Saints to Franchise Charles Grant

i like this move even though he was invisible in the nfccg.

owed 8.66 mill but its a one-year deal only. he had over 20 sacks thru 2003-4.

Source: Saints to tag DE Grant as franchise player
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

Barring an unexpected breakthrough in contract negotiations, ESPN.com has learned that the New Orleans Saints will designate left defensive end Charles Grant as a franchise player before Thursday's deadline, a move that will keep him off the unrestricted free agent market.


There has been virtually no momentum in contract discussions since the end of the season, and it will take considerable progress in the next few days to even close the gap in talks, much less reach an accord. Teams who want to exercise the franchise or transition marker on a player have until Thursday to do so.

The value of the franchise marker for a defensive end, which basically represents a one-year qualifying offer, is $8.66 million.

If the Saints use the franchise tag, Grant will be able to negotiate with other teams, and New Orleans will have a right of first refusal. But the cost for another club to sign a franchise player is exorbitant, with compensation set at a air of first-round draft choices, so franchise players rarely change teams.

Grant had hoped to avoid the franchise tag because of the acrimony it typically entails and because, like most pending free agents, he would prefer to be unrestricted.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2771560&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines

 

I think its a no brainer. We may take an 8.66 mil hit in the cap but think about the cap hit we would take bringing in someone similar. We would have to pay a salary in range of 5 mil a year plus the signing bonus. Besides all the DE that are any good have already been tagged.

 

Today on my way home, evidently I just missed a Charles Grant interview on NFL Radio. They were talking about how he sounded very upset about being franchised. But they said he's a professional and would still show up on gameday. I wish I would have caught the interview, but I guess he thought he could get alot more on the open market.

 

I think its more of a matter of buying time. With the salary cap jumping so high the next few years because of the new CBA, image what kinda money it would take to sign Grant, not just his contract but the signing bonus also. This way they could hold on to him for another year for $8mil and start looking to develope a replacement. If nothing surfaces, they can do the same thing to him next year. Sounds like a dirty way to do things (tagging him year after year) but thats business, kinda like players holding out for bigger contracts.

I still think it was the smart move. Looking forward to seeing Grant in the QBs face next season.

 

I agree. It seems to me they knew they wouldn't be able to get a deal worked out prior to the Free Agency period beginning, so they did the safe thing by franchising him. Sure, no player wants that to happen, but he'll be singing a different tune once he inks a long term deal. It also helps that he's a fan favorite and loves the city of New Orleans. I don't see this staff working him over like the previous one did with Darren Howard.

 

Even if he is upset, he is still gonna be one of the highest paid DL in the league, which has to count for something.

 

What about him saying that "I gotta feed my family"

Bobby had some very food smart callers with tips on how to feed a family on 8 Mil