Darren Sharper Likely to Join Jacksonville Jaguars Soon

Ever since the New Orleans Saints came out and said they’ve given free safety Darren Sharper a “take it or leave it” type of offer, the market for his services has been surprisingly slim.

Sharper was tied for the league-lead in interceptions last season with nine, and no defensive player had a better nose for the endzone. At one point, Sharper was even considered a legitimate Defense Player of the Year candidate, and was a big part of the Saints’ Super Bowl-winning team, so the lack of interest is mind-boggling.

One team, however, appears ready to step up and outbid the Saints, who don’t appear ready to put up a fight to keep Sharper around. Sharper recently went down to Jacksonville to visit with the Jaguars and, according to Jaguars GM Gene Smith, it went very well.

“Darren, I think, had an exceptional visit here,” Smith said. “He sees a great fit, a great opportunity with an ascending team. I’m confident that we can be good for each other.”

This could just be a strategic move by Sharper to drive up the Saints’ price, but it looks like the Saints are more or less asking another team to take him off their hands. The offer appears to be a way to appease the fanbase and extend a hand to a guy who has contributed so much to that team in such a short time there.

Aside from the obvious difference in time spent with the team, this appears to be a mirror image to the situation between the Philadelphia Eagles and Brian Dawkins. However, at least with the Eagles and Dawkins it became clear that Dawk simply didn’t fit the scheme any longer.

If you gave me the rest of this calendar year I don’t think I could come up with two good reasons why the Saints wouldn’t want Sharper back. The obvious reason is his age, but he made a point to show them last season that age doesn’t have to mean a thing.

Either way, it appears as though the Jaguars are going to do everything they can to make sure he’s in Jacksonville for the 2010 season, at the very least. If they can lure Sharper in for a year and convince him to take a mentor-type role with Reggie Nelson, it could be a great signing for the Jags — if, of course, it goes down the way we’re expecting it to.