Former LSU Tiger: Why I declined multiyear Saints offer in free agency

It isn't often we get a front-row seat to an NFL free agent's experience weighing offers from different teams, but that's what former LSU Tigers standout K'Lavon Chaisson shared in a new documentary. Chaisson kept the camera rolling on phone calls with his agent and advisors throughout the early days of free agency, which you can watch on his official YouTube channel. After posting a breakout year with the New England Patriots, Chaisson hit the market and was fielding offers from multiple teams, including the New Orleans Saints. And the Washington Commanders, with whom he eventually signed. So why did he pass on the black and gold?

"I got a three-year (offer) with the Saints," Chaisson said. His agent was working to negotiate the per-year average "up to like $13 (million). I think right now they like at $11 trying to get up to $13. Yeah. And then I got a, I got a one-year (offer) with the Commanders right now for like, uh, I think that was at like $11. Something like that."

When asked if he would go with the Saints at three years for $13 million per year, Chaisson pointed out that a higher per-year number isn't as big of a factor as the guarantee. If only two years are guaranteed then it isn't truly a three-year deal: "Obviously that's the guaranteed, you know what I'm saying, you're protected and (expletive)."

But then his agent called back with updates on talks with a couple of different teams. "The Bucs and Ravens, Ravens just got back to me five minutes ago. They don't want, they don't know if they can get to that number. And then the Saints, they don't want to get to the $13 on a multi. So either we, you know, we can do a shorter deal with the Saints or the Commanders, or we can do -- I don't want to do a multiyear deal for less than $11. It doesn't make sense if we get $11 on a one-year."