What Should the Saints Do with Charles Grant?

All the talk going on lately is about free agency and what players may be coming or going. If people aren't discussing that then the topic of conversation is that of the NFL Combine. So we all want to know what stars are moving and which college stars are ready for the big time.

That leaves smaller stories for each team to mostly be talked about among the staff, coaches, players, and fans. One of those stories in New Orleans is what do to with defensive end Charles Grant?

Grant has truly become an expendable part of the defenseive line over the past couple years due to his production going way down and his inability to stay healthy at all. This season he had a few fill in for him when he went down such as Bobby McCray and even Jeff Charleston without missing so much as a beat. It goes to show you that he is not one of those on the Saints that is irreplacable.

In 2007, Grant and the team agreed on a seven-year contract extension worth $63 million and $20 million in guaranteed money. His numbers and playing time have not been nearly worth that type of money and my honest opinion is that he isn't worth what he's due to make just over the next two years alone. The 2010 season would see the Saints pay Grant $7.6 million but then see his salary cap total balloon up to $13.3 million in 2011.

That's just insane. Especially for a guy that produced only 11 sacks over the last three seasons combined.

All you have to do is look at his numbers throughout his career to see that he has steadily been on the decline. Even last season when he was healthy though; you barely ever heard his name called and he wasn't really considered a presence on the field. Will Smith had a stellar season from the left side of the defensive line, but pressure from the right was virtually nonexistent.

As you can see, his numbers have dwindled down considerably from early on in his career. I was kind of shocked actually when he got that huge contract extension in 2007 beacuse the year before him wasn't overly stellar. So paying him under that contract now is certainly not worth it and he would have to show a lot in training camp to make it onto the roster next year in his current contract. That is...if he even makes it that far.

We also have to take into account the Star Caps case is not dead ladies and gentlemen. There is still a very strong possibility that he could be suspended along with Will Smith for four games sometime next season. So not only would the Saints be going into the season with an underachieving and unhealthy starting defensive end from the past few years, but also one that will more than likely miss four games anyway.

I just don't see Grant being decked out in black and gold next year so that goes now to what the Saints can do with him. With his history of injuries and his numbers decling, there are going to be really no partners the Saints can find that will give them even a decent offer. If Grant was willing to restructure his contract then there would need to be some dramatic changes in the numbers and I don't see that happening. When it all boils down to it, I'm predicting Grant to be cut and shown the door.

After that, the Saints are going to need to find a replacement. Well, scratch that. They are probably going to make sure they have a valid replacement lined up before waiving Grant. Options so far are:~ Jeff Charleston - has not yet been offered a free agent tender and the Saints only have until Thursday to do that.

~ Bobby McCray - fills in nicely, but he is not an every down pass rusher.

~ Paul Spicer - like McCray, is good for certain situations but not every down. Let's not forget that he is 34 years old.

~ Free Agency - this could prove extremely difficult considering the restrictions put on the Saints this year for being one of the final teams remaining alive in the playoffs. Unless the Saints lose one of their own players, then they cannot sign a free agent from another team. All they can hope for is for a player to be cut, clear waivers, and then try to get them in.

~ The Draft - I predict this is where the Saints will find their new and future starting defensive end. Even if the kid isn't ready to start right away; he can split time with McCray and Spicer to learn the ropes and get better. I'd expect the Saints to pick an end early in the draft, but they may not in the first round if a player like lineback Sean Weatherspoon or defensive tackle Jared Odrick is still on the board. Possibilities though at defensive include: Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech), Jason Pierre-Paul (South Florida), and my personal favorite Brandon Graham (Michigan).

Charles Grant most likely will not be putting a golden helmet adorned with a fleur-de-lis on it atop his head ever again. But if the Saints can't find a valid replacement then the old saying of "never say never" kind of comes back into play.

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