Saints FS Darren Sharper is in contention for Defensive Player of the Year honors as we near the midseason mark, which is a prime situation for any player, regardless of age, to be in before he enters free agency. The 33-year-old has six interceptions, three touchdowns and already set a franchise record for interception-return yardage with 317. His start has been particularly impressive considering that teams weren't interested in making a commitment of more than a year to him in the offseason. The Saints were one of the few clubs that showed serious interest when Sharper became a free agent, which is why they were able to sign him to a modest, by NFL standards, one-year, $1.7 million deal.

While New Orleans does not have anyone waiting in the wings as a replacement at free safety for Sharper next season, sources say they don't sense any urgency from the Saints to lock him up with an extension before he hits the market this offseason. Sources familiar with the inner workings of the front office say while there have been some exceptions made for younger, core players, it would be unlike the Saints to offer an extension to a player this late in the season. The sense that Sharper is nearing the end of his career and may not be worth the gamble of a deal longer than one year hasn't dissipated, either, although he clearly has more to offer than some had figured.

It's conceivable that Sharper would re-sign with New Orleans in 2010 and might even consider a hometown discount. However, with so much uncertainty surrounding the Collective Bargaining Agreement, it's unclear what a team will be willing to pay for an aging safety, and teams, as well as players, are being cautious with those considerations in mind.

If there is no salary cap, Sharper could obviously cash in with a team whose owner is willing to break the bank with no spending constraints. He and other players near his age could also benefit as many young players with fewer than six seasons under their belts will become restricted, rather than unrestricted, free agents, which is sure to scare some teams off, as signing a restricted free agent away from a team could cost at least one draft pick and perhaps more, depending on the level of the tender given to the player.

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