Show Them the Money

Saints WR Marques Colston skipped Monday's OTA practices, his first miss since the sessions began. Speculation is that his absence was related to his desire for a new contract, and I don't see why the Saints haven't stepped up and resigned him yet.

Last year, the Saints placed the franchise tag on Charles Grant before signing him to a big contract. This year, they have three key players entering the last year of their deals: Colston, Will Smith and Jahri Evans. The Saints would be wise to lock all three up sooner, rather than later.

Will Smith had been the most vocal about his contract situation, but now Colston enters the mix with his OTA absence.

Colston deserves to be paid like one of the top WRs in the league. Right now he's one of the lowest paid WRs on his own team and that's a slap in the face for someone who has 168 receptions for 2,240 yards and 19 TDs in just two seasons in the league. Colston was a 7th round pick, so his contract was one of the lowest in the league for rookies. He has way outplayed that deal and the Saints need to do the right thing soon.

With Will Smith, the situation is a little different. Sure, he's probably the best defender on the Saints and he has made the Pro Bowl, but with all his potential for greatness, he falls short in execution. Sure he's put together some nice seasons with a career high 10.5 sacks in 2006, but Smith is the type of player who should get double-digit sacks every season no matter what.

The Saints gave a big deal to Charles Grant, and Smith, who is the better DE, is looking for his money as well. From all the reports I've read, Smith's deal should get done in the near future. The Saints would be wise to do so too with Grant's pending legal issues.

Jahri Evans has been the quietest of the three. He's been one of the NFL's better young guards since coming into the league. I'm not sure what the Saints plan to do with him and his contract situation. They have young guards like Andy Alleman and Carl Nicks waiting in the wings, so Evans deal might not be as pressing.

Cohesiveness on the offensive line is a key to success in the NFL, and the Saints should do whatever they can to keep Evans. If Colston and Smith get their deals this year, Evans may get the franchise tag next season.