<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Moving to retain a key young defensive player who helped spur their resurgence in 2006, the New Orleans Saints on Friday night signed starting weakside linebacker Scott Shanle to a four-year contract extension.The extension runs through the 2010 season. Without it, Shanle would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency March 2, and, given his play last season, he would have drawn interest from other suitors.Financial details of the extension were not immediately available, but Shanle likely received a substantial boost after playing the 2006 season for a base salary of $721,600."Making sure Scott returned to our team was one of our priorities entering the offseason," general manager Mickey Loomis said. "He is a player who is an integral part of the group that we want to build around. This is a really positive way to get 2007 started."</div>http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2760750
