Marques Colston, Saints Agree to New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction

Just one day after restructuring safety Jairus Byrd's contract, the New Orleans Saints made another cost-cutting move Friday by negotiating a new deal with wide receiver Marques Colston.

Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 first reported the dealings:

The 31-year-old wideout has been one of the biggest weapons in the New Orleans offense since his rookie season in 2006. He topped 1,000 yards in each season from 2006 through 2012 with the exception of the 2008 campaign, in which he made only 11 appearances.

While the Hofstra product's numbers have been down a bit since 2013, he has been effective, with consecutive seasons of over 900 yards and five touchdowns.

With that said, his production has not matched a lofty cap hit of $9.7 million, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

"

#Saints WR Marques Colston, who had a $9.7M cap number, re-did his deal, source said (as @MikeGarafolo noted). He’s staying.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 6, 2015"

Even so, he is vital to the team due to his size and his leaping ability. He is a great option for quarterback Drew Brees in every part of the field, and he makes life easier for tight end Jimmy Graham and young receiver Brandin Cooks.

Per Larry Holder of NOLA.com, finding a way to keep Colston was an intelligent move by the Saints brass:

It is unclear how much money the franchise saved by restructuring his contract, but every penny counts for a team that desperately needs to make improvements on the defensive side of the ball.

Colston will continue to be one of Brees' top targets, and his performance in 2015 will have a major impact on the Saints' success.

The former seventh-round pick has far exceeded expectations at the NFL level, and New Orleans' commitment to keeping him in the fold proves he is viewed as an important piece moving forward.

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