Saints RB Thomas could sign new contract soon

The latest reports said that the New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas is near to a contract he has been asking for since beginning of the offseason. As a restricted free agent, he has yet to sign the tender offer from the Saints with the hope to get what matches his performance in last season.

Helping the Saints win their first Super Bowl title, Thomas is hoping for a multi-year contract instead of the one-year tender offer that may pay him only $1.68 million for 2010 season. As offensive guard Jahri Evans received a big seven-year contract from the clue last week, Thomas has been more optimistic about his own deal. Therefore, even though the team has not made their final decision, Thomas still put on his Saints jersey to participate in all the offseason workouts.

In the league, teams are always unwilling to pay high for running backs as it’s a risky move and they can always find replacement for current starters. In Saints case, they still have Reggie Bush even without Thomas. However, as they are willing to make Evans the highest-paid guard in the league, it is also possible for them to make big investment in Thomas. Stay tuned.

Saints safety Darren Sharper could miss offseason workouts

Although the New Orleans Saints Sean Payton did not make it clear when starting safety Darren Sharper would be available in his Saints jersey to participate in team’s offseason programs, some clues was there in Payton’s recently comments on the safety to indicate that Sharper might be held out until training camp.



According to Payton, Sharper is still working his way back into shape after undergoing a knee surgery that was originally reported to be arthroscopic surgery but later was said to be a microfracture procedure after he was signed back by the Saints. Payton said the team has been told by doctors that the rehab needs a longer time than expected and is currently somewhere in the middle, so it’s reasonable to expect Sharper to return by the time training camp. Before that, Sharper would have some proper workout on his own in preparation for hard training camp.

While talking about Sharper, it’s inevitable to mention a much younger safety Malcom Jenkins, who was formerly playing as cornerback but will be moved to safety this year. Payton said that Jenkins always learns quickly and his physical traits would make him a best backup at the position of safety.

Saints saved money in re-signing safety Sharper

Now we all know that veteran safety Darren Sharper will put on the No.12 New Orleans Saints jersey for one more season on a one-year contract. Well, some people said the Saints signed the veteran back because he is necessary to the team’s defense, but if so, why did not they put the franchise tag on Sharper earlier this offseason?




Placing a franchise tag on Sharper will also keep the safety with the Saints for another one year, but the cost would be $6.455 million, even higher than the $5 million Sharper previously asked for to match his performance in 2009 season. So the Saints actually saved as much as about $5 million by re-signing Sharper with a one-year contract worth about $1.5 million, 0.2 million less than the $1.7 million contract signed last offseason. The offer was made after Sharper received no big offer from other teams, so the Saints held the initiative to set the price, and they did not offer much.

The new contract also includes a $75,000 signing bonus and additional $1 million for roster bonus, which is usually avoided by teams before the due time. So, even though Sharpe managed to be selected to the Pro Bowl and had a league-high nine interceptions last season, his age and knee injury issue still prevented him from making more money.

Saints UFA safety Sharper is on the way to new team

Remaining an unrestricted free agent even a few days after the 2010 NFL draft ended the New Orleans Saints star safety Darren Sharper is not taking action to find a possible new team, among a few potential suitors like the Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys. Actually, Sharper is already having a plan to visit the Jaguars.

According to reports, there are not many teams having interests in Sharper, who is 35 years old, recovering from an offseason knee surgery, and had 71 tackles and 9 interceptions for the Saints last season. What makes it possible for him to go Jacksonville is that the Jaguars happened not to pick a safety in the three-day draft. There are also reports that the Dallas Cowboys are interested in adding an experienced veteran safety like Sharper, so the Dallas city could the next stop on Sharper’s travel for new team.




However, analysts have not ruled out the possibility of Sharper wearing back Saints jersey. After all, he had just played with the team for only one season and managed to earn a Super Bowl ring. The problem is Sharper is asking for a price that the Saints may not be willing to offer. If any side wants to keep the relationship, there would be a long-time contract negotiation.

The Saints stole CB Robinson from Vikings?

While previously many peopled expected the New Orleans Saints to add some new outside linebackers and defensive tackles in early draft with their late round picks. However, the Saints made somewhat surprising choice by firstly picking cornerback Patrick Robinson, who was believed to be a target of Minnesota Vikings.



The story went like this. With the 30th overall pick in hands, the Vikings had already planned to draft Robinson when the draft began on Thursday night. With belief that the Indianapolis Colts, Saints and St. Louis Rams had no interest in drafting a cornerback, the Vikings traded their first round pick to the Detroit Lions for second- and third-round picks. However, they were wrong in believing that other teams would follow their plans and the Saints drafted Robinson as their first choice in the draft. So the Vikings had to move back and use the 34th overall pick to draft the perhaps second best cornerback on board, Chris Cook in the second round.

However, such guess does not make much sense considering Vikings’ trade for late picks. If they were really targeting at Robinson, how could they take the risk of losing him to other teams with previous picks? On the other side, it makes much more sense if we consider the Saints’ need of a healthy cornerback. Saints veteran cornerbacks Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer and Randall Gay all have injury issues and missed much time last season because of injuries. To have younger and healthy backup put on Saints jerseys at the position is really a necessary move to the defending champion team.

Archie Manning does not mind being underachiever in family

Being the father of two current star quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, Archie Manning himself was also once a star quarterback with the New Orleans Saints but never made as great achievements as his sons’, to be exactly, winning a Super Bowl game with any team he used to play for.




As the No. 2 overall pick in the 1971 draft, Archie Manning spent eleven seasons of his NFL career with the Saints and the last two respectively with the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings, which was beaten by Archie’s home team Saints in the NFC championship competition game. The Saints won their first Super Bowl championship following the 2009 season with Drew Brees being the starting quarterback. Archie could feel regretful that it never happened during the years when he was the team’s starting quarterback. But people still remembered what he contributed to the team and shoed great respects for the former star quarterback in New Orleans. No. 8 throwback Archie Manning jersey could be seen here or there in celebrating crowds in No. 9 Drew Brees jersey.

By comparison, both Peyton and Eli were number one overall draft pick when they were entering NFL. Peyton led the Indianapolis Colts to a 29-17 Super Bowl XLI victory over the Chicago Bears in 2007 and Super Bowl XLIV appearance in 2010 against his father’s old team Saints, and Eli led the Giants to Super Bowl XLII win against the New England Patriots in 2008. Thus Archie Manning becomes the only former NFL quarterback without a Super Bowl ring, but that has never made Archie feel bad as he has never been considered to be less great than his sons. Actually he was a better college quarterback than either Peyton or Eli and is the greatest father ever in football world. When the Saints were going to play against the Colts for a Super Bowl title, he did not hesitate to show support for his son instead of his old team, and when the Saints won the historic game, he was just as happy as any true Saints fans.