Saints have several important free agents to deal with
It doesn't take long to get to the big issues for Saints officials as they prepare to embark on a 2 1/2-month period that will be critical for an offensive unit that shattered the NFL record for total yards in 2011.
Most front-office executives would love to have the "issues" a team that won 14 games has going into the offseason, but the Saints know that keeping the core of that productive offense intact won't be easy -- not by any stretch of the imagination.
The top priority, of course, is getting quarterback Drew Brees re-signed after he completed the six-year, $60 million contract he received from the team in March 2006. In this case, it was money well spent as Brees helped deliver four playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title.
The cost of doing business has gone up exponentially since then, especially when it pertains to franchise quarterbacks, which means Saints owner Tom Benson will have to take out his checkbook and spend at least $18 million annually to keep Brees in the fold.
While General manager Mickey Loomis and Brees have both recently expressed confidence that the deal will get done and he will be back in a Saints uniform in 2012, the five-time Pro Bowl pick is merely part of the equation -- a rather large part obviously -- for the Saints on that side of the ball.
Three other pieces of the potent offense are also potential unrestricted free agents that Loomis has to deal with in the next couple of months.
Getting All-Pro left guard Carl Nicks, a two-time Pro Bowl pick, and wide receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem to remain with the team are also seen as critical to the offense's success going forward.
Brees is the key to the Saints keeping Nicks, a five-year veteran, off the open market. If Brees were to agree to a new contract in the next few weeks, the Saints could then use the franchise tag on Nicks to ensure his return.
Nicks, who wants to return to New Orleans, will likely seek a deal worth more than the one three-time All-Pro right guard Jahri Evans received in May 2010. The Saints locked up Evans with a seven-year, $56.7 million contract after his first All-Pro season.
During a visit to Indianapolis during Super Bowl week, Nicks said he was "disheartened" that the Saints haven't reached out to start negotiations, but acknowledged the team has to take care of Brees first.
Colston and Meachem, two of Brees' favorite receivers, have a combined 11 seasons in Sean Payton's system. During their time with the Saints, they have 590 receptions for 8,509 yards and 71 touchdowns.
While the Saints have Lance Moore and Devery Henderson under contract, getting Colston and Meachem back are important if their asking price is not too steep considering what they may have to spend to keep Brees and Nicks.
Backup quarterback Chase Daniel is a restricted free agent and will likely be back along with starting center Brian de la Puente, who is an exclusive rights free agent and will be tendered.
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