Saints Nation: Darren Sharper re-signs a 1 year deal with Saints

Yessss!!!!!!!!! After all that, Darren Sharper is back with the New Orleans Saints! He has signed a one year deal, and he confirmed this on his twitter account. You can also visit details of the story HERE.

I'm feeling pretty good about Two-Dat all of a sudden.

Saints Nation: Is the Writing on the Wall for Darren Sharper?

I couldn't help but think last night when the Saints selected cornerback Patrick Robinson that it meant, by association, that Darren Sharper isn't coming back to the team. The more I think about it, it's time to come to terms with the writing that's on the wall. Darren Sharper isn't coming back, and Patrick Robinson was drafted to replace Malcolm Jenkins as a backup cornerback. Jenkins, in turn, will be moved to free safety and take over for Sharper. That's not anything the Saints front office are coming out and saying, it's just a gut feeling on my part. We all saw how Jenkins played in the SuperBowl. The guy is ready to start at the NFL level, especially at free safety where his lack of speed is less of an issue, and his nose for the ball is more pronounced.

Sharper has already said that the Saints haven't shown him "enough love". Mickey Loomis countered that he had all the love in the world for Darren Sharper, just not "all the money in the world". What that tells me is the Saints offered a contract, and Sharper didn't like the terms. Since then, there's been no action and Sharper has visited with other teams trying to find a suitable offer. Sharper has made it clear he's looking for the highest bidder out there. The Saints have made it clear as of yesterday that they're ready to move on without him.

I won't go as far as to say this case is closed. After all, Sharper is probably 2 or 3 years away from retiring, and I could still see him back with the Saints if nothing else works out. At that point, Robinson would start further down the depth chart and Jenkins' move to free safety could be delayed. I don't think it's impossible Sharper will be back if he doesn't get an offer he's happy with elsewhere and he comes to terms with sucking it up and taking a lower offer.

At the end of the day, though, where there's smoke there's usually fire. If you're adding up one and one, then two says Sharper is pretty much gone. Think about it, he's still out there looking for the best contract... the Saints drafted a defensive back in the first round and appear ready to move on. He doesn't think the Saints are showing enough love... He thinks the Jets are a free safety away from being a SuperBowl contender... yadda yadda. It all adds up to him not being back in a Saints uniform. I hate to say it because he was the defensive MVP last year for the Saints and maybe the league, but I think it's time we call a spade a spade. The writing is on the wall.

Saints Nation: The Longer Darren Sharper Stays Available, the Better for Saints

My apologies for the lack of Saints news/information in the last few days, but largely to blame for that is the Saints' complete lack of activity. They're not the only ones, as the first "wave" of free agency has passed and a lot of the available players out there are having to drop their asking price. Since Darren Sharper is still available and has yet to receive an offer he liked, I think he needs to be included in the players that will have to drop their asking price. This bodes well for the Saints, because they've made it clear that they want Sharper back if Sharper can agree to reasonable terms. I think the Saints were most at risk of losing Sharper early in free agency if someone threw a ridiculous amount of money at him and he decided he couldn't resist. Think of Scott Fujita and the offer he got from the Browns very early in the process. Since that's yet to happen, I can't really see a team breaking the bank this deep into the free agency period. It is a little surprising that Sharper hasn't garnered a little more interest after having one of the best seasons of his career, but let's remember he's 34 and he's currently recovering from minor knee surgery. That same knee, by the way, plagued him for almost the entirety of the 2009 season. Sharper had to accept a bottom of the barrel low ball offer from the Saints last offseason, and while he's proven to everyone he can still play, he's now a year older. When it's all said in done, I do believe Sharper will be back in a Saints uniform, but it may be for much less than he's hoping for. Stay tuned...

Saints Nation's Top 15 Plays of the 2009 Season: #7 Darren Sharper's Interception Return for a Touchdown vs. Jets

The # 7 play of the season was Darren Sharper's pick 6 against rookie Mark Sanchez and the Jets. The pick went 99 yards for a touchdown, and gave the Saints a 10 point lead. The Saints would go one to win that game 24-10 on the heels of two defensive touchdowns. Sharper was making plays like this one all season long.

Saints Nation: Darren Sharper's Tweet Is Reason For Optimism

Darren Sharper spent a little time on his twitter account today, and if you're one for reading between the lines, then it's reason for optimism. The soon to be unrestricted free agent posted: "I would like to thank the entire WHO DAT nation for helping us realize all our of dreams," followed by, "Now let's party and think about repeat. And yea I said it, repeat!".

Call me crazy, but Sharper can't think about a repeat unless he re-signs with the team first. Call it a hunch, but I think it's a pretty clear statement that he intends on sticking around in New Orleans. Sharper's contract is officially set to expire in a couple of weeks, and I wouldn't be surprised if a handshake agreement is already in place. My prediction is that Sharper will sign an extension with the Saints on the first day of free agency. 


And in case you missed it, you can listen to my one on one phone interview with Saints' fullback Heath Evans by clicking HERE.