New Orleans Saints Carl Nicks realistic about odds of returning next season
 

Indianapolis -- New Orleans Saints guard Carl Nicks said he would love to stay in New Orleans next season, but he remains unsure whether the team will be able to re-sign him along with fellow free agents Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Tracy Porter and others. Nicks said it's "disheartening" that the Saints haven't made a strong push to re-sign him yet.

"They never talked to me at all about it really (last season), which I thought was kind of weird. But I talked to (General Manager Mickey Loomis) the last day before exit meetings, and he said they were going to do their best to try to keep me. So that's the gist of contract talks," said Nicks, who is expected to command a salary of more than $8 million per year as one of the NFL's marquee free agents.

"I would love to stay, but it's also a good feeling to be wanted. So hopefully a lot of teams want me, but I would love to stay," said Nicks, who joined the rest of the Saints' starting linemen at the Super Bowl on Wednesday to accept the Prilosec OTC Madden Protectors Award for the second time in three years.

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Well Carl, it's early in the off season and Drew is priority #1... and the pieces fall in place after that. Sit back and enjoy the your time off and let your agents take care of the rest... that's what you pay them for. You're not going anywhere.

I agree. I know the Saints probably won't say it, but I think they want Nicks to resign a lot more than they need Colston to.

Both he and Colston would be big losses, need to cut elsewhere and make room for both.

Only Brees and Nicks are definite signings out the UFAs - the rest are expendable, as sad as it is to say so.

Without Nicks the O-line chemisty changes, without Colston the chemisty changes. I would really like to keep both of these guys both are proven and vital to Brees chemisty, I don't want to mess up a good thing. I also remember Colston back on the field just a few weeks after a broken bone, just saying!!

hate to say it but i wouldnt have my feelings hurt if we let vilma go. you could pay nicks with his salary and a healthy dunbar is better than a hurting vilma.

Nicks gets it...I think he will be here next year. Colston I feel is the one on the bubble.

Unfortunately I think the Nicks-to-Cowboys rumor has some strength to it...Jerry Jones is just the sort of GM who would think that throwing money at Carl Nicks and his Super Bowl ring, would magically somehow turn Tony Romo into Drew Brees in the pocket and solve ALL their problems....that's just how he thinks...don't want to see it happen, just sayin' I think Jerry Jones is gonna throw some crazy money at Nicks

I would hate to see Nicks go and as a consequence, find out that De La Puente isn't nearly as good without being protected by the guards.

We then have TWO huge problems with the o-line.

Not saying that De La P cannot do the job but do you want to risk it?

That is a good point about the center being sandwiched between 2 pro bowl guards. Truly don't think they will let Drew's protection go unless they have something up their sleeve. The point about Jerry Jones is a good one he seems to get what he wants. I still think the Saints front office realizes Drew's success is in large part to the fact he has time behind the line.

Signing Drew is a given. I will say that I would be extremely disappointed and shocked if we didn't keep Nicks too.

Someone else said it in this or some other thread and I agree 100%. The last thing we need is to mess with the o-line. I'd be willing to give up Colston and Vilma if that's what we had to do, as much as I'd hate it.

We HAVE to keep Nicks!

At 6'4" and 305lbs is Eric Olsen G/C a camp body or is he another diamond in the rough? A ND product drafted by the Broncos in the late rounds later picked up by the Skins, then Saints.

Well, we all saw how important O-Line depth is this past season with the release of Stinchcomb, the problems with Kreutz, and the injuries to both Strief and Brown at RT.

So, I'd say a camp body with a possibility of being used to create more depth, but definitely not a Nicks replacement.

Fin; I just remember Nicks was a 5th round pick and as a rookie in 2008 took the place of Jamar Nesbit and the rest is history.

The reason I brought up Olsen is I don't watch ND football and have no opine on his abilities...just as with Nicks in 2008...as I don't watch Nebraska football either. I guess I am a SEC fan! :)

One thing for sure...competition at C/G in 2012 with BDLP, Tennent, and Olsen.

kreutz blew goats and he was in between two pro bowl guards.

Our All-Pro G and QB both played for teams that are currently in the Big 10. Guess I'll keep watching some of these non SEC games.

I don't like playing Monday Morning GM. I'll wait and see what the real Gm is going to do. It's all speculation anyway.

It's true what you said about Nicks, and I don't watch any college football, so my knowledge is even more unreliable in that sense.

But the reason I don't see this Olsen guy stepping up to fill Nicks' jockstrap is because he wasn't drafted by the Saints, he has been around for awhile, been tossed between teams, and stepping up for Nesbit was quite a lot easier than replacing a guard of Nicks' caliber.

Nicks is excellent in both pass protection and run blocking and he has made great developmental steps forward in both categories within the past 2 seasons - as was stated by his fellow guard Evans - and, therefore, it would be incredibly difficult to replace him with a guy who hasn't even been able to secure a roster spot earlier.

Fin, I understand your point and concur to a point. I only am reflective of Collins and BLDP ( among others who were not drafted by the Saints and have contributed significantly) circumstances.