Payton: No handshake agreement that Vilma will re-sign By Dan Parr - Feb. 21, 2009 Following the completion of a roster purge to clear salary-cap space, the Saints will shift their attention to free agency, where re-signing MLB Jonathan Vilma will be a top priority. Vilma, who was traded to the Saints a year ago, is said to be very interested in re-upping with New Orleans, but the team will not strike a deal with him until Feb. 27 ? the start of free agency ? at the earliest, guaranteeing that Vilma will hit the open market. Signing him before then would force the Saints to give up higher draft picks to the Giants and Jets ? first- and second-rounders, respectively, instead of second- and third-rounders ? per the deals for TE Jeremy Shockey and Vilma. ?I?m optimistic (Vilma will be back),? head coach Sean Payton told PFW at the Combine. ?I think he fit well with our locker room. I wish there was a handshake agreement (that Vilma will re-sign), but there?s no handshake agreement.? > http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFL/NFC/NFC+South/New+Orleans/WWHI/2009/wwhi022109.htm
This has already been said. He will sign, but after Free Agency begins, thus the jets only get a third round pick. Correct me if I am wrong.
It is a good move by the Saints. Though they run the risk of losing players this way. Vilma could get some interest, thus driving up the price or losing him outright.
Saints aren't screwing anyone, they are doing what's smart. They risk losing Vilma to another team. The Jet's got a third rounder for Vilma.......Jet Fans should be happy with that, can't please everyone. Knee-jerk stupid reaction.
I agree, the Saints are smart in the regard that they're not just going to give away a first rounder. But they are still going about it in a douchebag way. I really hope they lose Vilma to FA. Would be icing.
agreed. If only Tannenbaum had made different terms for the deal. I think Vilma is worth much more than a 3rd rounder.
Terrible deal by Tannenbaum. He should have made it contingent on Vilma being on their roster next season, not them signing him prior to free agency.
Well. Beep me when Aints find another trade partner next time - and no, I don't mean whole-sale barrage either.
Just resign vilma and still get the saints third round pick. Vilma is still a above average lb, and with Jenkins a nose he may be exactly what we need. A lb that can cover wrs and stop the run.
They wouldn't and Vilma is so ridiculously overrated here it is freaking laughable. Yep the Jets were going to get a 1st for a LB coming off a knee injury that hadn't made a big play in forever.
the saints paid market rate for him at the time. he had only 1 year left on his contract...and was an injury concern. they are doing nothing wrong here. nice for us to get a 3rd out of it. hindsight is 20/20, and looks like shockey was overvalued and vilma under, but that was not the perceptions at the time of the trades. no foul, just luck of the draw.
I would be happy to see Vilma in blue. He could man the weakside for this year and take over in the middle after Pierce plays out his contract (which happens at the end of this season).
as much as i love Vilma you're right.... people look past the knee injury that could kill a career. The Jets were lucky someone took a conditional trade and not just a 4th rounder outright from the Jets and that was the end. The Jets did well in this trade.
I agree. The Jets did pretty well considering Vilma was injured and had been underwhelming at best in Mangini's 3-4 defense. I doubt the Saints would have taken the deal if the Jet's demands were higher.
