Panthers ready for another DE?....

Defensive end Darren Howard's six-year career with the Saints appears to have come to an abrupt conclusion. Saints coach Jim Haslett said Howard would not play again this season because of an injured right knee, thereby giving coaches and personnel officials a better chance to evaluate rookie defensive end Jimmy Verdon. Howard said he has no plans to re-sign with the Saints and would "quit" if team officials prevented him from testing free agency by making him a franchise player for a third consecutive year.
-- New Orleans Times-Picayune

 

Howard is talented, but I don't want any part of him. Moreover, he's going to get a big free agent payday from someone simply because there are so few decent DEs on the market this off-season.

 

Two points:

1) There should be a statute of limitations on how many years a team can franchise one player. FWIW, I think no one player should be able to be franchised more than once. Then you either sign him or let him go. The franchise tag shouldn't be used in place of a fair contract.

2) Darren Howard has a good reputation, but I've never been nearly as impressed with him as I have Will Smith and Charles Grant. I don't know what he'll command on the open market, but my guess is the buyer will get disappointed.

 

I'm ok with no limitations on the franchise tag only because it's an average of the top five salaries at the position or a 20% increase from the previous year's salary, whichever is greater. So basically every additional year that a player is slapped with the franchise tag, their payday goes up substantially. That's why Orlando Pace and Walter Jones were already getting a buttload of money from their respective teams, because they keep getting 20% increases every year.

 

Yes, lets sign another DE from the division with a bad knee.

 

"This is a stick-up. Gimme all your money!"

 

I wonder how many other message boards are talking about Howard. A couple of the other boards I visit have threads about Howard as well. Being a fellow K-Stater, I of course wish him the best and would love to see him on a team I follow. But I have to leave those decisions up to management.

 

Draft Manny!

 

lots