tiggerpolice

By Nick Athan Publisher
Date: Jun 17, 2005

Warpaint Illustrated has learned that wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim has decided to sign a contract with the New Orleans Saints. The deal could be announced as soon as today.



Late this morning Warpaint Illustrated was tipped off that the deal went south. According to our source, Hakim briskly left town and indicated that he would not be coming to Kansas City after contract talks failed to yield a long term deal that he had hoped to get from the Chiefs.

Apparently Hakim and his agent hit a snag in those understood contract talks. Both Hakim and his agent left town after the talks broke off with the Chiefs. His agent Bruce Tolner quickly called the Saints and they remained interested in acquiring the former Detroit Lions receiver.

This was an unusual change of heart for Hakim who professed his love for the Chiefs organization and Head Coach Dick Vermeil. He clearly wanted to play for them two days ago.

But in the NFL money talks and the two sides could not reach an agreement on the terms of the contract.

Though Hakim was not expected to be a starter; the team is looking for a veteran receiver to compete for the #3 position.

According to our source at Arrowhead, the decision for Hakim to sign with the Saints was the direct result of a conversation between Hakim and Vermeil. Both felt that the Saints would give him a better long term situation then playing just one-year in Kansas City with no guarantees of a long term contract. After that conversation, the Chiefs and Hakim agreed to part ways mutually.

With this development, Kansas City might turn its attention back to former Eagles wide receiver Freddie Mitchell or the Seahwaks Koren Robinson.


http://chiefs.scout.com/2/388391.html

mayoj

OMG, this is bizarre news. I hope he isn't coming here for higher pay and definitely not for a long term contract. yuck. I can't believe he even wants to be on the Saints team. I don't have a good feeling about this one. It is better than Freddie Mitchell though, and we probably can't afford Koren Robinson, so as long as we don't do anything absurd with the contract maybe it won't be bad.

Euphoria

Lets sit tight and see if we can get this confirmed through another source... here is the last news on the situation.

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2005/06...azzahir_hakim/

long term is cool, means cheaper up front and can his has before he get to expensive. (pathon).

papz

Why am I not excited?

Euphoria

Its good news... more proven vets at WR. If its true.

BrooksMustGo

It's kind of nice--the most important player in Saints history is now a Saint.

Now if we could just get Brian Milne back....

WhoDat

Yeah - a guy proven to fumble more than Brooks. Can't wait! What a freaking mistake. DOH!

This could push the Beerman off the team, and I don't want to see that.

Horn, Stallworth, Henderson, Poole... you really want Hakim??? Over Lewis (a much better special teams player, or Gardner - a bigger middle threat???). I DON'T!!!

I mean, IMO, we've got two deep threat speedsters in Henderson and Lewis already. Lewis is a special teams Ace and Henderson is ayoung stud. Why trade a young stud with no hands for an older slower unsure handed WR who, IMO, has serious toughness concerns?? Stupid is as stupid does I guess.

\"Excuses, excuses, excuses. That’s all anyone ever makes for the New Orleans Saints’ organization.\" - Eric Narcisse


\"Being a Saints fan is almost like being addicted to crack,\" he said.[i]\"You know you should stop, but you just can\'t.\"

papz

I honestly can't see Hakim to be a major improvement over having Henderson or Poole as our 3rd receiver. Hakim doesn't exactly have the best hands in the world... so why not let Henderson have an oppurtunity to take over that 3rd spot? They are practically the same type of receivers... explosive with questionable hands, except Henderson has more upside.

Euphoria

Henderson has the oppurtunity... he can win the spot or be the 4th.

mayoj

I guess this is the question: If Horn went down and Stallworth moved into WR#1 spot or If Stallworth went down, who would you feel most comfortable being the #2WR??

This is where I think Hakim may have his value and where we lack the appropriate depth. Tallman is questionable as a #3 WR, Henderson has practically seen no playing time, and Poole, while I think he may be our best bet for #3, has not shown anything #2 worthy in the past. I have now changed my mind to this being an ok (best of other options) pickup. I just checked some stats, and Hakim while only putting up around 500 yards over the last few years, has not gone downhill. One last clarification: I am not saying he would be a good #2 WR by any means, but good assurance to have someone move into that spot if needed and Henderson and Poole don't show much. Safety first.