A week into free agency, pass rusher Cameron Jordan sits as one of the top 15 free agents still available after the market was picked over in the first and second waves.
The edge rusher has spent his entire 15-year career with the New Orleans Saints, but told former teammate Terron Armstead on "" podcast that he'd love to return, but it has to make sense for both parties.
"As much as I love the city of New Orleans, as much as I want to be in the city of New Orleans ā¦ If things don't add up to what I consider as value happen, I understand the business nature of it all," he said. "In my mind, I'm like, 'of course,' you see guys my age re-sign with a team because that's the only team they've ever been with, and you're like, 'hell yeah, we love that,' but that's to his situation. That may not be to my situation. As football players, we can only control what we can control. ā¦ You gotta be able to take your emotions out of it. Of course, I'd love to be in New Orleans, but at the same time, if the cents doesn't make sense, then we have to find our own path.
"Just because I love the city and the organization doesn't mean the city and the organization has to love me back. The city definitely has and always will. I'm just saying, my love doesn't mean it's unrequited."
Jordan believes the Saints could have a swift turnaround after several impressive offseason additions, including Travis Etienne and David Edwards on offense.
"I think Saints could be in that Super Bowl contention next two years," he said. "That's a value there. That's about what I got left in the tank, two to three years. Can we get one?"
Jordan, who generated a team-high 10.5 sacks last season after six combined the past two campaigns, could add a veteran edge who can play the run and pass and has missed just two games in his entire 15-year career.
"Last week, free agency started. Man, I hit five states in seven days," he said. "I was on a tour. Slid into New Orleans real quick, picked up some stuff from the locker room. I can't let them have this on the off chance. ... I slid into Florida, Demario Davis, and some of the guys out there, Anquan Boldin. ā¦ Some news hit, and wifey was like, 'If we thinking about this team, let's have a talk,' and I said, 'We ain't thinking about this team,' but let's have a talk. I was in Florida and had to fly out to Arizona real quick to have a little powwow."
Jordan, who turns 37 in July, didn't give a hint that he's strongly considering retiring at this stage. With 132 career sacks, he currently sits 17th all-time. Adding seven sacks in 2026 would vault into 10th all-time, surpassing Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware.
"I came in knowing, after a 10.5 sack season, 15 TFLs, 40-some tackles, alright, we have another season like that, we crack deep in the top 10," he said. "And at the same time, I'm also accepting the fact that at 36, everybody wants to go younger. Younger doesn't mean more proof than what is presented. But potential gives the league a lot. There's a set value that I have in my mind. Value is to the eye of the beholder, at this point. Value means position, rotation, monetary, sure, but more along the lines of if I want to get 10, 12, 13 sacks, this next season, then I need to be in the best position to do so. And that could be at the Saints. Hell, it could be at the Miami Dolphins. It could be ā¦ It can't be Cleveland or Buffalo or Green Bay, but ā¦ it could be. It could be."
When suggested he didn't like the cold, Jordan quipped that there was a monetary figure that could help overcome the weather concerns.
There was one team the veteran seemed to rule out: Atlanta.
He noted that there were two other teams in the NFC South besides the Saints, and "I got a lot of hate for one."
"The Falcons," he said. "I've seen a Saints player go, in fact, I've seen two go. You know, I don't trust them no more. And one sign back with us. I still don't trust him.
"Kaden Elliss left to Atlanta, we just signed him back, everybody like welcomed him back, I'll welcome him back -- I guess. Like how you don that trash red, and be like, hey I'm back?"
If Jordan returns to the Saints, apparently, he'll have to have a kumbaya situation with Ellis.
