By Josh Katzenstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
It’s time to give the New Orleans Saints some credit for their decisions in free agency the past few seasons.
Free agency is a difficult endeavor. For the most part, teams are overpaying flawed players because NFL general managers rarely let top-tier players leave.
At the scouting combine last month, Cardinals GM Steve Keim said free agency is often “fool’s gold” because teams will guarantee a lot of money to players they know little about. Frequently, the big-money deals backfire, so re-signing familiar players is often the most important move.
The Saints have been guilty of this. Signing safety Jairus Byrd in 2014, instead of retaining Malcolm Jenkins, was the biggest blunder in recent years. Adding running back C.J. Spiller was more about flash than substance. Tight end Coby Fleener, cornerback Brandon Browner and linebacker James Laurinaitis were other swings and misses.
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