Using franchise tag will hurt Saints' cap space

The Saints will use the franchise tag by March 5. There's little doubt about that. But the Saints' salary cap space is reportedly hovering somewhere between $20 million and $25 million. So tagging Drew Brees ($14.4 million tag figure), G Carl Nicks ($9.4 million) or WR Marques Colston ($9.4 million) will eat plenty of that cap space.