Charles Woodson had an outstanding career: 15 years solidifying the backfield for the Oakland Raiders until 2005 and the Green Bay Packers until a couple of months ago. Right there in the previous sentence you can find a hint of why he shouldn’t be signed by the Saints. Go back and read it one more time. Did you find it? Yeah, you got it! It’s the number 15. The guy is 36 years old and that’s not an upside if your task is to track down receivers all over the field or to stop running backs off to the races.

Don’t forget that last season he played just seven games: he was forced to sit with a broken collarbone for two months. Almost any kind of injury would make him lose an awful amount of time. At his age, it would probably decree the end of his career.

Not to mention the financial situation. As of now the Saints are around $2 million under the cap, but part of that money will be used to sign the five 2013 draft picks and possibly some undrafted free agents. Those signings will supposedly take away around $1 million: do you think that a player who made four consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in the last six years (2008-2011) would play for less than $1 million? I hardly doubt it. Plus, I don’t think Mickey Loomis is going to spend all of that money to sign a single player but it will be more reasonably used to add a couple of “cheaper” free agents.

Unarguably, he would bring some experience to the DBs and add some depth to the bench, but remember that (at the moment) the Saints already have Malcolm Jenkins, Roman Harper, Kenny Vaccaro, Isa Abdul-Quddus, Rafael Bush, Jerico Nelson and Jim Leonhard competing for a chance to play at safety.

That being said, I believe he’s gonna end up somewhere eventually: there are a couple of teams who could benefit from the acquisition of Woodson, at the right price. I just don’t see him wearing a black and gold jersey next season.

October 4, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes defensive tackle Star Lotulelei (92) celebrates a fumble recovery during the first quarter against the Southern California Trojans at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been long speculated that the New Orleans Saints would be willing to trade the No. 15 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft as the team looks to acquire as much talent as possible.

That speculation is now a reality.

Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis held a press conference today and dropped some very interesting details about the possibility of a trade (per sunherald.com):

“There’s a point where we don’t want to go too far, and the same thing with moving forward,” Loomis said Tuesday afternoon at a pre-draft press conference at the team’s headquarters.

Loomis set his parameters at 10 spots ahead or behind the Saints’ No. 15 pick of the first round. The Saints lost their second round pick as punishment for their role in Bountygate, the pay-to-injure controversy The lack of the pick, though, has not made the Saints more eager than normal to shop their first-round pick, Loomis said.

 
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Jan 23, 2013; Mobile AL, USA; New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis with head coach Sean Payton scouting the Senior Bowl north squad practice a day after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (not pictured) reinstated New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton after his season long suspension. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Head coach Sean Payton was announced to have some company in the contract extension department when the New Orleans Saints announced that general manager signed a 5-year contract extension as well. (more…)