Yup, that's right. It's only been three days but ESPN's John Clayton is already handing out grades and he's deemed the New Orleans Saints as losers in this year's free agency period. Big. Fat. Losers. Here's what Clayton has to say:
3. New Orleans Saints: The $14.4 million franchise tag number given to QB Drew Brees handcuffed the Saints in trying to keep all of their top free agents. They kept wide receiver Marques Colston, but lost wide receiver Robert Meachem and Nicks. General manager Mickey Loomis did a good job of adjusting by signing Baltimore Ravens guard Ben Grubbs. Now, the Saints await a big draft choice penalty for the pay-for-hit controversy. They could lose a high draft choice this year and maybe next year's first-rounder.
I guess Clayton didn't get the memo: nobody really cares about Meachem leaving and the Grubbs-for-Nicks switcharoo by Mickey Loomis is actually looking like a brilliant move. So I'm really not so sure where the hell Clayton gets off calling the Saints losers. In fact, I'd say they've done pretty well with the cards they were dealt.
And did you notice that second-to-last sentence? Clayton says the Saints were involved in a "pay-for-hit controversy." Is he referring to Bountygate? Because the last time I checked, it was not illegal in the NFL for a defensive player to hit an opponent. Have the facts in the Bountygate scandal become so diluted the media can't even figure out what the hell the Saints might actually be guilty of? This is garbage.