Saints host former first-round pick on visit

Former Cincinnati Bengals center Billy Price visited with the New Orleans Saints on Monday, according to NewOrleans.Football founder and columnist Nick Underhill.

Price, a former first-round pick for Cincinnati, has played in 69 games and started in 45 for three teams since he was first taken with the 21st pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He played and started in 11 games for the Arizona Cardinals in 2022.

A competitive team can only be complete with depth in the trenches.

Price would be a welcomed addition for a team that allowed 38 sacks last season. The figure put them on par with the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans. Having the five-year NFL veteran would add some much-needed depth in a new era of Saints football featuring quarterback Derek Carr.

The Saints signed Carr to a four-year contract in March. The four-time Pro Bowler spent the last nine seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. He will join a blossoming receiver in Chris Olave and a receiver corps that earned 3,969 receiving yards last season, putting them at 16th in the NFL. Olave led New Orleans with 1,042 receiving yards in 2022.

The Saints have two centers under contract for the 2023 season, according to Spotrac. Erik McCoy, a former second-rounder in 2019, has started in every one of the 57 games he has played for the Saints. New Orleans signed former Illinois center Alex Pihlstrom as an undrafted free agent in late April.

The Saints upped their running back depth when they signed former Detroit Lions back Jamaal Williams to a three-year, $12 million contract in March. He can play behind running back Alvin Kamara, who led New Orleans with 897 rushing yards during the 2022 season.