The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Just when I was beginning to feel better!

The New Orleans Saints went into free agency in March with virtually no cap room.

They came out of free agency with the consensus No. 1 free agent, Buffalo Bills safety Jairus Byrd, who they signed on a six-year, $54-million contract.

They were able to pull this off because of two things: 1) they backloaded the money in Byrd's contract, which could be crippling down the line, but lets them stay under the salary cap this year, and 2) they traded, cut, or let a number of role players leave in free agency.

The Saints went all in. They decided Drew Brees only has a few years left, the roster is good enough now to compete for a Super Bowl, and the window for this team to win it all is rapidly closing. So they went for it and signed Byrd, salary cap be damned.

Now they're 1-3 after getting destroyed by the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. History says 1-3 teams miss the playoffs 85% of the time. To make matters worse, some of the role players they were forced to let go of are playing exceptionally well.

Here are the main guys they let leave. Some of them are tearing it up elsewhere:
Darren Sproles, running back (traded) — Traded for a 5th-round pick. Now ranks 6th in the NFL in total yardage for the Philadelphia Eagles, with three touchdowns.
Malcolm Jenkins, safety (free agency) — Signed with the Eagles for three years, $16.5 million . Has three interceptions in four games and a touchdown.
Lance Moore, wide receiver (cut) — Signed with Pittsburgh. Injured for much of training camp but he's making his way back.
Brian de la Puente, center (free agency) — Signed with Chicago. Started three of four games.
Roman Harper, safety (cut) — Signed with Carolina. Started all four games, with one touchdown.

They lost depth and productivity at a number of key positions. None of these guys are stars (although Sproles is playing like one now), but they matter. It hurts that they have to play Khiry Robinson and Pierre Thomas when starting running back Mark Ingram got hurt instead of someone like Sproles.

There's also an opportunity cost here. Safety wasn't exactly the most pressing need for New Orleans going into the offseason, cornerback was. Instead of keeping Jenkins and paying a starting-level cornerback a decent salary, the Saints paid Byrd $54 million and took a flyer on Champ Bailey. When Bailey was promptly cut, they were left with a hole at one of the league's most important positions.

Because of the way the Byrd deal is structured, the Saints are going to be in salary cap hell for the foreseeable future. They already have $160 million in cap dollars committed for 2015, and $140 million committed for 2016. For better or worse, this is the team they have to work with for the next few years.


http://finance.yahoo.com/news/saints...195900134.html

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Ouch!

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Last I checked there were 16 games in a season.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Every year you lose a guy who goes on and does well somewhere else. And I don't think we are missing de la Puente.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

And the DLP decision wasn't money-driven, since the team apparently could've signed him close to the vet minimum.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

1 of 2 things could be true here

the system here does not work

or

getting released was just the wake up call they needed

in Jenkins case i go with the later

either way crying split milk at this point.

cue the kitty pics

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Signing Byrd to that big contract was a questionable decision, but I think I get what the thought process was. IMO the reason this looks so bad now is the miss on Champ Bailey. Robinson and White were suppose to be backups, with Baptiste the project CB to take over in two years. I can pretty much guarantee if the Saints knew how this would play out, they would have maybe locked up Jenkins for a couple years, and spent some money on a better CB solution.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

The only FA at this time I have on the Radar for 2015

Byron Maxwell CB Seahawks

But after signing Bird I do not see anything this big happening. But we are talking Mickey here so you never know.

A move like this would allow you work on other areas of the defense. both CB on an island 80% of the time

come on Drew really redo that contract.

Cap friendly extension all around for every one :p

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

I don't know about that.
Did you watch the Denver game? Emmanuel Sanders owned him. I'll be careful with seahawks players (other than obvious ballers) . I don't like their coaches but they are doing fantastic job.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

I think he is really the only CB right now that may help out. but cap wise i just do not see it happening anyways

P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State
Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State

would be nice in round 1. so far they both have looked good. i am leaning towards Trae Waynes right now. not the freak athlete like PJ but it seems he plays smarter

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

We say that every year, but somehow Loomis works a miracle every year...

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

True, but that miracle last year included parting ways with a bunch of players and several others shifting money into 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Byrd contract - Questionable, he's a fast player but so far not a difference maker he was painted out to be

Junior contract - Boy did we screw up there, he's completely lost his drive and effort to be great, when he doesn't beat the O line now he just stands around!!

Jimmy Graham contract - very hot and cold, he has something about him that makes me hate his play - mostly when he gives a lackluster effort to make a catch when its not right into his body, then stands around like its someone elses fault or looking for the flag

Very dysfunctional on both sides of the ball and I can't wait until Ingram is healthy, so far he is showing that he deserved the fifth year option not Cameron Jordan

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

After only 4 games it appears we may have gotten two things wrong.

We over estimated how good our front 7 was.
We over estimated how bad our secondary was.

We probably should have put more emphasis on improving the front end instead of the back end.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

I think his injuries are part of the reason he didn't get the option. Besides the fact that the fifth year options on RBs is grossly over market value right now.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

To be honest I never liked the McGriff signing as db. coach. I'm a Rebel fan.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Trash article...

I started laughing at the "Safety wasn't exactly the most pressing need", anyone who has actually watched the Saints play could argue it was absolutely the most pressing need and has been for some time now.

Bottom line: if the Saints could rush the passer like they did in 2013 this article wouldn't exist and the Saints would be 4-0.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Agreed, the cap in future years should be no one's concern. That is one thing Loomis has done well. Evaluating defensive talent in the draft... not so much.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

That's Bill Johnson's job; he's the D-Line coach...

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

How about a G or a T with the 1st. According to the eyeball-test, Evans has lost a step or two with the recent injuries and Harris as the initial T depth didn't seem too good either.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

I always stick up for Harper. But you're right, safety was our biggest weakness last season.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Doesn't matter who we have in the secondary, if the D-line can't put any pressure on QB we're in trouble!

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

Here are the players he listed

We did not downgrade at any position listed above.

You could argue Sproles, but we have the #3 Offense in the NFL so I think his loss has not hurt us at all.

And without a doubt not one of these losses are "haunting" us right now, and I actually like every player he listed.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

He won us a Super Bowl. Yeah it hurts. But OUCH.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

The number of times Jenkins' performances frustrated me during these past years - I don't miss his presence even if he had 16 TDs this season.

Harper, on the other hand, wasn't a bad performer, but he was a bit too one dimensional for the way the game is played nowadays.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

IMHO this thread is nonsense. We made good moves in free agency and the draft. The problem is.as.a.team we are not playing to our potienal. Missing BIG JOHN in the middle.We gambled on a Hall of fame CB and lost ,our former.1st rd CB flopped. We have a serious hole at CB. Colston has been awful No one can tackle.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

This reminds me of a certain #27 who was named in the aforementioned article, and one of the reasons I'm not sad he's gone.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

He needs the money for over 100 diapers to change a week.

Re: The Saints Let Go Of A Bunch Of Players To Sign A $54-Million Free Agent, And It's Coming Back To Haunt Them
 

I would go Williams because of the conference. It appears there is a bit of a difference between the SEC, ACC, bigger winning schools and the rest. Fuller played for Virginia, Benjamin played for FSU. So far those are the top rookies.