Sean Payton Suspended

According to this, it's believed to be closer to six.

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2011/09/new_orleans_saints_sign_contra.html

 

Once free agency for 2013 starts, sure. But "exclusive franchise tag" means exactly that for the next year.

Let's not forget that there are still player penalties pending as well. Jonathan Vilma, Roman Harper and Will Smith (among others) are probably going to miss close to half the season, I would think.

 

Ai Carrumba. That sting just turned to a big ouchie.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/21/sean-payton-stunned-by-suspension-im-not-ok/#content

 

When Payton is a free agent and Benson won't give him the back pay folded into his next contract and Jerry Jones will, Payton leaves New Orleans for Dallas. As his wife and kids did a couple years ago.

 

Has it ever been determined who the snitch was in this whole deal?

 

I thought they were talking about the amount the team was fined.

Yeah, losing $8 million will sting Payton.

 

As Michael Lombardi said, how are they going to make sure Payton isn't involved in free agency, draft preparation or even game planning.

There's no way effectively to police that.

 

This

 

My opinion was that it was pretty obvious based on King's SI article.

 

As a Pacers looser fanboi, I can tell you that this was a death penalty for a franchise that, at the time of the suspension, was a legitimate championship contender. (Actually, Artest hammered the final nail in when he demanded a trade the beginning of next season -- that betrayed fans who had stuck by him and the team when no one else would.) The team is just starting to re-emerge from the aftereffects of that whole mess.

The Saints organization is going to be feeling this for a long, long time. Good lucks, Saints fans, from someone who knows.

 

The franchise tag can be rescinded, though, IIRC. And what if Brees doesn't want to ruin himself for a no-chance team? Teams with young talent and extra picks could put a package together. It would be a Chris Paul situation.

Worth checking for those QB-needy teams, is what I'm saying.