Saints don't want to let defensive end Howard get away

[1niksder]

Saints don't want to let defensive end Howard get away
Feb. 15, 2005
SportsLine.com wire reports

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints are expected to designate defensive end Darren Howard as their franchise player for the second straight season.

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"He's a really good player," general manager Mickey Loomis said. "We've got a lot of time and effort invested in him, and we don't want to see it go to waste. He had a really good year for us last season, and we want to keep as many good players here as we can."

The move would require the Saints to pay Howard a $7.8 million base salary in 2005 -- a 20 percent increase from the $6.5 million salary he received as a franchise free agent in 2004. The club has until Feb. 22 to make an official designation.

"It's just one of tools teams have to keep high-quality players they feel probably would be gone otherwise, and I don't think there's any doubt Darren would have a number of suitors," Howard's agent, Gary Wichard, said Tuesday.

Although he missed three games and at times played through neck and knee injuries, he led the Saints with 11 sacks, his most since his rookie season in 2000. He has 41 sacks in five seasons since joining the Saints as a second-round pick in 2000. Howard was selected in the second round with the No. 33 overall pick.

Under terms of the franchise designation, Howard may negotiate with other teams, but the Saints can match any offer he receives. If they elect not to match the offer, they would receive two first-round draft picks from Howard's new team as compensation. The Saints also could trade Howard, which would clear his entire salary from the salary cap.


http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/8197879