1st & 5:
Free Agency Approaches, Where Do We Stand?
First of all, is it August yet!? With the Saints being a few short days away from entering Free Agency, and since I haven’t put one of these together in a while, let’s look at the offseason, and as always, my take.
The Saints Timeline Thus Far
1/22 – Sean Payton is reinstated by the NFL
Coach is back! Enough said.
1/24 – Saints fire DC Steve Spagnoulo, and Secondary Coach Ken Flajole
A move that many didn’t see coming. Sure, we knew the D was bad, and well, terrible. Let’s call it for what it was. However, some optimists thought that the return of Coach Payton would be a good thing for Spagnoulo, however, an earlier report of the locker room fiasco and Spags control could have played a factor. As far as Mr. Flajole’s departure? Worst secondary, you do the math.
2/10 – Saints hire DC Rob Ryan, and Stan Kwan as Asst Special Teams Coach
The Saints got their man, as they quickly announced that they would swap to 3-4 after Payton was brought back in to the mix. Ryan brings a certain fire to him, for lack of better phrase, and while he was not the most popular choice with Who Dat Nation, I personally trust in Coach. Ryan was cut loose because of his ‘lack of turnovers’, but there is no arguing what he did for a terrible Dallas defense before he took over. He made guys like Anthony Spencer, Sean Lee, and Demarcus Ware better. What’s probably the most head-scratching of him being fired is that he still managed to have a defense produce even with the amount of injuries they sustained. Forgotten in the buzz of the Rob Ryan hire was the addition of Stan Kwan, who brings 22 years of coaching experience to the table, and most recently had a stint with the Buffalo Bills for several seasons. We haven’t long forgotten the meltdown we suffered in New York at the hands of the Giants.
2/14 – Saints re-sign TE Michael Higgins, S Rafael Bush, & G Eric Olsen
Quietly good moves for the Saints. ‘Faux Reggie’ Bush filled in fairly well, given the situation. Bush, 25, proved that he was a nice fill-in (given the situation), and comes at a price tag of $550K. I look for his role to continue to develop this season, and could be a nice little gem for us down the road, if anything, in the special team game. Higgins was also signed for a $550K price tag. He brings depth, and at 25, his role may not be heavy, but in run blocking, could see more time. Olsen, 24, signed a 1-year deal worth $555K. He was signed originally in January of 2012, and saw some action with injuries to regular starters.
2/15 – Saints restructure contract of LB Curtis Lofton
No doubt, this was a sign of things to come, as Lofton was officially the first part of the equation. Lofton was due $7.1M, but the Saints got Lofton to $3.1M this year, with a $5M Signing Bonus that is pro-rated over the remainder of his contract.
2/19 – Saints waive CB Johnny Patrick (Claimed by San Diego), and terminate contract of TE David Thomas
My take is simple on this one. Patrick was due to be a huge presence in as our Nickel corner, but injuries plagued him, and ultimately led to his undoing. As far as David Thomas, no one could say he would be ruled out of a return. However, the Saints could be looking in the draft (later rounds) to pick up a TE. Releasing Thomas saved the Saints $1.7M in cap space, and Patrick freed up about $469K.
2/25 – Saints name Wesley McGriff as Secondary Coach
McGriff spent his time at Ole Miss last season, and served as a co-defensive coordinator & cornerbacks coach. McGriff is a veteran in the college system, and for those who forget, Ole Miss went from being 2-10 in 2011 to 7-6 in 2012. McGriff is also known for developing secondary talent like Sam Shields, Kenny Phillips, Yeremiah Bell, and Brandon Harris. Perhaps the most overlooked thing of this entire equation? McGriff was a Top 25 Recruiter for Ole Miss.
2/27 – Saints restructure contracts of G Ben Grubbs, LB David Hawthorne, & G Jahri Evans
The moves help tremendously, as it will help the Saints get down below the cap, which is something they desperately needed. Evans went from $7.2M against the cap to $3.04M against the cap, which freed up $3.12M. Hawthorne went from $4.76M to $2.51M, saving the Saints $2.05M. Grubbs base dropped from $5.2M to $1.2M against the cap, saving us $3M in the long run. The payoff was Grubbs was handed a $4M signing bonus up front.
3/4 – Saints restructure contract of DL Brodrick Bunkley
This move saves the Saints more cap space, as Bunkley went from $4.7M against the cap to $2.5M against the cap. This is a smart move for Bunkley, and while a lot of skeptics do not think it’s a smart move, he will likely be the starting NT in the Saints 3-4 scheme. The move estimates the Saints to now be under $2.9M over the Salary Cap.
1/22 – Sean Payton is reinstated by the NFL
Coach is back! Enough said.
1/24 – Saints fire DC Steve Spagnoulo, and Secondary Coach Ken Flajole
A move that many didn’t see coming. Sure, we knew the D was bad, and well, terrible. Let’s call it for what it was. However, some optimists thought that the return of Coach Payton would be a good thing for Spagnoulo, however, an earlier report of the locker room fiasco and Spags control could have played a factor. As far as Mr. Flajole’s departure? Worst secondary, you do the math.
2/10 – Saints hire DC Rob Ryan, and Stan Kwan as Asst Special Teams Coach
The Saints got their man, as they quickly announced that they would swap to 3-4 after Payton was brought back in to the mix. Ryan brings a certain fire to him, for lack of better phrase, and while he was not the most popular choice with Who Dat Nation, I personally trust in Coach. Ryan was cut loose because of his ‘lack of turnovers’, but there is no arguing what he did for a terrible Dallas defense before he took over. He made guys like Anthony Spencer, Sean Lee, and Demarcus Ware better. What’s probably the most head-scratching of him being fired is that he still managed to have a defense produce even with the amount of injuries they sustained. Forgotten in the buzz of the Rob Ryan hire was the addition of Stan Kwan, who brings 22 years of coaching experience to the table, and most recently had a stint with the Buffalo Bills for several seasons. We haven’t long forgotten the meltdown we suffered in New York at the hands of the Giants.
2/14 – Saints re-sign TE Michael Higgins, S Rafael Bush, & G Eric Olsen
Quietly good moves for the Saints. ‘Faux Reggie’ Bush filled in fairly well, given the situation. Bush, 25, proved that he was a nice fill-in (given the situation), and comes at a price tag of $550K. I look for his role to continue to develop this season, and could be a nice little gem for us down the road, if anything, in the special team game. Higgins was also signed for a $550K price tag. He brings depth, and at 25, his role may not be heavy, but in run blocking, could see more time. Olsen, 24, signed a 1-year deal worth $555K. He was signed originally in January of 2012, and saw some action with injuries to regular starters.
2/15 – Saints restructure contract of LB Curtis Lofton
No doubt, this was a sign of things to come, as Lofton was officially the first part of the equation. Lofton was due $7.1M, but the Saints got Lofton to $3.1M this year, with a $5M Signing Bonus that is pro-rated over the remainder of his contract.
2/19 – Saints waive CB Johnny Patrick (Claimed by San Diego), and terminate contract of TE David Thomas
My take is simple on this one. Patrick was due to be a huge presence in as our Nickel corner, but injuries plagued him, and ultimately led to his undoing. As far as David Thomas, no one could say he would be ruled out of a return. However, the Saints could be looking in the draft (later rounds) to pick up a TE. Releasing Thomas saved the Saints $1.7M in cap space, and Patrick freed up about $469K.
2/25 – Saints name Wesley McGriff as Secondary Coach
McGriff spent his time at Ole Miss last season, and served as a co-defensive coordinator & cornerbacks coach. McGriff is a veteran in the college system, and for those who forget, Ole Miss went from being 2-10 in 2011 to 7-6 in 2012. McGriff is also known for developing secondary talent like Sam Shields, Kenny Phillips, Yeremiah Bell, and Brandon Harris. Perhaps the most overlooked thing of this entire equation? McGriff was a Top 25 Recruiter for Ole Miss.
2/27 – Saints restructure contracts of G Ben Grubbs, LB David Hawthorne, & G Jahri Evans
The moves help tremendously, as it will help the Saints get down below the cap, which is something they desperately needed. Evans went from $7.2M against the cap to $3.04M against the cap, which freed up $3.12M. Hawthorne went from $4.76M to $2.51M, saving the Saints $2.05M. Grubbs base dropped from $5.2M to $1.2M against the cap, saving us $3M in the long run. The payoff was Grubbs was handed a $4M signing bonus up front.
3/4 – Saints restructure contract of DL Brodrick Bunkley
This move saves the Saints more cap space, as Bunkley went from $4.7M against the cap to $2.5M against the cap. This is a smart move for Bunkley, and while a lot of skeptics do not think it’s a smart move, he will likely be the starting NT in the Saints 3-4 scheme. The move estimates the Saints to now be under $2.9M over the Salary Cap.
Saints 2013 Current Unrestricted Free Agents
Jermon Bushrod OT
Devery Henderson WR
Chase Daniel QB
Courtney Roby WR/ST
William Robinson OT
Sedrick Ellis DT
Scott Shanle LB
Jonathan Casillas LB
Turk McBride DE
Elbert Mack DB
Saints 2013 Current Restricted Free Agents
Chris Ivory RB
Brian de la Puente C
Junior Gallette DE/OLB
Justin Drescher LS
Jermon Bushrod OT
Devery Henderson WR
Chase Daniel QB
Courtney Roby WR/ST
William Robinson OT
Sedrick Ellis DT
Scott Shanle LB
Jonathan Casillas LB
Turk McBride DE
Elbert Mack DB
Saints 2013 Current Restricted Free Agents
Chris Ivory RB
Brian de la Puente C
Junior Gallette DE/OLB
Justin Drescher LS
Saints 2013 Largest Culprits of Salary Cap
Drew Brees $17.4M
Will Smith $14.5M
Jahri Evans $9.9M ****Restructured****
Jonathan Vilma $8.6M
Ben Grubbs $7.3M ****Restructured****
Roman Harper $7.15M
Marques Colston $6.6M
Jabari Greer $5.5M
Drew Brees $17.4M
Will Smith $14.5M
Jahri Evans $9.9M ****Restructured****
Jonathan Vilma $8.6M
Ben Grubbs $7.3M ****Restructured****
Roman Harper $7.15M
Marques Colston $6.6M
Jabari Greer $5.5M
In summary, the offseason MVP Award goes to Mickey Loomis. He has been such a key mastermind in crunching the numbers in the Saints favor. Many aren’t aware likely, and not everyone sees the behinds the scene action that a GM really does. There are rumors that Colston was near a restructure, and Brees was open to the concept of restructuring. The Saints want to keep Vilma & Will Smith, but not nearly enough at the price tags they are currently at. There’s not much buzz around Roman Harper & Jabari Greer in terms of a revised deal, but my guess is they could be on a short end of the stick if they don’t wish to restructure.
In terms of the FAs I believe we can’t afford to lose? Well, let me just put it a different way. Scott Shanle is humble, and knows that his future with the Saints is likely non-existent. We appreciate the services he brought to the table, but it appears as though we’ve seen the last of him. Devery Henderson (Old Man) has seen a lack of production, and with Moore/Colston set to be the top duo, guys like Nick Toon & Andy Tanner likely to be in the mix for 2013, and a more seasoned Joe Morgan in the mix….Devery will likely be the odd man out. Sedrick Ellis, well, he’s been a bust. You can insert your typical USC references here, but he has never lived up to any hype, especially where we drafted him at, and what we paid for his services. Turk McBride didn’t exactly put up any flashy stats whatsoever, 6 tackles to be exact and a pass defense. I would say his stay is going to depend on what Rob Ryan sees, and if McBride wants to settle for a small contract.
There are rumors swirling that the Bears may be targeting the likes of Brian de la Puente & Jermon Bushrod. Make no mistake that I fully believe that Loomis is working hard to keep Bushrod, otherwise we will see an O-Lineman at our #15 Pick in the Draft. Bushrod has been a Pro-Bowler, and a solid staple in the Saints O-Line. Replacing him is something I’d rather not do, and some say that they wouldn’t mind that. However, here’s what I pose to you….do you really want to deal with a Rookie or not as experienced player protecting Drew Brees, the franchise QB? Aside from de la Puente, Chris Ivory has been a very hot topic of teams that are in need of a RB. Ivory wants more of a role, and will likely get offers from a few teams. Among the UFA that the Saints have, the ones I’d love to see back in 2013 are Elbert Mack, Courtney Roby (for obvious reasons), Jonathan Casillas (because in a 3-4 scheme, you need LBs), Chase Daniel (NOT DANIELS PEOPLE), and William Robinson (for depth).
In terms of the FAs I believe we can’t afford to lose? Well, let me just put it a different way. Scott Shanle is humble, and knows that his future with the Saints is likely non-existent. We appreciate the services he brought to the table, but it appears as though we’ve seen the last of him. Devery Henderson (Old Man) has seen a lack of production, and with Moore/Colston set to be the top duo, guys like Nick Toon & Andy Tanner likely to be in the mix for 2013, and a more seasoned Joe Morgan in the mix….Devery will likely be the odd man out. Sedrick Ellis, well, he’s been a bust. You can insert your typical USC references here, but he has never lived up to any hype, especially where we drafted him at, and what we paid for his services. Turk McBride didn’t exactly put up any flashy stats whatsoever, 6 tackles to be exact and a pass defense. I would say his stay is going to depend on what Rob Ryan sees, and if McBride wants to settle for a small contract.
There are rumors swirling that the Bears may be targeting the likes of Brian de la Puente & Jermon Bushrod. Make no mistake that I fully believe that Loomis is working hard to keep Bushrod, otherwise we will see an O-Lineman at our #15 Pick in the Draft. Bushrod has been a Pro-Bowler, and a solid staple in the Saints O-Line. Replacing him is something I’d rather not do, and some say that they wouldn’t mind that. However, here’s what I pose to you….do you really want to deal with a Rookie or not as experienced player protecting Drew Brees, the franchise QB? Aside from de la Puente, Chris Ivory has been a very hot topic of teams that are in need of a RB. Ivory wants more of a role, and will likely get offers from a few teams. Among the UFA that the Saints have, the ones I’d love to see back in 2013 are Elbert Mack, Courtney Roby (for obvious reasons), Jonathan Casillas (because in a 3-4 scheme, you need LBs), Chase Daniel (NOT DANIELS PEOPLE), and William Robinson (for depth).
March 12th is just around the corner, and it will be a very interesting day!
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