Saints thinking smaller -- but is that smarter?

pakowitz · 03-06-2004, 12:35 PM

New Orleans has, as expected, eased into the free agency period -- signing key internal players and building depth at skill positions.

While those moves may upset fans hungry for a headline-grabbing signing, the Saints have in fact addressed some significant needs.

Experts say that's the right thing to do.

"There's a trend in the NFL that I'm not sure people are soaking in: You're never one player away, so don't go nuts chasing one guy in free agency," says SI.com's Peter King. "The New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers just proved this."

Here's Paul Attner of The Sporting News on the pitfalls of going the other way: "The Redskins, notorious overpayers for talent, have done it again. The contracts for Clinton Portis and Mark Brunell are way over-market, to the point where the team seems to be bidding against itself needlessly. And to toss in a second-round draft choice to accompany Champ Bailey to the Broncos is beyond anything rational."

Best to think smaller, they both say. Or at least smarter.

For the rest of this article, click here:

http://www.thenewsstar.com/saints/ht...2BADE14A.shtml

03-06-2004, 12:35 PM	#1
pakowitz The Dark Overlord Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: dirty south Posts: 3,450	Saints thinking smaller -- but is that smarter? New Orleans has, as expected, eased into the free agency period -- signing key internal players and building depth at skill positions. While those moves may upset fans hungry for a headline-grabbing signing, the Saints have in fact addressed some significant needs. Experts say that's the right thing to do. "There's a trend in the NFL that I'm not sure people are soaking in: You're never one player away, so don't go nuts chasing one guy in free agency," says SI.com's Peter King. "The New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers just proved this." Here's Paul Attner of The Sporting News on the pitfalls of going the other way: "The Redskins, notorious overpayers for talent, have done it again. The contracts for Clinton Portis and Mark Brunell are way over-market, to the point where the team seems to be bidding against itself needlessly. And to toss in a second-round draft choice to accompany Champ Bailey to the Broncos is beyond anything rational." Best to think smaller, they both say. Or at least smarter. For the rest of this article, click here: http://www.thenewsstar.com/saints/ht...2BADE14A.shtml