METAIRIE, La. -- Super Bowl hero Chris Reis and fellow backup safety Usama Young both committed to return to the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday.
Reis has been one of the Saints' top special-teams contributors during the past few seasons, never more so than when he recovered an onside kick to start the second half of the Saints' Super Bowl victory over the Indianapolis Colts and held on to the ball while pinned at the bottom of a pile with players scrambling to tug it away.
Young, drafted by the Saints as a cornerback out of Kent State in 2007, switched to free safety in 2009, but he still filled in at cornerback when pressed into service by teammates' injuries.
Young played in 12 regular-season games last season and had one interception. He also played in all three playoff games.
Both players were restricted free agents.
The Saints had offered Young a tender of about $1.1 million. Young said he intends to sign it some time before starting offseason workouts at the team's suburban New Orleans training headquarters Monday.
"It'll be a done deal," Young said by phone from the Washington, D.C., area, where he has been spending time with family. "It's not a hard decision at all, definitely.
"I'm just enjoying the time off but at the same time looking forward to getting back with my teammates, getting back in the locker room with the guys and getting ready to prepare for another year."
Young's agent, Andy Simms, said he notified the Saints of his client's decision.
During the offseason following 2008, Young remained busy as he went back to Kent State to finish school and graduated. He also starred with his father in a commercial shown during the Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl triumph over the Arizona Cardinals.
"I actually got to relax a whole lot more this offseason," Young said. "I was able to get horizontal a little bit and kick my feet up in the air."
Thursday is the last day that restricted free agents can sign offer sheets from other teams. After that, their rights return to their previous team. However, they still can hold out if they remain unsatisfied with their team's offer, as Saints left tackle Jammal Brown reportedly plans to do.
Reis has played in 44 games over the past three seasons with New Orleans. His 46 special-teams tackles are second on the team during that span.
The 26-year-old out of Georgia Tech played in 15 regular-season games last season, when he had his first career interception. He played in two playoffs games, missing the divisional-round game against the Cardinals.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
