Darren Sharper Contract Situation

After the highs of the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras it's time to get back to business and what better way to return to Earth from a fairytale than to talk about free agent Saints player contracts.  At the last count there are some 18 restricted free agents on the Saints roster including the likes of Darren Sharper, Roman Harper, Jermon Bushrod,  guard Jahri Evans and tailbacks Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell.  I would like all of these guys to be resigned at the earliest opportunity but it is Darren Sharpers contract situation that concerns me given the leadership and game changing qualities he brings to the Saints D.

Sharper signed on for $1.7 million last season with two midseason bonuses included in the one year deal.  The Saints could have placed a franchise tag on the super safety but that would have pushed his salary up to $6.455 million which is pretty difficult to justify no matter how much we all love number 42.

Darren Sharper Contract Negotiations... Well actually Cuba Gooding Jr, but you get the point

 

So whilst the Saints have every right to let Darren Sharper test the waters of free agency I am just hoping good sense prevails and both sides recognise the perfect match they make for each other.  To give him his due Sharper has repeatedly stated that he wants to re-sign so let's just hope General Manager Mickey Loomis is waxing lyrical in his discussions and both sides can come to an accomodation sometime soon.

I guess the one thing that all players will recognise in this period of horse trading is that as a collective the Saints players reached the pinnacle of their sport only a matter of weeks ago.  So long as they can keep in perpespective the fact that winning the big one is attainable again next season then perhaps they will be prepared to forgo a little salary bump in return for keeping this special group of players together for one more season.

That is why it is imperative that the remaining restricted free agents Jammal Brown, David Thomas, Kyle Eckel, Lance Moore, Courtney Roby, Chris Reis, Remi Ayodele, Anthony Hargrove,  Jeff Charleston,  Marvin Mitchell and Leigh Torrence think about what can be achieved so long as the 'quan' doesn't get in the way.  The Saints could be at the start of a defining era so whilst every one deserves their pay day, let's just hope it doesn't tear a great team apart.