Safety Options - Sharper, Rolle (maybe)

[CRedskinsRule]

Here is an interesting take on Sharper's release from the Football Outsiders:

Why would the Saints hope that Darren Sharper gets a lucrative contract elsewhere?

It appears Saints safety Darren Sharper will hit free agency without being precluded by the $6.5 million safety franchise tag. Last offseason, 35-year-old Denver safety Brian Dawkins signed a five-year contract with $5.8 million in guaranteed money and an average per year of $3.4 million. Just like Dawkins, most people believe the 34-year-old Sharper has remained a productive player as he approaches his mid-thirties -- although Bill Barnwell disagrees -- so it would be reasonable for him to expect at a Dawkins-like contract. Not to mention, teams may be willing to pay a premium for Sharper because signing one of the stars of the Super Bowl champions is sure to ignite the fan base.

If Sharper were to leave, one would expect the "Who Dat" nation to question the prudence of such a departure. However, keep in mind that the Saints, Vikings, Colts, and Jets are the most restricted teams in free agency by virtue of the Final Eight Plan. As part of the Final Eight Plan, the Saints cannot sign an unrestricted free agent until they lose an unrestricted free agent, and the first-year value of the acquired UFA by the Saints cannot exceed the first-year value of Sharper’s contract with his new team. The Saints could be hoping a team overpays for Sharper, which would allow the Saints a lucrative one-for-one UFA match at their disposal. The newly acquired UFA to replace Sharper does not have to be a safety. It could be a linebacker possibly to replace Scott Fujita or, if Malcolm Jenkins will replace Sharper at safety, it could be used on a cornerback such as Dunta Robinson or Leigh Bodden which could allow the Saints to have three strong cornerbacks in a pass happy league.