The New Orleans Saints have slapped the exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Drew Brees - Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The New Orleans Saints have slapped the exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Drew Brees, guaranteeing the 2011 offensive player of the year will spend next season raking in, at minimum, a healthy $14.4 million while decked out in the black and gold.

By utilizing its exclusive negotiating rights versus the generic franchise tag, which would allow other teams to negotiate with Brees but require that they provide New Orleans draft pick compensation should they sign him away, the Saints have dashed the foolish fantasies of many NFL fans hoping a scorned ‘Breesus’ might become their football savior.

In recent days the ongoing drama in the Big Easy has even had some Washington Redskins fans wondering whether Brees could be the answer to the ongoing and dependably depressing quarterback carousel in the nation’s capital.

Alas, it (always) was not to be. But the Saints’ inability to reach an agreement with Brees — reports have the two sides about $5 million apart in annual salary figures — could end up benefitting the Redskins.

The Saints have several players in addition to Brees set to become free agents, including guard Carl Nicks and receiver Marques Colston, who just so happen to play the Redskins’ two offensive positions of greatest need, excluding quarterback.

Had the Saints signed Brees to a long-term contract, they could have worked out the deal to make it cap-friendly in the short term, allowing them to re-sign some of their other pending free agents.  Even if it couldn’t come to terms with Nicks or Colston, the team would still have had its franchise tag to use on either player.

Now, in all likelihood, both Nicks and Colston will hit free agency, and either would give the Redskins’ offense a tremendous boost.

Nicks is regarded as one of the top interior offensive linemen in the NFL, if not the best. To secure his services, it would likely take a contract north of the six-year, $51 million deal signed last year by New England Patriots guard Logan Mankins, the league’s highest paid interior lineman.

The Redskins are expected to have about $40 million in salary cap space once free agency begins March 13. Would it be wise to shell out $8.5 million or more in annual salary on a guard? The Redskins began the 2011 season with a starting offensive line making less than $10.5 million combined, $7.85 million of which went to left tackle Trent Williams alone. Though they recently re-signed center Will Montgomery to a four-year, $12 million contract, the Skins could stand to invest a little in the guys entrusted with protecting the team’s most important investment: whoever the next quarterback is (RGIIIRGIIIRGIIIRGIIIRGIIIRGIII).

It would also be hard to find a safer signing than Nicks — he’s 26, in his prime, and has never missed a game in four NFL seasons. He’s the definition of an elite free agent, one that plenty of teams will be anxious to sign. If there were ever a free agent whom Dan Snyder could open his wallet for and not engender criticism, Nicks could be the one.

As for Colston, he would be part of a pretty darn good class of free agent wide receivers that includes Vincent Jackson, Wes Welker, Pierre Garcon, Dwayne Bowe, Mario Manningham and Steve Johnson. He’s also the kind of big-bodied receiver that the Redskins have lacked for a seeming eternity, one that can bail out his quarterback and win jump balls, especially in the end zone, where Washington’s lousy offense becomes anemic.

Among the receivers set to become free agents, Jackson is considered the best, but Colston isn’t far behind, having recorded 1,000 yards receiving five times in six seasons. At 28, he will likely fetch a five-to-seven year contract worth $8-to-$10 million per season. Would he be worth that kind of scratch to the Skins? Perhaps, but Colston will likely exit his prime years halfway through his next contract, which is something whichever team signs him will have to consider and be willing to live with.

If I had to choose between Nicks and Colston, I’d go with the younger, better Nicks. But the Skins will have the cap room to sign both and, if they go all in on a certain Heisman-winning quarterback on draft day (plzplzplzplzplzplzplz), might have to rely on free agency to fill holes elsewhere on the roster.

Statistics are courtesy of NFL.com. You can follow Riggo’s Rag (@RiggosRag) on Twitter!

You most likely know by now, but the New Orleans Saints were found guilty of running a “bounty program” with their defense from 2009 to 2011, with former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams at the reigns. He is accused of paying players for “taking opponents out”, sometimes extra if that player was carted off the field. The Redskins are now also being linked to the bounty system, as Williams was a coach in Washington from ’04 to ’07. But, most ESPN analysts are saying the Saints will face a much “harsher” penalty, mostly because of evidence(50,000 pages) and it occurred in the last couple of years,  while the NFL has been attempting to take those kind of hits out of the game.

Now, the question is what will the penalty be? How hard is the NFL going to hit the Saints?  Will coaches and/or players who participated get suspensions?

I personally believe the NFL will make an example out of the Saints, a big one. A couple first round picks, all 22-27 players involved fined, then suspended for at least one game, and a huge fine for the team. Now, what I say next may upset the Who Dat nation, but it could very easily happen: Sean Payton suspended for 2-6 games due to his role in the “bounty program”. No, it wasn’t a major role, or even a direct role, but he did nothing to stop it when he learned what was happening.

So you may be thinking again, how does this relate to Washington?

Saints quarterback Drew Brees is not only known for his amazing play, but also his squeaky clean image. Let’s say Coach Sean Payton gets hit with a 6-game suspension, and the team loses key defensive players for a few games due to thier roles in the “program”. Being that the Saints and Brees are currently in disagreement about a long term contract, Brees may want out (this is just a prediction people). That’s is when the Redskins and swoop in and offer Drew a contract he can’t refuse. Sure, it’s unlikely, but think about it. This could easily tarnish the Saints reputation, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this scandal pushes Carl Nicks and Marques Colston out of the door, both of whom are on the Redskins’ radar. Yes, Brees loves the city, and the city loves him more, but he may not want to stick around for the heat the Saints are set to receive in the aftermath of this situation.

The odds of Wasington landing Brees aren’t big, but it could happen. I think it’s safe to say all of the free agents with the Saints are now reconsidering signing with the team. This could end up being huge for the Redskins, assuming they are not punished as well.

So what do you think? Brees? Nicks? Colston? Could all possibly have a chance of landing in Washington? We’ll definitely find out in the coming weeks, and see what “the harshest penalty ever handed down to an NFL team” will be.

What do you think Redskins nation?

1999 Colts: This is an obvious one, but something similar could happen this year in DC. The previous season the Colts had gone 3-13, and rookie Peyton Manning couldn’t get any help. With a few personnel changes, the Colts have become one of the most dominant teams in the NFL, immediately getting a 13-3 record the following season. Since that change in Indy, 2001 and 2011 are the only two seasons they failed to enter the play-offs

2006 Saints: In 2005, New Orleans was hit with disaster in the form of Hurricane Katrina (Something I lived through in MS). The Saints played their home games at LSU, and they were just absolutely awful at 3-13. The following season, the Saints brought in rookie head-coach Sean Payton, un-proven Drew Brees, and a monster RB Reggie Bush. They proved to be deadly, going 10-6 before falling in the NFC championship game to the Chicago Bears. That story just goes to show how easily a few position changes, can do to a team, as the Saints brought home the Lombardi Trophy in 2009

2011 49ers: This one is the most recent, and quite frankly I believe it’s the biggest turn-around in the History of the NFL. Although they didn’t have the worst record last year at 6-10, they defiantly made huge strides to the future, and showed tons of talent and potential in the process. Veteran Alex Smith was finally a hero, former Redskin Carlos Rogers was having a break-out season, and Vernon Davis proved to be the coke-machine on legs he is made out to be. But how did all this happen? A change of coaching and play-calling. Jim Harbaugh came in and changed the entire play book, and it worked. Maybe we’re just one play-caller away from a Superbowl, who knows?

The bottom line is change is evident in Washington, and hopefully it will be for the good. A few players and new coaches can go a long way, just as these teams have proved in previous seasons. Now, let’s sit back and see what are Redskins can do

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