New Orleans Saints Review

It’s hard to believe that it’s even a question, after the great 2009 season that veteran safety Darren Sharper put up. But the Saints must make the determination on whether or not Sharper and his 9 interceptions belong in the team’s secondary next season.

It has already come out that the Saints won’t use the franchise tag on Sharper, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t sign him to a deal.

The predicament the Saints face is not Sharper’s 2009 stats, but his 2010 age (he’ll turn 35 in November). Sharper wants a multi-year deal, but the Saints may not be so sure. While it’s true that most NFL players don’t continue playing into their mid 30′s, Sharper wouldn’t be the first safety to do so.

I’m reminded of Rodney Harrison, whom the Saints (and a host of other teams) had a chance to sign back in 2003 after he was let go by the San Diego Chargers. There was talk at the time that most teams thought the veteran was simply too old to play at a high level. The New England Patriots picked him up and never regretted it as Harrison played 6 seasons with the team.

Hall of Fame corner/safety Rod Woodson also played productive football well into his 30′s, and long after the Pittsburgh Steelers let him go.

During the Saints’ Super Bowl season, Sharper showed no ill effects of age or injury. His leadership and play-making skills looked as great as ever. He was a perfect fit in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ aggressive system and took advantage of opportunities to make game-changing plays.

Putting his advanced age aside for a moment, it’s hard to find any other legitimate argument that Sharper doesn’t belong as the starting free safety on this team. It’s not as if the team has his replacement waiting in the wings. And play-making safeties don’t exactly grow on trees. Did anyone watch the Steelers play without Troy Polamalu this season?

General manager Mickey Loomis and coach Sean Payton may see this as a tough decision. Yes, the odds are against Sharper being as productive in 2010 and beyond. It’s hard to imagine him, or anyone else putting up 9 interceptions per season. Still, it’s also hard for me to believe that he won’t still be an effective player in this system. And his veteran presence would surely be missed just as much as his on-field attributes.

Loomis and in particular Payton are known for rolling the dice and making gutsy calls. Here’s hoping they take a gamble on Darren Sharper leading the Saints defense again in 2010.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 4:59 pm and is filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.