Nicks view on the franchise tag...
 

Fans in New Orleans might want to listen up. Same for fans in Atlanta and Tampa Bay that have their eye on this guy in free agency.

In this Sirius NFL Radio interview with Jim Miller and Rich Gannon, Carl Nicks sounded like a man ready to explore free agency. The New Orleans guard said he hasn’t had any contract talks with the Saints.

“I haven’t talked to (general manager) Mickey (Loomis) at all,’’ said Nicks, who can become an unrestricted free agent on March 13.

Nicks wasn’t asked if his agent was in contact with the Saints. Nicks said he expects the Saints to first sign quarterback Drew Brees to a new deal. The Saints could put a franchise tag on Nicks for $9.4 million.

“I’ve heard a lot of rumors of the franchise tag, which is a lot of money,’’ Nicks said. “If you want to pay me, which I’m not a big fan of, what the franchise tag for an offensive lineman is worth, we might as well work on a deal.’’

Nicks isn’t the only member of the Saints that has a chance to be designated as a franchise player. If the tag isn’t used on Nicks or Brees, it could be used on wide receiver Marques Colston.

Nicks also may have been sending a bit of a message to the front office when asked how he would feel if he is hit with the franchise tag.

“Yes, I’d be upset if I got franchise tagged, straight up and down,’’ Nicks said.

Carl Nicks doesn't want franchise tag - NFC South Blog - ESPN

As would any player be upset. No long term security in the franchise tag. I agree with Nicks, if you are willing to do that then just work out a deal, otherwise it's better to part ways and let that player sign an extended contract.

Its a business and I'm a Saints fan.

If we can't get a deal done, or we need another year to structure something better, FRANCHISE his butt.

Be mad but play ball. Everyone almost lost this season due to the lock out and negotiations for salary so Francise Tag is still part of it.

They might want to just tag him for one additional year, so that they can groom his successor during that time, and then let him walk when the next FA period comes around.

$9.4M might seem a lot, but signing Nicks to a long term contract would be expensive and with a lot of guaranteed money packaged in, so the FO might be looking already to the future and figuring that this way they'll have some money to spend when f.e. Graham needs a new contract.

Sign Brees first, tag Nicks,{ he doesn't sound like a hometown discount is going to happen} sign Colston if anyway possible. The only problem I could see would be next year with Grahams contract looming and Nicks{if we tag him this year} they won't come cheap. Just a thought but what if we sign Nicks does anyone think Evans could be trade bait ?

Sorry big fella, can't risk you getting away for nothing. Thats what its there for. Pout all you want but when your franchised, sign your tender and give your team a chance to give you the money you deserve.

Ohhhh boo hoo you might have to make $10 million in a single year.

I totally get his point, but I'm hard-pressed to imagine getting pissed at 9 million dollars give or take.

9 million in the bank equates to something in the neighborhood of a quarter million in interest, so you bank that cash and live well for the rest of your life.

No, if I'm a player I don't want that tag either, because hell, more is better, but the tag in Nicks' case isn't a bad deal.

We need to try and find a way to keep all of these guys. If we can't the offense is going to suffer...

$9.4 million times 6 is $56.4, add in the signing bonuses and incentives, and that's basically what he would make anyways.

There's no reason to cry because you have to wait one more season to get your deal. The Saints want you, you want to be a Saint, so shut up and do what's right for the deal.

NFL players are babies now-a-days.

I appreciate his candor. I can understand where he is coming from. I mean he is losing half of 9.4 to taxes right off the bat. So his agent makes money, what does he end up with? About 4 million for that year, and if he goes down with a career ending injury? He's young, that's not a lot of money to sustain yourself on, especially because they live a different lifestyle than most of us.

That said, it is the rules, so we are well within our rights. I hope we sign him for another 5 years. I'd be happy.

and he can thank his budy Evans for pushing the tag minimum way up

I'm beginning to worry a little about this now.

Well, it's just pissing me off, because I think the frikkin front office has gone on frikkin vacation. Now you have guys with bad attitudes. What the hell are they doing down there?! Do they know it's only three weeks until free agency? Dammit FO, get off your rear end and get to frikkin work!

End of Rant!

You're assuming they aren't working on it?

My guess is they are.

A lot of this is probably just negotiation tactics from Nicks and his agent, so I wouldn't be worried about it.

ML and the FO will get things done for better or worse before the FA period begins

You are correct Danno, it is an assumption based upon what I see coming out of New Orleans...which is squat. Have you seen any news on any of our FA signing a contract? I haven't. Nicks even said in the article that he hasn't even had any contact with Loomis. Maybe thats code talk for "I'm letting my agent do all of my talking", but I'm like Rugby Saint, I'm starting to get worried.
I'm not a "No news is good news" kind of guy. Can't you tell? LOL

I think that every tweak to Brees' contract affects everything else downstream.

We can't finalize Nicks' contract until we finalize the numbers and the structure of Brees' contract.

I want to keep Nicks and Colston, but its going to depend a lot Brees' final numbers. I think Mickey is working his butt off on several different contracts all at once.

I could live my hole life on 4 million if I had to. He went to college didn't he? And got a damn good esucation paid for by playing football? I absolutely HATE when athletes whine about the pay they recieve, especially when we talk about anything above a million dollars. Get a damn job and be smart with your money and you can live an above average lifestyle for the rest of your life. I just don't get why they seem to think that 5-8 years in their twenties should pay for the rest of their lives. Disgusting!

when the strike/lockout ended last summer we immediately signed the guys we wanted, MUCH faster than anyone else.
Yes, we lost Goodwin, and some marginal D-linemen, but overall everyone was very happy about the team we were starting the year with

So... why the hell is everyone so down on the Nicks & Brees negotiations? When have Loomis & co ever taken anything public before it was finalized? Does everyone expect progress reports?
Just RELAX