CheramieIII

FFMasterMind.com Team QuickBits
Last Updated: Fri Sep 10, 2004, 4:27 PM PDT

-- Howard Contract Talks Stalled --
Fri Sep 10, 2004 --from FFMastermind.com

ESPN's Len Pasquarelli reports long term contract talks between New Orleans Saints RDE Darren Howard, who signed the one-year qualifying offer for a "franchise" player at his position this spring, are stalled. The Saints still like Howard but, with the emergence of first round draft pick DE Will Smith may make Howard expendable.

and if he doesn't have a few real good games soon, there will be no talks with him, only with other teams about a trade.

WhoDat

I\'ll tell you right now - losing Howard is not a good idea. Talent-wise, Howard and Smith are probably the two best on the team and grant is most probably third - but Howard has GOT to stay healthy. In any case, if you believe Jim Haslett, you can never have enough DEs. I like having a FIRST ROUNDER as a backup or to rotate in.

HOWEVER, if Howard\'s days really are numbered in NO, they BETTER trade him and not allow him to hit the FA market at season\'s end with no compensation. If they really like Smith that much, get Howard healthy, let him have a monster game or two, and then trade him for a LB or CB before we lose all ability to get anything for him.

\"Excuses, excuses, excuses. That’s all anyone ever makes for the New Orleans Saints’ organization.\" - Eric Narcisse


\"Being a Saints fan is almost like being addicted to crack,\" he said.[i]\"You know you should stop, but you just can\'t.\"

themightyduck

I agree with you, WhoDat. I don\'t want to see Darren Howard leave. I want him to stay in New Orleans and dominate. However, I don\'t see it happening. The Saints are going do dump tens of millions of dollars to Deuce\'s contract. And if they want to do that, they might have to make some sacrifices.

Among the most logical would be to either ask for paycuts from a bunch of players, trade some players away for the weak positions, i.e. LB and CB, or simply not resign expensive players whose contracts are too high for the Saints to support.

Pertaining to Darren Howard: he\'s still young and talented, but the Saints had to use the franchise tag just to keep him from being signed by another team. Every successful game that Will Smith has, the more likely that the Saints will lose Howard.

P.S. Don\'t be too suprised if the Saints try to trade away Horn, too. With all of the depth at WR, he could become expendable...
...of course, Devery Henderson will have to learn the playbook, step up, and become a playmaker for this to happen.

[Edited on 12/9/2004 by themightyduck]

When it comes to discussing Saints losses, Jack Daniels can be a great listener.

SaintFanInATLHELL

I wouldn\'t do it. Horn is the only proven #1 receiver the team has. No one else has proved that they can stay healthy and be productive when being keyed upon. I\'d only consider it if Stallworth has the breakout year and plays an entire season because the guy, like Howard, hasn\'t proven that he can stay on the field for an entire season.

SFIAH