Is Fairley a High Risk, Potential Byrd and Browner Type Resign??? (1 Viewer)

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OK - I really like Fairley and lean heavily towards his resigning. We haven't had a force like that in the middle for a long time. He was disruptive for a DT. And if the CBs could have provided another second, Fairley would have likely had 10 sacks from a DT positions = rocks = All-Pro!

Now the other side. Fairely, throughout his entire career until GW and the one year with the Rams was known as an elite under-performing talent. He showed up some games and blew people away, then he no-showed for multiple games or more.

It just so happens last year was a contract year. So many players who underperform then light it up in contract years make terrible FA signings, "Take the Money and Run!"

There's the Fairely we love and the Fairley who is a very high risk FA to sign to a large multi-year contract.

What do we do?
 
It's possible.

How would you know?

He was healthy all year and played like his hair was on fire.
To me that sounds like a good sign to offer him another contract.
I'd make it heavily incentive laden, even if it is long term.

If it all goes to hell in a hand basket...........
 
It's possible.

How would you know?

He was healthy all year and played like his hair was on fire.
To me that sounds like a good sign to offer him another contract.
I'd make it heavily incentive laden, even if it is long term.

If it all goes to hell in a hand basket...........

Swampy - Good Stuff! Thanks

I don't think this Coaching Staff including SP and possibly Loomis have more than another year to make the playoffs. There's so much to like about Fairley. But if SP and Loomis move on some big contract FAs and they fail, it could be another ugly year.
 
I don't know if I'd necessarily call Fairley an under-performer. He simply had to sit behind a "better" player most of his career. When he would come on the field at the same time, he would have to play a different position than the 3 tech you saw him here with the Saints.

In reality, the past two years are his first opportunities to shine out right. He flashed in Detroit. I thought so anyway. Could even argue that this year in New Orleans was his first true shot, because the Rams are pretty loaded with defensive talent themselves. In LA/STL, Aaron Donald is the future at the 3 position, so Nick wasn't going to get a lot of production there either.

For us, he is running into the same problem. Rankins is the "future" for NOLA at the 3 tech position. If you sign Fairley to say a 3 year, 27 million dollar deal, odds are Rankins will be the starter during that contract sooner rather than later. Then you're left paying starter DT money for your back up DT.

I want to bring Fairley back, but it's a tricky situation you're in. He might not like the idea of a very heavy incentive contract considering this could be his last "big" signing. As far as will he play as great as he did previously, I've seen nothing that would cause me to think he would pull a Haynesworth on us.
 
It's possible.

How would you know?

He was healthy all year and played like his hair was on fire.
To me that sounds like a good sign to offer him another contract.
I'd make it heavily incentive laden, even if it is long term.

If it all goes to hell in a hand basket...........

Bolded.

And if we beef up the much-troubled rush-end position opposite Jordan, the whole defensive unit will be stronger. Fairley won't have all the pressure on him to produce the rush.
 
Swampy - Good Stuff! Thanks

I don't think this Coaching Staff including SP and possibly Loomis have more than another year to make the playoffs. There's so much to like about Fairley. But if SP and Loomis move on some big contract FAs and they fail, it could be another ugly year.
True, but you can't sign or coach scared.

Do your homework, make the best deal and move ahead with the plan.
You can bet your arse on one thing, though....they won't be signing a low character guy again if they can help it.

I'm so happy we have Ireland now.
To me, the personnel moves in the last two seasons has the talent level pointing up.
 
Bolded.

And if we beef up the much-troubled rush-end position opposite Jordan, the whole defensive unit will be stronger. Fairley won't have all the pressure on him to produce the rush.

I don't disagree with you. We badly need a speed disruptive DE opposite Jordan. But the few NFL players and trainers I know think the Saints LBs are terrible, lack over-all speed, lack lateral speed for containment, are simply not that NFL starter quality good. Do we get more bang for the buck with 2 new quality LBs or do we go all in on DE 1st?
 
I don't have an issue with signing him, but it needs to be very Saints friendly. He has had exactly one good season in his career. I don't see any team offering him large sums of money.
 
We can't know. He performed at a level deserving of a good contract offer. And as much as we'd like it to be, it likely won't be incentive laden. He'll get some money upfront. How much guaranteed is what will either make it great or risky. We have to offer him a contract in line with his value and hope he stays the same player he was this year. That's all we can do.
 
He deserves to get paid. But he can't get some huge blockbuster deal either. Like Rev said, Rankins is the future of our interior line. Fairley balled out. So he deserves a solid deal that won't make him a pauper without compromising anything. Don't forget David Onyemata was quite raw and played a lot of snaps. Give him an offseason in NFL caliber strength and conditioning and who knows how good he can be too.

These are great problems to have for a football team, by the way. Too many options.
 
I don't disagree with you. We badly need a speed disruptive DE opposite Jordan. But the few NFL players and trainers I know think the Saints LBs are terrible, lack over-all speed, lack lateral speed for containment, are simply not that NFL starter quality good. Do we get more bang for the buck with 2 new quality LBs or do we go all in on DE 1st?

There's quality at both positions to be had in round 2, like there is every year in the draft. But, I'm of the mind that a pass rush can make a back end look much better than they are. (Remember our history; the Dome Patrol was front-end strong and often masked an ordinary secondary) If the current secondary can shake all the blasted injuries, then a can't-miss edge rusher should bolster the entire unit.
 
He's actually produced for us. Is he a risk? Yes. Every Free Agent is, but to me its worth the risk knowing he has done good things for you and from what I hear was not a problem in the locker room at all. He's already made tons of money over his career so its not like it will be the 1st time he sees a few million.
 
Fairely actually proved himself in a Saints uniform. He's working hard and bought into the team culture. I don't see this as a high risk FA signing. It's more like a no brainer.
 
I will say the risk depends on the amount of the contract. I presume that we are talking a 3-4 year around 5 million per.

We will see...
 
I will say the risk depends on the amount of the contract. I presume that we are talking a 3-4 year around 5 million per.

We will see...

I think realistically you're looking more around 7-9 million. IF we can pull 5 mill it's a steal. Would love that
 

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