The New Orleans Saints didn't waste time replacing departed tailback Reggie Bush. They agreed to a four-year deal with free agent tailback Darren Sproles worth $14 million with $6 million guaranteed. A league source confirmed the deal, which was originally reported by Alex Marvez.
"The skill set that Reggie had was certainly unique. Darren may have a comparable skill set. That would be a pretty good comparison," Saints Coach Sean Payton said earlier Thursday before the deal was finalized -- though he insisted the team wasn't looking for a Plan B when it began pursuing Sproles. "I think (Sproles) is an exceptional talent. He is very versatile and dynamic."
Pierre Thomas takes a hit here. He was supposed to replace Bush in the passing game, but Sproles is simply a better, more explosive pass catcher out of the backfield. This doesn't help Mark Ingram, Lance Moore or Jimmy Graham either.