Super Bowl XLV Betting – Why Wouldn’t The Saints Re-Sign Darren Sharper?

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

by BetUS.com

New Orleans Saints Super Bowl Odds

Building a dynasty in a mad age of free-spending on talent is a tough task, but the New Orleans Saints have all the pieces to return back to Dallas next year and defend their title. Only the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos and New England Patriots have repeated as back-to-back champions in the past 20 NFL betting seasons. If the Saints wants to repeat as champions, there’s no doubt in my mind they would need Darren Sharper.

Darren Sharper continues to shop his services around the NFL while the New Orleans Saints play hardball on a new deal. Sharper has recently visited with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and undoubtedly his services would be welcomed in that neck of the woods. I just wonder what the Saints are thinking by not bringing back the 34-year old safety. Surely they’d prize his leadership and talents as they look to bolster their Super Bowl XLV odds.

Combing with Roman Harper, the Saints had one of the best tandems at safety in the NFL. Even with that pair the Saints were the 26th worst passing defense in the league, which speaks far more to the set of corners that they have had. Harper and Sharper more than made up for the ineptitude of the corner men on the Saints which makes New Orleans’ lack of desire to ink Darren Sharper to a deal even more perplexing.

The Saints have already lost Mike Bell to the Philadelphia Eagles, and could stand to lose more players in coming years as a lockout looms over the NFL in 2011. They will almost assuredly have to find room to keep Marques Colston, Reggie Bush and their plethora of talented wide receivers on board for the long term. It’s not about securing talent on the offensive side, but more about ensuring that they are able to capitalize on the success of Drew Brees as he thunders through his prime.

Only two teams share the three-digit Super Bowl XLV odds that the Saints are enjoying at +800. Despite losing to the Saints last year, the Colts are the favorite to win in 2011 with +600 odds, while the Chargers are getting +900 odds despite questions at running-back. The Saints are trailed by only Dallas (10-to-1) and Minnesota (12-to-1) as the best teams to usurp them in the NFC.

With Drew Brees leading a young offense on one side, it’s astounding to me that the Saints wouldn’t want Sharper doing the very same on the defense. You don’t just pay for 9 interceptions and 15 deflected passed with Sharper. You’re getting 14-years of experience and two-three more years out of a guy who proved that he can still play his position.

Should the Saints lose Sharper to free-agency, their chances to repeat as champions takes a massive blow. As excited as you may be that they won a title for the beleaguered city of New Orleans, I’d stand pat before launching forward with an 8-to-1 bet on them in 2011 at Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Until they have a man proven to take over for the aging Sharper, the Saints still need him, whether they admit it or not.

BetUS Sportsbook NFL Futures Super Bowl XLV – New Orleans Saints +800

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