Details on the restricted free agency tenders applied to more than a dozen Saints on Thursday.
OT Jammal Brown received the highest possible tender - right of first refusal and first- and third-round picks, a one-year contract over 3.6 million. Brown could still be traded for terms less than that staggering price tag.
The Saints' other two standout tackles, Jermon Bushrod and Zach Strief, are also restricted free agents with the second round pick tender.
Starting right tackle Jon Stinchcomb, coming off his first Pro Bowl, is under contract through 2013.
Its entirely likely that one of the trio of Strief, Bushrod or Brown will be traded.
S Roman Harper received an RFA tender at the first round pick level. Two more Saints received second round tenders: WR Lance Moore, RB Pierre Thomas. Reported earlier, Strief and Bushrod also received second round tenders.
DT Anthony Hargrove, TE David Thomas and WR Courtney Roby all received third round tenders. S Usama Young's tender carries a third round pick as well, but was tendered at the original draft pick level.
Also tendered at the original draft pick level were LB Marvin Mitchell (seventh round), DT Remi Ayodele (undrafted, no compensation) and special teamer S Chris Reis (undrafted, no compensation).
Of the three tackles, I'd look to trade Bushrod. I'm not saying he's any less an OT than Strief, but Strief seems to have some interesting versatility as the Refrigerator Perry of tight ends. I'd like to see him lose some of that flab around his waist, come back at around 300 pounds, and start sneaking out for a pass every once in a while.
ReplyDeleteAs for Hargrove, he'd be a steal at the third round level. Seems he's still carrying the burden of his past troubles. I hope the Saints are able to keep him in the fold and that he continues to solidify the addiction-free foundation he's building for his life. I think he'd be a real force as a replacement for C. Grant at DE.