Saints Free Agency Update: Team Unlikely To Re-Sign RB Mike Bell, DE James Hall Opts To Stay With Rams, Sharper Still Shopping Services

It doesn’t appear that the Saints will seek to retain free agent running back Mike Bell, a key contributor to the Saints sixth ranked run game last season rushing for 654 yards and five touchdowns in 2009.

Bell signed a one year, 1.7M dollar offer sheet with the Philadelphia Eagles last Tuesday and officially the Saints have until midnight tonight to match the offer made to Bell or let him walk, and walking seems to be what they plan to let him do.

Former Oakland Raider running back Justing Fargas could be pegged as Bell’s replacement if the right price can be agreed upon by both sides. Fargas visited with the team for two days last week but left, so far, without an offer.

After the team decided to part ways with long time starting defensive end Charles Grant they have since actively pursued defensive lineman to sign in his place scheduling meetings with DE Leonard Little, DE James Hall, DL Jamal Williams and DL Ma’ake Kemoeatu.

Kemoeatu never made his visit instead signing a multi-year deal with the Washington Redskins.

Hall and Little, both former Rams, did visit but Hall decided to re-sign with the Rams and Little is still a possibility even though a contract offer was not extended to him during his visit.

Williams, Ala Kemoeatu, signed with the Denver Broncos before making his visit to the Saints where was better suited as a NT in Denver’s 3-4 defensive scheme then as a DT in the Saints 4-3 scheme.

New Orleans is either not very impressed with any of these guys or are just extremely un-lucky getting beat to the punch in signing them.

Safety Darren Sharper continues to shop himself around the league in hopes of signing a big contract with a club seeking to land a play making safety.

Sharper has already met with the Chicago Bears and has expressed interest in playing for the Jets and Dolphins, although meetings with the two have not been scheduled.

Currently Sharper is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery that he described as a minor clean up of the knee, this however is what is keeping him from meeting and working out for respective teams.

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