Will Smith & Jonathan Vilma could potentially be released
 

The scary thing about how bad the Saints' defense has been the last two years is the looming fear that it's two most vocal leaders and players of most value, Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma, could be gone. It's not being talked about because Drew Brees' contract is completely consuming the media/fans and rightfully so. But the Saints are going to be tight up against the cap once Brees is re-signed and the Saints attempt to retain both Carl Nicks and Marques Colston. It seems most people out there are slowly coming to terms with the idea that one of two, between Nicks and Colston, could easily not return to the Saints. If the Saints have any shot of keeping all three though (Brees/Nicks/Colston) it's going to take money to pull it off. Even if one leaves, revamping the roster will come at a cost and the money that would be freed up by releasing both Smith and Vilma is substantial. The other and perhaps more palatable option is whether the Saints can restructure their two contracts to free up space, which would keep them in New Orleans. Lastly, they could just keep paying the two vets' contracts, but I have to

Saints Nation: Could Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma be Released?

Good read!!!

Not only are they fantastic football players when their bodies are right, they're also captains and they've created the soul and fabric of the locker room. Missing those two personalities on the roster would be as difficult as it is stupid. But, at the end of the day, the NFL is a business.





Could be released, and maybe resign ?

i think they restructure. At this point in their careers they are not going to get more anywhere else.

If Vilma does go then Dunbar could step in and take the MLB spot, the only thing that would be missing would be Vilma's leadership and that's key, however I haven't seen it work very well for the past two years ( GW's fault?)

Personally, I'm not sold on Dunbar yet. For some reason he reminds me of Usama Young.jmho

there's rebuilding, and there's stupidity
our defense is better with Vilma on the field, period

Smith is good, but not $8 million good

It would not hurt my feelings if both left, their leadership not only comes from the locker room but also on the field of play, their field of play is where I have the problem with, for 2 years I've watched Vilma decline and Smith has lost a step the difference between a great DE and Smith is 1 step, I don't think he has it in him anymore. We can replace them, it would not be the end of the world.

I think we're going to see some surprises this offseason and a lot more players replaced than what we're thinking right now. As for myself, I could see moving Jenkins to SS, Quddus to FS, trading Harper and drafting another S. I could also see us trading Will Smith as he is under contract as well as trading Vilma if either or both refuse to re-negotiate. I could also see Sed Ellis replaced as well as shanle, Cassillias and Dunbar. I think there's gonna be a lot of shake up to come.

How many times does someone have to tell you that trading Harper is a 17 MILLION CAP HIT?

Do you freaking honestly think they'll give up 17 million in 2012 cap space just to get rid of Harper in lieu of keeping him ?

Freaking REALLY DUDE? :bang:

2012 CAP RAMIFICATIONS...
KEEP HARPER = 3.6 MILLION
TRADE HARPER = 17 MILLION

Do you just not understand what the salary cap is all about?

Absolutely, lets do it! He did always seem like the best tackler in the secondary.

Vilma has increasingly been nursing the naggs that come with age and his leverage looks to be waning. I don't think that gets better, but only worse. Smith just looked average this past season - not at all like 8 million.
I think the defense will look much different than it did last season.
A front four overhaul would do wonders for our linebacker corp and DB's.
Maybe new leadership is the order of the day.
Maybe not.
Our new DC will have to make some decisions and this is not his first rodeo.
Some people will be gone, but that's the game.
Hopefully the replacements get the job done.
Once again, D will be key.

Move him to a positin he's never played? And to a position currently manned by a 2 time pro-bowler?

C'mon Fin...Really?

BTW: He's hardly the best tackler in our secondary.

I'm all for them getting rid of Smith, now Vilma let's see if he would restructure and if not then cut him too. This might be the only way to keep the offense together so I'm all for it

Reports say Vilma and Spagnuolo are getting along great. Don't see him going anywhere even if he don't restructure based off that.

I'm actually kind of hurt you thought I was being serious. :-(


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_d97qvCicuE...ae115095f9.jpg


My point exactly.

I see standing pat with most of the players we have, with a few free-agents Spags prefers sprinkled in.

After a season of evaluation, and some breathing room under the cap, I see big changes coming in 2013.

DOH!!!

http://www.charlieglickman.com/wp-co.../homer_doh.png

The Saints only netted what appears to be a seventh round pick for Bush. I doubt Vilma and Smith have much value.

Why has Harper become the new Bush? I don't understand the Harper hate.

Greer is best tackler in secondary. No competition. Most underrated CB in the game.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_le...0efko1_400.jpg

He needs to kiss butt after the way he has played for the last 2 years, I bet he's not the only one kissing tail. Probably a room full puckered up. The old saying " if you can't dazzle them with excellence, baffle them with bull s__t."

I think he played well in the 2010 season, it wasn't until late in the season when he got injured and his proficiency on the field dropped - the stats back this up.

I was going to ask the same thing about Vilma

restructure? he's getting below average money now

I don't know about that... his base salary is above f.e. these guys:


James Harrison
Ray Lewis
DeMarcus Ware


...and others.

He is actually in the upper tier of salaries when it comes to starting MLBs around the league.

Speaking of stats in 2010 is his production near any of these guys. And 2011 also.

True, but those deals are loaded front end so the base salary is lower. Harrison got 10 million signing bonus, Lewis averages 7.5m a year in this contract, and Ware restructured last year and got more upfront.

I'm not disagreeing with you; I'm just saying that Vilma is not overpaid and would probably laugh if asked to restructure

No, it isn't. He's been playing hurt so that helps explain it, but on the other hand at his age and with his chronic knee problem will he ever return to 2009 form?

Good teams let players go about a year before its too late.

You're right, and I don't think Vilma was overpaid when he was given this contract. In fact, he probably was very fairly valued by the $6.8M average annual salary, which is about what SF gave to Brooks yesterday.

And the production comparisons between those examples I gave and Vilma wouldn't be that useful since only Lewis plays the same position as Vilma.

I think Urlacher has the highest average salary of all the LBs with $11.3M/year, Vilma fits just inside the top 100 (of all players in the NFL) with his $6.8M/year. The closest comparable guy is A.J. Hawk with $6.75M/year, which shows that the Saints would definitely not be overpaying him if he could play on the level he did before his injuries.

Vilma would probably restructure if he felt like he couldn't be a starter anymore because of his knees, but then again, I would think he would just decide to retire if that was the case.

How does trading Harper cost us 17 mil., the team you trade him to takes over his contract.

Signing bonus and guaranteed money, spread out over the life of the contract, counts immediately against the cap if the player is cut or traded.

He still has 17 million due in signing bonus and guaranteed money. If we cut/trade him that entire amount counts against our 2012 cap.

The other team will only pick up his yearly salary, but we get stuck with all the bonus money.

which is why trying to circumvent the cap with front end bonuses can bite tyou in the @ss when trying to get rid of a player later

Those are player protection dollars. If we agree to a lower salary so that you can free up available money for other guys, I'm OK with it as long as I know I will get my guaranteed money - cut or trade. The team benefitted up front and the player is protected at the back-end. Reggie had $11 million taken right off the table. Players don't like that at all, and I don't blame them.