The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... The Saints are facing the scariest free-agent period in franchise history. Although the Saints have thrived despite losing some valuable players in recent years, they've never lost one as important to the team as Drew Brees, G Carl Nicks or Colston. But Times-Picayune staffer Mike Triplett believes the Saints can keep all three.

Diehards Line:They'll certainly keep Brees. And while another team could still overpay Nicks or Colston to the point where the Saints choose to let them go, Triplett thinks both will stay. In the case of Colston, Triplett notes that agent Joel Segal worked out a five-year, $50 million deal with the Jets for WR Santonio Holmes. While one cold argule Colston is a better player and a better locker room fit, he's unlikely to lands a deal that lucrative. Per Triplett, Colston likely will command somewhere in the range of $7 million to $8.5 million per year. Maybe in the neighborhood of the five-year, $41 million deal that Sidney Rice signed with the Seattle Seahawks last year. ... We'll continue to follow up through the offseason. We'll also remind you that Robert Meachem is a free agent too. Triplett believes Meachem's first-round talent could tempt another team to offer more money and a greater role, though recent history has proven that Saints receivers have taken less money to stay in this offense.