Saints Sign Darren Sharper

[Point Blank]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3994444

The New Orleans Saints' defense became much sharper and smarter Wednesday after the team reached agreement on a contract with veteran free-agent safety Darren Sharper.

Sharper
Sharper

Terms of the deal were not immediately available. The former Minnesota Viking had been talking to the Saints since free agency began at the end of February and had been the team most interested in signing him.

"Darren is an accomplished veteran player that brings a wealth of knowledge and ability to our secondary and has always possessed outstanding instincts and playmaking skills," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said, according to The Associated Press.

The fit is a natural. Sharper's known for his play-making ability and his leadership on the field. By comparison, last year's Saints defense struggled in the secondary and lacked some play-making ability.

The 33-year-old Sharper will be joining his third NFL team in 13 years. The former first-round draft pick of the Packers spent eight seasons with Green Bay before signing with the Vikings in 2005. Sharper has 54 career interceptions and has been to four Pro Bowls.

The Saints also announced that they have signed veteran free-agent tight end Darnell Dinkins to a one-year contract.

Fuck man, I really hope the Falcons have something up their sleeve, seriously.

[Justo]

im a falcons fan to bro, and i agree we need somethin

[DomePatrol]

championshiipppp...I think im just going to keep saying this. Its a good signing tho. If I had to watch kaesvahopeless for another year paired up with bullocks I would have been sick. Hopefully sharper can bring some leadership and secure up a position that is a liability.

[Point Blank]

Not saying Falcons need Sharper, they need someone else period. I just hope they draft the right mfers.

[Primetime]

Reuniting McKenzie and Sharper from their Packer days. Great signing.

[Tailback U]

Saints DBs are going to be so slow in madden!!

[Bmore]

saw this on NFL Network this mornin' good signing

[DomePatrol]

Saints DBs are going to be so slow in madden!!

Yessss because madden is the be all end all when it comes to football in real life. Hopefully the saints get the WR direct snap down pat so we can move the ball even more effectively this year.

[NAHSTE]

Saints DBs are always slow in Madden. Saints DBs are always ass in Madden and IRL too. Shap is washed up, but any DB who signs with New Orleans instantly washes up so you knew that.

[f16harm]

He's only 33 years old? Crap, I thought for sure it was 43.

[NAHSTE]

Take it from someone who watched every one of his games this year, Sharper is basically washed up. He has lost a step and has no interest in tackling anybody. All he tries to do at this point is play center field and hope he can get a pick 6. There's a reason the Vikings made no offer to him. But enjoy him

Yeah I was watching that 49ers-Packers game from 1998 and he was getting trucked by Garrison Hearst. You know you are getting old when footage of your games is now on NFL Films Greatest Games.

TO, I'm talking to you too.

[dope]

Take it from someone who watched every one of his games this year, Sharper is basically washed up. He has lost a step and has no interest in tackling anybody. All he tries to do at this point is play center field and hope he can get a pick 6. There's a reason the Vikings made no offer to him. But enjoy him

agreed about the only thing that i thought could keep him around was his veteran aspect, but with guys like winfield, both the williams and even henderson (if he comes back fully healthy he'll make the leap this year imo) are more than enough vets on the defensive side of the ball.

[DomePatrol]

I agree sharper is just a stop gap for the saints, but he really is better than bullocks and kaesvaharn so Im happy with this news.

[NAHSTE]

The Falcons do need Sharper or any SS because Lawyer left.

No point in replacing one washed up safety with another. DeCoud or Jamaal Fudge will likely start at SS next year and I'm fine with that. Unless we draft a guy we really like in rounds 2 or 3, which I'm also cool with if he's good.

I'll pass on the washed up vet this time around though, thanks. I'll let New Orleans take him.

Maybe Sammy Knight is available? Or even LeRoy Butler. Or perhaps we could even lure Chad Cota out of retirement! Yeah!