Wow I didn't see that coming !!!

According to ESPN, the Saints still have to pay him. He's going to get get a pretty good chunk of change coming to him. The only way they would have avoided paying him would've been to trade him. Since he's still getting paid, it counts toward the cap.

Very surprised by this move! Originally when they drafted him I wasn't happy, but then he kind of grew on me. I always thought that he was better at run blocking than pass protection, but clearly he wasn't good at either one in the SF game.

I hope he finds a new home somewhere and gets the opportunity for a comeback. I like the move from the team standpoint - since there has to be a plan in place for the O-Line - but naturally it's sad to see one more SB winner go.



Will this chance if he sign a contract with another team? Does anyone know what his cap hit was/is?

We haven't been discussing "was" with Stinch, we have been discussing "is" and "will be". So, no, I don't feel bad for saying he is not performing well enough to be on this team, ESPECIALLY when the coaches seem to believe the same way.

And I will always love Drew for what he has done for this team and this city. But if the time comes that he is holding this team back with consistently bad performances, yes, I will be calling for a switch at QB. I won't feel bad about that either.

Sad to see him go. I'm hoping this works out for us and there's others who help on the OL.

Best of luck to you Stinchcomb, you are a class act!

Bittersweet, but I'm not all together shocked. His name popped up here and there for lack of desired production. Strief deserves a shot, and not at tight end.

For his own good I hope he retires. He's 32 and rich why continue to tear your body up? I'd hate to see him crippled by the time he's 40. His latest injury and the surgery it took to fix it sounded horrific.

Having met Stinch a time or two, I appreciate him not just for what he did on the field, but the way he composed himself off the field.

He deserves a damn sight better than the way some so-called "fans" have treated him this last year or so. Guy has played his guts out for the Saints for many years and shown a ton of class and hard work and all some of you can do is crack jokes.

Shame on you.

Then keep up with what is going on. My "ROFL" was not about Stinch getting cut, it was about Sean Payton backing me up in my argument with Canton.

As for the rest, blah blah blah, I'm a "so-called" fan, blah blah blah, I should be ashamed. Well, I'm not. Stinch looks like a man who can take criticism in stride and isn't going to break into to tears about some guy on the internet not appreciating him enough. *sniff* If I had a heart, it would be breaking right now because of the beautifully touching violin music. Since I don't, feel free to bad mouth me all day over tea with your dollies. I'm sure Raggedy Ann will agree I'm a mean ole bugger who shouldn't pick on the weak and helpless little 300 pound professional athlete millionaire. I mean, all he has to console himself with is a Super Bowl ring and the best whatever he wants that money can buy.

But there is hope. Maybe one day I will learn to be a "real fan" by not criticizing anyone in the organization, no matter how badly they play. I hope not though, I'm rather fond of my testicles and I want to keep them.

I'm not at all happy with this move. i actually think pass-pro will be worse this year. Hopfully I'm wrong.

Damn bubba, we may not all be on the same page here, but we are all on the same team.

Late to the party, but holy crap! I don't understand this, has he really fallen off that much?

lately yes, he is getting spun around like a top.

I know he isn't up to the level that he was a few years ago when he went to the Pro Bowl, but do we really think Zach Strief is the answer? Dude is slow on the edge... I'm worried about protecting Drew. The injury has obviously made Stinch's decline occur more rapidly, probably the right move, but dang, he's been a mainstay on some great teams. Seems like a classy guy too.

It kinda sounds like Brown may take the job..but its going to be Strief and Brown to battle for the start.

I hope Strief can step it up. I don't exactly feel comfortable with Bushrod on the other side either.

This is from the ESPN South Blog "Stinchcomb’s $2.25 million base salary for this year was guaranteed, so the Saints are on the hook for that. Throw in this year’s share of prorated bonuses ($2.425 million) and the Saints are taking a $4.675 million cap hit this year. It could even be a little more. Stinchcomb also was scheduled for a $100,000 workout bonus this offseason. Clayton and I couldn’t come up with a decisive answer on if workout bonus will still count because offseason conditioning wasn’t allowed in the lockout. If they do, tack on another $100,000. That would bring the hit to $4.775 million, which was exactly what Stinchcomb’s cap figure would have been if he stayed with the Saints this season. "

Thanks Seer1 for the answer, but it still leaves the question if all that goes away if he signs with another team during this season?

I mean he might retire, but he made the statement that he was looking forward to playing healthy this season, so it would seem he still wants to play just based on that.

I wonder is Max Starks would be an upgrade to what the Saints have already?

I don't know the answer to that one, but I feel there's more going on than meets the eye. With the Saints being willing to cut him with no cap advantage and then reading Jon's interview. It doesn't sound like there's any bitterness whatsoever. And even though he's an incredibly classy guy and we all know how reporters love to twist words to make a story, I really think if there'd been the hint of Jon being cut unwillingly, something would have come up in that interview. I'm wondering if this was a mutual kind of thing with both sides realizing he can't perform up to par anymore so they cut him with his salary intact. Kind of a severance package kind of thing. That way he heads off to Announcerland or where ever makes him happy and since his health wasn't mentioned as an issue, maybe he'll heal up enough to be able to play next year. It's easier to get a job if no one thinks you're an injury issue. I don't think we'll see him signing with anyone else this year though.

Man, if I were guaranteed $2.25 mil and I didn't have to mud wrassell on a bum knee, take grief in the papers and could rehab for a year, come back and still have a career, I certainly would have the attitude Stinch has.

Holy hell, why can't I get a deal like that?

If all that is true why the hell did we release him? I mean he's getting paid, he could be a backup. I'm starting to think this was a class move by the FO doing Stinch a favor.

Look dude, I'm past the age of fighting message board wars. If you want to sit there and call me every name in the book go right ahead.

Being a "real fan" has nothing to do with how much you criticize people. It has nothing to do with "testicles" either.

This is about showing some common decency and respect to a guy who has given plenty to Saints fans over the years. Staying after games to sign autographs for hours, working a ton with charities, composing himself as a true professional on and off the field.

Maybe someday when you grow up a little you'll begin to understand that these players are not robots or interchangeable parts on a roster. They're human beings and like anyone else they deserve a little bit of respect.

I'm done. Feel free to go back to your regularly scheduled bashing.

Think about the leverage this ACTUALLY gives the staff in the locker room now.

I imagine a scene something like this with the rookies and new recruits:

"I liked that bear, I don't even know you."

there's the answer guys money, money, money. good luck stinch. don't ruin ur good name here and go to a nfc south foe.

u have a great point jnorm.

well, charles brown u better get those hamstring tightened up dude because we spent a second rd pick on u and all news we ever heard from u was that hammy. please be the answer man.

With Stinch gone, it opens up room on the roster for another player.

Actually, they are interchangeable parts on a roster. Stinch gets my respect for what he has done in the past. His usefulness was obviously at an end, and I'm not going to feel bad for expressing my opinions on roster Saints roster moves on a board that has the specific purpose of letting people express their opinions on Saints football.

Hypothetically speaking, can the Saints still call him up if he doesn't sign with any other team? What I mean is that the Saints are still in a way his employer 'cos they pay him salary... or does the cutting mean that the working relationship ends there and the guaranteed pay is considered as a "severance package" type of a deal?

Granted I don't think this scenario would materialize, but as I stated, hypothetically would it be possible?

I don't see why not. Look at all the out of the league RB's we called up last year. (Definitely saw why they were out of the league.) But yeah, this money stuff has a lot of smoke and and mirrors about it. Hopefully this will just remain a brain exercise and not actually become necessary.

When did I become a senior member?

It was simply time to go. Someone in house may step up or we may have to look at some of the outcasts that are cut later. Personally, I think of Stinchcomb with fond memories and will give him the respect he has eaned and deserves. However......business is business and we did what we needed to do.....if we cut him with salary then we are an even classier organization than I thought. We are known for doing right by our players and I'm proud.

Could this have been just another case of the FO doing right by one the players who has served the team well? I mean cut him still relatively early, so that he might be able to find another team to play on or if he doesn't find a suitable offer... then his income is secured by the salary that the Saints will pay him?

I think we've operated with enough class the last few years to safely assume that. And don't think players around the league (and their agents) don't take notice.

:bng:

Now it looks like they won't be paying him. The different reports are all over the board. They saved $2.25m by cutting him by the last thing I read. Not to worry though, he got a $5.5m bonus at the end of last year which will show up on the Saints cap next year?? He shouldn't be hurting for anything. I'm done with trying to figure out this money thing. How about some football?

When you got to 100 posts. Now you are in message board puberty, when you become a real man (or woman) you will get a custom tag.
The hardest thing to deal with is the zits.

I like the move... Stinch never was on my favs seems like he took the false start penaltys after J.Brown left.... But have a good one bud ! I think we will be fine.. idk why some of yall freakin out...