Why the Saints should sign Tre Boston

Let’s put a huge disclaimer here that this only applies if the New Orleans Saints are unable to reach a long-term deal with pending free agent safety Marcus Williams.

If - and that’s a big “if” - Marcus were to find himself elsewhere to start the 2021 season, the Saints should look at Tre Boston as a potential replacement.

According to Pro Football Focus, “Over the past three seasons, [Boston’s] 94.7 coverage grade ranks second at the position.” This is important considering, “He’s not a guy who is going to be lauded for his run defense, but Boston has shown some of the best zone coverage instincts in the NFL at free safety.”

A free safety who has ball-hawk capabilities but might struggle with tackling? Stop me when you’ve heard this before.

From CBS Sports:

Boston, who will be 29 years old before the start of the 2021 season, has made 76 starts in 104 regular season games. He has 15 career interceptions, 42 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 429 tackles and 15 tackles for loss. He has also recorded two interceptions in five career playoff games. Boston has proven to be incredibly durable; he played in 98% of the Panthers’ defensive snaps in 2020. He played in each of Carolina’s defensive snaps in 2019.

Five years older than Marcus Williams, Tre Boston should come significantly cheaper on the open market. He’s familiar with the quarterbacks in the NFC South, and he’s shown an ability to make plays in crunch time. If the Saints can’t find a way to bring back Marcus Williams, whether because of salary cap constraints of Marcus’s desire to potentially play elsewhere, one of the first players the Saints should consider is Tre Boston.

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