HORN PLAYS THE SAINTS

Several NFL personnel execs have opined to us that receiver Joe Horn is playing the Saints, just like quarterback Aaron Brooks did last year, when his decision to stay away from training camp got him a new contract.

Per these sources, the Saints likely will fold in the face of Horn's threats to stay away from voluntary (and involuntary) offseason workouts.

Said one exec, "The Saints front office is showing that they have no balls, again."

The other concern around the league is that Horn is a "bad guy" off the field, and that if he gets paid like one of the top receivers in the game, he won't live up to it.

Regardless of whether Horn actually earns his money, we think that the Saints are setting a dangerous precedent, which will invite their best players to continue to force the team to renegotiate contracts too early by threatening to breach their current deals, with no consequence.

Really, if the Saints don't take a stand with Horn, the next guy to try this tack might be Deuce McAllister. And if they cave to Deuce, someone else will give it a shot down the road.

Sure, it's hard to sacrifice the presence in the short-term of one of your top players. But giving in to one guy's demands sets a bad, bad precedent, which can create ongoing disruptions for years.