two years,” he said. “There’s value there. That’s about what I had left in the tank, two to three years. Can we get one?”
Jordan, who averaged a team-high 10.5 carries last season after six combined over the past two campaigns, could add a veteran edge who can play the run and pass and has missed just two games in his entire 15-year career.
“Last week free agency started. Man, I got to five states in seven days,” he said. “I was on a tour. Went into New Orleans real quick, took some stuff out of the locker room. I can’t let them get this off the bat … I ran into Florida, Demario Davis, and some of the guys out there, Anquan Boldin. … Some news broke and the lady was like, ‘If we think about this team, let’s talk, ‘we a’ and I said about this, and I said this,’ talk. I was in Florida and had to fly to Arizona very quickly for a little powwow.”
Jordan, who turns 37 in July, did not suggest he was strongly considering retirement at this stage. With 132 career sacks, he currently ranks 17th all-time. Adding seven sacks in 2026 would move him into 10th all-time and pass Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware.
“I came in knowing, after a 10.5-sack season, 15 TFLs, 40-something tackles. OK, we’ve got another season like that, we’re going to crack deep into the top 10,” he said. “And at the same time, I’m also accepting the fact that at 36, everyone wants to get younger. Younger does not mean more proof than what is presented. But potential gives the league a lot. There is a certain value that I have in mind. Value is in the eye of the beholder, at this point. Value means position, rotation, metary, sure about 1, 2, but more 13, this next season, then I have to be in the best position to do it and it could be at Miami Dolphins It can’t be Cleveland or Buffalo or Green Bay.
When it was pointed out that he didn’t like the cold, Jordan said it was a money number that could help beat the weather.
There was one team the veteran seemed to rule out: Atlanta.
He noted that there were two other teams in the NFC South besides the Saints, and “I got a lot of hate for one.”
“The Falcons,” he said. “I’ve seen a Saints player go, actually I’ve seen two go. You know, I don’t trust them anymore. And one sign back at us. I still don’t trust him.
“Kaden Elliss went to Atlanta, we just re-signed him, everybody kind of welcomed him back, I welcome him back — I guess. Like how you put on that trash red and say, hey I’m back?”
If Jordan returns to the Saints, it looks like he’ll have to get into a kumbaya situation with Ellis.