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New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Monday that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with unrestricted free agent free safety Darren Sharper, bringing the veteran defender back to New Orleans for a second season.

“We have said since the end of the season that we would love to have Darren back in a Saints uniform for 2010 and I’m glad we’ve been able to make that happen,” Loomis said. “Darren was an integral part of our Super Bowl-winning team and we look forward to having him back.”

Sharper, 34, leads all active NFL players in interceptions with 63 and was a key cog in leading the Saints to their Super Bowl XLIV victory as he matched his career-best with nine interceptions in being named to his fifth Pro Bowl in his 13^th NFL season. Prior to signing with New Orleans in March 2009, the veteran defender played eight seasons with the Green Bay Packers after being selected in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft and later played four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.

The 6-2, 210-pound product of William & Mary has played in 197 career regular season games, with 181 starts to his credit, and has racked up 1,085 tackles, 147 passes defensed, 63 interceptions, nine forced fumbles, 7½ sacks and seven fumble recoveries. In 13 career postseason games, Sharper has started 10 of the contests and registered 74 career tackles, 11 passes defensed, two sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Sharper brought a ball-hawking mentality to the Saints defense in 2009, starting 14 games at free safety and picking off nine passes – gaining an NFL-record 376 yards on interception returns, including three touchdowns – and made 93 tackles (55 solo) with half a sack and seven passes defensed. He also started all three postseason games and notched 24 tackles with a pass defense and a fumble recovery.

Sharper’s 63 career interceptions places him in a tie with Ronnie Lott for sixth on the all-time list and he ranks second only to Rod Woodson in interception return yardage (1,412) and interceptions returned for touchdowns with 11.

The courtship period between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Saints free safety Darren Sharper lasted 24 hours after The Jags failed to offer enough money for Sharper not to return to the Saints. .

Sharper is scheduled for a visit to Dallas on Friday as he tests the free agent market.

Sharper left Jacksonville without a contract and will continue to explore his options.

Sharper, who made All-Pro last season at age 34, was a key figure in the Saints march to the NFL championship. He is seeking a significant raise from the one-year $1.7 million contract he received last season. It’s still possible the Jaguars might sign Sharper, but a lot hinges on whether both side can reach a compromise on guaranteed money

Though Sharper’s age is a concern, his veteran leadership and instincts are something other teams could need, including the Saints.

With the season more than four months away, Sharper is looking to recoup money after playing way above his salary level last season. Sharper has said an All-Pro safety is worth $5 million. The Saints don’t agree. Safety Brian Dawkins, former Eagle, set the bar last year at age 35 by signing a five-year, $17 million deal with the Broncos.

Sharper wants to return to the Saints, but GM Mickey Loomis only wants him back at their price and was willing to let him test the free-agent market. Sharper waited two months to test the free agent market because he was recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. No matter who signs him, Sharper will likely not be cleared for full organized team activity sessions until June.

I agree that Sharper did have an “All Pro” type year during the Saints Super Bowl run. But we all have to remember that there is no “I” in “Team”. Sharper was a force in the backfield when Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter were on the corners, but when they were absent, Sharper was just average.

Sharper does have to remember though, that there is an “I” in “Time”, which is something Sharper is running out of.

Its guest speakers are always inspiring (last year, ironically, it was Indianapolis Colts’ QB Peyton Manning), but this year’s speech by New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees may be the most-highly anticipated in the history of Acadian Ambulance’s Annual Paramedic Luncheon.

Its guest speakers are always inspiring (last year, ironically, it was Indianapolis Colts’ QB Peyton Manning), but this year’s speech by New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees may be the most-highly anticipated in the history of Acadian Ambulance’s Annual Paramedic Luncheon.New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees will take the microphone Thursday, May 20, as the guest speaker at Acadian’s Annual Paramedic Luncheon at the Cajundome Convention Center.

Brees led the Saints to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance and 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts this year, in the process earning Super Bowl XLIV MVP honors. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl four times in his career – with the Chargers in 2004 and the Saints in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

Additionally, Brees was recently selected by voters to be on the cover of EA’s Sports Madden 11 NFL video game.

Acadian will recognize the work of its staff at the annual luncheon and honor the 2010 Medic of the Year, Eddie Domingue of Houma. The invitation-only luncheon’s main guests are Acadian’s employees; the convention center seats about 1,500, with more than 1,100 of the seats filled by Acadian’s staff.

New Orleans Saints FB Heath Evans and over 35 of his teammates took to the diamond on Wednesday night at Zephyr Field to face a team of players from the armed services in the Heath Evans Softball Showdown.

While in the end unlike in Super Bowl XLIV, Evans and his teammate ended just short of the finish line in an 18-17 loss to an all-star group of softball players from the Marines, Louisiana Air National Guard, Army and Navy that work out of the Joint Reserve Base at Belle Chasse (La.), the group of over 9,000 fans that attended the contest enjoyed a fun evening of hitting, pitching and autographs. The event raised nearly $100,000 for the Heath Evans Foundation, which was formed by the Saints fullback to dedicate itself to assisting kids and families that have been affected by sexual abuse

Among the 37 players that participated were fan favorites such as QB Drew Brees, WR Lance Moore, TE Jeremy Shockey, WR Pierre Thomas and LB Jonathan Vilma.

The evening started with a home run derby event featuring the Saints players. Just as he has taken over games on the gridiron when the time dictates it, the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player was the man of the hour in the pregame event. Brees swatted over ten home runs from both sides of the plate to take the honors.

The players then took the field against their friendly foes from the military for a seven-inning contest that went right down to the wire. After going to bat in the sixth inning they had pounded out an 18-9 lead. But the Saints group rallied for six runs in the bottom of the sixth, held their opponents scoreless for the top of the seventh to set up a potential rally, trailing 18-15 going into their final at bats.

The New Orleans players grinded out two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Hitting two three-run homers in the actual game to supplement his home-run derby take, Brees’ teammates even put their leader to bat a second time in the final inning, but when he popped up to first base, the comeback would not be complete. However, the fans were not disappointed in what was an entertaining three-hour exhibition.

Center 7

Guard 12

Offensive Tackle 18

Defensive End 29

Defensive Tackle 22

Linebacker 35

Running Back 15

Wide Receiver 30

Defensive Back 50

Quarterback 13

Tight End 19

Kick Returner 2

Punter 3

Saints and Safety Darren Sharper Agree to Contract

Should Team Give Sharper Top Money?

Brees guest speaker at Acadian’s annual luncheon

Heath Evans Softball Showdown

2010 NFL Draft by Position

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