Raiders offered tender contracts to seven RFAs

With only two days left before the March 5 deadline, the Oakland Raiders are among the several teams who began to take actions to retain free agents. On Wednesday, they tendered contracts to seven restricted free agents.

First of all it was quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, who received a second-round tender that will make him earn at least $1.759 million for continuing playing next season in Raiders jersey. And if he chooses to join another team, the Raiders will have the right to match the offer or ask for a second-round pick as compensation. Replacing JaMarcus Russell as the starting quarterback midway through last season, Gradkowski led the Raiders to comeback victories in two of his first three starts. He did not play the rest of the season since suffering a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee and a partially torn MCL in his right knee in the fourth start, but still had 54.7 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and three interceptions on the season. Therefore, the Raiders offer him a chance to compete for the starting job with Russell for 2010 season.

The other six RFAs who received tender offers on the same day included cornerback Stanford Routt (first and third-round tender), linebackers Thomas Howard (second-round tender), Ricky Brown (second-round tender), Kirk Morrison (third-round tender), Pro Bowl long snapper Jon Condo (second-round tender) and offensive lineman Chris Morris (original round tender).

Saints will retain most key players

As champion team of this year’s Super Bowl game, the New Orleans Saints will have a predictable offseason because of the new rules on uncapped 2010 season: key starters will stay and young defensive playmakers will be found in the draft.

As one of the final four playoff teams, the Saints are not allowed to sign any unrestricted free agents unless they lose their own. Actually they have only two real significant unrestricted free agents, safety Darren Sharper and linebacker Scott Fujita, both of whom are likely to stay with the Saints as the team will make their efforts to retain them. And the new rules of the uncapped year will make a number of core players restricted free agents instead of unrestricted free agents they would have been. So the Saints are expected to keep offensive tackles Jammal Brown, Jermon Bushrod and Zach Strief, guard Jahri Evans, running backs Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell, receiver Lance Moore, safety Roman Harper and defensive tackles Anthony Hargrove and Remi Ayodele.

The Saints could also keep running back Reggie Bush despite his $8 million salary because they still value him too much to cut him outright or trade him for a low-round draft pick. As for defensive end Charles Grant, if he wants to continue wearing his Saints jersey, he may have to rework his contract with the Saints who may opt not to pay him a $4 million salary.