New Orleans Saints

Saints' contract breakdown by position: Linebackers

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Saints made a deliberate effort to upgrade their linebackers this offseason, and so far they’ve met with mixed success.

The Saints have never paid a premium for linebackers. That has likely been a factor in the years of poor play that the team has seen at the position. The highest paid linebackers in the Sean Payton era were Jonathan Vilma and Curtis Lofton, both MLBs who captained the defense. And while both were very talented players, the team has never had the explosive athleticism at linebacker that, say Carolina or Tampa Bay have.

In this article, Who Dat Dish breaks down the contract of every linebacker on the roster. We’ve judged their value based on other LB contracts around the league, and have ranked them in order from worst to best.

Sep 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) scores a touchdown over New Orleans Saints linebacker James Laurinaitis (53) and others in the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

James Laurinaitis:

3 years, $8,250,000, through 2018.

James Laurinaitis is this offseason’s big splash move on defense. After putting defensive signalling duties on Stephone Anthony in his rookie season last year, the Saints brought in a veteran to be the center of the defense. The thought was that Laurinaitis, a cerebral player would fix the alignment issues that plagued last year’s team.

By all accounts, he’s done just that. And nothing more. I’ve ranked Laurinaitis as the worst LB contract on this Saints roster because he’s simply looked bad on tape. He’s been slow in coverage, failed to shed blocks, and surprisingly, for a player of his awareness, has not reacted well to play-action. Going forward, when Dannell Ellerbe returns from injury, the Saints may choose to bench Laurinaitis in favor of the younger, more athletic Craig Robertson.

The Saints signed him to a three year deal, worth $1.5 million in 2016 but ballooning to $3.3 million for 2017 and 2018. His contract is the biggest of this position group. If the Saints find answers behind him or in free agency next offseason, they could choose to save close to $5 million over the next two years by releasing him.

Jan 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Moeaki (81) runs for a touchdown against New Orleans Saints middle linebacker Stephone Anthony (50) during the second quarter at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Stephone Anthony

Four years, $7,731,720, through 2018.

It’s strange to rank a rookie contract so high on this list. Rookie contracts are usually steals by the time a player develops, and in his second year and new role at SLB, we all expected Stephone Anthony to take a step forward from a mixed, but commendable rookie showing.

We were wrong. Anthony has struggled to see the field. In part, that’s because the strong side linebacker doesn’t play in nickel, which the Saints defense has operated out of more regularly than base. But discouragingly, Anthony’s decreased role is primarily the result of poor play. While he possesses the athleticism that the Saints have sorely needed for years, he struggles with the mental aspect of the position.

As Dennis Allen recently said, Anthony is best when he can “run and hit,” and this year Allen is focused on putting him in a position to do just that. The problem is that, if he’s asked to do much else, he struggles. He over-commits on pressure plays, doesn’t react well in coverage and falls for just about every play-fake.

Now, he’s only in his second year in the league, and there’s no reason to believe that he can’t develop into the player the Saints imagined him to be. But for someone who doesn’t see the field, $2 million is a pretty penny. He’s got the physical tools, and the Saints have him for two years after this. The burden is on him to show improvement.

Oct 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker Michael Mauti (56) celebrates with teammates after blocking and recovering a punt against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Falcons 31-21. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Mauti

Two years, $2,222,728, through 2016.

The Saints signed Michael Mauti off of waiver wires after he was cut from the Vikings in 2015. Since then, Mauti has served primarily as a special teams captain, and serving some LB duties when necessary. He played adamantly last year when injuries forced him into the starting lineup, but it was clear that the former 7th round pick was never meant to start.

While he struggled at LB, he played very well on special teams, earning the special teams captain title for 2016. Good special teams play is typically undervalued by fans and the media, as the two costly special teams blunders have shown Saints fans this year.

Mauti is on the last year of his contract, worth $675,000 in cap space. That’s a good value for a player of his caliber, and he would be rated higher in this list if he had more impact beyond special teams.

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive back B.W. Webb (28) runs the ball as New Orleans Saints inside linebacker Nate Stupar (54) defends during the second quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Nate Stupar

Three years, $5,000,000, through 2018.

The Saints signed another former 7th round pick Nate Stupar, to a three year deal as a depth and special teams signing this offseason, part of their LB revamp. So far, the returns have been positive.

Stupar played last year with the Falcons, primarily as a special teams stand out. The Saints brought him in as an added special teams talent, but also with plans to play him at backup LB. When Laurinaitis missed the week 4 matchup with the Chargers, the team elected to promote Stupar over last year’s starter and first round pick Stephone Anthony. And while Stupar left plenty to be desired on the field, he played well enough for a backup. He’s strong and aggressive, and while he doesn’t have the range of a premium LB he’s generally in the right place at the right time.

His cap hit this year is a little over $1 million, and will jump up to $2 million in two years. He’s young and hard-nosed, and the team should be happy with its investment. At least early on.

Oct 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) catches a pass as New Orleans Saints linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (59) defends during the second half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Dannell Ellerbe

Two years, $5,000,000, through 2017.

At a cap hit of $3.2 million, Dannell Ellerbe is the Saints highest paid LB in 2016. He will be eclipsed by Laurinaitis’ salary next year. Ellerbe’s been nursing a quad injury through the first four games, and has yet to play a snap. But looking at the quality of player, and the contracts of other elite LBs, it’s clear: Ellerbe is a steal.

Ellerbe can really do it all on the field. He’s strong, a good tackler that’s hard to block. He’s smart, and doesn’t over commit on pursuits or play-fakes. And he’s rangey. He can cover ground very well for a man his size, and has great success in coverage against LBs and TEs.

His problem has always been injuries. He struggled to stay on the field last year, and missed the first quarter of this year. But if he can return and stay healthy, he’ll be a great player for this defense.

Ellerbe restructured his contract last year, to a more team-friendly cap hit. He’s on contract for 2017. If he had played in 80% of snaps this year, his 2017 deal would have voided. With a quarter of the year in the books, that contract is now set in stone. If he can stay healthy for the next two years, expect the Saints to sign him to an extension.

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints outside linebacker Craig Robertson (52) looks across the line before San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) gets the snap during the second quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Craig Robertson

Three years, $5,000,000, through 2018

In Craig Robertson, the Saints have one of those good problems. When Ellerbe and Laurinaitis return from injury likely for next week’s game with Carolina, where do you put Robertson? The free agent acquisition from the Browns has played very well in Ellerbe’s absence, something that the Saints LB depth failed to do last year.

Many voices have suggested that with Laurinaitis struggling, the Saints would do well to move Robertson over to MLB when Ellerbe returns. Having that duo on the field together would mean an athleticism and speed that this team hasn’t had at LB for a long time.

The Saints actually did just that with Ellerbe last week against the Chargers; Robertson moved over to MLB, and Nate Stupar stepped in at WLB. Robertson unfortunately, didn’t have his best game at his new position. And while growing pains are expected, it makes you wonder if he might be better suited as a WLB.

Nonetheless, I agree that unless Laurinaitis can right the ship, I’d love to see Ellerbe and Robertson starting together. Their speed and strength would be a huge addition to the defense.

With a cap hit this year of just slightly over $1 million, Robertson has been a steal. Without Ellerbe, he’s been far and away the team’s best linebacker. And he’s under contract through 2018, when his cap hit will be exactly $2 million. If he continues to develop as a playmaker, Robertson may be the Saints’ starting linebacker for years to come.