Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Linebacker Joining New Orleans Saints Via Free Agency
The Saints are on the board. According to multiple reports, they've added a linebacker to the mix during the NFL's legal tampering process in linebacker Willie Gay, formerly of the Chiefs. He also posted it via his social media, so that's a great sign.
NFL Network's Mike Garafolo first reported the signing, and the details that emerged on the deal is it's for one year and worth up to a maximum of $5 million and includes $3 million guaranteed. Gay, who is fresh off a second Super Bowl win with Kansas City, is a Mississippi native and played collegiately at Mississippi State.
Saints News Network's Bob Rose highlighted Willie Gay as a potential target in free agency.
Gay, like Davis was, has been a good but often overlooked player through his first four seasons. He's a fast and physical player capable of good performances in coverage (4 interceptions, 19 passes broken up), as a blitzer (5 sacks, 16 pressures), and against the run (17 tackles for loss, 233 total stops). Gay was a key part of an excellent Kansas City defense that was instrumental in winning back-to-back Super Bowl titles.
Here's what Pro Football Focus had to say about him, who graded them as No. 106 on their free agent list.
Gay is perhaps the best lateral athlete within the Chiefs' loaded linebacker corps, often drawing the quarterback spy role and earning some of the more challenging coverage responsibilities after starting his career as a pure downhill attacker. The former second-round pick is a quality weakside linebacker who appears to have grown better at reading and reacting, and he also did well in the occasional blitz package dialed up by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
NFL Network's Gregg Rosenthal ranked him at No. 71 on his Top 101 list.
An explosive athlete, Gay was never quite trusted to play every snap as the Chiefs’ weak-side linebacker. He’s a great role player to have on the roster, capable of taking away opposing quarterbacks’ running threat.
New Orleans lost Zack Baun to the Eagles and has several free agents of their own at the position. Willie Gay is sure to bring a ton to the table and is the fourth former Chiefs player to land with the Saints, joining Khalen Saunders, Tyrann Mathieu and Tanoh Kpassagnon.
