In what is turning out to be a tumultuous offseason for the Saints, including the Gregg Williams fiasco and a "furious" Drew Brees expected to hold out after getting the exclusive-rights franchise tag, Jay Glazer reports that New Orleans finally got some good news Tuesday after the Saints were able to lock up WR Marques Colston to a new five-year/$40 million contract extension.
The news comes as a bit of a surprise after Colston said he wanted to remain with the team, but wouldn't take a hometown discount to stay. With Colston back, the Saints can now concentrate on trying to lock up OG Carl Nicks and prepare for free agency, which starts in only a few hours (Tuesday afternoon).
From a fantasy perspective, I had my doubts as to how Colston would fare on another team and in a new system. We have seen many players, ala TJ Houshmanwhatshisname, flourish in one system, only to come crashing down after they signed big bucks somewhere else. But now that Colston is back in the fold, he should easily attain his fourth-straight 1000-yard season, barring an injury. At the very least, he is a strong WR2 going into the 2012 season. Owners may worry about Brees and his holdout, but I strongly doubt he will miss any of the regular season.
As for free agency, Vincent Jackson still reigns supreme as the No. 1 wide receiver on the market, but who comes in at No. 2? That's debatable with Brandon Lloyd and Reggie Wayne neck and neck for second place. For now, teams who were in the market for a top-notch receiver just saw the market shrink with Colston now off the shelf.