After the heart-breaking news that Saints Linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha will miss the entire 2016 NFL regular season, the New Orleans Saints have a hole on their roster - not at Linebacker, but at Defensive End, where reports indicated they ended to use Kikaha in the 2016 season.
Let's look at four NFL free agents who could help fill that void on a full-time basis. As a bonus, all four played their last full season with an NFC South team.
Kroy Biermann - Biermann, a 7-year NFL veteran, played his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons. Still just 30 years old, Biermann has amassed 333 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, and 23.5 sacks in his career. He led the Falcons in sacks in 2014 (with just 4.5), and is a known leader in the locker room. Even with the additions of Roman Harper and James Laurinaitis, the Saints will continue to look for veteran leadership on a young defensive unit.
Henry Melton - Melton, a 6-year NFL vet, played in 2015 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In a mostly reserve role, Melton finished with two sacks, two fumble recoveries, and two passes defended. At one point in his career, Melton was a dominant defensive lineman, but he underwhelmed in Tampa Bay. He could, though, play as a Defensive Tackle or at Defensive End as needed by the Saints.
Da'Quan Bowers - Bowers is another former Buccaneer, and is the youngest of the group so far, at only 26 years old. Bowers was drafted by Tampa Bay in 2011, but was released in 2015 after injuries continued to plague his career (he has only 7 sacks in 50 games over his career). Still, Bowers has shown flashes of his potential and could look to latch on in New Orleans with playing time almost guaranteed.
Greg Hardy - Yes, I'm cheating a little bit with the NFC South reference considering he played in 2015 with the Dallas Cowboys, but his last full season came in 2014 with the Carolina Panthers. Most NFL fans are fully aware of his domestic violence charge, but he has since served his suspension. However, he has yet to find a new home in the NFL. Will the Junior Galette-issue scare the Saints away from signing this troubled but talented player? Would you even want to have to root for him as a member of the Saints?