Cornerback Keenan Lewis has been a fantastic addition for the New Orleans Saints. He's become one of their best overall defensive players and hasn't missed a game since joining the team prior to the 2013 season.
He's physical, consistent and plays the game with veteran savvy.
It's no surprise then that the team re-worked Lewis' deal recently, guaranteeing him more money and ensuring the cornerback, reportedly unhappy with the mass exodus the team has seen this offseason, remains with the franchise for the foreseeable future.
Only the situation may not be as cut and dried as that.
The Saints actually shopped Lewis prior to giving him more guaranteed money, according to a report from Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.
"To those questioning Keenan Lewis's outcome in NO - they re-did his deal after shopping him to several teams and after word got out. Truth," La Canfora tweeted.
The Saints, after finding no suitable offers, then restructured Lewis' deal to the tune of an additional $10.45 million in guarantees, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Lewis, per Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, doesn't get any additional money in the deal, but more of it is paid up front, ostensibly keeping the recently dour Lewis a happy camper.
"The Saints did this by converting portions of his 2015 and 2016 base salaries and combining that with $700,000 roster bonuses in those years. Added together, the Saints were able to pro-rate the $3.9 million over three years, which added an additional $1.3 million in bonuses in 2015-17," writes Terrell.
The 28-year-old Lewis finished last season, a down year for the entire New Orleans Saints franchise, with 41 tackles and two interceptions.
2013, his first season with the Saints, nabbed 47 tackles and four interceptions.
While the Saints rewarded Lewis with this restructuring, New Orleans is an organization in flux and there's every possibility that front-loading his contract with guaranteed money simply makes it easier for them to walk away in a couple of seasons.
