Keeping Darren Howard
 

While I agree that you can never have enough good x\'s (where x is any standard starting position on the offense or defense) it is clear to me that in the salary cap era, you can have too many great x\'s. Great x\'s cost a lot of money, and they may keep you from having other great y\'s or even good z\'s.

Keeping Darren Howard
 

I agree with Kool\'s opinion that we need help at LB and that Howard creates a big cap number. But I just haven\'t seen anyone willing to step up and trade a solid LB for him. Draft picks you say? I don\'t have much faith in the Saints to use them well. If we keep him, at least I know we\'ve got a player who is of high caliber and will perform. If he goes for draft picks - with this team - I start twitching. I fear that the Saints will get the short end of the stick in a Howard deal, but will proclaim it a victory (as will people on this board), just b/c they freed up cap space. To me, getting crap in return for a good player, but freeing up cap space isn\'t exactly ideal.

Keeping Darren Howard
 

Exactly.
Which is why I\'d rather keep him instead of getting crap.

If we can deal him for a comparable player, then YES!
If not, let Loomis the bean counter tweak some contracts to get us under the cap. Thats what he excells at. Other GM\'s do it. Our GM has that reputation to get \'er done.

We could always release someone else making big bucks. ;)

Keeping Darren Howard
 

We can\'t sign our draft picks if we keep Howard.

Keeping Darren Howard
 

especially if it is derrick johnson