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Right tackle Zach Strief agrees to re-sign with #saints for 5 years, team announces

rvargas@theadvocate.com

After spending almost a week as an unrestricted free agent, right tackle Zach Strief has agreed to re-sign with the Saints, for whom he’s played his entire eight-year career, the team announced Monday.

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Strief did not visit any other teams prior to agreeing to a new deal with New Orleans, which is for five years. Terms were not immediately disclosed.

Strief has all along wanted to remain with the Saints, and the team hoped to keep him, according to his agent, Ralph Cindrich. But New Orleans was “not in a position to make an offer” as free agency began on Tuesday, Cindrich has said.

The Saints’ front office has since been able to change that. Aside from re-signing Strief, they’ve extended running back Pierre Thomas’ contract by two years, successfully pursued marquee free-agent safety Jairus Byrd and traded running back Darren Sproles to Philadelphia for a draft pick, among other decisions.

New Orleans will feel that it can scratch off one of the top items on its to-do list this offseason after re-signing Strief. He was one of the Saints’ offensive captains, and he was one of their top locker-room leaders. A seventh round draft pick for New Orleans in 2006, he’s started 42 games for the Black and Gold, including the playoffs. Head coach Sean Payton inserted him into the starting lineup three seasons ago, two campaigns after the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV.

With Strief as a starter, the Saints have gone to the divisional round of the playoffs twice and won the NFC South once.

The website Pro Football Focus gave him and future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees the highest overall ratings for Saints players in 2013.

After surrendering just three sacks and four quarterback hits on one of the most pass-heavy offenses in the NFL, Pro Football Focus also gave Strief the seventh highest rating among tackles in the league. He was the top performer on an offensive line that featured two guards — Ben Grubbs and Jahri Evans — that were selected to January’s Pro Bowl.

Strief earned a base salary of $2.23 million in 2013. At the end of the season, he expressed his desire to rejoin New Orleans for what he called his “last opportunity to sign a contract in this league.”

“Obviously, this organization has been a big part of my life,” Strief said in January. “I feel like I’ve been a part of the success here, and I don’t want to leave that.”

Zach Strief agrees to re-sign with the Saints for 5 years | Saints | The New Orleans Advocate