Free agent OG Carl Nicks reiterated in an interview with WWL in New Orleans that he wants to be the NFL's highest paid guard.

"I plan to be the highest paid guard in the NFL," he said. "You can take that whatever kinda way but that's my goal. So more than Logan Mankins got I guess." Mankins received a six-year, $51 million contract with $30 million guaranteed last August. "I don't wanna sound cocky or anything but I busted my butt for four years, I made a couple Pro Bowls," Nicks added. "For my first three years I was the lowest paid guard of all the starting guard in the NFL."

Free agent LG Carl Nicks confirmed to WWL-TV in New Orleans that he does not expect to be back with the Saints.

"In my mind, I pretty much am gone, to be honest," said Nicks, the top offensive guard on the market. The Saints still haven't so much as made a contract offer, and appear to have washed their hands of the two-time Pro Bowler and 2011 first-team All Pro. Nicks should have no shortage of suitors in free agency. At the very least, Nicks should expect bidding from Chicago and Dallas.

Although he is "relieved" to longer be a candidate for the franchise tag, free agent LG Carl Nicks insists he's still hoping to re-sign with the Saints.

"Now I kinda know how free agency will go," Nicks said. "Anxiety's still there but I'm a little calmer." Nicks may still be "hoping" to end up back in New Orleans, but the money simply won't be there for a team that committed $56.7 million to RG Jahri Evans two years ago. Nicks has gone on the record as hoping to beat Evans' deal in free agency.

Profootballtalk.com reports that the Saints have not even made a contract offer to free agent LG Carl Nicks.

The Saints' hands are tied in the Drew Brees stalemate, and life is only getting tougher on GM Mickey Loomis with the "bounty scandal" hitting newsreels. The club is absolutely in danger of losing Nicks and Marques Colston to free agency.

Free agent LG Carl Nicks wrote on Twitter Wednesday that he does not want the Saints to franchise tag him.

"I don't want to be franchised!!!" he wrote. While no details were tweeted, it begs the question of whether a standout might ensue should the Saints tag Nicks. Nicks has gone on record saying he wants to be the NFL's highest paid guard.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune considers free agent LG Carl Nicks a more likely candidate for the franchise tag than free agent Marques Colston if the Saints are able to avoid using it on Drew Brees.

The Tampa Tribune expects the Bucs to show interest in LG Carl Nicks if he hits the open market.

With roughly $60 million salary cap space available, Bucs GM Mark Dominik expects to be active in free agency. The Saints will have a hard time keeping Nicks unless Drew Brees agrees to a long-term deal, freeing up the franchise tag.

Free agent LG Carl Nicks told SiriusXM NFL Radio Tuesday that he's seeking a deal worth more than RG Jahri Evans' seven-year, $56.7 million contract.

It sounds like Nicks is adamant about the asking price, too. While GM Mickey Loomis has a history of working the salary cap to keep homegrown talent, it would be unprecedented to commit more than $100 million long-term to a pair of guards. Nicks revealed Tuesday that he's yet to have any discussions with the Saints about a new contract.

Owner/GM Jerry Jones has made it clear that the Cowboys will be active in free agency this offseason.

The Cowboys have $12.6 million in salary cap space, and can increase that number by releasing Terence Newman and restructuring a few more contracts. "And we will use [the cap space]," emphasized Jones. Needing a boost on the interior and at cornerback, the Cowboys are often mentioned as a potential landing spot for free agent LG Carl Nicks.

Updating a previous item, free agent LG Carl Nicks says he's "disheartened" by the fact that the Saints have not yet tried to re-sign him.

The Saints are currently mapping out their offseason, but they didn't reach out to Nicks during the 2011 season, either. "They never talked to me at all about it really, which I thought was kind of weird," Nicks said. "I talked to (GM Mickey Loomis) the last day before exit meetings, and he said they were going to do their best to try to keep me. So that's the gist of contract talks."

Free agent LG Carl Nicks said Wednesday that he wants to re-sign with the Saints.

Nicks said he'd "love" to stay in New Orleans, but realizes the team has "a lot of free agents to sign." In order to retain Nicks, the Saints would have to commit more money to offensive guards than any team in league history. Saints RG Jahri Evans received a seven-year, $56.7 million contract in May of 2010.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports impending free agent LG Carl Nicks is "expected to leave" the Saints.

A first-team All-Pro, Nicks would typically be a strong candidate for the franchise tag, but the Saints may be forced to use it on Drew Brees, allowing Nicks to hit the open market. Coming off a season where he graded out as the second best guard in the league by Pro Football Focus, Nicks is in line for a monster deal heading into his age-27 campaign.

ESPN Dallas' Todd Archer suggests that the Cowboys may make a run at free agent LG Carl Nicks this offseason.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has a history of spending big on guards (Leonard Davis, Kyle Kosier, Marco Rivera), and new Dallas OL coach Bill Callahan was Nebraska's head coach when Nicks was a Cornhusker. Nicks turns 27 in May. He was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2010 and first-team All-Pro in 2011.

Saints re-signed restricted free agent LG Carl Nicks to a one-year, $2.61 million contract.

This deal happened earlier in the day, but it's notable that Nicks -- the player voted 55th best in the league on NFL Network's offseason Top 100 list -- won't hold out in hopes of a long-term deal. "Maybe next year we can talk long-term, but right now I'm just focusing on this year," said Nicks. Along with RG Jahri Evans, the Saints return quite possibly the NFL's top guard duo.

Saints extended restricted free agent tenders to LG Carl Nicks, SS Roman Harper, and TE David Thomas.

Fox Sports' Adam Caplan reports Nicks received a first-round tender. One of the best guards in the NFL, Nicks will remain restricted as just a three-year player. Harper, on the other hand, is headed to the open market, where he'll draw plenty of interest, as a five-year veteran. Thomas is a good bet to re-sign as Jimmy Graham's backup.

Saints LG Carl Nicks was unsurprisingly reinstalled with the first-team offense for Wednesday afternoon's practice.

Nicks' Wednesday morning "benching" didn't last long. One of the best young guards in the game, the former Nebraska Cornhusker is entering a contract year. It will be interesting to see if the Saints treat Nicks as well as they did RG Jahri Evans. Nicks is eligible for restricted free agency in 2011.

The Saints demoted LG Carl Nicks to the second team at Wednesday's practice in favor of journeyman Terrence Metcalf.

This won't last, but the Saints appear to be sending a message to the ultra-talented Nicks. "You'll have to ask (Sean) Payton or (OL coach Aaron) Kromer about that," he said. "It's still kind of a shock to me." The Saints' coaching staff was displeased with too many mental mistakes in the preseason opener.