Howard signs tender
 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=st&type=lgns

DE Howard signs one-year franchise tender with Saints

METAIRIE, Louisiana (Ticker) - Defensive end Darren Howard on Tuesday signed the one-year contract tendered by the New Orleans Saints as the team's franchise player.
By designating Howard as a franchise player in February, the Saints were obligated to pay him the average of the five highest-paid defensive ends - a salary of $6.5 million in 2004. (...)

Howard signs tender
 

Well, that is good news... no matter how you slice it up. Of course, it is just a one year contract - boo, I say.

Howard signs tender
 

Yeah, this worries me some. The fact that they couldn\'t get a deal done despite trying for a long time and now they draft another DE. I do not like the idea of losing Howard but a lot of signs point to that after this season. I don\'t like it one bit.

Howard signs tender
 

Not good. Not good at all.

Howard signs tender
 

They are paying him a lot of money though. Maybe that\'ll make it a bit harder to deal him? <crosses fingers>

Howard signs tender
 

Deal him this season? Yes. But when the season ends he\'s fair game once again. He can go wherever he wants and I don\'t think we get anything... does anyone know? Does he stay protected after a year as a franchise player?

Howard signs tender
 

Not unless they exercise the tag on him again next year.

Howard signs tender
 

I think the Saints knew all along that a long term deal was not looking too good thus the #1 pick....Now we all know the truth as to why a DE with our #1. As I mentioned in another post \"looks like we\'ll allow another quality player to walk away during the prime of his career. This SUCKS!

Howard signs tender
 

The only comfort I\'m going to take in this news depends on whether we are willing to slap the franchise tag back on him at the end of the season. This isn\'t a good sign. The part that will really chap me is if Haz and friends end up letting Howard walk and getting nothing for him.

Howard has just moved up into the #1 spot for the new locker room cancer. :casstet:

Howard signs tender
 

coastalkid,

<As one of the cornerstones of the Saints\' emerging defense, Howard has made a major impact since being selected 33rd overall in the 2000 NFL Draft.>

Here is a first round choice that we are playing games with...comments here regarding Smith. The Saints organization is supposed to be building for the future while they allow the future to walk out the door. INSANITY.