Marques Colston to Saints: Why Ex-Saints WR Would Look Good Back in New Orleans

Marques Colston returning to the New Orleans Saints might take a miracle, but it would give the Saints a boost they so desperately need.

It would be a tough deal to make because the Saints might not have the salary cap to give Colston the salary he wants, but there's still a chance for the Saints to retain him. The Saints are roughly $6 to $7 million under the salary cap, and Colston could receive an offer up to $8 million in free agency.

Colston is on pace to shattering every Saints wide receiver record, and he's provided Saints fans with great memories throughout the years. Plain and simple, him coming back could lift the spirits of New Orleans after all of the bounty controversy.

Colston would not only give the team a much-needed spark at receiver, but it would give the fans something to cheer about again.

These are the three reasons why Colston would look great in black and gold in 2012.

Saints Need Depth at WR

Can the Saints win the Super Bowl with Devery Henderson and Lance Moore as their top two wide receivers?

As good as Drew Brees is at quarterback, I think not. And with the best guard in the NFL, Carl Nicks, wanting to be paid more than Jahri Evans, he's as good as gone, so the Saints front office will have to fill the void at guard before anything.

To make matters worse, Colston and Robert Meachem are free agents as well, and if they go unsigned, the Saints offense will be unimaginably depleted. As good of an offensive mind that Sean Payton has, it's going to be difficult to find production without those key pieces.

That's why the Saints have to make sure they retain one of them, and it might as well be the guy that has had 6,240 receiving yards and 48 touchdowns in his career with the franchise.

Saints Could Use a Boost to Morale

Let's face it, the Saints' past month has been one to forget.

In fact, it tempted me into grabbing my brown bag out of closet and wearing it on my head. Reading articles that state that Sean Payton should be fired not only angers me as a Saints fan, but it makes me unbelievably sad.

Payton and Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis both accepted full responsibility for the scandal.  “We acknowledge that the violations disclosed by the N.F.L. during their investigation of our club happened under our watch,”the statement said.

I shudder to think about what's going to happen when the wrath of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell comes crashing down on them.

So imagine the impact that Colston would have on the fanbase if he chose to return to New Orleans. It would boost the morale, and that's exactly what needs to happen before more bad news surrounding the bounty scandal surfaces.

What Colston Brings to the Table

The Saints offense is an offense that is capable of launching deep touchdown passes and nickel and diming opponents down the field.

This is where Colston comes in handy. When the Saints want to mount a long drive full of short passes over the middle, Colston becomes their go-to guy. At 6'4", his long limbs give him an advantage to go up and snatch the football away from defenders.

I don't have to weigh heavily on what Colston can do in a Saints uniform because you've seen it over and over again throughout the years.

Not only does he bring those physical attributes to the table, but he has a strong relationship with Brees, and both have great chemistry with one another.

With the Saints organization on the ropes, the re-signing of Colston could be exactly what New Orleans needs to get them back in the game.

Colston's Productivity in 2011

In 2011, Colston had yet another solid year for the Saints.

He recorded 1,143 yards receiving and had eight touchdowns to show for it. Whenever Brees needed to find a sure-handed target, Colston was always there to make the grab.

In fact when it comes to the best hands in football, you could argue that Colston has the best hands. Last season, he had a 97.6 catch percentage that tied with Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Preston Parker for the best catching percentage in the NFC South.

Colston took it to the next level in the postseason, as he had 120 yards receiving against the Detroit Lions and 136 yards receiving with a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers.

Fans Already Expect Him to Leave

Adam Schefter made the comment on ESPN's Sports Center Tuesday that it "looks like Marques Colston is gone."

That doesn't mean that a deal can't be made, but when an NFL insider like Shefter says something/reports something, he's normally spot on.

Colston has kept quiet throughout the offseason, and that's just like Colston to not cause a lot of attention towards him.

He's the opposite of a T.O. He's a great player that produces on the field, while he keeps his mouth closed and puts the team first. For the Saints case, let's hope he puts the team first with contract negotiations.

Colston's return to New Orleans would be a pleasant surprise that every Saints fan could get behind.