DE Jordan lands new deal, wants to retire a Saint

METAIRIE, La. — The Saints and defensive end Cameron Jordan have agreed to a two-year, $27.5 million guaranteed contract extension that ties him to New Orleans through the 2025 season, his agents, Doug Hendrickson and CJ LaBoy, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.

The 34-year-old Jordan’s new contract offers the most guarantees and average salary in NFL history for a defensive player his age.

Jordan, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and the Saints’ franchise leader in career sacks, hopes that this new deal will keep him in New Orleans until he retires.

Jordan, who had his family in attendance to announce the deal Friday morning, said it would be nice to spend his career with the same team like his father, Steve, did. Steve Jordan played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1982 to 1994 and is in their ring of honor.

“I want to finish my career here,” Jordan said. “I want my storyline to be here. I would love that my story has been drafted here, kept here, been here, never played a season without guaranteed money here. That’s probably in a category of its own right there. The story is to let unfold, finish and be here. So maybe Year 15, if there is a Year 16 [possibility], we’ll talk about it then. Probably won’t be.”

Jordan said one thing he was looking forward to the most was possibly taking new teammate Derek Carr, the former Raiders quarterback, back to Las Vegas to play Super Bowl LVIII in Allegiant Stadium this season. He also said he was looking forward to the Super Bowl coming back to New Orleans for the 2024 season.

“And then hopefully by then I’ll be looking for my second ring,” Jordan said.

A 2011 first-round pick by the Saints, Jordan last signed an extension in 2019 — a three-year, $52.5 million deal with $42 million guaranteed that ran through the 2023 season. This is the fourth multiyear contract between Jordan and the Saints.

“Fourth contract technically,” Jordan said. “Really like the third earned. Everybody is granted that [first] contract. … Fourth overall, 13 years in, looking to play to Year 15, spoke it into existence at Year 8 or 9. Honestly to have my family behind me … I’ve been truly honored and blessed to enter a market like New Orleans, [which has] everything that you want as a football player.”

Jordan overtook Hall of Fame linebacker Rickey Jackson as the franchise sack leader last year with 115.5 sacks and ranks second in the NFL among active players, behind only Von Miller (123.5). Jordan is shooting for Jackson’s unofficial franchise sack record of 123, as the NFL did not officially recognize sacks in Jackson’s rookie season.

“Earning the official record last year was a phenomenal milestone,” Jordan said. “I’ve still got to get that unofficial. We’ll talk about it later.”

Jordan has played in 192 games in a Saints uniform, the fourth most in franchise history. Jordan is on track to surpass Jackson (195) and Morten Andersen (196) this season to move into second, which would leave Drew Brees (228) as the only player ahead of him.

“It has been such a phenomenal and amazing experience that I couldn’t see myself being in anything but Black and Gold,” Jordan said.