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By Nick Underhill
When keeping the view strictly on the field, determining that Nick Fairley should be a part of the Saints defensive line moving forward is an easy task.
Multiple sources have said both the team and player would like to stick together. Fairley likes playing in New Orleans, which is close to his hometown of Mobile, Alabama, and grew fond of coach Sean Payton. The organization had no issues with Fairley last season and realizes he was a key component of the defense.
The big issue will be figuring out what Fairley is worth and coming to an agreement that makes sense for all parties involved when his contract voids at the end of the month.
He could be seeking something in the range of $9.5 million. That would put him above Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford, who has an average annual value of $9 million and had 4½ sacks and eight quarterback hits (Fairley had 22), but below San Diego’s Corey Liuget, who has an average annual value of $10.25 million and has recorded three sacks over the past two seasons.
Fairley recorded 6½ sacks last season, during a year in which he spent some time playing on the nose in three-man fronts, and had nearly 50 other pressures. He was, by any account, one of the better defensive tackles in the NFL. What Fairley can be certain of is that the Saints will not likely pay him a contract with an average annual value exceeding the $11 million defensive end Cameron Jordan is currently being paid...
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