Saints, LB Willie Gay agree to 1-year deal, per source

NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Saints agreed to terms on a one-year deal with former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay, according to a source.

Gay appeared to confirm the deal in a social media post Tuesday, writing, “LETS DO IT #WHODAT” on X.

The move was the Saints’ first signing of the negotiating period prior to the start of free agency Wednesday.

“Yessir!!!!!!!!!!!! Bring some of that championship energy with you my boy! #Proveit #LetsGeaux,” Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu, who played with Gay from 2020 to 2021, wrote on social media in response to the news.

Gay started 15 regular-season games for the Chiefs in 2023 and three postseason games, including their Super Bowl LVIII victory over the San Francisco 49ers. He missed the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens after sustaining a neck injury during the divisional round win against the Buffalo Bills.

Gay, 26, was selected by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2020 draft out of Mississippi State. He played in 57 games with 47 starts in the regular season and had 233 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles (with 4 recoveries), 4 interceptions and 17 tackles for loss. He also had one defensive touchdown, against the Denver Broncos in 2022.

Gay played in nine postseason games for the Chiefs, starting them all. He had a half sack and a forced fumble.

Gay served a four-game suspension in 2022 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after he was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor criminal property damage in Overland Park, Kansas.

The Saints also officially released safety Marcus Maye on Tuesday. Several former Saints players agreed to terms with other teams during the negotiating period, including linebacker Zack Baun, quarterback Jameis Winston and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Saints and former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay have agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $5 million, a personal familiar with the matter said Tuesday night.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement, first reported by NFL Network, had not been announced.

Gay has played four seasons in the NFL — all with Kansas City, which drafted him in the second round out of Mississippi State in 2020.

The two-time Super Bowl winner has played in 57 games with 47 starts and has 233 tackles and five sacks to go with four fumble recoveries, four interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Last season, Gay started 15 games and had 58 tackles, including one sack. He recovered three fumbles, forced a fumble and intercepted a pass.

In New Orleans, Gay will join a linebacker corps anchored by defensive captain Demario Davis, who on Monday agreed to a two-year contract through 2025.

Gay becomes the second former member of Kansas City’s defensive front to join the Saints in the past two offseasons. Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders left the Chiefs for New Orleans during free agency in last year.