Other Saints should learn a lot from Jahri Evans

After the New Orleans Saints signed a seven-year contract worth $56.7 million with fifth-year guard Jahri Evans, there have been a lot of discussions on the big deal. The topics may be different, but the consensus is that Evans deserves the money and confidence given by the Saints.


Since being drafted by the Saints as a fourth-round pick in 2006, Evans has always been doing his best as a starter at his position. We seldom hear complaints from him, and talk little about him while focusing on other higher-profile star players in Saints jerseys like Drew Brees and Darren Sharper. Now it turns out that the silent guy gets the highest pay, and Saints’ move clearly sends a message to other players who are asking for more money or planning to sign with new team: do your best, to be the best, and you will get what you deserve to have. Look at Evans, he just let his playing talk for him during the past four years and he is the example player every team likes to have.

We can sit here and say that Evans is likely to get through the next seven years before getting another extension and then retire as a whole-life Saints player and local fans’ favorite player. If other free agents like Pierre Thomas could also do the same, they will finally get what they want, too.

Returning Sharper will make even less money than last season

It seemed the microfracture knee surgery Darren Sharper had in early offseason had caused a lot of concerns among the NFL teams showing interests in the unrestricted free agent. As a result, Sharper, who used to ask for a $5 million pay to match his performance, had to wear back the Saints jersey on a one-year contract that will pay him even less than the old contract.


According to latest reports, the Saints will only have to Sharper $75,000 in signing bonus, $1.5 million in base salary and additional 1 million in roster bonus. With the roster bonus usually being avoided by teams, what Sharper can earn in 2010 season is even less than the $1.7 million he received from the contract he signed with the Saints in 2009 offseason. It’s really time for him think about his age and health condition before asking for a high pay.

Earlier reports also said that there were several elite teams holding interests in Sharper, but only the Jacksonville Jaguars actually made an offer that was not attractive enough to keep Sharper. Therefore as we see now, he is back with the Saints, with confidence in having another solid season to prove he was undervalued by all the teams.