We are exactly 76 days away from the New Orleans Saints kicking off their 2026 campaign in Detroit on September 13. That means it is time to talk about the guy wearing number 76, a massive human being named David Edwards who was brought in to stop the bleeding on an offensive line that has looked like a revolving door at a busy department store for years.
He is 29. He stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 308 pounds. The Saints did not just sign him; they threw a four-year contract at him with a $20 million signing bonus and $45 million in total guarantees, resulting in a $6.3 million cap hit for this upcoming season.
It is a lot of cash. Will it work?
Edwards started his football journey at Wisconsin as a tight end before the coaching staff realized he was built like a brick wall and moved him to the offensive line. He excelled. He earned All-Big 10 honors and All-American status before the Los Angeles Rams grabbed him in the fifth round of the 2019 draft. By his second year, he was the starting left guard, eventually playing every single snap of the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI championship run.
Then, the injuries hit. A concussion ruined his 2022 season, limiting him to just four games and forcing him to rebuild his career in Buffalo.
He bided his time. After a quiet first year with the Bills, he reclaimed his starting role, starting 32 of 34 games over the last two seasons and proving he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Now, he is in New Orleans. He will slot in at left guard between young tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. and veteran center Erik McCoy. The Saints are betting millions that Edwards can bring stability to a unit that desperately needs it. We will find out if the gamble pays off in 76 days.
