The franchise’s all-time sack leader is staying in New Orleans for one more season
Cam Jordan isn’t ready to take off the black and gold just yet.
The longtime New Orleans Saints defensive end is reportedly returning for his 16th NFL season, signing a one-year deal to stay with the only team he has ever known, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. The agreement, reported today, is said to be loaded with incentives.
Staying put in the Big Easy
The decision capped an unusual chapter for Jordan, who hit free agency for the first time in his career this offseason. He had been open about the possibility of finishing his career elsewhere, and his name lingered on the market as one of the top available pass rushers. In the end, though, his heart stayed in New Orleans.
Fittingly, Jordan got the deal done while visiting the team on the first day of mandatory minicamp, sealing a reunion many Saints fans had been hoping for.
The #Saints are bringing back one of their franchise greats, as eight-time Pro Bowl DE Cam Jordan is set to return, sources say.
The two sides are putting the finishing touches on a 1-year, incentive-laden deal during his visit today. pic.twitter.com/8dU9cf1QkV
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 16, 2026
A franchise legend
Few players have meant more to the Saints than Jordan. A first-round pick back in 2011, he has built a résumé that stands nearly alone among defensive players in franchise history. He earned a spot on the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team and has piled up eight Pro Bowl nods and three All-Pro selections, including one first-team honor.
His place in the record books is secure. Jordan’s 132 career sacks, and counting, are 17 more than any other player in Saints history and rank 17th all time in the NFL. The only player to log more games and seasons in a Saints uniform is quarterback Drew Brees, putting Jordan in rare company as one of the most enduring figures the franchise has produced.
Still producing late in his career
This is no farewell-tour signing for a player just hanging on. Jordan proved last season that he can still get after the quarterback, suiting up for all 17 games and leading the Saints with 10.5 sacks in 2025. It marked the seventh double-digit sack season of his career and his best output since 2021, a reminder that he remains a real asset rather than a sentimental keepsake.
A loss for the rest of the league
Jordan’s choice to stay reverberated beyond New Orleans. Around the league, contenders looking to boost their pass rush had been eyeing the veteran as one of the best edge defenders still available. Teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, who finished last season ranked near the bottom of the league in sacks, had been floated as possible landing spots for a rotational veteran.
With Jordan now off the board, those clubs will have to look elsewhere to shore up their defensive lines. For the Saints, meanwhile, the move keeps a beloved cornerstone in place for at least one more year.
Whatever this season holds, Jordan will keep adding to a legacy that has already cemented him as one of the greatest defenders in Saints history.