Evans survives purge, but contract tinkering is coming
 

It sounds like New Orleans Saints perennial Pro Bowl guard Jahri Evans will be the starter at right guard for his 10th season with the team, but there's a catch.

Coach Sean Payton said during the NFL owners meetings Wednesday how he didn't think the structure of Evans' contract, which is currently slated to count $11 million against the salary cap, was resolved in how it's going to lay out. This means Evans will likely be taking a pay cut once it's time for the Saints to start signing their draft picks.

Evans survived the purge at guard as Ben Grubbs ended up in Kansas City for a fifth-round pick. Payton said both players were essentially on the trading block. If there was no deal, one of them would have been released.

"With the interior linemen, both Jahri and Ben Grubbs are, I wouldn't say similar and yet probably veteran-type players that both you're gonna examine closely and try to evaluate and look at the contract numbers, and there was some trade talk with both of those players," Payton said. "There was some interest by other teams with respect to a possible trade. So sometimes you're forced to cut a veteran player, and then he's able to see what the market is and then get a price. With regards to Ben, we were able to make a trade with Kansas City."


New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans survives purge, but contract tinkering is coming | NOLA.com

Re: Evans survives purge, but contract tinkering is coming
 

It might get interesting. I still draft a G couldn't hurt.

Re: Evans survives purge, but contract tinkering is coming
 

Payton said both players were essentially on the trading block
full marks for candor, but is it any wonder that guys like Lewis are going off?

Re: Evans survives purge, but contract tinkering is coming
 

Sounds just like Parcells who walked up to his RB coach with all the RB's gathered and said "Why the **** are all of my RB's fat?"

Payton mind games.

Re: Evans survives purge, but contract tinkering is coming
 

Evans will probably rework his contract to help get under the cap. I still would not be surprised to see him moved draft day.

Re: Evans survives purge, but contract tinkering is coming
 

i'll take a 3rd rounder and pick up his reworked salary that capt bank M.L.
will throw at all takers