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Cutting Jon Stinchcomb wasn't the easy thing to do, and it wasn't the popular thing.


Chris Granger/The Times-Picayune
The New Orleans Saints sent a wake-up call when they released Jon Stinchcomb.
But if the New Orleans Saints released the veteran tackle because they felt he couldn't play anymore, than it was the right thing to do.
Stinchcomb is a class act. With the possible exception of quarterback Drew Brees, no player in the Saints locker room was more widely respected. His shocking release engendered a telling number of heartfelt tweets from teammates.
And I can count on my hand the number of players who've carried themselves more professionally during their careers, but the reality is NFL players are paid to be good players -- not good citizens.
And right now Stinchcomb is struggling to be the good player he has been throughout his career.
The drop-off in Stinchcomb's production from his Pro Bowl season in 2009 to last season was precipitous. He allowed more sacks (seven) and committed more penalties (eight) than he did in the previous two seasons combined. Stinchcomb allowed only 1.5 sacks in 2008 and three sacks in 2009. He was whistled for only three penalties in 2008 and five in the Super Bowl season.
Stinchcomb's struggles were primarily physical, and teammates said he essentially played on one leg a year ago. To his -- and the team's -- credit, he never revealed the extent of his torn quadriceps injury. But it was significant enough to require offseason surgery.

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