| Saints sign David, leaving Super Bowl champ Colts with another hole |
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| Written by Admin |
| Friday, 27 April 2007 08:27 |
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) -Cornerback Jason David signed a four-year contract with New Orleans on Friday, filling a Saints' trouble spot while leaving the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts with another hole to fill. The Colts took three days before letting a deadline pass 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 Saturday. The Colts declined to comment Friday. 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. --- AP Sports Writer Michael Marot in Indianapolis contributed to this report. |
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