March 14
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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On the eve of visiting the New Orleans Saints to discuss entering the backup stage of his NFL career, quarterback Jake Delhomme instead signed a two-year deal with the Cleveland Browns late Saturday, according to published reports. ESPN, quoting an unnamed league source, reported the contract just hours after Saints officials, citing a cancelled flight, said Delhomme's slated visit to New Orleans had been pushed back to Sunday. Neither Delhomme nor the Saints responded to requests for comment Saturday and it was unclear where the tale of the cancelled flight originated, but it certainly was understandable why Delhomme would prefer a deal with the Browns: he should have a shot at the ..."
March 13
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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On Wednesday, free agent safety Darren Sharper said he wasn't feeling the love from the New Orleans Saints in regards to a new contract. On Friday, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis made it clear that any issues slowing down the negotiating process aren't due to a lack of love. "Listen, I've got all the love in the world for Darren Sharper," said Loomis via Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "I just don't have all the money in the world for Darren Shaper." Nice. The 13-year veteran safety became an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but hasn't drawn a lot of interest on the open market. The Saints have made it clear they're interested in bringing Shaper back to New ..."
March 13
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Let's hope the treatment is royal enough, that the sales pitch is persuasive enough, that the ego is tame enough. If those factors are aligned, then the New Orleans Saints can sign free agent quarterback Jake Delhomme. And they can upgrade the backup position on the roster by landing a guy who, if he physically is fit and mentally hasn't been shredded by a final season of nightmarish play in Carolina, the franchise could feel comfortable leading the team if - heaven forbid - something happened to Drew Brees. Of course, those are two large factors. Delhomme, who played his first two NFL seasons in New Orleans and signed with Carolina in 2003, simply might be out of gas. A physical will ..."
March 13
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis said Friday that only in rare instances where they see the possibility of a turnaround will the team take an active interest in players with baggage. In fact, an emphasis on player character has been a guiding principle for the Saints' turnaround from a 3-13 team in 2005 to Super Bowl champions. Indeed, in conversations with Coach Sean Payton after Hurricane Katrina, Loomis said the team's brain trust decided to seek players with that combination of intelligence and grit above even pure athletic talent or speed. "We felt like character was even more important for our team," Loomis said. "That's been true from the first meeting I had with ..."
March 13
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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With a series of broad strokes, New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis outlined where the franchise stood Friday, making it clear he hopes to leave the defending world champions' roster close to intact but won't be afraid of making moves in free agency and the upcoming draft. Specifically, Loomis said the Saints hope to retain all 16 of the 18 restricted free agents they have tendered offers to and also not lose unrestricted free agents. Chief among them is starting safety Darren Sharper, who had made it clear he would like to remain with New Orleans but hinted this week he hasn't felt "the love." Loomis memorably disputed that assessment. "I have all the love in the world for ..."
March 13
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Scott Fujita's departure didn't exactly leave the New Orleans Saints' cupboard bare at linebacker. Although General Manager Mickey Loomis said it "remains to be seen" how the Saints will fill the starting job on the strong side of their defense, he pointed out that they have several candidates in-house, including young backups Jonathan Casillas, Stanley Arnoux, Anthony Waters, Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Marvin Mitchell and veteran Troy Evans. Because the Saints haven't scheduled any visits with free agent linebackers, Loomis was asked if that means they rank defensive end as a higher priority right now. "We have a need at both of those positions, but we have more guys in the building at the ..."
March 12
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The New Orleans Saints have not yet met with free agent defensive end Leonard Little, who was originally scheduled to arrive Wednesday. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jim Thomas, that visit was rescheduled. Also, Thomas speculates that the Saints are concentrating more on signing Little's younger teammate, Rams defensive end James Hall -- a New Orleans native who is scheduled to visit the Saints today or Friday."
March 12
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The New Orleans Saints just announced that they re-signed long snapper Jason Kyle. Here's the official release by the team: New Orleans Saints executive vice president/general manager Mickey Loomis announced Thursday that the club has re-signed long snapper Jason Kyle to a one-year contract. Kyle, a veteran of 15 NFL seasons, joined the Saints as a free agent last June after playing eight seasons with the Carolina Panthers. The 6-3, 242-pound former college linebacker at Arizona State snapped in all 16 games for the Saints in 2009 as well as the three postseason contests, making two tackles on special teams."
March 12
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees both have book deals in the works after their remarkable Super Bowl season. Payton's book, titled "Home Team," is scheduled to be released in the first week of July and will center on the unique relationship between the Saints and the city. The details of Brees' book have not been announced, but he confirmed that he plans to become a first-time author through a tweet Thursday night. "I never thought this would happen, but I am writing a book. A great opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many," Brees said on his Twitter account. Payton's book will be written in collaboration with Ellis Henican, a columnist for ..."
March 12
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Jake Delhomme's career took off when he left the Louisiana nest for the first time in 2003, signing with the Carolina Panthers and immediately leading them to a Super Bowl berth. Now, the New Orleans Saints want the free-agent quarterback to come back home. Delhomme, a Breaux Bridge native, former Louisiana-Lafayette star and former Saints backup will visit the Saints on Friday and Saturday to explore the idea of becoming an insurance policy for Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees. He'll be the second free agent to visit the Saints this year, following defensive end James Hall, who arrived Thursday. Hall, 32, is a New Orleans native who prepped at St. Augustine and has spent his 10-year career ..."
March 9
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Darren Sharper walked the red carpet on a pair of crutches before the Super Bowl XLIV Champions DVD premiere screening Monday night at the Prytania Theatre, offering a clue as to why the New Orleans Saints' free agent safety hasn't taken any trips yet to visit any prospective new NFL employers. Sharper said he had a minor "clean-up" procedure performed on his left knee last week by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., which shouldn't keep him off his feet long. But it has kept him from boarding any planes. League sources indicated that Sharper has postponed at least two free agent visits over the past few days, which could drag out his courtship process by a week or two."
March 7
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Here's another reason why Saints fans should love Drew Brees: He's even a positive factor during free agency. Not only does nearly every player in the league want to play with the Saints' Super Bowl MVP quarterback, but his brilliance also keeps rival teams from raiding the Saints' roster for free agents. How so? NFL scouts will tell you that Saints offensive players are among the most difficult in the league to evaluate. It's tough to gauge their abilities because the Saints' offense is so prolific with Brees under center that it's hard to determine just how good the players are running it."
March 7
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The second day of free agency was relatively quiet for the Saints. They announced the re-signing of backup center Nick Leckey to a one-year contract. And restricted free agent tailback Mike Bell scheduled a visit with the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, according to a league source. No developments were revealed, however, in the courtship of free agent safety Darren Sharper or free agent linebacker Scott Fujita. Of course that doesn't mean the Saints have been inactive behind the scenes. But as expected, the new rules of free agency have led to a slow and steady pace for the Super Bowl champions. Fujita traveled to Cleveland to visit the Browns on Saturday, but there was no word on contract ..."
March 6
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Cutting defensive end Charles Grant didn't pack the same wallop as would have the signing of Julius Peppers. Subtracting linebacker Mark Simoneau wasn't quite the same as would have been announcing the addition of Karlos Dansby. But then, the Saints aren't in need of national-headline-grabbing acquisitions in free agency to get them over the hump. They already have jumped the hump, landed safely and have a Super Bowl crown to show for it. Just a couple of strategic additions here and there, to fill the handful of gaps on the roster, will do nicely. So parting ways with three veterans who combined to have a microscopic impact on the Super Bowl run -- guard Jamar Nesbit was the other ..."
March 6
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The Saints locked up one of their veteran safeties on the first day of free agency Friday, but not the one that everyone's been wondering about. The Super Bowl champs re-signed backup Pierson Prioleau to a one-year deal, their first signing of the 2010 season, while fellow safety Darren Sharper and outside linebacker Scott Fujita remain unsigned on the open market. The Saints have had positive discussions with both Sharper and Fujita, according to league sources. But both veteran starters have also been shopping elsewhere. Fujita, 30, is scheduled to visit the Cleveland Browns today, according to a league source. Sharper, 34, had no visits scheduled as of Friday night, but at least two ..."
March 6
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Virtually all the spoils of his success -- going to Disney World, appearing on TV shows with Letterman, Ellen and Oprah and most recently, playing 18 holes in a foursome with Jack Nicklaus as his specially invited guest -- are new to Drew Brees, still the people's choice everywhere he goes. However, receiving the Maxwell Club's Bert Bell Award as NFL Player of the Year along the Jersey shore was different. It is more the fulfillment of a promise he made to himself long ago that frankly no one expected him to keep. That is what had to make it as special as anything that's come his way since Brees and the Saints climbed their stairway to heaven just four weeks ago in winning Super Bowl ..."
March 5
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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No member of the 2009 New Orleans Saints had been around longer than defensive end Charles Grant, and certainly none had experienced more highs and lows than the former first-round draft pick, who began the season by referring to himself as "one of the last of the Mohicans around here." But that eight-year roller coaster ride will come to an end Friday when the Saints release Grant on the first day of the new league year. The team announced its plan to cut Grant on Thursday, while also announcing that it had released guard Jamar Nesbit and veteran linebacker Mark Simoneau. For the three longtime Saints, their Super Bowl rings will be parting gifts. None of the decisions comes as a ..."
March 4
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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After 17 seasons with four NFL teams, quarterback Mark Brunell knows where he wants to be: New Orleans. That's a desire rarely expressed by players for the nearly half century New Orleans has spent mired in professional sports' doldrums. But there isn't a trace of vacillation in Brunell's voice. "I certainly would enjoy coming back," he said. "From my perspective I think it's a good fit, and I just can't say enough about the team and the organization." The question now, he readily admits, is about the organization's perspective. Brunell, whose two-year, $3.8 million deal has come to an end, could become an unrestricted free agent this week, one of 10 such players on the Saints' roster. ..."
March 3
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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It was one of those moments that will remain forever frozen in time. Where were you when Tracy Porter became the most famous athlete in the history of Port Allen? Ask Stephen Perry, and he'll tell you he was sitting on the 43-yard line at Sun Life Stadium in Miami that night. He remembers the feeling as "the closest to heaven I ever had," watching a 74-yard interception return of a Peyton Manning pass become the defining play of the Saints' 31-17 Super Bowl victory over the Indianapolis Colts. "My wife buried her head in my chest and began sobbing," Perry said. "I was sobbing right along. Tracy jumps the route. He leaves Reggie Wayne empty-handed. Looking back, it's like everything ..."
March 3
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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After 17 seasons with four NFL teams, quarterback Mark Brunell knows where he wants to be: New Orleans. That's a desire rarely expressed by players for the nearly half century New Orleans has spent mired in professional sports' doldrums. But there isn't a trace of vacillation in Brunell's voice. "I certainly would enjoy coming back," he said. "From my perspective I think it's a good fit, and I just can't say enough about the team and the organization." The question now, he readily admits, is about the organization's perspective. Brunell, whose two-year, $3.8 million deal has come to an end, could become an unrestricted free agent this week, one of 10 such players on the Saints' roster. ..."
March 2
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The New Orleans Saints made great strides in their power rushing attack in 2009, and now they've taken big steps toward keeping it together in 2010. The Saints made qualifying offers to restricted free agent guard Jahri Evans and restricted free agent tailback Mike Bell on Monday, league sources confirmed. Evans, a first-team All-Pro this past season, was offered a one-year deal worth $3.168 million, which was a mandatory 10 percent raise over his 2009 salary. That puts him at the highest possible compensation level, which means the Saints have the right to match any offer he might sign with another team in free agency, or they would receive both first- and third-round draft picks if they ..."
February 28
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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While most of the Saints are still reveling in their Super Bowl championship, at least one player is thrilled that the 2010 season is finally here. Left tackle Jammal Brown has been stuck on the sideline since he had surgeries to repair a sports hernia and a torn labrum in his left hip last August and September. The two-time Pro Bowler is so eager to get back to work that he plans to leave today for Southern California, where he'll spend the next month and a half working out at the Elite Athletics training center run by Saints teammate Billy Miller. "I didn't play last year, so while other people are taking some time off, I'm going to pick it up," said Brown, who said he has mostly been ..."
February 28
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Less than a month ago Darren Sharper was euphoric as he rode through the streets of New Orleans during the epic Dat Tuesday victory celebration. Yesterday he was merry. Today he is miffed. Sharper wasn't happy with the Saints' decision to forgo the franchise tag option and allow him to test the free agent market this offseason. He told the NFL.com's Steve Wyche, "They said they want me back, but if you want someone back, why are you going to let them test the market? I don't know how much they want me back if they're allowing other teams to bid for my services. Being in this situation before, if a team is willing to let you test the market they're willing to let you go." Welcome to the ..."
February 27
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Based on the forecast provided by Coach Sean Payton on Friday, the Saints expect to keep tailback Reggie Bush on the roster this season, they'd like to bring back safety Darren Sharper at the right price, and they don't seem likely to add free-agent tailback LaDainian Tomlinson to the mix. Talking at length for the first time since Payton finally let go of the Lombardi Trophy after celebrating the Saints' victory in Super Bowl XLIV, he spoke after Friday's workouts at the NFL scouting combine. He hit on a number of compelling topics that will shape a 2010 season that is well under way: -- Payton used strong words to emphasize that the team is planning to keep Bush in the fold, although ..."
February 26
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Whoever said it was easier to reach the top than to stay there probably had no idea at the time he was talking about the 2010 New Orleans Saints. But the Super Bowl champs -- it's still a little dizzying to say it, isn't it? -- will set about defending their title with one hand tied behind their back this offseason. The rule changes that have gone into effect this year, the final year of the collective bargaining agreement between owners and players, certainly don't do the Saints any favors. Specifically, this one: The final four playoff teams aren't allowed to sign any unrestricted free agents unless they lose one first, and they can only sign a new player at a similar salary level. Given ..."
February 26
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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General Manager Mickey Loomis confirmed Wednesday that the Saints won't use the franchise tag on safety Darren Sharper, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 5 if they don't work out a new contract. Meanwhile, the Saints began sending out offers to their lengthy list of restricted free agents. They offered a second-round tender to offensive tackle Zach Strief, according to his agent, Ralph Cindrich, and a third-round tender to safety Usama Young, according to his agent Andy Simms. Loomis declined to expand on the Sharper decision, but it's clear that the team would rather re-sign the 34-year-old veteran at a more palatable price. The franchise tag would have ..."
February 26
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The New Orleans Saints have made qualifying offers to 13 players slated to become restricted free agents at the start of the new league year next week. Terms of the offers were not disclosed. The players are: Defensive linemen Remi Ayodele and Anthony Hargrove, offensive tackles Jammal Brown, Jermon Bushrod and Zach Strief, safeties Roman Harper, Chris Reis and Usama Young, linebacker Marvin Mitchell, wide receivers Lance Moore and Courtney Roby, tight end David Thomas and running back Pierre Thomas. As reported earlier, the offers to Bushrod and Strief were second-round tenders and the offer to Young was a third-round tender."
February 26
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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The New Orleans Saints have offered a second-round tender to restricted free agent offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod, according to his agent Richard Rosa. By making the qualifying offer of one year and $1.684 million, the Saints will have the right to match any deal Bushrod might sign with another team. And if they choose to let him sign with another team, they would receive a second-round draft pick as compensation. The Saints also made a second-round tender offer to restricted free agent offensive tackle Zach Strief this week. There has been no word yet on what qualifying offer they might make to restricted free agent offensive tackle Jammal Brown."
February 24
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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In a move that smacks of injecting competition into the preseason, the Saints -- fresh off an NFL championship -- signed fullback Zak Keasey to a one-year contract late Monday, according to his agent. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, and Saints officials did not respond to e-mails seeking comment. As of late Tuesday, the team had not posted a news release about Keasey's contract. Keasey, 6 feet, 237 pounds, played collegiately at Princeton. As a third-year player, he would be eligible for the league minimum of $470,000 for that level of experience. It is common in the months leading up to preseason camp for teams to swell their roster to the allowed 80-man limit, and Keasey comes ..."
February 23
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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General Manager Mickey Loomis admitted the Saints are "a bit behind" their normal schedule when it comes to free agency and the draft. "But it's a good reason to be behind," Loomis said of the franchise's first Super Bowl championship and the ensuing celebration that swept the Crescent City. "And I think we're capable of catching up." The 2010 season is kicking things up a notch this week, with the NFL scouting combine beginning Wednesday in Indianapolis and the deadline for designating franchise and transition players looming Thursday. The deadline for submitting qualifying offers to restricted free agents is March 4, and the free-agent signing period will begin March 5. The first ..."
February 23
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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A league source indicated Monday that the New Orleans Saints aren't planning to use the franchise tag on free agent safety Darren Sharper. But General Manager Mickey Loomis has given no indication yet what his intentions are. The deadline for designating franchise and transition players is Thursday. The Saints would have to offer Sharper, 34, a one-year deal worth $6.455 million to lock him up. Or they could decide to skip the franchise tag and negotiate a new deal with him or let him leave for another team in free agency."
February 19
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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At the seasoned age of 34 and finally with a Super Bowl title, New Orleans Saints All-Pro free safety Darren Sharper has shifted some of his focus to life after football. Starting next week, Sharper will move from being one of the Saints' much-talked-about playmakers to just another talking head. He'll work as an offseason analyst for the NFL Network. That's just another perk that comes with being a star on the Super Bowl champion roster. While several of his teammates have taken to traveling around the country, hosting parties, doing interviews with national talk shows and being the guest of honor at autograph signings, Sharper is fine-tuning his other professional field. He did join ..."