Colts lose starter CB Jason David to Saints

[groundgame]

Saints sign CB David away from Colts
NFL.com wire reports

NEW ORLEANS (April 27, 2007) -- Cornerback Jason David signed a four-year contract with New Orleans, filling a Saints' trouble spot while leaving the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts with another hole to fill.

The Colts had a week to match New Orleans' offer sheet. David was the second starting cornerback to leave Indianapolis this offseason; Nick Harper signed with Tennessee.

"We are obviously pleased to add Jason to our mix in the secondary," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said in a statement. "This is a positive addition as we make final preparations for this weekend's draft. Jason is a young, emerging player with his best years ahead of him."

The 24-year-old David will reportedly receive about $16 million, a cost the Colts considered too much under the league's $102 million salary cap.

Indianapolis will get a fourth-round draft pick from the Saints, giving it three in the round and nine overall. The NFL draft starts April 28.

The Colts declined to comment.

Indy has lost four starters -- David, Harper, former Pro Bowl linebacker Cato June and running back Dominic Rhodes -- since beating Chicago in the Super Bowl. Also gone are third receiver Brandon Stokley and defensive tackle Montae Reagor, starters until sustaining season-ending injuries in 2006.

Safety Mike Doss, who lost his starting job to rookie Antoine Bethea last season, signed with the Minnesota Vikings. The Colts are still waiting for medical reports before making a decision about former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Corey Simon, who missed all of last season with an undisclosed illness.

Harper and David combined for 87 regular-season starts, 358 tackles and 17 interceptions over the past three seasons.

New Orleans had been seeking more depth at cornerback heading into the draft.

"What's hard to find in free agency are corners, left tackles and defensive ends," Saints coach Sean Payton said recently. "You've got to draft those. Otherwise you'll pay a lot for them."

Fred Thomas, an 11-year veteran, was beaten on several long plays in the NFC championship game loss at Chicago. Bernard Berrian broke loose from Thomas and scored on a 33-yard pass to seal the victory.

A week earlier, Thomas lost track of Donte' Stallworth on a long touchdown pass in a playoff win against Philadelphia.

Thomas stayed on the Saints' roster after agreeing to a pay cut.

 

[DougGabriel2007]

Hate to say it but Marlon Jackson and Kelvin Hayden are both good young players, both made huge INTs in the playoffs for Indy last year. With Sanders in the secondary, their D should be better than ever going into 2007, assuming they can stay healthy....

 

[danny88]

Hate to say it but Marlon Jackson and Kelvin Hayden are both good young players, both made huge INTs in the playoffs for Indy last year. With Sanders in the secondary, their D should be better than ever going into 2007, assuming they can stay healthy....

So there d will be average at best!?

 

[DaBruinz]

Hate to say it but Marlon Jackson and Kelvin Hayden are both good young players, both made huge INTs in the playoffs for Indy last year. With Sanders in the secondary, their D should be better than ever going into 2007, assuming they can stay healthy....

Hayden should have cost the Colts the AFCCG, but the friggin referees didn't bother to call the game fairly.

Sorry, but Hayden wasn't that spectacular and neither is Marlin Jackson. IF Sanders can stay healthy, they MIGHT have a good defense. The problem is their D-line right now. They may have McFarland, but losing Raegor and not having Smith available really puts a crimp on their rotation.

 

[Remix 6]

Hate to say it but Marlon Jackson and Kelvin Hayden are both good young players, both made huge INTs in the playoffs for Indy last year. With Sanders in the secondary, their D should be better than ever going into 2007, assuming they can stay healthy....

um they lost both starting CBs..and Harper was actually good

..they are not better than ever

 

[workhorse]

Hayden should have cost the Colts the AFCCG, but the friggin referees didn't bother to call the game fairly.

Sorry, but Hayden wasn't that spectacular and neither is Marlin Jackson. IF Sanders can stay healthy, they MIGHT have a good defense. The problem is their D-line right now. They may have McFarland, but losing Raegor and not having Smith available really puts a crimp on their rotation.

Obviously the Colts staff believe that Hayden and Jackson have more to offer. Don't forget that David was 5'8". While he would be nice for depth, these guys have been waiting in the wings. Not to mention that the Saints are paying him $4 million a year.

 

[DaBruinz]

Obviously the Colts staff believe that Hayden and Jackson have more to offer. Don't forget that David was 5'8". While he would be nice for depth, these guys have been waiting in the wings. Not to mention that the Saints are paying him $4 million a year.

Or it just could be that the Colts didn't have the Cap room to tag David with a higher restricted tag and they are hoping that Hayden and Jackson can step up and fill the holes left by Harper and David. Not to mention the loss of June. That's 3 defensive starters. That's a lot for a defense to handle in one year.

 

[richpats]

Or it just could be that the Colts didn't have the Cap room to tag David with a higher restricted tag and they are hoping that Hayden and Jackson can step up and fill the holes left by Harper and David. Not to mention the loss of June. That's 3 defensive starters. That's a lot for a defense to handle in one year.

Wait til they suffer an injury on defense...so long Colts.

 

[workhorse]

Or it just could be that the Colts didn't have the Cap room to tag David with a higher restricted tag and they are hoping that Hayden and Jackson can step up and fill the holes left by Harper and David. Not to mention the loss of June. That's 3 defensive starters. That's a lot for a defense to handle in one year.

The next tier of tag was $500,000, so I'm not so sure how much of that was a factor.

Wait til they suffer an injury on defense...so long Colts.

That is the biggest impact, depth. The quality of starter isn't really a concern, it's really the depth. Jackson, Hayden and Kieaho are all capable and ready to step in.

 

[DougGabriel2007]

Jackson is a former 1st round pick and looks like he's gonna be a solid player.

Hayden shouldve won super bowl MVP for his game changing INT for a TD of Rex....

Its not like I said theyre great players or anything, but going from David/Harper to these guys isn't much difference. Also, Indy's D is young and was very good in the playoffs, they will probably be solid next year barring injuries...

 

[BelichickFan]

I look forward to these guys trying to deal with our new WR . . . plus their run defense trying to stop Maroney with Sanders having to help out deeper.

 

[DougGabriel2007]

Me too, I think we score at will on them in 2007 with our newfound talent.

However, I do like Hayden and Jackson as players and I think their D was way more responsible for that SB run than people think. They shut us down completely 2nd half and they shut everyone else they played down for the whole game...Hard to think they won't atleast be solid in 07....