Danno

New Orleans Saints safety Roman Harper: "I don't want to go anywhere."
Katherine Terrell, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune By Katherine Terrell, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune




New Orleans Saints safety Roman Harper said he would love to be back with the team next season. But at 31, and coming off an injury plagued 2013, he also understands the business side of things.

Harper missed seven games this season with a knee injury, the most he's missed since his rookie season in 2006.

"I don't know," Harper told Gil Brant and Alex Marvez when asked about his future in a radio interview Friday night. "I think Mickey and Sean and these guys, they've got some decisions to make. ...

"The bottom line is, I was hurt. I missed eight or nine games this year. For the first time in a long time, I missed games. And the defense did well. I was just happy that when I did come back, I finally got healed up and healthy enough."

Harper, who finished with 37 tackles, one fumble recovery, and one interception in five regular season starts, said he feels like he's still starting material.

"I played at a high level still, and I showed that I'm still starting safety caliber in this league," he said.

It's possible that might not happen in New Orleans.

The Saints planned for the future when they picked safety Kenny Vaccaro in the first round of the 2013 draft. Vaccaro started 13 games and played almost every defensive snap when healthy. He was placed on injured reserve with a broken ankle in Week 17.

Harper essentially took a pay cut when he signed an extension through 2015 last May. But his $2.4 million base salary and $5.9 million cap figure, in addition to the emergence of Vaccaro, puts his future in uncertain territory.

Malcolm Jenkins, the Saints other starting safety, will be a free agent this offseason.

Harper said he would love to stay in New Orleans and called it his "second home."

"I know God has a plan for me. I'm not really worried about it. It's the same way I kind of looked at it when I was going through my free agent type deal after the lockout," he said. "I'm not going to sweat it. Whatever happens, happens. I was lucky enough to come back with the Saints. ...

"Hopefully I'll be back. I love New Orleans. I don't want to go anywhere. But it's a business first. They have to make decisions and so do I. Everybody has to do what's best for them in their own situation."