Last week, the New Orleans Saints announced that 13 restricted free agents had been offered tenders. Curiously absent were running back Mike Bell and guard Jahri Evans.
Bell has since received the low-level, right-of-first-refusal tender. Evans is at the other extreme.
According to Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Evans will be tendered at the highest level, with a one-year salary of $3.168 million and a first-round and third-round pick as compensation to the Saints if he leaves.
That said, it might not be enough to block someone from coming after him. Quality offensive linemen are hard to find, and the one/three price tag is a lot easier to swallow for teams at the bottom of the rounds. With the Colts needing to improve their wall of blockers, don’t be shocked if they make a serious run at Evans.
Channel Finder
Just imagine what our O-Line could’ve been like if Willie Roaf was still playing for us. Roaf and Morten Anderson are the next two Saints to enter the Hall of Fame within the next 2-3 years.
That price might actually be too steep for Dan Snyder. Well, maybe not. Sky’s the limit, Danny Boy.
Jahri isn’t leaving, he knows the Saints will compete next year and he’ll get paid next year big time. I don’t think any other team will be willing to pay that money and the first and third round pick for him.
This seems like a blunder by the Saints for more than the reasons listed in the post.
For instance a team in the 11 to 19 range could trade down to the bottom of round 1, pick up a 3rd and essentially get Evans for only a 1st round pick.
If Evans was in the 2010 draft he would have a first round grade and be the first G off the board, and you get the bonus of knowing the guy can play at the NFL level, all things considered he has top 10 value.
Ken West,
The Saints will still have a chance to match any contract Evans might sign.
And it’s also been reported that Evans & the Saints are close to agreement on a long-term deal. So this could all be moot in a few days.
“Just imagine what our O-Line could’ve been like if Willie Roaf was still playing for us.”
Probably pretty bad. He’ll be 40 next month.
Pretty awesome for a kid coming out of Bloomsburg University!!!!!
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
THE COLTS DON’T SIGN OTHER TEAM’S FREE AGENTS
The problem with that thinking, Ken, is that they would have to give up the 1st and 3rd before the draft, so they wouldn’t have the 1 to trade down with when the draft got here.
No one is going to trade up before the draft without knowing what player is going to be in that slot. If they wait until the draft I’m sure the Saints will have already locked him into a long term deal.
That being said, a late first and third aren’t unthinkable to give up for a Guard of Evans caliber. I hope to God Mickey Loomis bites the bullet and pays the man.
I think I speak for most Saints fans when I say I’m way more concerned about re-signing Evans than Sharper
List of veteran free-agents that the Colts have signed in the Bill Polian-era that were primary starters on their former team:
1) Adam Vinatieri (2006)
2) Cory Simon (2005)
3) Chad Bratzke (1999)
The end.
That has been since 1998.
Three in twelve years. Three.
So…. why is it that Florio keeps linking the Colts to every high-priced veteran free-agent out there?
In this case we are talking about someone he would have to give up a 1st and a third rounder for.
This is just stupid.
Stop posting BS just to get page views.
Next Florio will be reporting that Bill Polian is letting John Feinstein follow him around all next season.
Will be interesting to see what happens.
Bloom U alum
Out of curiosity, could a team like the bears, who don’t have a first round pick, sign a free agent with a first and third round compensation tied to them?
Ken West says: For instance a team in the 11 to 19 range could trade down to the bottom of round 1, pick up a 3rd and essentially get Evans for only a 1st round pick.
======
A team that gives up their 1st round pick can’t trade down because they no longer have a pick to trade down with.
Assuming nobody tries to resurrect the poison pill, the Saints will still have a right of first refusal on any contract offer that Jahri Evans accepts.
I doubt a personnel guy that emphasizes the draft, like Polian does, will give up a 1 and 3 for Evans, and give him a big deal. It would shake their financial structure up. Furthermore, if they look OL, they should focus on LT first, where Ugoh has stumbled and Charlie Johnson isn’t a long term answer.
@Ken West
you forget.. the Saints get the opportunity to match any offer Evans is given, and IF they choose not to match it they get the first and third. Chances are, even if someone does attempt to make at Evans, he will be a New Orleans Saints (I mean, I know it sounds silly to say Saints, but that’s the team name, so doesn’t it make him a Saints and not a Saint? lol) next season regardless.
Colts “DO NOT” spend big cash on free agents from other teams. This is common knowledge Florio. Get a clue! If I was wrong on a daily basis at my job I’d be fired. The only one worse than you is that lispy little jew handing out “DUH” info about fantasy football.
And where the hell did thet get Laconfora? You can tell all vets are annoyed but that dweeb.
Maybe Joe Buck can pick the three of you schmucks up in a rental car & pull a “thelma & louise” because he sucks too.
Evans isn’t going anywhere, regardless of what the Colts or any other team offer him. It’s called restricted free agency. If a team signs him to an offer, the Saints have first right of refusal (i.e. — they can match the offer and he stays put).
I thought the top tier of teams would have to lose a free agent of equal value to pick one up in this uncapped year. What about that little problem with your scenario Florio?
This will put the Saints firmly in the driver’s seat for a real chance at a repeat with all their O-linemen pretty much locked up in place so that they can concentrate on D-line in the early rounds of the draft now. Just like I thought they would, they are apparently trying to retain as many of their free agent players as possible and whoever might get away from them, deal with that as it happens.
Ay Vox, a 40 year old Willie Roaf is desperately needed on your Cowgirls’ O-Line. Since his rookie season, he made it to the Pro Bowl 11x and selected as an All-Pro every year he played except for the injury season in ’01. Age wouldn’t matter with those type of numbers and most Offensive Tackles usually don’t last longer than 32 or 33 (Starters..not back-ups) but he stopped when he was 35 after he seen the Chiefs weren’t going anywhere, could’ve played longer with us had Haslett bitch ass not traded him and he would’ve got a chance to play in Payton’s era and finally get a ring during his last season.
This is just another case of you envying the Saints.
Bottom line is that the Saints should have the money and the desire to keep every one of the free agents that they want to keep on this team. If they let one go at all, it tells me that they didn’t see that guy fitting into their system anymore or they just saw a better/cheaper (or both) replacement already waiting in the wings on the roster (which I just don’t see a whole lot of right now).
“Ay Vox, a 40 year old Willie Roaf is desperately needed on your Cowgirls’ O-Line.”
Right, because at 40, he could do so much that he couldn’t do for the Aints when he could actually play. Not sure why you think that he just couldn’t stand not going anywhere with the Chefs, he seemed to be ok with it a whole lot of losing when he was an Aint. Fact is he experienced more winning seasons in four years with the Chefs (2, including his last season) than he did in 9 years with the Aints (1).
I wonder if it’s just coincidence that the Aints have won less than 7 games in a season only once since they got rid of Willie Roaf? And I wouldn’t be so quick to crack on Jim Haslett if I were you. His winning percentage with the Aints was .469, making him one of the most successful coaches in Aints history.