Saints Slap First And Third Round Tender On Jahri Evans

The New Orleans Saints will place a first and third round tender on restricted free agent, according to Mike Triplett of the Times-Picayune. The Saints were thought to have been working on a long-term deal with the 26 year old guard.

Clearly, the Saints aren’t planning to let Evans get away. They have slowly but surely been working on a long-term extension with the 26-year-old, who has started every game since being drafted in the fourth round out of Bloomsburg in 2006. But no deal is imminent, with no real time pressure to get things done.

The Saints also offered the lowest tender to RB Mike Bell, who came into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Broncos in 2006. That means the Saints have a right to match any offer he receives but will not receive compensation if he leaves.

The Saints have now offered tenders to 15 of their 18 restricted free agents. The others — defensive end Jeff Charleston, cornerback Leigh Torrence and fullback Kyle Eckel — appear unlikely to receive a tender.