Saints have free agent questions
With a little more than three weeks to go before the start of the NFL’s free agency signing period, there are more questions than answers for New Orleans Saints’ fans about what their team will look like in 2012.
Unfortunately, answers won’t be coming for at least a couple more weeks.
Monday is the first day of a two-week window in which teams can apply the franchise tag to a player who can become an unrestricted free agent when the league year begins at 3 p.m. March 13.
But don’t expect anything to happen.
This year, the Saints have not one but two candidates to receive that tag, with quarterback Drew Brees being the lynchpin of the front office’s plan going forward.
Brees, of course, holds the key to free agency. You can say it’s the key to a Maserati if you want, but when he re-signs — don’t worry, he will — the Saints will know which way to go next.
All-Pro guard Carl Nicks, wide receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem, and cornerback Tracy Porter are the other big-name free agents-to-be. Each of them will be extremely interested to see if Brees gets the $15 million to $20 million per year he’s expected to command after six record-breaking seasons.
If the Saints get Brees under contract before March 5, the deadline for using the franchise tag on a player, they could perhaps use it on Nicks — whose main job is to keep Brees upright.
Nicks, a two-time Pro Bowl pick who also made first-team All-Pro this season along with teammate Jahri Evans, will probably be seeking a contract that exceeds the seven-year, $56.7 million deal Evans got in May 2010.
But it’s anyone’s guess at this point how it’ll play out.
Regardless, here are three areas of need going into free agency IF the Saints can get Brees, Nicks and Colston re-signed under what will be a tight $120 million salary cap:
DEFENSIVE TACKLE: The Saints need a run-stopper in the middle after Shaun Rogers and Aubrayo Franklin didn’t exactly get the job done last season.
Sedrick Ellis didn’t have a great year either, but may get a pass from new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Being consistent against the run will help Spagnuolo, who loves to create a pass rush with his front four.
LINEBACKER: With Scott Shanle turning 33 in November and Jonathan Vilma being slowed by a knee problem this season, the Saints may have to take a long look at this area.
Even though both are under contract, the Saints may try to get younger in the draft — especially with Vilma scheduled to make $5.4 million. Adding to the problem is the fact that Jo-Lonn Dunbar, a versatile starter, could be an unrestricted free agent.
DEFENSIVE END: With Spagnuolo taking over, the Saints will probably try to upgrade this area with some lean pass rushers from the edge.
Their best rush end, Will Smith, is set to earn $7 million in base pay, which could prove to be problematic as they try to get those other players to fit under the cap.