Jahri Evans, like every other veteran of a certain age in the NFL, has a decision to make this offseason.
Evans, who was released by the Saints last February, cut by the Seahawks in training camp and ended up back in New Orleans on a one-year deal right before the end of the season.
Bringing back the veteran right guard ended up being the missing piece for the offensive line, and now, as Evans heads into another offseason with some uncertainty, the Saints legend has to decide if he wants to come back for his 12th season in the NFL.
"Obviously, I want to, but also, it's big on leaving on your own terms," Evans said. "That's huge. For me, sometimes I think for the older guys, just taking a step back, realizing and getting away from it, it'll come to you eventually."
Evans, who missed five games with injuries in 2015, has also proven he's still durable enough to hold up over the course of a 16-game schedule.
Despite spending the entire summer without going to organized team activities or minicamps, Evans has played 1,060 snaps this season, second-most on the Saints behind Drew Brees and only 14 plays away from taking every single snap for the offense.
"I feel like I can do this for as long as I want to," Evans said. "I'm at a point where I know how to prepare my body. I come from a workout background. I know what it takes to get ready to go. I proved that this year."
Proving himself again at the age of 33 sometimes looked in jeopardy for Evans this offseason.
Dropped by the Saints due to salary constraints in February, Evans was signed by a Seattle team desperate for offensive line help, but he failed to make the roster out of training camp.
Even then, Evans believed he'd be playing somewhere this season.
"It wasn't really a surprise for me, playing this year," Evans said. "It was just the price and where."
His old team still needed him. New Orleans had trouble finding the right mix on the offensive line in the preseason, and the addition of Evans allowed the Saints to move Andrus Peat over to the left side, where he's more comfortable, and insert an experienced guard on the right.
What they ended up getting was a trimmed-down version of Evans who looked rejuvenated by the loss of weight.
"He looks light and is light," Saints head coach Sean Payton said. "His weight, I think the challenge as you play longer in this league, particularly in some of those positions insid,e is the first thing they say that go are your legs and the one thing that can help that is to reduce what they are carrying."
Finally healthy after battling wrist and knee injuries the past couple of seasons, Evans teamed with long-time collaborator Zach Strief to lock down the right side of the offensive line, a key piece of stability given how many injuries the Saints faced on the left side this season.
Evans has been even better than expected.
"I definitely think he’s having a real good year, and really comparing it to the last two or three," Payton said. "Quietly, I would say he’s gone about his business, and knowing now what we’re getting from him, if I knew that back then. he would’ve been going through our minicamp, training camp. I’ve been impressed and excited with how he’s playing."
As well as he's playing, Evans wasn't ready to say he'd definitely be back in the NFL for his 12th season next year.
The five-time All-Pro has developed a habit of taking a vacation out of the country after the season, and he plans to take stock of what he wants before making any concrete decisions.
Brought in on a one-year deal by the Saints, Evans will be a free agent.
"I'm not going to make the decision today," Evans said. "I'm going to get out of the country for a little bit, visit some family and friends, see how they're living."
Only then will he decide if he's ready to go out on his own terms.