Still confident in the FO?
 

Outside of the lockout this has been the most unnerving year for me as a fan Since Mickey Loomis and gang arrived on the scene.

The question is do you have as much faith in them making the right decisions as you have in years past? Have they done anything this year that makes you scratch your head more than you usually do? We all know how secretive they are.

Nope, every year people panic because transactions aren't done on their time schedule.

Mickey has never given me any reason to doubt their capabilities. This year is no different.

In fact, I'd have been disappointed if a Brees/Nicks/Colston deal was already done.

Its a business and 99% of all fans are on the players side. Thats a recipe for disaster.

The only times I've been disappointed in their work during the recent years was probably the money they gave to certain players in their new contract - Smith, Evans, and Harper - but not the players themselves. Especially, by giving Evans the contract he got, it gave a precedent for Nicks to also demand a lot of money.

But it might be that those were the best contracts they were able to get done at the given time, so it could've also been worse I guess.

The current situation hasn't unnerved me at all.

BREES TRADED TO MIAMI!
In a surprise move spearheaded by Atlanta head coach Mike Smith, Drew Brees was traded to the Miami Dolphins. Details of the trade include Miami obtaining the second draft choice from the St. Louis Rams which would then go to the Saints, as well as their first round draft choice from 2013. They also offered New Orleans their 2014 and 2015 first round picks if the Saints would take Henne. Apparently New Orleans refused that portion of the offer. To sweeten the pot the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are also including their 2012 first round draft picks as well. Mike Smith was quoted as saying, “ Our offense can’t beat them, our defense can’t beat them so we thought we’d see if maybe our front office could.

I still do as long as Loomis keeps turning down Henne. Ha ha, happy Leap Day y'all!

What people here need to realize is that there are two parties involved in these negotiations, not just the front office. The players' agent is just as key. One thing to consider is that Brees and Nicks are both represented by the same agency. They know that Brees isn't going anywhere and that a long term deal will be made with the Saints for his services whether he initially gets tagged or not. They also know that it would be far less likely that Nicks would get a long term deal this year if he gets the tag. Therefore, it is to their advantage to force the Saints to use the tag on Brees, thus forcing the Saints to either give in to their demands on a deal with Nicks or letting him go to the open market.

My thoughts are that Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Brees' and Nicks' representatives, have highballed the Saints with a deal that they cannot make to force their hand with the franchise tag.

I put zero blame on Loomis here. Welcome to the 21st century and greedy agents.

"I put zero blame on Loomis here. Welcome to the 21st century and greedy agents."
And players. I will never side with a player when it comes to money.
None of these players are worth the money they make. 80% of them would be pushing drugs or in jail if was not for football. 90% will be dead broke after football.

I need disagree to a point here. Based upon the short period of time these players are viable the pay is usually warranted. Do not forget that the average player will earn over 90% of his lifetime income during a career that only lasts on average around three years. Top actors and other entertainers get paid far more than the highest paid NFL players and their viability can last many decades longer on average. Many corporate heads get paid more annually than the highest paid NFL players earn in their entire careers.

I feel the player earns whatever it is that he gets paid, but it is the agent that presses the issue to the extreme.

Truer words never spoken.

This got me thinking...

Condon probably knows the Saints ideally would like to sign Brees then franchise either Nicks/Colston.

So the agent has the leverage in this case and only benefits by dragging it out.

With Condon repping both Brees and Nicks, I can see him wanting to pressure Loomis all the way up to the franchise deadline.

im sure its mostly condons fault but at the same time, if i were loomis I would have gotten the deal done before brees' resume grew. He should have done this mid season before he had the best season a qb could ever have when they started this discussion. sloppy on loomis's fault. i cant see this ending the way we all want. brees' contract is a given...the other ones may end up walking

We're up against the deadlines but let's wait to see what exactly happens. It's like people freaking out because we lose a preseason game!

Exactly. When is the last time loomis didnt negotiate to the last minute. Its part of what makes him one of the best gms in the league. His job is to get the best deal possible for both sides.

I agree that we as fans get bent outta shape when deals are not getting done. None of us here (at least I think so) are billionaires. We look at these signings as if we were paying a guy to pour a patio; just write a check. I really don't think any of us fully understand what goes into signing a player.

The last time this organization did a "Just do it" type of action was Ricky Williams. I am not in any kind of way comparing Drew to Ricky as far as performance or anything like that, so no need to bash me. I am giving an example of what a "Knee Jerk" reaction results in.

I have no reason to doubt the FO right now. Now if we don't sign Drew.... hate mail we be sent out by the droves.

I don't see how one can blame the agent for being a good agent.
Last years deals were all worked based on that time and place.
These will all be shaped in the current space.
Benson knows he doesn't want me making his money decisions, he'd be broke.
However it shakes out, I'm confident that Loomis & Co. will put their best foot forward.
How the players accept/reject/counter or move-on will all be market/cap driven.
I just hope our offensive product is not diminished and the defense is much
improved starting with the front-four. That will take more money.

We will know shortly.

I hadn't thought about the Condon factor. Of course he'll draw this out. Brees is the only one in the equation who can directly affect the decision. I just wish he had spoken up by now and just say make me an offer I've gotta' have Nicks and I want Colston too.

If free agency begins and Brees, Nicks & Colston aren't signed, then I'll say yes to your question. Let's see what happens over the weekend first.

Blame is not the correct word....this is business. It is not the "fault" of anyone there are alot of cogs in the machine. Do lawyers and agents make it more complicated ....yes. Do some teams make it more difficult....yes as well as do some of the player's. It is the agent's job to make more money for his player and himself. It is the admin of the team's responsibility to make more profit. As fans we all have our favorites and our wishes. I can tell you I would run the team differently as a businessman than I would as a fan. Behind closed doors there is alot of jockeying going on. At the end of the day my wish is for us to keep Brees, Colston and Nicks, is it going to happen, I doubt it. Loomis and the gang have done an excellent job of finding gems in the rough and I have no reason to doubt they will continue.