Saints reportedly to release Marques Colston

The New Orleans Saints are reportedly going to release their franchise-leading receiver Marques Colston in the coming days.

The NFL is a business, and sometimes that business causes teams to part ways with players that have meant a lot to their franchise. The Saints have been impacted greatly by the big yardage gains brought in from wide receiver Marques Colston. Colston, who has never played for any other NFL team, is expected to be released by the Saints in the “coming days,” according to ESPN.

Colston played 10 seasons for the Saints, bringing in nearly 10,000 yards receiving, making himself the franchises all-time leading receiver.

At 32 years old, Colston’s statistics have been on a steady decline the past few seasons, but he has still been making a fair amount of money. According to the ESPN report, the move isn’t completely due to money because the Saints are already below the salary cap, but freeing up an extra $3.2 million that Colston is owed this season will help them make some serious moves in free agency this season.

The releasing of this iconic black and gold uniformed player really signifies something huge with this team — that they are moving on to take on a completely new look. With Colston gone, the New Orleans Saints will only have 3 players remaining from their Super Bowl victory in the 2009 season — quarterback Drew Brees, punter Thomas Morstead, and tackle Zach Strief.

Much of their coaching staff has also been changed over the years, and there was talk before the season ended of head coach Sean Payton — who lead the team to their only franchise Super Bowl victory — and the team parting ways once the season ended. It doesn’t look as if that will be the plan, but getting rid of Colston certainly makes it seem as if it’s not all that distant.