Looks like we are stuck with Howard, for now
 

Athletic Gems???sounds like a haz or loom comment. or they can get a guy with huge upside!!!

Looks like we are stuck with Howard, for now
 

I\'m can\'t see why we are complaining about the POSSIBILITY about retaining an all pro caliber defensive end. We haven\'t had any threats of anyone of them holding out either. So what if we wait another year or a month or two before we trade him, it\'s wouldn\'t hurt to have his services. Like I said everyone is under contract and we haven\'t had any threats of anyone holding out... let\'s just get the draft over with and then see how everything stands. I would have loved to trade Howard to Dallas for a second rounder this year, but I\'m prefectly fine with him being here also. How do we know Smith is ready to be an every down player? What if he breaks down? You can\'t expect Smith and Grant to take all the snaps at DE, they\'ll be dead tired towards the end of the year.

As of now we are in good shape with signing all our draft picks. It\'s too late to acquire this years draft picks so just deal with it when you have too. Take it a day at a time... no need to stress about having a very good football player on our team for another year.

Looks like we are stuck with Howard, for now
 

I am new to posting but I found this article on Neworleanssaints.com stating that we still have untill March 16 at 4:00pm to sign him long term.

\"Each club is permitted one franchise designation in any year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. If a franchise player signs a multiyear contract with his current club between February 22 and March 16 at 4 pm CT, the club retains its franchise player designation for the following league year. After March 16, if the player signs a multiyear contract while under this designation, the club exhausts its franchise player rights for each year of that contract unless it matched another club\'s offer for that player, in which case the designation is used only for that year. Any club which elected not to use its franchise player designation in 2005 retains franchise designation rights for 2006 and subsequent years of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, provided the club did not exhaust those rights from a previously signed franchise player. \"

We may still have hope.

Looks like we are stuck with Howard, for now
 

Was told by some Dallas fans they heard on a Dallas radio station Dallas still wants to do a deal, they are the only team negotiating with New Orleans right now and so Jones is waiting for us to back off the 2nd round pick. Something will be done by Wednesday.

Looks like we are stuck with Howard, for now
 

Welcome SaintJam.

Looks like we are stuck with Howard, for now
 

So all this mumbo jumbo for nothing... he still can be dealt for picks this year. Bad info sw! :P Good find Jam and welcome also.

[Edited on 15/3/2005 by papz]

Looks like we are stuck with Howard, for now
 

Hey, I just went with what people were telling me. And so did you until way late so ha. I even agreed with Kelley earlier that I thought the deadline was incorrect so ha again papzy!!! :bigun2:

Looks like we are stuck with Howard, for now
 

:niko_georgebush: I blame everything on weapons of mass destruction... everything is now justified.

Looks like we are stuck with Howard, for now
 

I don\'t think this was mentioned any where on here, but If this is true then maybe that\'s why the deal wasn\'t made? It\'s a response made in another thread somewhere else, Sorry I don\'t have solid sources fpr this one.


The major holdup in the talks is the fact that Darren Howard wants a $16M signing bonus on his new deal, something that caught Jerry Jones by surprise. I don\'t know anyone who thinks he deserves a bonus that size but that\'s what he\'s asking for. Now, I see why he never got a deal done in New Orleans after two years of negotiations. Makes drafting Will Smith seem pretty smart.

Anyone hear about this $16Million alleged signing bonus?

Looks like we are stuck with Howard, for now
 

That\'s just ridiculous. Come on he isn\'t THAT GREAT but he\'s darn good. Dominant DE\'s to me are John Abraham, Simeon Rice, Michael Strahan, etc... players who can flat out take over the game and completely change momentum. Howard isn\'t that type of player. Maybe he expects them to offer 10 million and by asking for 16 million, if this is true, then they will meet him halfway for 13 million which sounds a bit less absurd.