The timing is bad here. With the salary cap staying the same as it was in 2011 the only way to keep the team together is to keep your big name guys and purge the rest of your roster of over paid veterans like Will Smith and D.Henderson or get the big three to structure their contracts in such a way as to defer a lot of money to the back end of their contracts. The cap goes up in 2013 and again in 2014. I can see Brees and Colston doing something like that but I think Nicks is going to be less likely to be as emotionally invested in the team. The answer there is the franchise tag.

Guaranteed money in the form of signing bonuses can be a killer but if you can substitute roster bonuses, work out bonuses and other tools that a creative guy like Loomis has at his disposal you can do it. Injury concerns play into whether or not a player is willing to go that route though.

Time for Micky to do his thing.

It will be interesting to see what happens to Tracy Porter

First year with GW - Porter and Greer combined only allowed one TD pass against them - Roddy white pushing greer to the ground on obvious offensive PI

Since then... Porter has not been aggressive, he never fights for the ball, he struggles in one on one coverage which is very strange because he was awesome in 2009 at that.

Will be interesting to see if he could excel in Spags D, but Porters also scared to tackle, Spags wants tough, hard nosed, sit you on the ground kind of D.
If Tracy doesn't show he's willing to play that way, Pat Robinson is a good replacement, Plus Johnny Patrick showed us something late in the season - solid tackler

Not sure who, but several of the 53 will not be back in 2012. What rings in my ears is Loomis has stated on numerous occasions that he expects approx 20% player turnover year to year!

According to Payton, coaches took off last week and were to begin player and coach evaluations this week. Spags comes in next Monday...sure they will hold off on the D side of the ball until he arrives.

With their salaries, I would be glancing over my shoulder if I were Will Smith, Ellis, and Vilma (combined total of approx $20mm in salary).

On the O side of the ball, IMHO Drew wants continuity. No discount on his contract. Everything will be done to keep Nicks and Colston. Meach?

Nothing against Nicks, but maybe we can find a much less expensive option to help us out. Our team has been doing wonders with young linemen. Maybe Tennant could step up and play center and DLP move to guard?

Deep down inside, I understand what you're getting at. I've always had the moniker that interior lineman are easier to replace. Plenty of quality and elite interior lineman are found in the middle to late rounds of the draft. Prime example... our interior line.

Make no mistake about it though... I want him to stay, even if only on the 1 year tag. We have a excellent 3 year window to rack up another championship(or two), it's not a time to be cheap... and we aren't.

Its time the Saints act like Pittsburgh, Philly and New England ... drop the dead expensive weight of players that aren't performing up to their contracts (W Smith, Vilma) so the team can improve and move forward

Papz; anything the Saints do to protect its significant asset (Brees) and keep him upright...I am all for it. IMHO, that means NICKS.

Resign, Brees, nicks and Colston

Get rid of Shanle, Will smith, Possibly Sed ellis unless there are no other DT's available and free up some cap room that way

I won't miss Will Smith........Vilma, oh I'll miss him a lot.

A few musings!

IMHO, Ellis? I did not see a "significant" (operative word here) drop-off with Tom Johnson or possibiliy Mitch King!

With Dunbar and Humber, I also did not see a "significant" drop-off from Vilma (albeit he was injured).

Personally, I have had enough of Shanle. His worth has run (no pun intended) it course...IMHO.

Smith? McBride. Galette, Romeus, Jordan...sorry but again do not see a "significant" drop-off.

To me the bigger questions on D are; can Casillas stay healthy for a full season? Can Wilson pick up the new scheme of Spags? Herring, same as Casillas with regards to health? Bussey, is he ready for prime time?