I was going to wait to post this later on, but the subject came up in another thread.  I won't get into the particulars of each contract, but will simply say their status as we go forward.

***If anybody wants to know a detail about a certain player if they ask the question I will try to answer it below.  I will highlight Free Agents for 2013.

Abdul-Quddus----------Signed for 2013, Restricted FA 2014
Brees-------------------Signed through 2016
Brown, Charles--------Signed for 2013, Free Agent 2014
Bunkley----------------Signed through 2016
Bush, Rafael-----------Exclusive rights free agent 2013
Bushrod----------------Free agent 2013
Cadet------------------Signed through 2014, RFA 2015
Casillas----------------Free agent 2013
Chamberlain----------Signed through 2014, FA in 2015
Collins-----------------Signed 2013, RFA 2014
Colston----------------Signed through 2016
Daniel-----------------Free Agent 2013
De La Puente---------RFA 2013
Drescher--------------RFA 2013
Ellis-------------------Free Agent 2013
Evans-----------------Signed through 2016
Galette----------------RFA 2013
Givens----------------Signed through 2014, RFA 2015
Graham---------------Signed 2013, FA 2014
Greer-----------------Signed through 2015
Grubbs---------------Signed through 2016
Harper----------------Signed through 2014, FA 2015
Harris, Bryce---------Signed through 2014, Exclusive Rights FA 2015
Hartley---------------Signed through 2015
Hawthorne-----------Signed through 2016
Henderson-----------Free Agent 2013
Herring---------------Signed 2013, FA 2014
Hicks-----------------Signed through 2015, FA 2016
Higgins---------------Exclusive rights FA 2013
Humber--------------Free Agent 2013
Ingram---------------Signed through 2014
Ivory-----------------RFA 2013
Jenkins---------------Signed 2013, FA 2014
Johnson--------------Signed 2013, FA 2014
Jones-----------------Signed through 2015, FA 2016
Jordan----------------Signed through 2014, FA 2015
Lofton-----------------Signed through 2017, FA 2018
Mack------------------Free Agent 2013
McBride---------------Free Agent 2013
Moore-----------------Signed through 2015, FA 2016
Morgan----------------Signed 2013, FA 2014
Morstead--------------Signed through 2018
Olsen------------------Exclusive Rights Free Agent 2013
Patrick-----------------Signed through 2014, FA 2015
Robinson, P-----------Signed through 2014, FA 2015
Robinson, Wm--------Free Agent 2013
Roby------------------Free Agent 2013
Shanle----------------Free Agent 2013
Smith-----------------Signed through 2014, FA 2015
Sproles---------------Signed through 2014, FA 2015
Strief-----------------Signed 2013, FA 2014
Thomas, D-----------Signed 2013, FA 2014
Thomas, P------------Signed through 2014, FA 2015
Tiller------------------Signed through 2015, FA 2016
Toon------------------Signed through 2015, FA 2016
Vilma-----------------Signed 2013, FA 2014
Walker----------------Signed through 2014, RFA 2015
White-----------------Signed through 2015, FA 2016
Wilson----------------Signed through 2014, FA 2015

Thanks Tiger.  I know that was a lot of work. 

What is the difference between restricted and exclusive rights FA? 

I wonder if we resign Henderson or let him walk.  Same with Shanle.  The last few years, I've kept wondering is this their last year for both of them, but they keep staying.

Who do you really want to resign and who would you not miss?

I would not mind if all the 2013 free agents are replaced.  I am not attached to any of them.

I thought Bushrod was on the field a lot for your team.

How do you like Cadet. He went to college where my son went, and he likes him

KtoLV wrote: Thanks Tiger.  I know that was a lot of work. 

What is the difference between restricted and exclusive rights FA? 

A restricted free agent gets has three years or less and gets offered a tender by the original club.  So the Saints place a tender on that player that guarnatees that player a salary and in return that player will be signed for that salary unless he is offered by another club.  That club then has to then give the Saints that compensation.

So an example would be if Saints placed a second round tender on Brian De La Puente.  De La Puente would be guaranteed a salary of around 2 million from the Saints, if another team wanted to sign him they would have to match the offer to De La Puente and give the Saints a 2nd Round Pick.

An Exclusive Rights Free Agent has 2 or less accrued seasons in the NFL.  This player can only sign with the Saints as long as the Saints offer him a minimum contract.  So these players can be signed for the league minimum.

KtoLV wrote: I would not mind if all the 2013 free agents are replaced.  I am not attached to any of them.

I would have to say right now.  I think that there are 3 players that we need to resign.

Not necessarily because they are great players, but mainly because of what we could replace them with and who would take their place.

Bushrod, Ellis and Casillas.

Bushrod made about 4.7 million last year and while I will say that he is not the greatest LT he does know this team and the other players around him.  I don't think he will garner a huge salary from other teams so a resign should be possible.

Replacement Value--I haven't seen enough from Brown to be empressed.  So your options are to find a free agent which will run you much more than 5 million or draft a LT which usually means a first round draft pick and then there is no guarantee that he will be ready to play in 2013.

Ellis made 5.8 million this year.  I am not sure what the market is going to look like for Ellis, but the truth is that in order to run Spags' defense that you have to have a Defensive Line and ours is not geting any younger.  The Saints took Hicks last year and signed Bunkley on a long term deal, but at this point the Saints need bodies. 

Ellis can be replaced, but you have to ask what you are losing.  If you decide that Bunkley and Hicks are your starting 2 DTs then I don't have a problem with that, but take the money and spend it on the DEs.  I would love to get Ellis in at around 4 million for next season.

Casillas----why because we still need play makers at LB.  We have not addressed this area in forever.  I believe that we will go forward with playing Vilma and Loftin at the same time which gets them both on the field.  Casillas can be that third LB.  We also need to address this in the draft, but unless you take a first round pick at LB then you are looking at time to develop him on the field.  Our other backupos have shown me nothing.

Humber, Hawthorne and Herring are special teamers who can barely get in the way of anybody.

Guess when/if Payton returns he can pull a Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: "Here you are all equally worthless!" LOL.

I don't believe we'll see Henderson Roby or Shanle back next season....Ellis may decide to venture onto greener pastures by testing the market...Daniel will most likely be back....I don't forsee anyone taking a shot for him...Bushrod will get some major bucks...either from us or elsewhere...the Turk may get Turk McBride...spends to much time recoverying from numerous injuries....remains to be seen....Casillas has potential when healthy...I'll put him in the undedided category along with Humber Mack and Robinson....

New Orleans can replace all of the guys listed as free agents for next year and not worry too much about a drop in performance, and in a lot of cases they should let those guys go.

rtr

I disagree about the big bucks for Bushrod.  He is not seen as a top LT by many in the league and in fact several people view Brees' ability to step up in the pocket as one of the ways we have protected his numbers.

I have seen several list that have him ranked anywhere from 17th-20th at his position.  Now it is possible that he could be attracted to a team below the Saints, but most of them have younger guys training there. 

So I think he could be resign for around the same money.

I added up the totals for all of the committed salaries for next year.

It came to $82,719,000.  Now I do not know how much dead money the Saints have on the books.  Or how much signing bonus have been carried over.

Bad as I hate to see Henderson go I think he is gone. Roby might stay for his good special teams play. Dont see anyone on the list that is too hard to replace.

We say that, but you really have to see who would be available at those positions.

I'm talking free agents.  You take the 3 players that I identified above.

Bushrod, Ellis and Casillas.  None of these players I am willing to replace with a draft pick and we really do not have a lot of depth to back them up.

Bushrod should be backed up by Brown.  Brown has not really gotten the experience.
Ellis you have Hicks read to step in, but you need to be 5 deep at DT.
Casillas---We don't have 3 solid LBers.  I don't know where to go with that.

If you choose to play Vilma and Lofton on the field at the same time then I am willing to put a rookie on the field at the other LB if we take one with a high pick.  Preferably 1st round with a top 15 pick.

Am I correct that Henderson has been with the Saints longer than anyone else on the roster? I think I heard an anouncer say he was the only one left from Pre-Katrina team.

Devery is now the only one left from the Haslett era.

Henderson and Will Smith cam into the league during the Same year.

Will Smith was our 1st round pick and Devery Henderson was out 2nd round pick.

Cass582 wrote: Am I correct that Henderson has been with the Saints longer than anyone else on the roster? I think I heard an anouncer say he was the only one left from Pre-Katrina team.

I answered above that Smith has been with New Orleans the same amount of time.

Drafted 18th in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Jimmy Clausen might be available for ya'll to pick up for your first round draft pick 

From Profootballtalk.com.....
________

Saints facing a cap mess in 2013

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Mentioned in Saturday’s one-liners is the possibility that the Saints will have to shed linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive end Will Smith, due to their cap numbers comes 2013.

It’s part of a broader cap mess that, as explained by Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, has the Saints staring at a potential cap crunch of $16 million when the 2013 league year begins in March.

That number doesn’t include defensive lineman Sedrick Ellis and offensive lineman Jermon Bushrod, both of whom will be free agents and thus have no cap numbers for 2013, yet.

Smith has a base salary of $10.5 million next year, and Vilma is due to earn $6 million.

Complicating matters is that the team-by-team cap isn’t expected to go up much, if at all, from its $120.6 million level in 2013.  And if quarterback Drew Brees is looking for an explanation, he should look no farther than his own contract, with a cap number that increases from $10.4 million in 2012 to $17.4 million next year.

It’s almost enough to make a suspended head coach with an expiring contract think about exploring all his options before signing a new deal.