New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com

New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com (https://blackandgold.com/community/)
-   Saints (https://blackandgold.com/saints/)
-   -   Article: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1 (https://blackandgold.com/saints/81049-defensive-tackle-nick-fairley-priority-1-a.html)

AsylumGuido 01-11-2017 10:13 AM

Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
I have to say I agree ...

Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1 for New Orleans Saints Offseason

Nick Fairley signed a one-year contract with a $3 million dollar base salary that proved to be one of the best bargains in the NFL as he had a career year in New Orleans. Fairley finished the year with 6.5 sacks and 29 tackles, both single-year career highs.

In what was surely an emotional roller coaster of a year, Fairley got the recognition he deserved and hadn’t experienced since his days in Detroit, but also had to deal with the tragic passing of his mother in the middle of the 2016 regular season. Now Fairley is entering free agency for the third year in a row, but his focus can be squarely on football - and the New Orleans Saints’ focus should be squarely on Nick Fairley.

Fairley has already gone on record saying he wants to stay in New Orleans. Sean Payton has returned the sentiment, responding that the Saints would love to have Fairley back on the Saints in 2017. Fairley had a career year here, says he feels comfortable playing here, and is only a couple of hours away from his hometown of Mobile, Alabama. He’s even gone further to say New Orleans would have an upper hand in free agency dealings over other teams vying for his services.

With approximately $30 million in cap space in 2017, the Saints have the cap space to bring back Fairley on a two-year deal, and he should be the top priority for the Saints this offseason.

You could argue there are bigger and more pressing needs for the Saints right now. A pass rushing specialist opposite should-be-All-Pro Cam Jordan is essential. Failing to improve the secondary would be almost criminal at this point. Even with an offensive line that over-performed, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

More here ...

spkb25 01-11-2017 10:25 AM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Have to do so carefully, all for bringing him back, but do not want to give too large and long a contract and have it blow up in our face.

Beastmode 01-11-2017 10:35 AM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Hopefully we have learned some lessons. Make it more performance based and no long term contract, two years tops. We are just getting out of this mess.

voodooido 01-11-2017 10:40 AM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
3 yr at 12 to 14 million should be the max. He played good this year and could be a center piece on the line. Save some money for cb, lb and de.

SaintFanInATLHELL 01-11-2017 11:24 AM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Beastmode (Post 733343)
Hopefully we have learned some lessons. Make it more performance based and no long term contract, two years tops. We are just getting out of this mess.

The Saints are certainly within their rights to do that. Fairley as a free agent is within his rights to field and accept other offers.

My questions are:

1. If another team makes a bigger, better, longer, with more guaranteed money offer to Fairley, should he in fact take the Saints hometown discount?

2. If the two year performance based contract isn't competitive vs the market, should the Saints sweeten their offer, or let Fairley go?

3. If the Saints let Fairley go because their contract offer isn't competitive, then how do you fill that now vacant slot? And at what cost?

The contract you are describing was Fairley's contract last year. He produced. So now his value in the market is higher.

The real question is what is his real value to the Saints and are they willing to make an offer that represents that value?

Free agents cannot be strongarmed in contract negotiations. There are 31 other teams and many of them have a ton of money to spend. So offers need to both be competitive in the market and represent the true value to the team.

SFIAH

AsylumGuido 01-11-2017 11:47 AM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
The two part question is, is there another free agent out there that can perform as well as Fairley did for the Saints this past season and at a lower cost?

If the Saints went with another free agent that wouldn't perform as well the Saints would be weakened.

If there was another free agent out there that the Saints feel could perform as well could they get him at a lower cost?

As SFIAH said, the Saints, nor any other franchise, are in a position to strong-arm any free agent. The market will set the price.

Personally, I would be more comfortable with the Saints paying up for Fairley than paying less for any other free agent. Fairley has proven himself. We have been burned enough times by going to outside free agents.

darksoul35 01-11-2017 12:03 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
He was one of the few bright spots on our defense. Would love to have him back but the price has to be right for both sides. It sounds like he might take a discount to stay and hopefully we finally draft a pass rusher in the first round. I'm not too concerned with DB because I think we have good talent at that position. We just need them to stay healthy.

Beastmode 01-11-2017 12:21 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
If we give him some help and make it performance based, meaning better than any other deal by a lot he has some things to think about. Either take the sure thing or potentially make out even better. Say if we make the playoffs, that would be a great way to pad it or each sack, tip is worth X amount...if he doesn't take it somebody else would go for it.

lee909 01-11-2017 12:41 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
He is likely to want big money.
Even giving him top 15 DT money means $6ml a year,top 10 money $9ml. Id be warry of paying him top 10 money

halloween 65 01-11-2017 12:45 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
My only concern with him(he didn't play bad) is when he lines up at the nose he's not effective there. My top priority would be another NT that compliments Davidson then if Fairley took a slightly better contract so be it. The thing I look at is the player next to him making him look better like in Detroit or has it finally clicked?

Beastmode 01-11-2017 12:52 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by lee909 (Post 733356)
He is likely to want big money.
Even giving him top 15 DT money means $6ml a year,top 10 money $9ml. Id be warry of paying him top 10 money

That would not be smart and how we got into trouble before.

ScottF 01-11-2017 01:29 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 733351)
The market will set the price.

Personally, I would be more comfortable with the Saints paying up for Fairley than paying less for any other free agent. Fairley has proven himself. We have been burned enough times by going to outside free agents.

Very true with market price, and if it is $5 mill or less I think it is a good match. He DID have his best year, but his stats don't merit top 10 money

Unfortunately we have been burned (often) paying up as well, particularly with def linemen

dizzle88 01-11-2017 01:33 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
It would be great if we could lace his contract with bonuses and keep him playing hard, whilst not breaking the bank on the contract overall.

Papa Voodoo 01-11-2017 01:36 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
I'm thinking 10 years, 100 million...

Rugby Saint II 01-11-2017 01:51 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by dizzle88 (Post 733363)
It would be great if we could lace his contract with bonuses and keep him playing hard, whilst not breaking the bank on the contract overall.

The question is..........is he willing to earn it?

K Major 01-11-2017 01:59 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Is it a risk? Yes.

You know what's a bigger risk? Losing Nick Fairley.

Danno 01-11-2017 05:02 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by K Major (Post 733368)
Is it a risk? Yes.

You know what's a bigger risk? Losing Nick Fairley.

Agreed, he's earned a market value contract. His past problems will likely be addressed in the contract with incentive.
We'd be foolish not to resign him

Beastmode 01-11-2017 05:05 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
I think the proof is already out there. Look at his entire body of work and then look at what was at stake for him this year. To me, not hard to figure out what is about to happen.

SmashMouth 01-11-2017 05:16 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
http://allthingsd.com/files/2012/04/...ars-16806.jpeg

ChrisXVI 01-11-2017 05:33 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
I'd like to resign him, but I'm not sure it's priority #1. We just used 2 draft picks on 3 techniques with Rankins and Onyemata. I think we'd be fine with added pressure off the edge.

AsylumGuido 01-11-2017 05:52 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisXVI (Post 733385)
I'd like to resign him, but I'm not sure it's priority #1. We just used 2 draft picks on 3 techniques with Rankins and Onyemata. I think we'd be fine with added pressure off the edge.

Many of the best defenses employ a rotation of quality DT's. You lessen the effectiveness of a rotation if you insert a weaker part. That inside pressure is necessary to give Jordan and whomever is on the other side their best opportunity. It is also necessary in collapsing the pocket up the middle on QB's like Matt Ryan.

vpheughan 01-11-2017 05:52 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Romper, bomper, stomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me do! Magic Mirror tell me today, what free agent can we sign that will play?
(With all due respect to Miss Ginny at Romper Room!)

AsylumGuido 01-11-2017 05:54 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by vpheughan (Post 733389)
Romper, bomper, stomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me do! Magic Mirror tell me today, what free agent can we sign that will play?
(With all due respect to Miss Ginny at Romper Room!)

WAY after my time. I was circa Captain Kangaroo. :)

halloween 65 01-11-2017 06:03 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 733388)
Many of the best defenses employ a rotation of quality DT's. You lessen the effectiveness of a rotation if you insert a weaker part. That inside pressure is necessary to give Jordan and whomever is on the other side their best opportunity. It is also necessary in collapsing the pocket up the middle on QB's like Matt Ryan.

Yep, we can agree on this. That is exactly why I want another NT to compliment Davidson, just like you stated, interior pressure is necessary. They didn't get to the qb as much as they needed to last season, pressures were o.k. but they were still lacking in the middle. .

jnormand 01-11-2017 06:56 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by dizzle88 (Post 733363)
It would be great if we could lace his contract with bonuses and keep him playing hard, whilst not breaking the bank on the contract overall.

He's not going to do that unless there's good guaranteed money. If he gets hurt he's going to want to make sure he's compensated.

Beastmode 01-11-2017 08:30 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
I would love to keep him but seriously, we are getting right back into the same hole we are almost out of. Before he signed with us he was on his second team then, he was on IR for the 2nd time recording 1/2 a sack for like 15 games. Tea leaves are saying don't do it. Decent player but not worth it IMO. Better to find another warm body that is not going to make us carry that body around for 3 years if something goes wrong.

jnormand 01-11-2017 09:31 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Beastmode (Post 733405)
I would love to keep him but seriously, we are getting right back into the same hole we are almost out of. Before he signed with us he was on his second team then, he was on IR for the 2nd time recording 1/2 a sack for like 15 games. Tea leaves are saying don't do it. Decent player but not worth it IMO. Better to find another warm body that is not going to make us carry that body around for 3 years if something goes wrong.

Oh I'm all for signing the guy. Just not to a ridiculous contract.

spkb25 01-11-2017 09:52 PM

Re: Defensive Tackle Nick Fairley is Priority #1
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa Voodoo (Post 733364)
I'm thinking 10 years, 100 million...

What scares me is Mick and SP thinking it too, would it really shock?


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:55 AM.


Copyright 1997 - 2020 - BlackandGold.com