Saints Nation

Saints Nation Has Moved!

2010-07-30T23:03:00.003-05:00

Saints Nation has moved over to be hosted by Bloguin

I'm happy to say the site is moving off blogger and will join the bloguin family to boost their sports network. Don't worry nothing has changed except the URL. Same content, same writers, and same daily posting you are used to.

Please click HERE to head over to SAINTS NATION.

Saints Nation: Payton/Loomis Training Camp Opening Presser Notes

2010-07-30T00:01:00.002-05:00

We'll run through these for most of camp bullet style for the sake of getting the important information out of the way. Here's the run down of day one.

-- Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton both met with the media. You can read the transcripts by clicking HERE for Payton and HERE for Loomis.

-- Starting on the "Physically Unable to Perform" List (PUP) will be Robert Meachem, Marques Colston, Clint Ingram and Darren Sharper. Colston and Ingram shouldn't last more than a week or so, according to Loomis, whereas Sharper and Meachem may take a little bit longer. Overall it didn't sound like a major concern.

-- The fact that neither Heath Evans nor Jimmy Wilkerson were on the PUP list was a bit of a pleasant surprise. Those two had much more serious injuries, surgeries and recoveries than any of the 4 guys on the list and for those two to come to camp and be full go is really encouraging.

-- If you read between the lines with what Payton and Loomis said about Bobby McCray, it sounds like he was cut because they didn't like his attitude, and it sounds like he pleaded with them to get another chance. I'm impressed that actually worked and he got his job back. Hopefully he can show some real seriousness in camp.

-- With Sharper out, Malcolm Jenkins and Usama Young are both getting a fair shake at free safety during camp. For now both are switching out at starter. I have no doubts Jenkins will outperform Young with ease.

-- Nice to see Dunbar and Arnoux get kudos for their offseason progress, because someone needs to fill into Fujita's shoes.

-- It sounds like Patrick Robinson could be signed any second. He won't be nearly as late to camp as Jenkins was last year. <EDIT: see below he was signed to a 5 year deal last night>

-- I don't know why but I love the idea of Lance Moore holding on field goals and extra points. I hope he gets the job.

That's it for now.

Saints Nation: Saints Sign 1st Round Pick Patrick Robinson to a 5 Year Deal

2010-07-29T22:06:00.000-05:00

1st round draft choice and 32nd pick overall, cornerback Patrick Robinson of Florida State, has signed a 5 year contract with the Saints and he'll be at camp in time for the first practice tomorrow morning. Kudos to Mickey Loomis for getting this deal done quickly and way ahead of last year's 1st round pick. I'm sure the fact that he was picked 32nd overall helped in negotiations a bit. Jason LaCanfora first broke the news, and it was confirmed by the team on Greg Bensel's twitter account.

I also forgot to mention that Bensel also communicated that "Black & Gold Scrimmage Set for Saturday, August 7 at Saints Camp...starts at 2:50 pm and ends at 4:20 pm...Open to the Public"

Saints Nation: Jason McKie Released

2010-07-29T14:03:00.000-05:00

Almost as quickly as he was added to the roster, veteran fullback Jason McKie was shown the door. I'm pretty surprised to see him released without even getting a fair shake in training camp. I guess Heath Evans' injury is healing quicker than the Saints expected, and they feel good about him being full go by the beginning of the season. It's safe to assume this guy is good enough to catch on somewhere.

Also released was defensive tackle Earl Heyman.

Saints Nation: It's Time to Look Forward for the New Orleans Saints, by Joshua Joffrion

2010-07-29T00:01:00.006-05:00

This season, the New Orleans Saints have a task ahead of them, one like they've never had to face before, it's time to defend their Super Bowl title.

For years and years, the Lovable Losers of Louisiana never really had much of a chance to make the playoffs, much less make any postseason noise, but that was before Drew Brees and Sean Payton came to town. Since the magical season of 2006, the Saints have been in the playoffs discussion every year but after missing the postseason in 2007 and 2008, the Saints patched up the defense and reeled off thirteen straight wins to start a season for the ages. Three straight losses followed and the Black and Gold seemed destined to crash and burn once more.But Brees & Co. got it all back together and clipped some Cardinal wings in the second round of the playoffs which set up the NFC championship game between the Saints and Vikings, arguably the best game in Louisiana Superdome history. Garrett Hartley's winning field goal in overtime put the Saints on a path to make history and the Who Dats never looked back. The season ended like every season should and the Saints were crowned league champions after a 31-17 win over New Orleans native Peyton Manning and the mighty Colts of Indianapolis.But those are all memories, water under the bridge. Drew Brees summed it up best in an interview with Sports Illustrated, "Last season was awesome, just awesome, but now it's time to bring another trophy back to our city."

The offseason was eventful, to say the least. Both Brees and head coach Sean Payton both released best-selling
memoirs, the Lombardi Trophy was carted around like a circus oddity, which of course, for this area, it is, and one of the worst environmental disasters in US history rudely interrupted the celebration just over two months after Black and Gold left Miami as NFL champions. But as Brees said, it's time to bring some more hardware home. The Saints have a chance too, a really good chance.

Saints Nation: Dolphins Sign Charles Grant

2010-07-28T22:54:00.000-05:00

I guess teams are filling out their roster at the 11th hour getting ready for training camp because we've seen tons of movement all around the NFL in the last 48 hours. Former Saint Charles Grant was the latest to find a team, as he inked a 2 year contract with the Miami Dolphins. You remember Grant was released earlier this offseason by the black and gold, following yet another disappointing season. The deal is apparently worth up to $4.5 million, and I for one was shocked to see anything but the bare bones minimum going into his bank account for a chance to play again at the highest level. The fact that a team would throw that much loot at him to basically continue to reward his lazy behavior and slack attitude is frankly disturbing. If he's still available to this point in the offseason, it's not like teams are throwing silly money his way. It was hard enough to stomach the $20 million in guaranteed money he got from the Saints over the 3 years of his mammoth deal he actually played for the team. Those 3 years, by the way, he produced positively miserable results. He was injured all the time, and you know why? Because he was so fat and completely out of shape. It's a given you get more hurt when you're out of shape. Grant had no motivation to get fit because he had it made, and he had no fire inside him. So what happens? The Dolphins throw more millions at him. Unbelievable. I wish him the best and maybe the Dolphins will get a revitalized player out of him, but I highly doubt it. I'll be the first to doubt his ability to make any impact whatsoever with his new team. The bottom line was that Grant would only stay focused long enough to get his, and the Dolphins aren't really asking him to prove much. I guess it remains to be seen if they gave him an incentive laden deal with a very low salary - that would be the only saving grace for the Dolphins in this move.

Saints Nation: Mark Brunell Signs with New York Jets

2010-07-28T18:05:00.001-05:00

Lots of Saints news today and we're gearing up for camp! On the same day Patrick Ramsey signed to be the backup quarterback to Drew Brees (assuming he beats out Chase Daniel and Sean Canfield which is no given), it's being reported that Brees' former backup Mark Brunell (pictured) has signed a 2 year deal to play with the Jets. I actually think Brunell will serve as more of a role model and mentor for Mark Sanchez, who is still very green, so it's a good move for them. Brunell's experience is less beneficial to a guy like Brees, but I think a guy like Sanchez can stand to benefit a lot from having him around. Of course, if Brunell is thrust into duty, then God help them. I've met Mark and he's a super nice guy, and I'm glad to see an NFL team out there still has a use for him. As for his performance, I think the Carolina game last year proved that he's pretty washed up and the Saints probably stood to improve their backup quarterback position looking elsewhere. Though Brunell, like Ramsey, won't be guaranteed a roster spot. He'll have to battle with Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge and Kevin O'Donnell. Brunell will likely end up number two, I would think, but it's not like he'll just inherit it. He'll have to prove he's better than those other guys, and it's not like Clemens and Ainge are completely incapable.

Best of luck to Brunell, and thanks for his time in New Orleans! Let's not forget he contributed to the Super Bowl run by holding on some majorly important field goal kicks.

Saints Nation: Patrick Ramsey and Jimmy Graham Both Sign with Saints

2010-07-28T15:25:00.000-05:00

Patrick Ramsey (pictured) has now officially been signed by the Saints to a one year deal. He'll compete with Chase Daniel and Sean Canfield to be the backup to Drew Brees, and with his veteran experience one has to figure he's the overwhelming favorite to get the job.

The Saints have also agreed to terms on a 4 year deal with 3rd round draft pick tight end Jimmy Graham out of Miami. That leaves 1st round cornerback Patrick Robinson as the lone unsigned draft pick.

Glad to see these guys on board, especially Ramsey who makes me feel a little bit better about our backup situation. Either he'll be the #2, or Daniel will beat him out which will make me feel better about that position as well.

Saints Nation: Saints Getting Distracted?

2010-07-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you guys, but the constant book tours that Drew Brees and Sean Payton have done seem to be getting ridiculous. Throw those on top of all the other tours and activities around the country and I'm starting to get a little worried about the constant distractions. I know once training camp starts that will all stop, but it's not like they get to rest. I don't like the number of activities they've set before themselves during a time traditionally reserved for rest. I heard one report that Brees has signed over 20,000 copies of his book in the last month. Divide that number by about 100 and I'd be having serious cramps in my throwing hand. It's not like Payton hasn't been busy either. These tours have gone all over the country, and they're coming to an end right at the start of training camp. Brees and Payton especially, but a number of the Saints also, have been burning the candle at both ends. I'm a little concerned to be honest that their faces keep popping up in the news during the offseason. The offseason is a time for rest and recharging. Instead, Brees is taking trips to sit in a chair and sign books for four hours at a time, Afghanistan to visit troops, New York to do Letterman, etc etc... I'm not complaining about the terrific exposure the Saints are getting around the country, but is Brees guy capable of saying no to anyone? Based on what he's been doing I can't imagine he's turned down a single request. I respect him for that, but at some point the constant obliging of requests has to weigh on his mental and physical energy. The guy is a human being, not a robot. At some point it just gets to be too much. When do they reach that point? If they haven't then I'd venture that they're getting ridiculously close. I'm probably just freaking out because camp is near and I know everyone is gunning for the Saints, but I think it's tough to go into a season ready when you have had a chance to reboot. The season is already under way and it's time to focus on the future. I wish the team had had a chance to enjoy winning the championship in a more relaxed setting away from distractions, but that hasn't been the case. Hopefully it won't come back to haunt them.

Saints Nation: NFL Considering 18 Game Season

2010-07-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

There's lots of discussion about the possibility of the NFL adopting an 18 game regular season in the new collective bargaining agreement. The main con for most players is that they already suffer through significant wear and tear with 16 games, and the pros are endless. More football and more revenue, what's not to like? I personally hope it happens, and it's not possible for that to come to fruition fast enough. Preseason is awful. The NFL should halve the preseason games from 4 to 2 and make the season 18 games long. They should expand the roster maximums from 53 to give teams a chance to further evaluate their talent as the season progresses (as oppose to making tough decisions on who to cut after 4 preseason games). You'll still have to cut guys before the season starts, but expanding the rosters hopefully means less tough decisions. I realize it's not ideal for the players even if preseason is cut, but those players concerned about the length of the season aren't playing more than a half in exhibition, and often times less. I realize that injury is a risk that's increased with more games, but with the salaries players are making they shouldn't be complaining. As fans we should all be pushing for this to happen.

Saints Nation: Saints Sign 2nd Round Draft Choice Charles Brown

2010-07-26T16:42:00.000-05:00

ESPN NFL analyst Adam Schefter via his twitter account has just announced that the Saints have agreed to terms with their 2nd round draft choice, USC offensive tackle Charles Brown. It's another 4 year deal, so Brown will be at camp on time. Kudos to Mickey Loomis for getting these done. That leaves Graham (3rd) and Robinson (1st) as the lone remaining unsigned Saints' picks.

Saints Nation: Ranking the 32 Starting NFL Quarterbacks

2010-07-26T11:33:00.001-05:00

Here's my take on the quarterback power rankings of the NFL:

1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints: Call it a homer pick if you want, but Brees has thrown for over 4,000 yard the last four seasons and he came within 12 yards of beating Dan Marino's single season yardage record. You can't say the guy isn't a winner anymore, either, because he just won the Super Bowl. No one puts up the kind of numbers he does. He doesn't have win totals that Brady has, but right now I think he is the best quarterback in the league.

2. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts: I debated long and hard between him and Brees at #1. Ultimately Brees was on the winning end of the their most recent face off with the highest stakes, and Peyton cost his team with the pick 6 to Tracy Porter - so that was the deciding factor. Still, I think you could find plenty of unbiased observers going with Manning as the league's best, and he does have a Super Bowl win to show for it.

3. Tom Brady, New England Patriots: It's pretty hard to argue with the three Super Bowl rings that he has, though I do think we've seen a ever so slight drop off in his performance lately.

4. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers: Say what you will about his off the field behavior, the guy has won the Super Bowl twice and he's gotten better and better every year. The only drawback in his performance is he holds on to the ball too long.

5. Phillip Rivers, San Diego Chargers: He's consistently putting up impressive numbers and the Chargers are always in the mix in the AFC playoffs. Problem is, between the Patriots and Colts they haven't been able to get out of the conference alive. Rivers won't be able to elevate himself until he proves he can win the biggest game.

6. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: The guy has all the tools and talent he needs, now he just needs more exposure, seasoning and wins. He's going to be very good for a long time.

7. Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings: We all know he's coming back, and he's still a very good quarterback. While he had a fabulous year last year, though, let's not forget how much he struggled the two years prior. He's still turnover prone and he's getting older by the minute. We'll see if he can come back from that major ankle injury at his age.

8. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys: He's a terrific playmaker and when he's on his game he's as good as anyone in the league. Many say he's overrated but I don't agree.

9. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons: He's only getting better and he's everything he's cracked up to be. Every time the Saints play him I walk away more impressed.

10. Eli Manning, New York Giants: Low ranking for a former Super Bowl champ, you might say, but I've always thought Eli was the beneficiary of ridiculous luck and very strong running game/defense. I'm not saying he's bad at all, I'm saying he's the 10th best quarterback in the NFL. I just don't think he's better than the guys I've listed above him.

11. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans: His numbers have been pretty impressive, but his team is still the laughing stock of the league. If they're ever going to have success they need to hang on to him.

12. Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins: Injuries have really been his worst enemy. McNabb just struggles to stay healthy over a 16 game season, and his style of play is largely responsible for it. He just absorbs too many hits. It will be interesting to see how he plays in his new uniform. No doubt when healthy and on his game he's better than this ranking. That just hasn't been happening consistently in recent years.

13. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals: He's still young enough to turn things around, but Palmer isn't the quarterback he was four years ago. Palmer was a top five quarterback, and some would argue he was even top 3 for a little while there, but I think he's regressed severely. I still think he's capable of bouncing back, but he'll need to prove he can still perform among the league's elite before I rank him any higher.

14. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens: He's still not flashy but he's becoming a better playmaker. His best asset is that he's a terrific game manager, and as long as he's surrounded by a good defense and running game, he'll be very effective.

15. Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos: Like Flacco he's a solid game manager. He didn't get a big vote of confidence from his coach, who brought in Brady Quinn and drafted Tim Tebow as the quarterback of the future, but you can't deny Orton is a fiery competitor that will keep his team in it.

16. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks: Another aging star who's prime is behind him. It remains to be seen how long the Seahawks will stick with him, and this may be his last year as a starter. That said, he's still capable of lighting teams up and making defenses look very bad.

17. Matt Stafford, Detroit Lions: He proved last year in my mind that he's the real deal. I think Detroit will win games with him this year and I think he has a chance to turn that franchise's fortunes around. He had no one around him and with better pieces this year I think he'll show major improvement.

18. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears: I'm not ready to write the guy off after one bad season, but I do think he's been pretty overrated in his career to this point. One thing is for sure, he'll need to bounce back from last year, because that showing was absolutely miserable. The Bears wanted a guy that could put points up in a hurry, and they got that, but their turnover numbers were the highest in years. Maybe they should have stuck with Orton? I think they would have been a better team last year.

19. Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles: There were flashes of brilliance last year, and the guy showed he can clearly play. The big question is whether or not he'll be able to do it on a consistent basis.

20. Jason Campbell, Oakland Raiders: Maybe a change of scenery will help him out. He's alternated between pretty solid and pretty awful, but in his defense the line that played ahead of him in Washington was atrocious enough to make any quarterback look bad.

21. David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars: I just don't see what the big deal is with this guy. He's serviceable, sure, and he's been commended for not turning the ball over too much, but he doesn't make enough plays.

22. Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs: He plugged into the Patriots system pretty well, but shipped over to the Chiefs he showed his limitations. The ridiculous contract he was given will turn out to be a huge mistake in my opinion. Still, he's very capable.

23. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets: This guy didn't show me much last year. His team was great, top to bottom, and they had lots of success, he did pretty well in a couple playoff games, but he still turned the ball over way too much. To be expected from a rookie, but I still think it remains to be seen if he can break into the top 15. I think he could easily flop into a sophomore slump this year and get replaced at midseason.

24. Vince Young, Tennessee Titans: We'll see if he can resurrect his career. I think the guy is a ticking time bomb and a disaster waiting to happen. He's the most gifted quarterback athletically in the league, but he's a headcase.

25. Matt Moore, Carolina Panthers: Carolina thinks they have their quarterback of the future in this guy. He did play well at the end of last year, but I think they are in for a rude awakening.

26. Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams: AJ Feeley may start at first, but we all know this is Bradford's team. I'm starting him at 26 since there are so many unknowns, but I do believe he'll be a good pro provided he can stay healthy.

27. Trent Edwards, Buffalo Bills: He's capable of occasional moments of bliss, but overall he's left Bill fans extremely frustrated. That team just hasn't been able to find a long term quality passer since Jim Kelly.

28. Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins: I think Henne was very mediocre last year, and I'm surprised the Dolphins are going into camp with him as the starter. I know Pennington isn't the answer, but if healthy he's way better.

29. Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals: Leinart has been given every chance to win that starting job, and only got it once Kurt Warner retired. If he gets replaced by Derek Anderson at any point, it will prove just how incapable he is of handling the starting job. I just don't think Leinart has the arm strength to cut it.

30. Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers: He's already proven he's not good enough to handle this job, but the 49ers are giving him another chance based on the limited promise he showed towards the end of last year. I think that's a mistake, but based on the money they have committed to him I suppose it's worth one last shot.

31. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccanneers: He beat the Saints late last year, so I'll give him credit for that, but overall Freeman was horrible last season. He'll have to improve dramatically if he wants to stick around.

32. Jake Delhomme, Cleveland Browns: After the way he played last year, I was shocked to see the amount of money he received, and even more shocked to see that he was going to be used as a starter. His play last year was so horrendous I'm not sure he is capable of playing in the NFL anymore. He's been good in the past, and his track record probably means he deserves a pass, but I just can't get over how woeful his play was last year. He was in JaMarcus Russell territory with his numbers last year. Maybe he'll turn things around but I think the more realistic outcome is he's replaced by week 5.

Saints Nation: 2010 Draft Picks Signing Status

2010-07-24T20:54:00.003-05:00

Below is the current signing status of each 2010 Saints' draft pick.

1. CB Patrick Robinson (pictured) - Florida State: SIGNED to a 5 year deal on 7/29
2. T Charles Brown - USC: SIGNED a 4 year deal on 7/26
3. TE Jimmy Graham - Miami: SIGNED a 4 year deal on 7/28
4. DT Al Woods - LSU: SIGNED a 4 year deal on 7/15
5. C Matt Tennant - Boston College: SIGNED a 4 year deal on 7/22
7. QB Sean Canfield - Oregon St: SIGNED a 4 year deal on 7/19

Saints Nation: No Patrick Ramsey?

2010-07-23T13:01:00.000-05:00

The Saints are now free to sign whoever they want as the free agent restriction was lifted on Thursday. I was a little surprised to see Patrick Ramsey not mentioned as a signing because everyone and their mother has reported that Ramsey and the Saints had a handshake deal in place and it was basically a foregone conclusion that he would back up Brees. I'm starting to wonder if the Saints feel good about Chase Daniel and Sean Canfield being the only backup options. It's not quite training camp yet so I could easily be jumping the gun here... Ramsey could easily get signed in the next couple days. But maybe, just maybe, the Saints feel really good about their young arms?

Saints Nation: Bobby McCray and Matt Tennant both Sign with Saints

2010-07-22T16:36:00.000-05:00

The picture you see to the right is the hit by Bobby McCray in the NFC Championship game that wrecked Brett Favre's ankle. Most Saints fans across the world know exactly what I'm talking about. The Saints cut McCray in a surprise move this offseason to avoid paying him a roster bonus, and in an even more surprising move they re-signed the veteran pass rusher today. You can officially welcome McCray back to the black and gold.

The Saints also inked rookie center draftee Matt Tennant to a 4 year deal. He'll compete with veteran Nick Leckey for the opportunity to back up Pro Bowl center Jonathan Goodwin.

The players cut to make room for these guys were: Marcell Young, Brandon Sharpe, Sam Maxwell and Harry Coleman. Marcell Young did an interview with Saints Nation so I was sad to see him go as he was generous enough to spend a little time with me. Harry Coleman is a guy some of you might remember from his playing days at LSU. Sad to see him to as well, though the writing was on the wall for him when he got a DUI during the offseason. You know the Saints brass have little patience from fringe players trying to make the roster who make mental mistakes like that during their free time.

Saints Nation: 2010 Season Preview, Game Predictions (Part 2)

2010-07-21T00:01:00.002-05:00

Up to this point through 8 weeks I've got the Saints sitting at 6-2. Let's take a look at the second half of their schedule:

Week 9: 11/7 @ Carolina Panthers

2009 Panthers Rankings: 19th offense, 8th defense

The Panthers will remember the drubbing they took from the Saints in the previous matchup, and they will run the ball all day long. Tough weather conditions force the Saints to play less of their style of football. The Saints will have their hands full in this one, but sneak it out. By this point in the season Jimmy Clausen is likely starting at quarterback for the Panthers and he makes a mistake late to cost them. Saints 24 Panthers 21

Week 10: BYE

Week 11: 11/21 vs. Seattle Seahawks

2009 Seahawks Rankings: 21st offense, 24th defense

Matt Hasselbeck is a solid NFL quarterback that struggles to stay healthy. The Seahawks may have Pete Carroll on board now, but they are an aging team that is regressing. They'll surprise the Saints a bit by putting a good effort in a shootout, but ultimately they have no answer for Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem stretching their defense deep, which leaves Colston, Shockey and Bush to move the ball at will underneath. Saints 45 Seahawks 34

Week 12: 11/25 @ Dallas Cowboys

2009 Cowboys Rankings: 2nd offense, 9th defense

The Cowboys can put up points in a hurry, and the addition of Dez Bryant to their offense should only make them more potent. This is one of the tougher matchups for the Saints because it's a team that can actually stop them and it's just as capable of lighting up the scoreboard. Playing the Cowboys in Dallas on Thanksgiving would be tough on any team. We know this game always means a lot to Sean Payton, especially in Dallas, but I think the Saints have a bit of a let down in this one. Saints 28 Cowboys 38

Week 13: 12/5 @ Cincinnati Bengals

2009 Bengals Rankings: 24th offense, 4th defense

The Bengals have the toughest defense that no one really knows much about. Their offense is also much better than 24th when Cedric Benson is on his game and Carson Palmer is healthy. Still, the Bengals will be praying for bad weather to even out the playing field against the Saints' prolific offense. I'm predicting a blizzard of epic proportions which allows the Bengals to pound Benson all day long. The Saints lose 2 in a row for their first losing streak of the season. Saints 17 Bengals 24

Week 14: 12/12 vs. St. Louis Rams

2009 Rams Rankings: 29th offense, 29th defense

The Rams are in full on rebuild mode, and I'd almost bet my house that Sam Bradford will be injured by this point in the season. The Saints are eager to bounce back from a bad patch of play, and Gregg Williams dials up a scary scheme that has A.J. Feeley's head swimming all day. Saints 41 Rams 0

Week 15: 12/19 @ Baltimore Ravens

2009 Ravens Rankings: 13th offense, 3rd defense

Eventually the Ravens' defense has to drop off. They've been in the top 5 for what seems like 8 years now, but they're aging and the Ravens are starting to spend more money on the other side of the ball. Like in Cincinnati, the Saints have to hope for the best weather possible. I predict they'll make a statement in this game that they are ready for the postseason and that they're not afraid to win on the road in cold weather against hard nosed football teams. Their bread in butter might not be classic football, but the Saints disprove the notion that they are a "soft" football team. Saints 17 Ravens 13

Week 16: 12/27 @ Atlanta Falcons

2009 Falcons Rankings: 16th offense, 21st defense

Matt Ryan will want to showcase his blossoming skills and journey to stardom on the national Monday Night stage. As Atlanta is fighting for a playoff birth, Ryan will play his best and the Falcons will upset the Saints in Atlanta. This will be the lone divisional game the Saints lose in 2010. Saints 31 Falcons 34

2009 Buccaneers Rankings: 28th offense, 27th defense

I'm not sure what the Saints will be playing for at this point, but my guess is it will be seeding, as they sit at 10-5. There is no way the Bucs will beat the Saints in the Dome two years in a row. I think it will be close for a half, with the Saints really pulling away late. Saints 45 Buccaneers 20

My prediction is 11-5 on the season, NFC South Champs, 2nd seed in the NFC, with a chance to get in the playoffs and make another run.

Saints Nation: 2010 Season Preview, Game Predictions (Part 1)

2010-07-20T00:01:00.003-05:00

As the season is getting closer and closer, I wanted to take some time to run through the Saints' opponents and preview each game, making a prediction for each outcome. You'll see the first 8 games below, and the next 8 games in my next segment.

Week 1: 9/9 vs. Minnesota Vikings

Vikings 2009 Rankings: 5th offense, 6th defense

We all know Brett Favre is coming back, and the Vikings will be coming to New Orleans with revenge on their mind based on how things played out last time. The Saints were outplayed in that game and were in part fortunate to get so many turnovers. I think the Saints will play a much better game overall, but they won't get as many freebees. Saints 31 Vikings 24.

Week 2: 9/20 @ San Francisco 49ers

49ers 2009 Rankings: 27th offense, 15th defense

I think this is a trap game for the Saints. The 49ers will be much improved, and the Saints will be feeling good about themselves getting a tough win against a very good Vikings team. I think the Saints get a little overconfident and the extra time off hurts them. The 49ers improved themselves significantly through the draft, especially along the offensive line. Their defense will only get better too. Saints 17 49ers 29

Week 3: 9/26 vs. Atlanta Falcons

Falcons 2009 Rankings: 16th offense, 21st defense

Not only is this a short week for the Saints, but they have to fly across the country to get ready for a big time divisional rival. Many national pundits are picking the Falcons to take over the reign in the NFC South this year. The Falcons are almost exactly the same in terms of personnel from a year ago. Rookie Sean Weatherspoon may help their defense improve, though. Ultimately the Saints are serious and come to play coming off a loss. Saints 30 Falcons 27

Week 4: 10/3 vs. Carolina Panthers

Panthers 2009 Rankings: 19th offense, 8th defense

The Panthers will continue to run the ball, play tough defense, and have good coaching, but how long will Matt Moore hold down the fort at quarterback? It's got to be only a matter of time before we see Jimmy Clausen. Thomas Davis is already out for the year, and Steve Smith is schedule to miss training camp. Don't forget Julius Peppers is no longer on the team either. I think the Panthers will suffer in 2009 and see a drop in performance on both sides of the ball. The Saints will host Carolina and embarrass the Panthers. Saints 48 Panthers 10

Week 5: 10/10 @ Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals 2009 Rankings: 14th offense, 20th defense

The Cardinals have had the luxury of playing in a weak division the past few years, but with Kurt Warner retired the big question becomes: can Matt Leinart play at the same level he did in college? The Cardinals' big time offseason pickups were Joey Porter and Alan Faneca, two players well past their prime, while they lost a superstar in Anquan Boldin. The Cardinals will play the Saints hard as they remember how their season ended the previous year, but the Saints have just too much firepower. Saints 28 Cardinals 24

Week 6: 10/17 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Buccaneers 2009 Rankings: 28th offense, 27th defense

A year ago the Saints came into Tampa and shell shocked the Bucs, only to suffer one of the year's biggest upsets when the Bucs visited them in New Orleans. You can bet that the Saints won't underestimate Tampa as Sean Payton will remind them every day of this week that they blew a 17-0 lead by taking the game for granted. I think the Bucs will be improved defensively but Josh Freeman is not an NFL ready quarterback. Saints 27 Buccaneers 3

Week 7: 10/24 vs. Browns

Browns 2009 Rankings: 32nd offense, 31st defense

This is about as cupcake of a home game as you can get. But remember how the Saints did against Tampa last year? Also, the Saints must beware of Jake Delhomme coming to the Superdome, because he's had a history of making the team that let him go look bad. I think the Saints prevail but get a huge scare late.
Saints 31 Browns 27

Week 8: 10/31 vs. Steelers

Steelers 2009 Rankings: 7th offense, 5th defense

The Steelers are as tough as nails and you know they'll be wanting to bounce back in a serious way from the disappoint of last year. I think the Steelers defense will slow the Saints' offense down as much as anyone, so they are tough matchup for the Saints if they can get a few stops and run the ball with success. Saints 20 Steelers 33

Through 8 games, I have the Saints at 6-2. Check back for the remaining 8 games tomorrow.

Saints Nation: Rookie Sean Canfield Sign a 4 Year Contract with Saints

2010-07-19T16:57:00.000-05:00

Quarterback Sean Canfield, the Saints' 7th round draft choice out of Oregon State this year, has just been signed and will be ready for training camp on time. Canfield is the second draft pick to sign with the Saints after Al Woods did so late last week. Canfield will battle with Chase Daniel for the #2 spot behind Drew Brees at quarterback, though rumor has it the Saints will sign a veteran quarterback next week (likely Patrick Ramsey). Confirmation can be found on Jeff Duncan's twitter page, and the deal is apparently for 4 years.

Good luck to you in training camp, Sean!

Saints Nation: Reggie Bush to Host Live Video Chat

2010-07-19T00:01:00.002-05:00

On July 20th (which is Tuesday, or tomorrow), at 6:00pm Central (7pm EST) adidas and Eastbay are hosting a live online video chat with Saints' running back Reggie Bush. Apparently you'll also get a chance to win an autographed football. You can access the chat once it's live by clicking HERE.

See the media alert below:

ADIDAS INVITES FANS TO LIVE ONLINE CHAT WITH SAINTS RUNNING BACK REGGIE BUSH

WHAT:
adidas and Eastbay have partnered to host a live online chat with running back Reggie Bush of the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. On July 20 at 7 pm ET, fans will have the opportunity to ask questions and view Bush’s live responses via video at www.eastbay.com/adidas.

Bush will also showcase the new adidas Scorch adiZero football cleat, which he will wear next season during the Saints’ Super Bowl title defense. At 8.6 ounces, the Scorch is the lightest football cleat ever made and is available at Eastbay.com. Chat participants will also have the chance to win a football autographed by Bush.

Entering his 5th season with the Saints, the dual threat Bush has amassed nearly 2,000 rushing and 2,000 receiving yards and more than 30 total touchdowns in his career.

Over the past year, the adidas NOW portal at Eastbay.com has hosted athlete chats with stars such as Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, Justin Upton and C.J. Spiller. adidas and Eastbay will continue to partner for athlete chats throughout the summer.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Live online video chat with Saints running back Reggie Bush
•Chance to win an autographed football

WHEN:
July 20, 2010
7 pm ET

WHERE:
Hosted on www.eastbay.com/adidas

Saints Nation: Review of Sean Payton's Book "Home Team"

2010-07-17T10:05:00.000-05:00

I finally had a chance to finish Sean Payton's book "Home Team", and I'd recommend it to any Saints fan as a must read. While the book is not the best written I've ever seen, it seems genuine and informative at it's core. Payton does a great job of showcasing his part arrogant part humble personality, as well as his fears, his hopes, his honesty and his thoughts. I came away from that book having a new found appreciation not just for Payton, but for your average NFL coach. The reality is that all 32 men with jobs like his are brilliant. They wouldn't have gotten that far if they weren't. But, when 32 brilliant men go up against each other, and outside factors like team talent and injuries can effect their performance, some have to fail. That's just the law of averages. But most of all they are all human, and they all have a tremendous amount of pressure to succeed immediately in jobs that are not easy. I've always said that what makes Sean Payton great is less about his football knowledge (which is admittedly advanced, and superior to almost anyone offensively), and more ability his ability to recognize mistakes fast enough to fix them. The problem I had with Jim Haslett was he was too hard headed and he stuck with his decisions no matter what once he made them. You have to have the humility and human understanding to realize that regardless of how smart you are, you're going to be wrong sometimes. It's in our nature as imperfect beings. You see in Payton's book that he recognizes this. He has a nice balance of arrogance to stick to his guns when necessary, which you need to be successful, and humility to admit mistakes when he makes them.

Payton spends a significant amount of time in the book discussing his first season in New Orleans, changing the culture of the team, organization, and foundation. With the amount of work, thought and touches that went into his first year, you can see how they became so successful. They probably got good faster than most of us expected, then it took them a little longer to really be an elite team after that. Payton spends very little time talking about years 2 and 3 in the book. The book mostly focuses on his first year coming to New Orleans right after Katrina, and the championship run this past season. The experience of Sean Payton's first season in New Orleans, post Katrina, was a little haunting. Of course I'll never forget Katrina and the effect it had on me and so many of my family members, but I have to admit I forgot slightly just how hard life was when we got home and the city re-opened. Sean Payton was basically operating out of a third world country, and his description of how things were not only from a business standpoint but personally was a painfully descriptive reminder of what life was like at that time in New Orleans. He had to recruit coaches, players, and build an operation under terrible conditions. How he talked anyone to join him is beyond me. In fact, Payton really wanted no part of that as he had his sights set on the Green Bay Packers job, which he admits he wanted. He was crushed when he didn't get it, but later in the book you'll realize he is ultimately glad for how it played out.

Sean Payton is a sensible and rational guy who cares greatly about people and his relationships. I also got from this book that he likes to drink a fair amount. I definitely get that work hard/play hard approach we all know Jeremy Shockey so well for. Hopefully it's on a lesser scale, though!

I'll save some of the revelations for you to read, and I think there is no question whatsoever that if you're reading this review, there is no excuse for you NOT reading Sean Payton's book "Home Team". The bottom line is the book is very informative and entertaining for any Saints fan, and really any NFL fan. Through reading this I found Payton to be human, which made me appreciate him more. He makes mistakes sometimes, which makes him more likable. He talks about decisions he made that could have had more severe consequences, and his fears that they would blow up into something bigger than they actually did. For example, he allowed his team to compete in water slide distances which ultimately injured his starter Scott Fujita. Ultimately, though, he found success because of his attributes: intelligence, honesty, humility, care, and commitment. The city of New Orleans is lucky to be able to count him as one of our own.

Saints Nation: Al Woods Signs With Saints

2010-07-15T15:36:00.000-05:00

Former LSU defensive tackle and Saints rookie Al Woods is the first draftee to sign with the Saints. Usually Mickey Loomis waits a little longer to start inking his draftees, but Woods was locked up today to a 4 year deal. It's great to see him on board!

Saints Nation: Drew Brees and Saints Clean Up at ESPYS, Walk Away with Four Pieces of Hardware

2010-07-15T04:26:00.000-05:00

I have to admit I was shocked to see the Saints walk away with 4 ESPYS last night, three of them going to Drew Brees individually. I figured ESPN would find away to ruin the evening for the Saints based on their typical hatred of the deep south. I guess the fans really do control the vote, though, because the Saints were able to avoid some sort of network result rigging.

The Saints walked away with the last two ESPYS of the evening, considered the biggest awards, with Drew Brees getting Male Athlete of the Year and the Saints' team getting Best Team of the Year. Brees also won ESPYS for Best Championship Performance and Best NFL Player.

While the ESPYS have largely been a cash grabbing, attention seeking, imitation award show for the most part of it's history, I have to admit I took big pleasure in seeing our boys get that sort of national recognition. Especially meaningful for me was winning the team award, ahead of the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Lakers. WHO DAT!

Saints Nation: Sean Payton Live Chat on NFL.com

2010-07-14T09:33:00.002-05:00

CLICK HERE to check out the live chat Sean Payton had fielding numerous questions about the Saints. Not much of interest, sadly. It's mostly a boring q&a. I love how one fan gives him an opportunity to single out a rookie that's doing well and he placates him with the "every year we rely on young players" blah blah blah. I love Coach Payton, but why does EVERYTHING have to be so close to the vest?

You can also check out video of Payton talking through the Super Bowl onsides kick HERE. Pretty cool if you ask me.

Saints Nation: 10 Things to Look For As Training Camp Approaches

2010-07-13T09:49:00.000-05:00

With training camp right around the corner and just a couple weeks away, here's a few things we should be on the lookout for:

1. Who will win the battle to start at strong side linebacker? The favorites are promising youngster Jo-Lonn Dunbar and veteran Clint Ingram, but don't rule out Stanley Arnoux either. There is literally no way of telling at this point how that will play out, so the Saints will have to settle that on the practice field.

2. Who will be the #2 quarterback? Is Patrick Ramsey definitely coming to the Saints? If so, will he be a reliable backup, or is he washed up? Can Chase Daniel and/or Sean Canfield handle that kind of responsibility so early in their career? Lots of questions there with Mark Brunell now gone.

3. How much will Jimmy Graham contribute? It seems like all Saints fans are ready to annoint Graham as an immediate contributor to the offense, and the heir apparent to Shockey. That said, Graham is relatively new to football (basketball was his primary sport), and it may take him a while to adjust. He could just as easily end up on the practice squad. Don't forget the #2 guy at tight end right now is David Thomas. Graham isn't going to just steal playing time from Thomas without playing extremely well.

4. Who starts next to Sedrick Ellis at defensive tackle? Remi Ayodele is the incumbent starter, but he'll get pushed by Anthony Hargrove, DeMario Pressley, Al Woods and others. I also wouldn't be shocked to see the Saints add another veteran to the mix as camp progresses. Ayodele got better and better as the season progressed last year but he'll need to continue that trend.

5. Can Jermon Bushrod perform at a consistent level at left tackle? I for one was thrilled to see the Saints draft Charles Brown because he'll provide depth at left tackle and I knew Jammal Brown was long gone. This at least gives the Saints some options if Bushrod can't cut it. Bushrod did a good job filling in last year for injury, but the question is can he handle the load as a true full time starter?

6. Will the Saints come back hungry after winning the Super Bowl? Some teams come back stronger, while others come back hungover. The Saints will be circled on everyone's calendar this year and everyone will be gunning for them. There's a new pressure that comes with being Super Bowl champions and every team handles it differently. Can the Saints come back with the same desire to succeed as they had when they had never been crowned champions? I think they will.

7. Can the Saints get production out of the defensive end position opposite Will Smith? Charles Grant has been a disaster for the Saints ever since he signed his long term extension. Bobby McCray's bad back prevented him from getting quality reps last year. Both are now gone. Alex Brown appears to be the main man in charge of improving play at defensive end. Jimmy Wilkerson was an offseason addition as well. Brown is getting older, though, and Wilkerson is coming off a major injury. It's no given they'll be an upgrade so they'll have to come ready to play.

8. Will the departure of Mike Bell hurt the Saints? My thinking is not really, but Bell did provide a huge boost to the Saints' power running game, especially early in the season last year when the Saints were playing arguably their best football of the season. Lynell Hamilton showed some good things later in the season, and he is hopefully ready to fill that void. I have to imagine this will also mean increased reps for Pierre Thomas. It may be tougher for the Saints to impose their running game without Bell.

9. Will Darren Sharper be as good in 2010? That microfracture surgery scared me a little bit. Obviously he wasn't able to garner much interest on the open market despite arguably the best season of his career based on the contract he signed with the Saints. Sharper was already a step slow at times last year. Will that be even more pronounced after the surgery? Will he come back better? He's getting up there in age. The fact that the staff officially moved Malcolm Jenkins to free safety tells us the changing of the guard is coming soon. Whether that'll be this season, next season, or later remains to be seen. I'm thinking this is probably Sharper's last year in New Orleans.

10. Can the team stay relatively healthy? Injuries are the X factor for every single NFL team entering every season. You know they are going to happen, and you know you'll need role players and backups to step up into more prominent roles because of them. You just hope you can stay relatively healthy and avoid injuries to your main superstars. The Saints were able to absorb injuries to Billy Miller, Jammal Brown, Shockey, Bell, Pierre Thomas, Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter, Scott Fujita, Charles Grant, Lance Moore and others during various points in the season last year. Fortunately, though, most of those players were able to come back at some point in the season, and the Saints never suffered an injury to #9. That's the key, obviously, more than anything else. No team in the league can really absorb the loss of their starting quarterback. The Saints did suffer a rash of injuries at the cornerback position especially last year, though, and their play began to suffer greatly as the season progressed. At different points in the season, Mike McKenzie and Chris McAlister had to start off the streets because the Saints had no one healthy to throw out there. You just have to hope for a little luck in that department.

Other stuff: Something is going on with the blogger poll app, so I took it down. It's not working right now for whatever reason. I'll have to put up the vote on who starts at SLB once that's fixed. Sorry about that!

I'm about half way through Sean Payton's book so expect a review as soon as I'm down with it.

Saints Nation Fans Have Spoken: Alex Brown Will Have the Biggest Impact of 2010 Newcomers

2010-07-12T08:21:00.000-05:00

Asked which offseason addition would contribute the most, Saints Nation fans gave former Chicago Bear defensive end Alex Brown the majority of the vote at 55%. Rookie tight end Jimmy Graham was a surprise finisher in second place at 17%. It sounds like many fans are excited about what the tight end will contribute to the team this year. Still, there's no question that Charles Grant's replacement in Brown is expected to be a significant upgrade to the front four.

Thanks for your participation in the poll, and please vote on the new Saints Nation Poll on the right side of the site: who do you think will start at strongside linebacker?

Saints Nation: ESPN Tabs Saints as "5th Best Team in the NFL"

2010-07-10T09:12:00.000-05:00

As if the LeBron James information overload in recent days combined with their Brett Favre history wasn't unbearable enough, ESPN is back to hating on the Saints. Watching passively yesterday I saw them mention that the Saints were currently the 5th best team in the NFL. I guess the loss of Charles Grant really changed things for our franchise? I didn't even bother to see what teams they listed ahead of us, but I can only imagine the team we just beat in the Super Bowl, as well as the Jets, Chargers, and Vikings are likely candidates. I don't even know why I let this kind of thing get to me anymore, it's just so predictable. I guess winning the Super Bowl 5 months ago means little to those guys. That's fine, their "rankings" has zero bearing on what happens on the field. I can't wait till that first game against the Vikings.

Saints Nation: Larry Fitzgerald Doesn't Consider the Saints an "NFC Juggernaut"

2010-07-09T07:52:00.000-05:00

I was amused by this Larry Fitzgerald quote (pictured to the left getting blanketed by Jabari Greer) "You look at the NFC right now, you think of the Cowboys, you think of the Green Bay Packers, you think of the Minnesota Vikings. Those are the three juggernauts in our conference". I guess he's having trouble remembering who won the Super Bowl and eliminated his team 45-14 from the playoffs last season. Clearly that beatdown was so bad he has amnesia. I guess he doesn't have much respect for a team that completely shut him down. I think he had one catch in the first half when the game was still within reach. I find it interesting that these teams have somehow all leapfrogged the Saints in juggernaut status despite vastly inferior performances. Green Bay couldn't even beat the same team the Saints beat 45-14! Next time we play the Cardinals we'll be sure to run up the score on them again.

Saints Nation: Running the Football is Key to Saints' Success

2010-07-08T10:35:00.000-05:00

We all know the Saints can throw the ball. That's never been a secret. Since Sean Payton has joined the team and they landed Drew Brees as a free agent signing, the passing game for the last four years under this current regime was a given in terms of performance. Offensively, the variable has been in overall balance and specific effectiveness running the football. Let's look at the Payton era stats:

2006 stats: 10 wins, 472 carries, 1,761 yards, 3.7 yards per carry.
2007 stats: 7 wins, 392 carries, 1,466 yards, 3.7 yards per carry.
2008 stats: 8 wins, 398 carries, 1,594 yards, 4.0 yards per carry.
2009 stats: 13 wins, 468 carries, 2,106 yards, 4.5 yards per carry.

Without question 2009 was far and away the most successful year for the Saints in terms of both yards and yards per carry. Interestingly enough, though, they didn't run the ball as much as they did in 2006 (by 4 carries). While the yards per carry in 2006 was on par with 2007 and 2008, the carries were much higher, and so was the win total. I think there is a direct correlation there. Obviously this doesn't factor in defense, which was better in 2006 and 2009, but I would argue that running the ball and therefore the clock had an impact on the defensive performances in those years. The bottom line is the coaching staff needs to target spreading around about 450 carries going into the year. When they dip below 400, it's a sign of poor balance and the records reflect poor overall performance. The big question this year is the departure of Mike Bell and how that will effect the Saints. Pierre Thomas will have increased responsibility, and Lynell Hamilton will have to step up.

Saints Nation: Drew Brees' New Book is Now Available for Purchase

2010-07-07T09:12:00.000-05:00

Drew Brees' book "Coming Back Stronger" is now available in stores for your purchase. Brees is the second release in the last few weeks, after Sean Payton's book "Home Team", that promises to be an amazing read. You can purchase the book at any of your favorite book buying locations, or you can click HERE if you are having trouble finding it. From the excerpts I've seen it promises to be a very honest and forthcoming story, which covers dark parts of Brees' life in great detail like the major shoulder injury that almost ended his career and the suicide of his mother. It also covers the Super Bowl victory, his time in New Orleans, and much more. It should be an incredibly entertaining read. I have both this book and Payton's on the way to me via the mail, and I will post a review as soon as I'm done with them.

Saints Nation: JaMarcus' Career Over After Latest?

2010-07-06T08:29:00.000-05:00

The JaMarcus Russell saga just keeps getting sadder by the minute. The Ryan Leaf similarities are becoming more and more evident. The latest is that Russell has been arrested for the possession of liquid Codeine. Too bad, because he was just starting to see some interest from other teams for a chance at a fresh start in a new system. The Vikings, Jets and Cardinals had apparently all expressed interest in bringing the former LSU product and number one pick overall in the NFL draft in for a chance to compete. Now that he's shown that his immaturity and poor decision making extends off the field, you have to wonder if anyone will ever take a chance on him again. Sure, Michael Vick has freakish talent and he got a second chance, but Vick was at least successful in the league at one point. While Russell has freakish potential in a different way, it's never translated on an NFL field. I think as things stood prior to this arrest, there were questions about whether he would play again or not. Now, I think it's become all but a certainty that he will not. It's sad because you always want local guys to do well at the next level and represent their colors well. I think we can all live with Russell's lackluster performances with the Raiders, but his off the field antics have embarrassed him, his family, his fans and LSU. Russell is just another example of how quickly a high profile athlete can fall if they don't take their fame and the responsibilities that come with it seriously. While his chances are now likely over, the only silver lining we can hope for is that others will learn from his mistakes.

Saints Nation: Rookie Quarterback Sean Canfield Faces an Uphill Battle

2010-07-05T11:55:00.001-05:00

Saints rookie quarterback Sean Canfield shows off prototypical size and accuracy for a young passer. When the Saints took him in the final round of the draft out of Oregon State, though, I immediately questioned where there would be a place for him. I read THIS ARTICLE which was written this week on Canfield, and he seems like a level headed guy with the right attitude. It's nice to see that Drew Brees is pretty complimentary of him, too. Ultimately, though, Canfield faces very long odds to make the team. The first question is whether the Saints will keep two quarterbacks on their roster or three. The answer to that question has changed from week to week in the Sean Payton era, and most times it has to do with how healthy the Saints are at other positions. Just ask Chase Daniel, the #3 guy on the Saints is typically playing musical chairs between a roster spot and the practice squad during the course of the regular season. If the Saints keep 2, then you have to assume Canfield's chances of making the team are almost nil. Rumors have circulated consistently that there's a handshake deal in place with veteran quarterback Patrick Ramsey, and the Saints will make his addition to the roster official in mid July once the free agency rule restrictions are lifted. If Ramsey does indeed join the team, you have to figure he's the runaway favorite to win the #2 job. That leaves Canfield battling Chase Daniel for the #3 spot, with Daniel already having benefited from a full year in the system. That doesn't mean the Saints couldn't keep Canfield on their practice squad, but I wonder if the Saints will keep four quarterbacks around, practice squad included. If Ramsey ends up not joining the Saints, then Canfield can battle Daniel for the #2 spot. While difficult, that may be more manageable. The bottom line is Canfield could have a very solid camp, and still be shown the door if Ramsey and Daniel meet expectations. In all likelihood, Canfield is going to need to have an AMAZING camp in every sense of the term to have any chance. He'll need to show ability, poise and maturity well beyond his years. We'll see how it plays out.

Saints Nation: Happy July 4th!

2010-07-04T15:04:00.000-05:00

I hope all you Saints fans out there that support my blog have a wonderful, fun and safe 4th of July! Enjoy the vacation and time off from football as the season will be in full gear before we know it. Please also take a minute to think about our troops who defend our freedom by risking their lives each and every day. I know that's a token thing to say, but there's so many brave young men and women out there that sacrifice their youth and their lives so we can be comfortable and happy in our lifestyles, we owe a lot of our fortunes to them. So thanks to the troops and happy 4th of July to everyone!

Saints Nation: Who Starts at Left Tackle?

2010-07-03T12:03:00.000-05:00

With every other starting position on the Saints' offense pretty much locked up (except maybe the #2 receiver slot) the biggest competition going into camp has to be at left tackle now that Jammal Brown has been shipped to the Redskins for a draft pick. Incumbent starter Jermon Bushrod (pictured) is the favorite and he'll get the first shot at keeping his spot, but I think it would be very unwise to take that as a given. Bushrod was pretty good at times last year, but there were other times where he was downright shaky. His disastrous play in the Dallas game comes to mind as a major lapse in play. I will give Bushrod credit for bouncing back impressively well from that performance, but the Saints gave him a lot of help all season. The fact that left tackle is the weakest link on the Saints' offensive line is a big of a source of concern. While the Saints still managed to get through the playoffs and win the Super Bowl with a weaker left tackle, it's not ideal that left tackle be the biggest question mark on your offense. Bushrod benefited from Brees' quick release, superior footwork, and line schemes designed to lighten his responsibilities. I assume the Saints will continue to do the same regardless of who ends up starting at left tackle, but it would be good to see Bushrod get pushed. Veteran Zach Strief, perhaps best suited to play right tackle, and rookie 2nd round pick Charles Brown, will be the two guys vying for Bushrod's job. I think it's safe to say the Saints will continue to find ways to get Strief on the field, whether that's at left tackle or elsewhere. The team likes his massive frame and benefits greatly from his power off the edge blocking lighter defenders on running downs. Whether he has quick enough feet to manage an outside pass rush is the big question in terms of Strief playing every down. Brown, on the other hand, I have to admit I know next to nothing about. He's got to be a solid prospect, though, because the Saints believed he was 1st round quality in terms of ability. They had him graded so high they said it was a no brainer taking him in the 2nd round ahead of pretty much everyone else left on the board. I have a feeling they are hoping he'll step in and outplay Bushrod and Strief both, but there's got to be a significant learning curve for a tackle that young. It will be something to keep an eye on for sure. I'm going to predict that Charles Brown ends up starting for the Saints at left tackle this season. It's a bit of an uneducated guess because I've yet to see what Brown can do, but I know the Saints are extremely high on him, and while the Saints survived with Bushrod's play last year, I know they are hoping for an upgrade. Whether that's Bushrod showing strides in improving, Strief continuing to be more reliable on a more permanent basis, or Brown surprising the veterans, I know the Saints don't want to settle for getting a similar performance at left tackle.

Saints Nation: Danny Gorrer Back With Saints

2010-07-02T08:19:00.000-05:00

The Saints were able to re-sign cornerback Danny Gorrer this week when he was cut by the St. Louis Rams. The Saints claimed him through waivers and were awarded his services. Gorrer was a member of the Saints' practice squad last year as a promising young undrafted rookie cornerback, before the Rams signed him and promoted him to their active squad later in the season. Gorrer was a player who showed promise in the preseason last year and he'll compete with players like Leigh Torrence for a spot on the team.

LAGNIAPPE: Most of you know I also post on another Saints blog called Canal Street Chronicles. Check out my post for offseason grades HERE. I also recently wrote a post, have the Saints benefited from an uncapped season?

Saints Nation: Saint Reggie Shows a Big Heart

2010-06-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

I was approached by a story that I just couldn't keep to myself. As much as Reggie Bush has been a playmaker and deadly weapon on the football field, he's proven at times to be even more Saintly off of it. His donations to the community and contributions of his time have been plentiful and well documented. This story, though, trumps most benevolent acts I've heard from many athletes off the field and it's flown under the radar.

Thanks to Kathe N. for this story:

"I just want to let you know what an awesome human being we have in Reggie Bush. We were able to make contact through his agent, and Reggie called my sister's terminally ill patient today. She was unable to talk, other than a very soft, "hello" but the smile on her face was priceless! Reggie took time to call from Germany today, and truly made a difference in the short life of a precious little girl. He fulfilled an end of life wish for a very sick little girl whose life was cut way too short. He's also sending an autographed jersey, overnight. Unfortunately, she passed away three hours after Reggie's phone call, but the jersey will mean the world to her family. A lifelong memory. I'm overwhelmed and want everyone to know the person Reggie Bush is. A true hero."

Reggie probably won't get much press or credit for this, but you know what, that's the way it should be. All great acts that do not go thanked are the best kind. This wasn't about Reggie getting good publicity, or boosting the public's perception of his character. If I didn't write about this, maybe no one would have ever heard about it. In a time where he's under a good amount of scrutiny for the USC sanctions, he could have easily mentioned something about this on his twitter account to let people know how great he is... but no mention. I applaud you, #25, for being a great and humble guy. What a heart warming story, and I believe we are lucky to have Bush in our community.

Saints Nation: Sean Payton's New Book is Now Available for Purchase

2010-06-29T00:01:00.000-05:00

Saints' head coach Sean Payton's book "Home Team" is out today and now available for purchase. You can go to your favorite book buying location to seek it out, I'm sure it's available everywhere... but you can click HERE if you're having trouble finding it. I ordered mine already and I can't wait to get it as it should be a terrific read. If you've been paying attention to all the snippets that are surfacing out there, it sounds like it will be fairly candid and revealing. Speaking of which, does all the portions of the book that have already been revealed make you think that Sean Payton is a bit of a booze hound? Work hard, play hard, I guess. Anyway, I'm not trying to be critical of the man, clearly he's done a lot for the city of New Orleans and he's a fantastic football coach that seeks out high character and moral people to align himself with. You have to respect that. Besides, we don't want to be throwing stones when we live out of a glass house... just saying that alcohol (or vicodin) and Sean Payton do come up together from time to time (like the bottle of wine he stole from Jerry Jones) Anyway, I highly recommend checking this out and I will post a review as soon as I'm done with it.

Saints Nation: VOTE NOW as Your Saints are Up for Numerous ESPY Awards

2010-06-28T07:46:00.002-05:00

The Saints are up for a large number of ESPY awards this year. Click HERE to go vote for them. Below are the Numerous categories you can find them in:

Best Male Athlete (Drew Brees)
Best Championship Performance (Drew Brees, Super Bowl XLIV)
Best Moment (New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV)
Best Team (New Orleans Saints)
Best Coach/Manager (Sean Payton)
Best NFL Player (Drew Brees)

That's 6 chances for the Saints to win a nationally recognized award. GO VOTE!

Saints Nation: Amit's Power Rankings

2010-06-27T00:01:00.000-05:00

Below are Amit's offseason power rankings.

1.Saints - Would you expect anything else? TWO DAT!

2. Vikings - Everyone knows Brett Favre is coming back.

3.Colts- With the loss of Tom Moore as their offensive coordinator, will Peyton Manning suffer a dropoff?

4.Packers - Aaron Rodgers is quickly making a name for himself as a top 5 elite quarterback, and with a great quarterback you're always going to be competitive.

5.Ravens- With the addition of Anquan Boldin and a spectacular draft which included Sergio Kindle, are the Ravens prepared to take over the AFC North?

6.Cowboys- With the addition of Dez Bryant, an explosive offense just became more explosive.

7.Jets - They appear to have gotten much stronger in the offseason, but will it translate on the field? Mark Sanchez will need to improve drastically for the Jets to have a real chance

8.Chargers - The LT era is over, but the Rivers era is as strong as ever.

9.Bengals- The additions of Antonio Bryant and Jordan Shipley will give this offense a potent passing attack to go along with a smash-mouth ground game.

10.Falcons- Will Matt Ryan’s progression be enough to lead the Dirty Birds to the playoffs?

11.Patriots- While Tom Brady is still the quarterback, the Patriots are still playoff contenders.

12.Texans- Will the addition of Kareem Jackson be enough to replace Dunta Robinson?

13.49ers- The additions of Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati will give the 49ers offense a better opportunity to move the ball down the field.

14.Dolphins- Will the additions of Brandon Marshall and Karlos Dansby send the Fins into the postseason?

15.Redskins - Depending on how healthy and performant Donovan McNabb will be, the Redskins will be dangerous, but good on paper has not translated well for them on the field.

16.Raiders - Can Jason Campbell resurrect the Raiders' previously dormant offense?

17.Giants- Can the Giants generate a pass rush to prevent other teams to pass all over them?

18.Titans- Can Chris Johnson repeat his 2009 performance in 2010?

19.Bears- Can Mike Martz help Jay Cutler fix his interception problem?

20.Eagles - How long before Kevin Kolb gives way to Mike Vick?

21.Steelers- Without Troy Polamalu, the Steelers’ defense was mediocre. Will it be any better?

22.Panthers - Steve Smith being out for a big chunk of training camp won't help Matt Moore's development.

23.Broncos-Who will be their starting quarterback?

24.Cardinals- Matt Leinart has finally taken over the reins from Kurt Warner.

25.Seahawks- Is Pete Carroll just a college coach?

26.Bucs - The Bucs are still in rebuild mode and a year or two away from being competitive.

27.Lions- Can Ndamukong Suh be a dominant force for Jim Schwartz like Albert Haynesworth was?

28.Rams- Is Sam Bradford pro-ready?

29. Browns- Colt McCoy is the future, but Jake Delhomme is the present…present = bad

30.Chiefs- Can Jamaal Charles carry a team on his shoulders?

31.Jaguars- How can you justify taking a 2^nd-3^rd round prospect at #10 overall?

32.Bills- How will the addition of C.J. Spiller improve a team with an already crowded backfield?

Saints Nation: Starting Lineup by Position (Special Teams)

2010-06-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

As the season approaches, I'm taking a look going into training camp at the Saints position by position.Below are our special teams starters.

K: Garrett Hartley (pictured) has put his 4 game suspension and bad game winning miss opportunity against Tampa Bay behind him with a spectacular performance in the playoffs, including the kick that sent the Saints to the SuperBowl and three solid field goals in the SuperBowl. The Saints haven't brought in any competition for Hartley, so unlike last year when Hartley had John Carney looking over his shoulder the job is his to keep.

P: Not only is Thomas Morstead a fantastic punter, he's also a terrific kick off man. His boots have terrific hang time, and like Hartley there's no competition being brought in for him. The job is his and that won't change for a very long time. It's nice that the Saints have such good young specialists. Hopefully they won't need to worry about upgrading either position for a long time.

KR: Courtney Roby comes back as the main return man. He's also a terrific gunner, and he was pretty spectacular last year. Don't expect anyone to unseat him.

PR: Reggie Bush was very shaky last year returning punts, but having him as the punt returner is another way to give his breakaway speed another chance to score. Bush sees limited reps in the offense with Pierre Thomas and Lynell Hamilton also splitting the carries, so you want to get him on the field more. I expect the job to be his again, but don't forget Rod Harper who was electrifying on punt returns last preseason.

LS: Don't forget Kevin House appeared to be a lock after having the position to himself for about 7 years last year. So, while Jason Kyle appears to be the clear favorite to long snap for the Saints again this year after doing a solid job last season, don't count out rookie free agent Clint Gresham, who is apparently pretty good in his own right.

Saints Nation: Joe Horn Retires a Saint

2010-06-25T10:15:00.000-05:00

Per Greg Bensel's twitter page:

"Saints sign WR Joe Horn to a contract; will retire a Saint!"

Bensel is the Saints' Vice President of Communications, for those of you that don't know him.

I for one am very happy about this news. I know Horn left the Saints on less than ideal terms, and his signing with the rival Falcons directly afterward really ticked me off. That said, Horn was arguably the best receiver in New Orleans Saints history, and he was a big part of the team for a long time. Glad to see him retiring where he belongs, in black and gold. Horn ended his career with the Saints as the #2 all time in receptions and yardage (behind Eric Martin) and the #1 all time in touchdown receptions.Horn was a Pro Bowl selection four times during his tenure with the Saints. He stuck it out during some tough times, especially in the Katrina season where I thought he stood up for the city. Thanks for the memories #87!

Saints Nation: Starting Lineup by Position (Defense)

2010-06-25T00:01:00.050-05:00

As the season approaches, I'm taking a look going into training camp at the Saints position by position. Below are our defensive starters.

LE: Charles Grant is gone. Bobby McCray is gone. That leaves it pretty clear that Alex Brown will be the main man in charge on the left end position as a new starter in the lineup. Jimmy Wilkerson, Anthony Hargrove and Jeff Charleston will both rotate in, but the job is Brown's.

RE: Will Smith is coming of his best season as a pro last year. Clearly Gregg Williams' scheme has helped him blossom, as well as a full season of health, and he'll continue to get the lion share of reps because he's an elite end regardless of down and distance. There's no scenario where he's not the best defensive end on the team's roster.

DT: Sedrick Ellis had this starting spot on lockdown and that's not going to change anytime soon.

DT: Remi Ayodele is the incumbent starter, but I would say his starting spot is in more jeopardy than pretty much any starter the roster. That's not to say he's not a promising up and coming young player, but Hargrove, DeMario Pressley and Al Woods will all push for playing time.

WLB: Every year the Saints bring in some veteran to compete with incumbent starter Scott Shanle, and every year he remains the starter. Whether you love him or think he's replaceable, the bottom line is Shanle is one of the more dependable guys in the league. The coaching staff loves him because there are no unknowns with Shanle. I think the Saints are very lucky to have him.

MLB: Jonathan Vilma. He's the captain, and this will not change. Gregg Williams relies on Vilma as much as anyone to carry out his scheme and direct his troops.

SLB: Right now the job is Jo-Lonn Dunbar's to lose, who will replace recently departed Scott Fujita. Dunbar is young and somewhat unproven, though, so he'll face some stiff competition from veteran Clint Ingram and promising youngster Stanley Arnoux. It's entirely possible that Ingram ends up as the opening day starter. Arnoux has a little more to prove at this point.

CB: Tracy Porter has become in a very short period of time one of the best young corners in the entire league. His name recognition around the country has risen significantly with his pick six in the SuperBowl, but if you're a Saints fan you know his worth in so much more than that one play he made.

CB: The Saints are fairly deep at corner and have good competition going on for different spots in the rotation. The starting spots, though, are entirely set. Jabari Greer (pictured) is the other corner, and he's arguably a better man to man defender than Porter. The Saints have the best cornerback tandem in team history. Still, consider the promising players behind them: Randall Gay, Malcolm Jenkins (who will play some safety), rookie Patrick Robinson, and Leigh Torrence.

FS: I mentioned Jenkins who is being moved to safety and being groomed as the eventual free safety of the future for the Saints. That said, the job currently belongs to Darren Sharper, and he hardly needs an introduction.

SS: Roman Harper is a hard hitting, young up and coming player. It'll be interesting to see if Chip Vaughn can give him some competition, but it's hard to see Harper losing his spot.

Saints Nation: Starting Lineup by Position (Offense)

2010-06-24T08:52:00.000-05:00

As the season approaches, I'm taking a look going into training camp at the Saints position by position.Below are our offensive starters.

QB: Drew Brees (pictured) is of course the unquestioned starter. The only real question is how the competition will shake out behind him, but barring injury Brees won't be leaving the field.

HB: In case there was any question last year, I think it's now set in stone that Pierre Thomas is the starter. Reggie Bush's role is becoming more clear with each passing season, and while he's a terrific playmaker, he's not a starter. That doesn't mean Reggie won't get his fair share of looks, though. Thomas is the main back that will carry the load. With Mike Bell gone he may even see increased reps. Don't forget about Lynell Hamilton either who will also see more snaps.

FB: If Heath Evans comes back healthy, the starting job is his without question. The Saints brought in Jason McKie for a reason, though, and he'll provide insurance if Evans' recovery gets delayed. McKie is a capable blocker and fullback, but the job is Evans' if he's 100%.

TE: Jeremy Shockey is still the main man, but this is the second straight offseason he's had health issues, combined with the fact that he always seems to be hanged up during the season. David Thomas is a very solid and capable backup, and don't forget the upside of Jimmy Graham. Still, you have to figure Shockey is the starter unless something significant changes.

C: Jonathan Goodwin will not only get competition from veteran Nick Leckey this year, but rookie Matt Tennant. Hard to see Goodwin supplanted based on the Pro Bowl type year he had, though.

LG: Carl Nicks. Period, end of story.

RG: Considering the fact that Jahri Evans rightfully became the highest paid offensive guard in the history of the NFL, I'd say his job is pretty secure.

LT: Jermon Bushrod will start the year, I would think, based on the fact that he started last year. Careful, though, because I'd say he's probably got the least secure hold on his job than any other starter on the Saints' offense. Zach Strief is a great backup, and honestly I think the difference between the two in terms of overall performance has been negligible. The Saints also drafted Charles Brown who will get a chance to compete.

RT: Jon Stinchcomb had his first Pro Bowl invite last year and arguably his best season as a Saint. The guy just keeps getting better every year. He's now a reliable and seasoned veteran. If the backups want to make some noise at tackle, they better vie for the left spot because Stinchcomb has the right on lockdown.

Check back tomorrow for the defensive starters.

Saints Nation: League Notes

2010-06-23T17:17:00.000-05:00

Not much going on in terms of Saints news this time of year, but there's been a good amount of notable things around the league.

Steve Smith of the Panthers broke his arm playing flag football and is out as many as 10 weeks, which likely puts him out until close to action on week 1. Not that you ever root for injuries to other teams, but this certainly isn't bad news for the Saints.

The Rams re-signed free safety O.J. Atogwe. What was he thinking?

Lawrence Taylor got indicted on rape charges. Sad to see this guy continue to struggle with awful decisions off the field.

Marc Bulger signed with the Baltimore Ravens. He'll be a pretty valuable backup for young starter Joe Flacco. I guess my hopes of the Saints grabbing him can now end, but it still looks like Patrick Ramsey will be signed next month.

Saints Nation: Saints Part Ways with Defensive End Bobby McCray

2010-06-21T15:58:00.000-05:00

Shocking news coming out of Saints camp today as the team cut defensive end Bobby McCray. The Saints also released Charles Grant this offseason, but they also added veterans Alex Brown and Jimmy Wilkerson. McCray struggled with a balky back for the majority of 2009, but he was responsible for knocking both Kurt Warner and Brett Favre silly in the playoffs. I guess this means Wilkerson is recovering from his injury better than the team expected, and Anthony Hargrove might see more snaps at end. The player that's probably most beneficent of this news is veteran Jeff Charleston, because all of a sudden his chances of making the team received a huge boost. Apparently the Saints saved a $1.25 million roster bonus that was shortly due to McCray with the move to release him. Perhaps the Saints will use that money, and the cash they saved by trading Jammal Brown, to lock up Pierre Thomas, among others. The Saints have a sticky cap situation, remember, and they'll have to make tough decisions like these to keep around the players they want to hold on to.

I'm sad to see McCray go. He was a fun pass rusher to watch, though he was a big of a one trick pony. He was a terrific role player in his first year with the Saints, but last year he regressed severely due to his back problems. Perhaps the Saints felt like he wasn't making much progress. All the same, he's no longer on the team and looking for a new NFL job effective today.

Saints Nation: Phone Interview with Saints' Linebacker Scott Shanle

2010-06-20T15:45:00.001-05:00

I have the pleasure of sharing with you guys my newest interview with Saints' starting linebacker and SuperBowl Champion Scott Shanle. I can tell you from my experience of blogging on the team that Scott has been one of the most "real" and approachable players on the team. I hope those of you that don't know much about him will gain a little respect for him after hearing this interview. Many thanks to him for taking time away from his family on Father's Day to grant me this interview. Scott touched on a variety of subjects, including the recent team OTAs, the break leading up to training camp, his football journey that eventually landed him to the Saints, the improved Saints' defense, the departure of Scott Fujita, the young linebacker's development and the team's chances for next season. You can listen to the interview by clicking HERE (there's also an old Heath Evans interview from this offseason you can check out too). I hope you enjoy! Below is a transcript of the conversation in case you would rather read than listen.

(on OTAs)

You know I was kind of looking forward to OTAs this year, just because I think after we had a season like we had and win the SuperBowl, you kind of want to see what the rest of your teammate's mindset is as far as going into the next season. The way our OTAs went I'm very encouraged. I think the guys showed up with this attitude that "hey we want to do this thing again". It felt too good and it was too great of an accomplishment not to come back hungry and driven to try to repeat.

(on if the SuperBowl celebration distractions are behind the team)

Yeah I definitely think so. I think it can work both ways, obviously we had a good time and the city had a good time with their little champions. But throughout the process, and you know when I still go places and still hear people talk to me about how big of a deal it is to them and how important it is, I think the celebration has continued and it's developed the bond between the city even more when you find out that people are still so excited about it. It makes you feel good that you brought that much joy to the city.

(on what he'll do during this break period)

Right now you want to get away a little bit, but you can't get away so much that you get out of shape because of everything we worked for in the past three months preparing for the 2010 season. You don't want to lose your conditioning and your mindset in the 5 weeks we have before training camp. I'm going to take a little trip home and see some family, maybe go over to Destin and hit the beach for a couple of days with the kids. After that it's pretty simple: I'm working out every day and just getting my mind focused on the upcoming season.

(on his journey as a football player that led to being a starting linebacker on the SuperBowl champion)

Going all the way back to high school before going to Nebraska, I got recruited late in the process. The main thing, and you know I was recruited by a couple other big 12 schools, but I played 8 man football coming out of high school. Not too many division 1 schools are looking at guys playing 8 man football, it's hard to judge exactly how good they are or what type of competition they are going against. From the get go I had to prove myself, and like you mentioned, all along the journey I had I never had anything given to me. Everything I've accomplished being a starter and being on the World Champion Saints wasn't given to me. It wasn't given to me because I was a 1st round pick (he was drafted in the 7th round), it wasn't given to me because I signed a mega multi million dollar contract and they had to play me. At the end of the day it feels good knowing that everything I've gotten is because I worked hard for it. I've taken the opportunities given to me and the chances to show that I can play, and I made the most of them. That's why I think I am where I am right now.

(on what made the defense so much better in 2009 than previous years he was with the team)

You know I think there were a few variables that came into play. Obviously I think Gary Gibbs is a great football coach, and I think Gregg Williams is a great football coach. Obviously both of them had different approaches to the game. Gary is more of a laid back guy, and Gregg majored in the psychological part of it as far as motivating players, and (Williams') defensive schemes are more aggressive, more complex as far as looks that we give which I thought made us better on defense. Last year we knew every week we were going to cover a guy man to man most of the time that's what we do. Along with that the secondary played as well as any year that I've been (in New Orleans). I mean, Darren Sharper wasn't around the other 3 years I've been here, Tracy Porter emerged as one of the top corners in the league and Jabari Greer is one of the best man to man guys in the league. I think the play of our secondary really carried us to where we got.

(so the secondary was the main difference)

Yeah, I think when you look at the transformation of the defense. Obviously you do have to start with Gregg because I think Gregg did a great job of stirring things up when he got here, letting guys know he had a no nonsense approach. He didn't care where you were drafted or how much money you were making, the best guys were going to play on Sunday. As a player, you respect that about a coach. He did it before when he was in Washington: LaVar Arrington, 1st round pick, Pro Bowl year I think he had, and he didn't play the way Gregg wanted him to play or play in the scheme like he wanted him to, so he sat him down. I think as a player when you see a coach like that you gain a lot of respect for them knowing that they want to win every week and come Sunday they aren't going to compromise the other 10 guys on the field. You know, a lot of coaches may say "hey were going to play the best guys" but I'm guaranteeing you with 75% of the other NFL teams it's really lip service because a lot of times the general managers or the owners are saying who has to play based on their contract status or their draft status, you're not going to pay a guy a ton of money to sit. But Gregg has a lot of say here and he's shown that he's a man of his word when he says he's going to play the best guys.

(on the departure of Scott Fujita)

At the start of OTAs it really was different to me. For the last 4 years and even the year before in Dallas, I was used to looking over to that other linebacker spot and seeing him there on a daily basis. So it was weird at the start of OTAs, but a lot of the guys we have now, you know Jo-Lonn Dunbar played a lot in his spot last year when Scott had some injuries and he performed well. From the friendship side of it it does make it a little more difficult. When you develop a friendship with someone, when you develop a trust that every week and every Sunday you know exactly what you're going to get... you know, we would joke around at practice and stuff, we kind of have the same personalities and going back to what I was saying before we were both guys that weren't handed anything. Scott walked on at Cal, he was a 5th round draft pick, he earned everything he got. I think it was easy for us to kind of identify with each other and that kind of brought us together.

(on the young linebackers currently on the roster)

I've always been more of a leader by example guy. With Scott as more of a vocal leader, he's now gone, and Jonathan Vilma as our defensive captain, I've always sat back and let them kind of handle the vocal role. It's my turn to step up and help a lot of those young guys, get let them know what's helped me to play 7 years, now going into my 8th. I take that responsibility more seriously of being more vocal, because by nature that's just not me. I'm just not a vocal person. But you know after seeing those guys in OTAs, they've calmed a lot of, not fears, but let's say questions as far as "who can play this spot as well as Scott did". Jo-Lonn played a lot of snaps in his spot last year. Stanley Arnoux is a good player, he's very athletic, he just needs the experience and the reps. Jonathan Casillas played the last couple games of the last season when I was out. They have the experience and they're good athletes, it's almost like they kind of have to grow up in a hurry, but when you have the ability that they have you can do it.

(thoughts on the upcoming season)

You know, I'm gonna go out and I'm gonna say after we've been through OTAs, I was telling this to someone the other day, we are a better team right now in 2010 than we were at this point in 2009. The experience coming back, we've all had one year of experience in Gregg Williams' scheme, we all know what's expected. We can play fast, there is no hesitation in our play. I think defensively there's no reason we can't be a top 10 defense, that's for sure. Our offense, you know, they've given us the last 3 years a great advantage every Sunday. As far as the season, there' different variables as far as injuries and stuff, as long as we stay healthy I like the way our schedule looks. There's no reason we shouldn't be hosting a playoff game and a number one seed would be ideal, but I think we can do the same again.

Saints Nation Breaking News: Jammal Brown Traded to Washington Redskins

2010-06-19T15:08:00.002-05:00

Former Pro Bowl Left Tackle Jammal Brown has been traded to the Washington Redskins, per ESPN analyst Adam Schefter. Per his twitter account, "Washington is trying to finalize a trade for Saints OT Jammal Brown. The trade is not believed to involve disgruntled DT Albert Haynesworth." He follows that with: "OT Jammal Brown landed in Washington minutes ago. He is scheduled to undergo his physical today. If he passes, the trade will be complete. No word on official compensation from Washington to New Orleans, but it's thought to be tied to Jammal Brown's performance in 2010." My guess is the Saints got a 2011 draft pick for Brown, most likely in the 3rd or 4th round, provided he meets playing time standards. I will update as soon as official word comes out for what the Saints receive in return. Brown was injured in 2009 and placed on injured reserve for the season. Youngster Jermon Bushrod filled in his shoes admirably, and with Bushrod's emergence, valuable backup Zach Strief on the squad, and new rookie draftee Charles Brown on the roster, Jammal Brown apparently became expendable. Brown was the lone remaining unsigned restricted free agent, so with this trade the restricted free agent to-do list is complete, pending any extensions the Saints want to make.

Saints Nation: Saints Re-Sign Lance Moore to One Year Tender, Release Running Back Christian Ducre

2010-06-18T18:45:00.000-05:00

Wide receiver Lance Moore, pictured outstretched reaching for a crucial two point conversion in the last SuperBowl, has signed his one year restricted contract tender and is now officially back with the New Orleans Saints team. Like Pierre Thomas and Roman Harper, he hopes to sign a long term deal in the not to distant future, but this contract will do for the time being. This news was confirmed by Jeff Duncan's twitter page, which also announced the corresponding roster subtraction of rookie free agent running back Christian Ducre of Mississippi State. I'm a little disappointed to see him go because I was looking forward to seeing him compete in the preseason, but evidently the Saints saw enough in OTAs to decide he wasn't worth keeping around.

None the less, it's great to see Lance Moore back and hopefully it's for more than just a year. With that signing Jammal Brown is now the lone remaining restricted free agent that's still unsigned by the Saints.

Saints Nation Fans Have Spoken: Marques Colston Is the Best 7th Round Draft Choice of the Sean Payton Era

2010-06-18T13:06:00.000-05:00

Let's face it, it's a no brainer that Marques Colston won this Saints Nation poll. In fact, Colston may be one of the best 7th round picks in the last 10 years in the NFL. No shock that he received 90% of the vote. I do want to commend the Sean Payton/Mickey Loomis regime, though, for getting great value traditionally with that 7th round choice.

Consider that out of that round they've also added indispensable backup lineman Zach Strief, Marvin Mitchell who's been Jonathan Vilma's primary backup, and promising receiver Adrian Arrington. No doubt none of these guys are nowhere near the scale of accomplishment that Colston has made, but they are solid value at the place they were chosen none the less. Most teams don't find those kind of quality players that late in the draft on a consistent basis.

Thanks for participating in the Saints Nation poll, and please vote in the new poll on the right side of the site: Which 2010 offseason addition will have the biggest impact on the Saints upcoming season?

Saints Nation: Team Receives Their SuperBowl Rings, Tweets From the Evening

2010-06-17T04:21:00.004-05:00

So the team finally got their rings! Check it out! Not bad, huh? Below are some tweets from the evening to get you all caught up on the festivities:

T_Porter22 I'm bout to get my ring!!!!!!

jgoody76 http://yfrog.com/jxq27qj

TylerLorenzen http://twitgoo.com/140j6v this is unreal

T_Porter22 GOT IT!!!! OMG!!!!

ChaseDaniel Super Bowl XLIV Champions!!! http://yfrog.com/j9f54dj

dmpressley Yea #90 yea! http://twitpic.com/1xevi9

usama_young28 We got the rings! Here is Dunbar showin his off http://tweetphoto.com/27585334

JeremyShockey Wow what a great RING.. good Luck everyone!! Try to get 1... what a great goal to reach.... Night Night ill br sleeping with

drewbrees My wife Brittany and I after our Super Bowl Ring party tonight. This is a special night. We love you New Orle http://tweetphoto.com/27593036

Pierre_Thomas super bowl champs baby!! http://twitpic.com/1xfkvk

cgrant94 Its fareal http://tweetphoto.com/27597691

LanceMoore16 Had a great night tonight. Got the super bowl ring n for those who have not seen it there will be a nice twitpic in the am. Good night all!

Saints Nation: Saints Wrapping Up OTAs

2010-06-16T11:05:00.000-05:00

The Saints are wrapping things up today at OTAs before they take a break for a lengthy stretch leading into training camp (which starts on July 29th). The team is scheduled to receive their SuperBowl rings today, and I'll post the comments the players make on twitter once that happens here. I have a feeling we'll be getting lots of feedback. It'll be nice for the players to get a little break from football and relax. The one tricky thing about winning a SuperBowl is your season is extended much further than the competition, which means you get less downtime in the offseason. Since winning the big game the Saints players have been flooded with appearance and media requests. It's all very draining and time consuming. It comes with the territory, sure, but one must never underestimate the need to recharge batteries. Hopefully they'll get an opportunity to do that now. The OTAs were all about installing the playbook and getting the group on board with the terminology and system. Getting through that portion of the offseason is an accomplishment, and the players can now enjoy a well deserved break. Once training camp hits on July 29th, the real fun (and work) starts!

Saints Nation: Roman Harper Re-Signs with Saints

2010-06-15T18:18:00.000-05:00

Starting strong safety Roman Harper followed suit with Pierre Thomas and signed his one year restricted free agent tender today. Cornerback Greg Fassitt and receiver Roy Hall were apparently both released to make room for Harper and Thomas on the roster.

Now that Harper is on board it just leaves Lance Moore and Jammal Brown as the remaining restricted free agents that have yet to sign contracts. Nice to see our boys back in the fold. Hopefully Mr. Loomis will make that more long term soon!

Saints Nation: Pierre Thomas Signs One Year Tender to Remain with Saints

2010-06-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

Pierre Thomas has signed his one year tender worth $1.7 million, officially making him part of the Saints' 2010 roster. While the running back still hopes to get a long term deal done, this at least guarantees he'll be on the team in the short term. Nice to see him back!

The article also says we should expect Roman Harper and Lance Moore to sign their tenders in the very near future. While I still hope Thomas can get a deal done before feelings get hurt and bad blood develops, at least he's on board. Thomas has been the team leader in rushing yards the past two seasons, as well as the team leader in rushing yards in the 2009 playoffs. He's also found the end zone 20 times in the last two season, which is a very impressive number. That's not counting the 3 scores he had in the postseason. It's a no brainer that we keep this guy.

Saints Nation: Heath Evans Expect to be Close to 100% by Training Camp

2010-06-14T12:42:00.000-05:00

Good news coming out of Saints' OTAs as Heath Evans is "ahead of schedule", according to Saints coach Sean Payton. It sounds like he'll be pretty close to 100% by training camp and good to go for week 1 against the Vikings. Don't forget the Saints also added fullback Jason McKie as insurance for Evans in case he's not ready to go. Hopefully the Saints' running game will be in great shape by week 1. The Saints ran for around 35 yards less per game last year with Evans out of the lineup. He's an integral part of the team, and a useful weapon at times as a security valve in the passing game.

Nice to see!

Saints Nation: Are Offseason Issues Signs of a Bigger Problem for Saints?

2010-06-13T09:44:00.000-05:00

Times-Picayune writer Jeff Duncan has suggested in his most recent article that, paraphrasing, the Saints are in the midst of a SuperBowl hangover that will cost them a disappointing upcoming season. He wrote THIS ARTICLE, entitled "New Orleans Saints' offseason distractions continuing to mount". He's correct that there's been some items of note happening lately, but are they truly worthy of major concern?

Here are the items that Duncan lists as part of the "mounting distractions":

1. Jeremy Shockey (pictured) having a bad attitude at a fan signing.
2. Shockey having "seizure like symptoms" in the weight room.
3. Pierre Thomas' contract situation.
4. Vicodin-gate.
5. Reggie Bush's involvement in the USC scandal.
6. The team wide visit to Plaquemines Parish to witness the oil spill.

No doubt, the items listed above a each concerning to various degrees, and they can add up to one big problem. But are they different from any other offseason? Let's recap the offseason before the SuperBowl run:

1 This isn't the first time Shockey has been accused of being disassociated at his signings. The guy is a little bit shy socially. I realize he has a number of fans, and a responsibility to respect them, but this is nothing new. We shouldn't expect all Saints players to act like Drew Brees. Shockey caused news when ran his mouth publicly last offseason, inappropriately. We should be used to this.
2. Shockey passed out in Las Vegas from "dehydration" last offseason, which was the same diagnosis for the weight room incident.
3. Contract situation? Are you kidding me? Every single team in every single offseason deals with contract issues. Malcolm Jenkins had the longest holdout in the past decade for the Saints last year.
4. So Vicodin-gate, especially if true, sounds very serious. Let's not forget, though, the Kevin Houser tax fiasco was a pretty big scale distraction that had/has legal implications too.
5. So USC got caught cheating and Reggie Bush was involved in the violations. While this issue is a little more unique, this is something that happened 5+ years ago. It's coming to a head now, but it's out of Bush's control and I think he's done a good job to ignore the situation.
6. The oil spill. Seriously? First of all, the Saints help the community every single offseason, and they made the NFC Championship a year after Hurricane Katrina. That was the most devastating natural disaster in American history, and almost wiped the city of New Orleans completely off the map. I think the oil spill pales in comparison to how it affects the players.

Please don't misunderstand me as saying these things should be ignored, or that they are not a big deal. They're all serious in their own right. My only point is these "offseason issues" are really not that different from the "offseason issues" that confronted the Saints last year. We all know how that season turned out. Every team faces offseason distractions. The bottom line is it won't affect how the team performs on the field unless the team lets it. I think the Saints have enough focused professionals to avoid that. They may or may not win the SuperBowl again this year, but it won't be because Reggie Bush got his Heisman taken away, or because Jeremy Shockey is a meanie.

Saints Nation: SuperBowl Ring Raffle!

2010-06-12T12:52:00.000-05:00

The Saints are offering a raffle for a chance to win an authentic SuperBowl ring the players will wear! All proceeds go to the oil spill relief. Click HERE to enter in the raffle!

Saints Nation Fans Have Spoken: Mike Hass Is the Best 6th Round Draft Choice of the Sean Payton Era

2010-06-10T10:58:00.001-05:00

Pretty sad that Mike Hass is voted as the best 6th round pick of the Sean Payton era. Consider the other choices, Josh Lay and Taylor Mehlhaff, are no longer in the league. Maybe next year Payton can make a decent selection with that round, the achilles heel of the coaching staff's drafting. The good news is the 7th round had a lot better picks. Please vote on the right side of the page for your best 7th pick in the Payton era.

Saints Nation: Saints Raise Awareness of Oil Spill

2010-06-09T09:02:00.000-05:00

The entire Saints' roster and coaching staff spent yesterday visiting Plaquemines Parish to see first hand the damage that the oil spill has caused to the coast. Above you can see several Saints players peaking at the rescued pelicans covered in oil that are in desperate need of cleaning. The media was in full force to cover the event, including national outlet ESPN, so it was great to see our boys raise awareness about this tragedy. The Saints also announced they will be raffling off an authentic Super Bowl Ring, with all proceeds going to help the cleanup efforts. You can read more about the Saints' trip and player's thoughts about the experience on NOLA and on the Saints' official website.

Is it just me, or are the Saints by far the most community active sports franchise out there? Maybe I'm biased, and maybe I'm more aware of the things they do because I follow them more closely than anyone else, but it sure seems like it. Like Drew Brees said, "If people didn’t see a bond between the team and the city and region before the Super Bowl, I think everybody sees that now". The experience of rooting for the Saints is like no other sports team in the world. It's almost like there's a connection between the team, players and fans that goes beyond sports. It's great that the entire team went on that visit, but it's even more touching to see how much all of these guys care. It's pretty remarkable seeing as how the vast majority of these players aren't even from the area, but during their time in the city New Orleans has adopted them as their own.

Make sure you enter the raffle for your chance to win an authentic Super Bowl ring while donating to a very important cause. If you're a Saints fan, there's no way this tragedy hasn't affected you in some way, so donate to the cause and raise awareness. I know I am!

Saints Nation: Saints Add Another Ex Bear, Guard Terrence Metcalf

2010-06-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

8 year veteran Terrence Metcalf has signed on to join the Saints with a one year deal. He joins Alex Brown and Jason McKie as former Bears to sign with the Saints this offseason. With the recent release of Jamar Nesbit, Metcalf is the lone proven veteran backup guard on the team. Given his competition, he could easily end up on the team's final 53 as interior depth on the offensive line. The Saints released rookie free agent Joe Tonga to make room for Metcalf on the roster.

I like the move. Metcalf is a proven veteran that's a capable player in the league. With the loss of Nesbit this offseason, the Saints needed a player to step in and provide depth behind Nicks and Evans. Should anything happen to those two stud guards, God forbid, I feel confident Metcalf could be the guy to give the Saints a good to adequate fill in performance.

Saints Nation: Patrick Ramsey to Saints a Foregone Conclusion?

2010-06-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

Former Tulane standout quarterback Patrick Ramsey (pictured) seems to be destined to become the backup quarterback to Drew Brees this upcoming season. ESPN analyst Chris Mortensen had this to say on his twitter account:

"2 things you can basicallly bank on : Mark Brunell to the Jets & Patrick Ramsey to the Saints come mid-July as backup QBs."

Ignoring the fact that Mortensen adds too many L's to the word "basically", the guy does know what he's talking about. We already know the Saints host both Ramsey and veteran Josh McCown early this offseason. The timetable for signing him makes sense, because mid July is when the top 8 rules on signing unrestricted free agents are lifted. Ramsey must have outperformed McCown in those recent workouts, which means he'll likely make a return to New Orleans after spending his undergraduate days playing in the Superdome for the Green Wave. It sounds like 2nd year quarterback Chase Daniel hasn't been lighting things up in mini-camp, either, so I'm sure that's done little to make the Saints re-consider bringing in Ramsey.

Ramsey is a solid backup that I believe would represent an upgrade over Mark Brunell at this point in their respective careers. The Ruston, LA native is entering his 8th season in the NFL, playing as a starter for the Washington Redskins, and a backup for the Jets, Broncos, Titans and Lions. Ramsey was originally the 32nd pick overall in the first round by the Redskins in 2002.

Saints Nation: Review of "Saints: Road to Super Bowl XLIV"

2010-06-06T13:19:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Jim G., I was able to get a review on the Blu-Ray Saints' disc that's out there. A copy of the Blu-Ray disc can be found HERE, on sale for $38.99. Here's his take:

"I just finished screening my copy of "Saints - Road to XLIV". It's a two-disc set with 4 complete games. The Redskins in the regular season, the two playoff games and the Superbowl.

The disc I got was Blu Ray and I watched it on my Vizio HD 42" screen. The picture quality was excellent.

The games are the original network broadcast with the original announcers and have been edited a bit for time. If you've seen NFL Replay games that come in at an hour and a half, these games are similar, but have less cut out. They leave all the plays, but cut out time outs, reviews, sometimes a huddle here and there, and of course, commercials. It is therefore, non-stop Saints action. There is very little on the disc other than the games.

The first two games, which are the Redskins and Cardinals on Disc One, have no pregame or postgame at all. There are also no special features.

Disc Two features the Vikings, and the Superbowl with the Colts. They've included the pregame two-shot of the announcers on both, but there is no postgame on the Vikings game and only a few wide shots on the field (about a minute's worth) after the Superbowl. The only Special Feature is a pop-up trivia option for the Superbowl. At first I found it a bit annoying, but I shortly got used to it and there are a few comments I found interesting.

I already have "Super Bowl XLIV Champions" the NFL recap of the '09 season including the Superbowl and that disc has plenty of extras, enough to satisfy, but no entire games. I'm really happy with the "Saints - Road to XLIV" because I wanted the Superbowl in its entirety. The other 3 games are an excellent bonus. If you're a Saints fan like me, you can never get enough, so for the Superbowl-winning year I find that the two discs by NFL Films, "Super Bowl XLIV Champions" and "Saints - Road to XLIV" are super satisfying and an absolute must addition to my video collection."

Much thanks to Jim for the excellent review. Sounds like I'll be buying my copy right now and I recommend Saints fans out there do the same!

Saints Nation: Pierre Thomas and Jammal Brown Still Absent, This Time for Minicamps

2010-06-05T00:01:00.002-05:00

Jammal Brown (pictured) and Pierre Thomas are both MIA for this weekend's minicamp according to ESPN (story). No real surprises there but I don't really see a deal getting done for either anytime soon. In Brown's case, I don't see a long term deal getting done at all. It's interesting that Roman Harper and Lance Moore, while in the same position contractually, continue to take the approach of showing up to practice. Technically none of these four players are under contract, so they are under no obligation. The question we're all wondering is how long Mickey Loomis will allow these deals to drag along. He'll need to turn his attention towards signing the Saints' draftees in the not too distant future, so one would think he'd want to get these veterans locked up before focusing on getting the rookies into training camp. Camp is officially set to commence on July 29th, so realistically we should expect that for the next month this is Loomis' priority. Traditionally the Saints haven't really started signing rookie draftees until the week before training camp or so. Sometimes a little earlier, but Loomis historically waits till the 11th hour on that task. Don't expect any of the rookies to ink a deal until well into July, unlike the Bears who I believe have close to the entirety of their draft class already signed. That leaves a window that's relatively sizable to sign Moore, Harper, Thomas and Brown, but it's closing by the day.

Saints Nation: The Sharper vs. Shiancoe Fiasco

2010-06-04T09:18:00.000-05:00

I've purposefully tried to avoid talking about this ongoing twitter battle because it's stupid. Visanthe Shiancoe (tight end of the Minnesota Vikings) and Darren Sharper are friends, and the twitter war back and forth between the two was supposed to be nothing more than a couple friends joking around. In my mind that was hardly newsworthy, and the media has totally blown this out of proportion. But then Shiancoe had to go ahead and drop the terrorist reference and now the story is getting heavy national exposure. For those of you that are lost, the Vikings and Saints play on Thursday, September 9th in the season opener and rematch of the NFC Championship. Sharper used to play for the Vikings, and had a lot of relationships from his time there, including one with Visanthe Shiancoe. To catch you up on what went down, below is the documented back and forth of their twitter trash talk:

Darren Sharper: Well y'all seen Brett had surgery on that ankle we got after in the championship game. Come Thursday night 1st game. X marks the spot. I've seen him play on one leg, but not against the WHO DAT nation.

Visanthe Shiancoe: "That's all good. But Sharper had surgery, too. And it was a knee. If 'X' marks the spot on Brett, I wonder what marks the spot on Sharper?"

DS: So visanthe stankoe X marks the spot on me, how bout X marks the spot for how many catches and TDs you'll have come Thursday night. X = zero

VS: You went for my legs twice in the championship game.. it was mano y mano, I would think that the mighty "Sharper Shaker" wouldnt shy from a little thudding.

DS: If you feeling yourself put your game check on it. No TDs and less than 3 catches you give me your game check. Now whose talking.

VS: TRUE STORY! Before target practice a soldier suggested a custom target for me. Guess he wanted to start my engine early for the SAINTS game! "X- marks the spot".. Loved the idea, ehhh so I went for it http://twitpic.com/1t6nor

DS: ok homeboy you done went too far, making me out to be something that has brought this country alot of heartache. Imma bust you right under your chinstrap from the first play on. I don't care about the fine. F the money Imma do it for the red,white&blue. And you'll see me cuz I'll be dressed in black & gold. Protect your neck that's all the warning you get.

VS: Those statements were the epitome of a crooked politician.. have some class "homeboy". That target was already set up for me... No insult was intended to anyone. You are the FURTHEST thing from a physical safety.. even you know that your sofT with a capital "T!" You remind me of a growling chihuahua. don't get your jaw broken trying to be a tough guy. Stay "sofT" and be yourself.. a ball hawk

My take is it's still just two friends jarring at each other that got a little personal. This kind of talk happens for entire games on the field. The only difference with this is it's posted on a social network and it's in plain sight for all to see. Trust me, much worse gets said by the second on the football field. You think this is offensive? Spend 2 seconds in an NFL locker room or huddle. The back and forth does add a little hype to the game... I'll give it that. I'm looking forward to seeing how Sharper performs and what kind of stats Shiancoe puts up. But I don't recommend reading anything into these comments. Did Shiancoe take it too far? Maybe, maybe not, but that's the direction their back and forth was headed if they kept going. It's not like Sharper is free of blame because he started all of this to begin with.

Saints Nation Fans Have Spoken: Carl Nicks is the Best 5th Round Draft Choice of the Sean Payton Era

2010-06-03T08:34:00.001-05:00

Carl Nicks tallied 70% of the vote to pull away with the designation of being the best 5th round draft choice in the Sean Payton era. Punter Thomas Morstead did receive a respectable 24% of the vote, but there's no denying how valuable Nicks has been to the Saints' line. Thanks for your participation and please vote in the new Saints Nation Poll on the right side of the site: Who is the best 6th round draft choice of the Sean Payton era?

Fair warning: The choices are AWFUL, and none of the 3 guys remain with the team. In fact, only one is still in the league (receiver Mike Hass).

Saints Nation: Top 10 Most Valuable New Orleans Saints in 2010

2010-06-02T09:38:00.000-05:00

Going into each season, I put together a list of the top 10 most valuable Saints. Last year, my top 10 picks were the following.What a difference a year makes, right? Jammal Brown was 3rd, and now he's not even in the top 10. Here's my list for 2010:

1. Drew Brees: No surprise here, and this much is indisputable. He's arguably the best quarterback in the NFL, and by far the best player on the team. As always, the Saints will go as far as Drew Brees takes them (2009 pick: Drew Brees).

2. Tracy Porter: This pick is going to shock some people, but Porter proved to me all season and in the playoffs last year that he's one of the premiere up and coming young corners in the league. Don't get me wrong, Jabari Greer is valuable as well because he keeps quarterbacks throwing to Porter's side a bit thanks to his own good play, but Porter has turned into an elite playmaker on defense. Porter helps Darren Sharper make plays, and he helps Will Smith get to the quarterback. He makes everyone around him better, and he's a catalyst in the Gregg Williams defense (2009 pick: Jonathan Vilma).

3. Jahri Evans: Evans is the best player on the offensive line, no doubt about it. He's equally dominant on running plays as he is passing plays. Brees stepped up in the pocket more than ever last year to avoid pass rushes off the edge, and it was Evans' impeccable interior blocking that allowed him to do so without getting hit. Evans was just rewarded with a massive new contract and he'll anchor the Saints' line for a long time (2009 pick: Jammal Brown).

4. Darren Sharper: He's getting older and there's questions about how he'll rebound from microfracture surgery on his knee, but how can anyone deny the impact he had on and off the field for the Saints' defense in 2009? The guy had 9 interceptions, which ties a career high, 15 defended passes, which is a career high, and he broke the NFL record for most interception returns yards in a season with 376. I wouldn't bet against the guy coming back to have another incredibly productive season.(2009 pick: Pierre Thomas)

5. Pierre Thomas: In three seasons with the Saints, Thomas averaged a staggering 5.1 yards per carry, which includes 5.4 yards per carry in 2009. He keeps the chains moving and he's often finding his way into the end zone. Last year I think Thomas successfully made the transition from a seldom talked about role player around the league, to a well recognized legitimate playmaker. Granted the Saints are a pass first offense, but that's opened massive lanes for Thomas take advantage of. He's been by far the most successful runner for the Saints the last three years. Hopefully the Saints can get his contract situation resolved soon. (2009 pick: Marques Colston)

6. Jonathan Vilma: As you've noticed, Vilma's stock has dropped a little bit in terms of how important he is to the Saints compared to last year when I had him ranked #2. But the drop to #6 does not reflect a drop off in performance from Vilma, it reflects the fact that a lot of players on the team have become more valuable thanks to improved defensive play and team play overall. In 2008, Vilma was one of the lone bright spots on the entire defense. In 2009, you could name him along with several others that made a difference. His tackle tally did drop off from 2008 (110 vs. 132), but his interception total rose (3 vs. 1). Vilma is still the captain of the defense and the primary tackler. (2009 pick: Will Smith)

7. Will Smith: Don't worry Will Smith, I haven't forgotten about you. Smith had a career high 13 sacks in 2009. Great to see him bounce back after what was a disastrous 2008 campaign for him. I still had him ranked as the 6th most valuable Saint going into 2009, and despite a career year he drops 1 place. That should tell you how much better the Saints have gotten as a team. If he had had that kind of season in 2008, Will Smith would probably have been rated #2 behind Brees last year. Smith represents the best pass rushing threat on the team, and he's also very good against the run. It's nice to have such a well rounded defensive end that is living up to his contract (I'm looking at you Charles Grant). Expect great things out of Smith again this year with so many good players around him doing their part. (2009 pick: Darren Sharper)

8. Sedrick Ellis: I didn't have him in the top 10 last year, but I think it's clear he's developing into a crucial element on the roster. His play continues to improve, and I believe he has the talent to be a perennial Pro Bowler. Ellis is without question the most instrumental piece in helping the Saints improve against the run. If there was one statistical place that left the Saints lacking in 2009, it was their run defense. Ultimately, we'll need an even better season from Ellis to improve in that area. He's not too shabby getting pressure up the middle, either. (2009 pick: Jahri Evans)

9. Reggie Bush: The "X factor" moves up one spot from #10 last year. I think the Saints have finally understood his place in the offense, and they've found the number of reps they're comfortable giving him that keep him healthy throughout a season. Bush showed major improvement in the running game last year, averaging a very impressive 5.6 yards per carry. Prior to last year, his highest average per carry for a season was 3.8, so that was a major difference. Bush is also a terrific security valve in the passing game that can turn a short flare pass into something deadly. His breakaway speed is something that needs to be accounted for at all times. Bush as a decoy is as deadly as Bush with the ball, because it creates huge plays for other offensive weapons. Bush did see a major drop off in his punt return performance last year, and that was the one area I was very disappointed with. That said, he did take one to the house against the Cardinals in the playoffs, so hopefully he can build from that. (2009 pick: Bobby McCray)

10. Marques Colston: Colston has had some injury issues as of late that have stunted his development a little bit. I still think he's an elite receiver in the league, but Brees made it clear last year it does not matter who's on the field. He will find the open guy, rack up stats, and put up points for his team. Still, Colston has a huge frame that's essential for moving the chains and making tough catches in the red zone. He's still Brees' primary target and plays a big part in the team's passing success, but he hasn't yet been able to duplicate the peak performance we saw from him in his second season. He's been steady and valuable, just not as dominant. (2009 pick: Reggie Bush)

There's definitely a lot of very good players that could have made this list, but didn't. It's fun to see how things change from year to year, so I'm looking forward to doing this again next year.

Saints Nation: Mark Brunell to Jets?

2010-06-01T09:27:00.000-05:00

Rumor around the league is that Mark Brunell has a handshake agreement in place with the Jets, and he'll sign with the team as soon as he is able to. The Jets are handicapped by the same "final 8" rule that the Saints have been dealing with in free agency. Simply put, they cannot sign an unrestricted free agent unless they lose one of their own. That regulation comes to an end on July 22nd, at which point the Jets would be free to sign Brunell. Some believe this is a foregone conclusion, and the official announcement of the signing will be made once July 22nd passes.

Personally, this bothers me zero. Brunell made it clear in his start against Carolina last year that he's done. I've met him before and he's a super nice guy, a smart player, and he has a decorated career. But, at this point, I don't think he's capable of coming in and holding down the fort should something happen... I'm not even going to finish that sentence. Let's face it, the guy is 40 in September and it's time to move on. Right now Chase Daniel is Brunell's heir as the #2 quarterback, but Times-Picayune press continues to suggest a veteran will be added to the mix eventually. Like the Jets, I think the Saints are waiting till July 22nd so they are free from the shackles of the uncapped season free agent market. Based on the visits that went well with Patrick Ramsey and Josh McCown, I believe one of those two men will be the backup. While I think McCown is the better quarterback of the two, word has it Ramsey had the superior visit. My prediction is the Saints will sign Patrick Ramsey on July 23rd. Stay tuned...

Saints Nation: 5 Up and Coming Saints Players to Keep an Eye Out For in 2010

2010-05-31T11:15:00.003-05:00

As we approach closer to training camp, below is 5 players we should keep an eye on as Saints fans. They may not be established yet, but they have shown enough promise that they may be poised for breakout seasons in 2010.

5. WR/PR Rod Harper: It's hard to say if Harper will make the roster again in 2010 or not because it's crowded at receiver, but Harper was impressive in beating out Adrian Arrington for a final roster spot at the beginning of last season. He was by far the most impressive punt returner on the roster, and it's not impossible he'll get more looks in 2010 there. While the Saints value Reggie's explosiveness on punt returns, his performance in 2009 was disastrous on punt returns. Not till the playoffs, where he ran one back for a touchdown against the Cardinals, did Bush has any success returning punts. Harper is explosive and extremely talented. He is also a blossoming receiver with big play ability and good hands. If he can stay healthy, he may contribute on a weekly basis during the regular season.

4. LB Jonathan Casillas: Don't be surprised if this undrafted rookie free agent from a year ago beats out veteran Clint Ingram and current starter Jo-Lonn Dunbar for a starting spot at linebacker now that Scott Fujita is gone. In fill in roles last season he showed a lot of aggression, ability and promise. His weakness was over-pursuing plays at times, but that's something that can be improved with practice and coaching. He has the size, speed and technique to become a viable starter.

3. K Garrett Hartley: Some of you may already consider Hartley an established fixture, but his career is currently comprised of just two half seasons. The Saints picked him up half way through 2008, and he sat out the first four games of 2009 due to suspension before taking more time to regain his kicking role from John Carney. This will be Hartley's first chance to play through an entire season and cement himself as a reliable NFL kicker. Hartley didn't miss a kick in 13 tries in 2008, and he made huge kicks in the playoffs throughout the Saints' magical SuperBowl run. There's no question he has accuracy, leg strength, and the ability to make big kicks under pressure. Those three things can add up to a kicker having a very long, and very successful career. This will be the first time Hartley has a chance to build on his promising start for a full season.

2. HB Lynell Hamilton (pictured): The Saints' decision to pass on matching the Eagles' signing sheet offer to Mike Bell, despite the fact that they received no compensation, tells you all you need to hear about Hamilton. Clearly the Saints feel good about his performance, and how ready he is to step into the role Mike Bell had last year. Towards the end of the year, Hamilton was already starting get the short yardage reps ahead of Bell. Expect Hamilton to be second in the pecking order behind Pierre Thomas to get the bruising carries. Reggie Bush's role won't change with Bell gone, so my expectation is it'll just increase the load Hamilton has. He could be poised to have a big year, including many goal line carries, which could mean lots of touchdowns and some fantasy value.

1. DT Anthony Hargrove: Expect Hargrove's role to increase in 2010. He'll be lined up at DT on every single passing down, but don't be shocked if he lines up at end some on running downs as well. My prediction is that Hargrove will have upwards of 5 sacks on the season, and be a huge part of the Saints' success rushing the passer in 2010. I still think the Ellis-Ayodele combination is what we'll see on 1st and 10, but the Saints will want to give Hargrove more time on the field based on how well he played last year.

Saints Nation Fans Have Spoken: Jahri Evans is the Sean Payton Era's Best 4th Round Draft Pick

2010-05-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

No surprise that Jahri Evans received 91% of the vote in the Saints Nation poll asking fans which player was the best 4th round pick in the Sean Payton era. It's pretty remarkable how far this product of Bloomsberg College has come, considering he just signed a massive extensive worth over $55 million. Thanks for your participation in the poll and please vote in the new Saints Nation poll on the right side of the site: Which player is the best 5th round draft pick of the Sean Payton era?

Saints Nation: Pierre Thomas and Saints Apparently Far Apart in Contract Negotiations

2010-05-29T06:04:00.000-05:00

Reading THIS ARTICLE by Len Pasquarelli clued me in to the news for the first time that there are issues in the contract negotiations between the Saints and Pierre Thomas. There's no doubt that both sides want a long term deal done, but the Saints want to pay Thomas based more on what he's accomplished statistically thus far, whereas Thomas wants to be paid based on what he thinks he could become. If he's really asking for "money in the Steven Jackson range", which is 6 years and almost $45 million, I can see why there's slow progress. Don't get me wrong, Thomas is an awesome back and I would hate to lose him. I think he's a huge part of what the Saints do on offense. But $45 million over 6 years? As Pasquarelli points out, the Saints have already invested a mammoth contract in Jahri Evans, and they're looking at extending Drew Brees in the not too distant future. They have to be vigilant about how they spend their money and they can't spread it around too irresponsibly. This is the price you pay for being successful, and we've seen the Patriots go through it. Some promising young players leave because they want to get the big payday and weaker teams will oblige in paying their asking price. The Saints have too many good players to spend wastefully. The fact that Thomas is skipping OTAs after he said that he wouldn't suggests there's a real problem in negotiations. The article also informs us that Roman Harper is in the same boat. It looks like things are about to get more difficult this offseason for the Saints, and there's no guarantees PT Cruiser and Roman Harper will be with the Saints long term. I still think the Saints want to extend both players long term, but they'll either need to break the bank or the players will need to make some concessions. I'm not sure I see either happening but I'm hoping for the latter.

Saints Nation: Malcolm Jenkins Moved to Free Safety

2010-05-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

The big news coming out of OTAs (organized team activities) today, besides the scary news that Jeremy Shockey suffered a seizure, was that cornerback Malcolm Jenkins was getting the bulk of his reps at free safety. Luckily Shockey seems to be fine and they don't expect it's anything overly serious, so let us focus on the latter news instead. If you read the quotes from the article link, it sounds like Jenkins is not officially a free safety as much as he's being moved all over the place. What I take from the news is that the Saints will get creative about ways to get Jenkins on the field this year. I do think Jenkins is being groomed as Darren Sharper's eventual full time replacement, but while Sharper is still on the team starting, Jenkins will play nickel corner, strong safety and free safety depending on the defensive package the Saints implement on any given play. His role in the defensive backfield in the SuperBowl made it clear the Saints count on him as a reliable playmaker on the back end. Most of you will remember he responded by playing a fantastic game.

This news does make life more difficult for Chip Vaughn, Usama Young and Pierson Prioleau. Why? Well, it means the Saints have one more player that's in the mix at free safety that they can use. Based on Jenkins' skill and promise, I think he's immediately thrust ahead of all those players in the pecking order. It means the three players above are going to see the field less in passing downs, and they're going to have to impress more on special teams. Keep an eye on how those 3 players perform in camp and preseason, because at least one will likely be cut before the 53 man roster is finalized.

Saints Nation: Pierre Thomas and Jammal Brown Are No Shows at OTAs

2010-05-27T03:46:00.000-05:00

The Saints still have four restricted free agents that do not have signed contracts with the team. While Lance Moore and Roman Harper haven't let that prevent them from coming to OTAs, Pierre Thomas and Jammal Brown have elected not to participate as they hold out for contracts. Before anyone panics, we all know that a long term extension is coming for Thomas. My guess is that his extension is Mickey Loomis' offseason priority at this point, so I expect something to get done in the not too distant future. I am a little surprised PT decided to skip these practices, though, because I was under the impression he wasn't going to put up much distraction while his contract was worked out. Perhaps they've come to a sticking point in negotiations and his agent advised him to change his approach to help things along? Long term deals for running backs are always the toughest to negotiate, because the back feels like they're a playmaking contributor that deserves a hefty sum, and the team fears investing too much long term in a position that is so vulnerable to injury. I think most running backs realize their durability is less assured than some positions, so that adds to the issue as they want to get paid while they're healthy.

As we've discussed ad nauseam about Jammal Brown, there's still no telling where that is going. With the Saints trusting Jermon Bushrod and Zach Strief, and with them drafting Charles Brown, they don't need to invest longterm in Jammal. Based on his latest injury he does not have much of a bargaining chip. I still think he could get traded, but you can't trade a player with no contract. I could speculate about how that situation will resolve itself, but the reality is neither I nor anyone else (possibly including the Saints' front office) have any idea.

Good to see Roman and Lance getting their practice in regardless of the lack of movement in their long term deals. I'm sure they'll get their deals locked down, too, soon enough.

Saints Nation: Top 15 Bubble Players to Make Final 53 Man Roster for New Orleans Saints

2010-05-26T10:18:00.000-05:00

Below are the players I consider "bubble players", or players that are right in between being the last to make the squad and last to get cut. Here's 15 guys I believe will stick around till the very end and have their future as New Orleans Saints decided on the final day of cuts:

15. WR/PR Rod Harper: Harper was a surprise to make the 2009 roster thanks to his impressive explosiveness on punt returns. In fact, he likely cost Courtney Roby his opening day roster spot thanks to his special team prowess (Roby would later come back to the team in week 2). Harper also showed some impressive ability as a receiver, but he was placed on IR early in the season and never saw the field during the season. He'll have to bounce back from injury, and have an equally improbable run this camp/preseason to have a chance at landing another roster spot.

14. DE Jeff Charleston: The Saints went out and added both Alex Brown and Jimmy Wilkerson this offseason to add depth at defensive end, while subtracting Charles Grant. With Will Smith now less likely to serve a suspension, and Bobby McCray still on the roster, Charleston has an uphill battle to climb. Remember Anthony Hargrove can also play defensive end and the Saints like his versatility, so that also plays against Charleston's chances. Charleston had a lot of opportunities last year thanks to Charles Grant going down to injuries and Bobby McCray dealing with back issues all season, and he never impressed. He showed more promise in less reps in 2008, so he'll need to return to that form if he wants any chance to make the team.

13. LB Troy Evans: As always, Evans will make this team if he can prove his value on special teams. Evans also made it clear last year that he's a complete liability on defense in two spot starts. He's a proven commodity on special teams, so to me that's the only way he's making the team. He's got to prove once again that his abilities there are too good to pass up.

12. CB Leigh Torrence: Torrence, like Evans, will have his best shot at making the team by proving his worth on special teams. Drafting Patrick Robinson in the 1st round, as well as the return of Darren Sharper (which means Malcolm Jenkins stays at corner for now) has all of a sudden made for a very crowded, very good, and very young cornerback rotation. I'm not sure if Torrence factors in the equation there anymore, especially given his average play in spot duty last season. There is no question he's one of the best Saints on special teams, but that will dictate odds.

11. C Nick Leckey: Leckey was a backup most of last season to Jonathan Goodwin, and he's an experienced veteran that the Saints trust. The Saints drafted Matt Tennant of Boston College in this year's draft, however, and Leckey will face stiff competition from a promising youngster. I think the Saints hope, in a perfect world, that Tennant outperforms Leckey so they can trust him longterm with the backup center responsibility.

10. WR Adrian Arrington: The infatuation and buzz that most Saints fans have with this player is starting to wear off. He's shown promise, but has two flop seasons to show for it. After spending 2008 on IR the entire season, Arrington didn't make the final roster in 2009 and was shipped to the practice squad, before getting a late season call up. Ultimately, Arrington is never going to pass Colston, Henderson, Meachem and Lance Moore on the depth chart. I think Courtney Roby at kick returner is a lock, too, so Arrington's odds are based on whether or not the Saints keep 5 or 6 receivers. If they keep six, he has to prove that he's their 5th best (because Roby, while not better, will make the team). Right now that spot belongs to him, but it's no given he can stay healthy, and it's no given he'll outperform guys like Rod Harper that are playing hard behind him. An injury to one of the top guys helps his chances immensely, but he's going to need an impressive and injury free camp/preseason to pull this off.

9. S Chip Vaughn: I like this guy, but it's an uphill battle when you're only season with the Saints as a rookie in 2009 was spent on IR in it's entirety. We pretty much have no idea how good this guy is. Here's what we do know: the Saints will probably keep 5 safeties, and Roman Harper and Darren Sharper are locks. That leaves Chris Reis, Pierson Prioleau, Usama Young and Vaughn to battle for 3 spots. Vaughn will need to be healthy, and prove he's more valuable on special teams than at least one of those three players. No easy feat, but Reis, Young and Prioleau are all excellent special teamers.

8. LB Stanley Arnoux: Like Vaughn, he spent all of 2009 on IR. Tough way to spend your rookie season to be sure. Arnoux is coming off a ruptured Achilles tendon, though, so his injury was a major one. It's going to be tougher for him to come back than most of the others listed above. The Saints invested a relatively high draft pick in him last year, but Sean Payton has shown in his time with the Saints that he's never afraid to cut a player the Saints have invested in in favor of a better performer. Guys like Colston, Pierre Thomas and Lance Moore, to name a few, have become roster staples because Payton is committed to playing the best. Arnoux is going to have to show his abilities and prove he's recovered from that serious injury.

7. FB Jason McKie: McKie is a solid player that under normal circumstances should be a lock, but the Saints have historically only carried one fullback on the roster. Assuming he's recovered from his knee injury, which is no given, Heath Evans is the unquestioned starter at fullback. That said, McKie's hopes of making the team are contingent on either Evans not being 100% or the team making a change in philosophy. I actually think both are possible. Evans sustained a major injury that's tough to come back from, and I'm sure the Saints will want to gradually ease him into the fold. Also worth considering is that Mike Karney in 2008 and Evans in 2009 sustained injuries as the lone fullback on the roster, leaving the Saints depleted at the position in consecutive years. The Saints went scrambling on the open market to find replacements, and never really found anything suitable. Past history has burned the Saints, so they may be looking at keeping two fullbacks this year to start the season to leave themselves less vulnerable to the same problem. David Thomas filled in ok last year, but let's be serious, fullback is not his position.

6. S Pierson Prioleau: Given the fact that he's 32 and a 12 year veteran, I think Payton would ideally like to see Chip Vaughn perform well and steal a roster spot away from Prioleau. That said, we also know that Prioleau is a favorite of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, as he's played for him on three different teams. Prioleau is no lock, but he's a steady rotation defender and a great special teamer. He's been around the league long enough that he knows what he needs to do to make the team.

5. S Chris Reis: Reis is not only a standout special teamer, he emerged as the primary backup to Roman Harper at strong safety last season. That was a little surprising, but Reis performed fairly well when he played. I think Reis' standing with the team is currently more secure than Prioleau's and Vaughn's, because he's #2 at strong safety and a better special teamer than both, but we'll have to see if that remains the case.

4. DT DeMario Pressley (pictured): I'm surprised Pressley didn't get more reps last year because he played well when he was in, but the drafting of Al Woods complicates things for Pressley. Last year's starters Remi Ayodele and Sedrick Ellis are locks, and you figure Hargrove and Al Woods are locks too. It's hard to imagine the Saints keeping 5 defensive tackles on the roster, and there is no way the Saints are letting Hargrove or Woods go. Pressley will have to outperform Ayodele, who's a much more efficient run stopper, to make the team. An injury ahead of him would also increase his chances.

3. LB Marvin Mitchell: Mitchell saw the field a decent amount last year when Gregg Williams decided to employ a 3-4 defense and played pretty well. Mitchell is the primary backup to Jonathan Vilma at middle linebacker and I don't really see that changing unless Stanley Arnoux comes in and blows the staff's socks off. That scenario is possible, but also pretty unlikely.

2. S Usama Young: Young was the primary backup at free safety last year, and it seemed like he handled himself pretty well. He did record an interception when he came in in a spot start for Darren Sharper. He also was burned badly on a touchdown pass in the SuperBowl. I think Young's roster spot is pretty safe, but I'm not really certain how the move from corner to safety is going for him. Not only are Prioleau and Vaughn vying for his playing time, but a possible move from Malcolm Jenkins to free safety somewhere down the line could really threaten his roster spot. That may be this year, or it may be two years from now. Usama Young is one of the most reliable special teamers with the team, though, so that alone should keep him safe.

1. CB Randall Gay: Gay didn't have a great year last year, and all of a sudden the Saints have an influx of young talent at corner. What a difference a couple of years makes. With Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter and Malcolm Jenkins all currently ahead of Gay in the pecking order at corner, Gay becomes a rather old and expensive player to be the #4 guy in the rotation. Gay isn't a standout special teamer, either, and typically the further down on the depth chart you are, the more important it is you contribute on special teams. Don't forget the Saints drafted Patrick Robinson, too, in the first round. Still, the Saints will likely keep 5 corners, at least, and it's an uncapped year. I think Gay is pretty safe this season, but he makes a lot of money to be that far down on the depth chart. That's going to come back to bite him eventually. I'm sure the Saints will want at least another year of development from Robinson and Jenkins before they cut the cord. Gay is still a physical and tough player that plays the slot pretty well. I don't see the Saints going with Leigh Torrence over Randall Gay, but it's possible.

Saints Nation: Joe Horn in Saints' Hall of Fame

2010-05-25T12:13:00.000-05:00

It was just a matter of time before Joe Horn was added to the Saints Hall of Fame. Today the Saints will announce he is a member of the 2010 class.

Check out some of the accolades he compiled during his time as a receiver for the Saints:

Most all time receiving TDs in Saints history with 50.
Most all time receiving yards in a season with 1399 (he also holds the 2nd, 3rd and 4th most all time).
Tied with Colston for most receiving TDs in a season all time with 11.
2nd most all time for receptions in a season with 94 (done twice, Colston with 98).

2nd most all time for receptions in a career with Saints with 523 (Eric Martin with 532)
2nd most all time for receiving yard in a career with Saints with 7622 (Eric Martin with 7854)

Along with Eric Martin, Joe "Hollywood" Horn is a top two receiver in Saints history without question. Horn was also a member of the team in 2000 that gave the Saints their first playoff victory in team history. The outspoken receiver is probably most known, though, for his cell phone touchdown celebration (pictured) on National TV. That game was a memorable one for Horn's play on the field too. It was his best game, as he caught 9 passes for 133 yards and 4 touchdowns, in a 45-7 beat down of the Giants. He also had 180 yards receiving in a game against the 49ers in 2000, and a 13 catch, 150 yard and a touchdown performance against the Panthers in 2001. Horn played 102 games for the Saints and was the go to playmaker for most of them. He made the Pro Bowl 4 times in 6 seasons with the Saints. The only black mark on Horn's history with the Saints was his departure from the team in 2007, which led to him signing with the arch rival Falcons. Still,I think it's fair to say that's mostly forgiven at this point.

Thanks for the memories #87, glad to see you in the Saints' hall where you belong!

Saints Nation: Saints Reportedly Add Fullback Jason McKie to Roster

2010-05-24T00:01:00.019-05:00

ESPN Chicago has reported word that the Saints have signed recently released Bear fullback Jason McKie (link). McKie was originally an undrafted player out of Temple that has been in the league 9 years. He was the starting fullback for the Bears up until his released this offseason.

I think the question on everyone's mind is "what does this mean for Heath Evans?". Before anyone gets too worried, McKie is 30 years old and he's primarily a run blocker. He doesn't have the athleticism or versatility that Evans brings to the fullback position. He's a decent player, but a bit of a one trick pony. Evans is still recovering from knee surgery, so the signing could mean that he is still not 100% recovered and ready to go. I'm sure this will figure itself out in camp, so we'll just have to wait, but I'm going to throw out the idea that it's possible the Saints may consider keeping two fullbacks on their roster this year. The last two years the Saints have had their starting fullback on injured reserve (Evans and Mike Karney the year before) and they were left scrambling the waiver wire to find a replacement because they only carried one fullback on the roster. It's not impossible both players could end up making the Saints' final roster if the Saints decide they need an insurance policy at fullback this year. As decent as David Thomas was filling in, we all know fullback is not his natural position. I wouldn't necessarily read anything into Heath Evans' future, or recovery process, based on this pickup. I consider it just an insurance policy for the time being, but McKie will be allowed to compete like any other player in camp.

Thanks to my source for all things Bears, JLAW, I got the scoop on McKie from a Bears fan's perspective. "He's not bad. He's a good blocker and a good guy that stays out of trouble. A team leader type". Sounds like he fits the high character type player the Saints always look for to a T.

Saints Nation Fans Have Spoken: Jimmy Graham Is the Sean Payton Era's Best 3rd Round Pick

2010-05-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

Jimmy Graham got a big vote of confidence from the Saints Nation fans, who voted him as the best 3rd round pick of the Sean Payton era. Surprisingly, Sean Payton has only drafted 3 3rd round picks in his 5 year history with the Saints. Perhaps that's an insight into how he values that round and stage of the draft. With one of those picks, Andy Alleman, no longer on the team, the only real choices were the promising new tight end Graham, or special team ace and defensive backfield reserve Usama Young. A little surprising that Graham took 57% of the vote, since Young has been a productive role player and Graham has yet to see the field, but I think it speaks to how excited fans are about the athleticism and promise Graham has. Thanks for your participation and please vote in the new Saints Nation poll on the right side of the site: Which 4th round draft choice is the best of the Sean Payton era?

Saints Nation: No Suspension for Will Smith After All?

2010-05-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

I'm officially tired of hearing and writing about the StarCaps case. Just when I think there's going to be some resolution, good or bad, a new development happens to delay things. I wish Smith would either just serve his suspension and get it over with, or get off the hook immediately. As it stands, yet another appeal in the case stands to delay the outcome. I read THIS on Nola.com which suggests Smith may be "eligible for the entire 2010 season". This comes after I posted earlier this month that Smith would be suspended for the first four games, based on a Jeff Duncan tweet. It sounds great to me if this works out in the Saints' favor, but let it be known that I'm done reading, hearing, writing or talking about this until there's a final resolution. No more speculation, as the StarCaps has gotten beyond ridiculous.

I will say if Smith HAS to miss 4 games, I'd rather it be earlier in the season rather than later, but hopefully that suspension will never come to fruition. Who even knows at this point?

Saints Nation: I'm Glad Sean Payton Shot Down Russell to Saints Talk

2010-05-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

Most of you know by now that I'm a big LSU fan. During his time at LSU, I thought Russell was a similar player to what he's been labeled as in the NFL. Overweight, lazy, severely limited in the intangibles departed, and supremely talented. He's so talented, in fact, that he's fooled many into looking past the warning signs. I know Russell had a lot of success at LSU, but his stint with the Raiders is further proof that NFL rookie contracts are ridiculous. I've always hoped he would play well, as a former Tiger, but there's no way I would ever want him on the Saints. In my opinion, the guy is not salvageable. Some people suggested he'd be a great fit for the Saints as a backup, learning under the tutelage of Drew Brees and Sean Payton. The theory is that if anyone get cultivate his talent, it's the Saints. Well, I for one am glad Payton shot that theory down fast enough so that we don't have to discuss it.

Russell's character, pure and simple, does not fit with the Saints' philosophy. If the guy can't get motivated for what, at the time, was the biggest rookie contract in NFL history, how is he going to get motivated by the NFL minimum? Let's face it, that's all a team is going to risk on the guy at this point. If I was Russell, I would ride on into the sunset and retire. Unless he needs more money, somehow. Then, sure, play on a team stupid enough to hand you $300,000 a year to hold a clipboard. Otherwise, what's the point? The guy doesn't really care about playing football, and he's never going to put in the work to be that good. He's gotten by his whole career leading up to the pros playing on his talent alone and it's finally caught up to him. Even if he had a change of heart, who's going to invest in him again and believe in him? He's already demonstrated he has no leadership skills. Sometimes falling in love with a physical specimen is a very dangerous game to play. Just ask Jim Haslett about the time he went out and got TeBucky Jones. A fast safety with size and hitting ability that had no idea how to play football, wrap up on a tackle or catch a football. What a liability he was for the Saints' defense, and at a hefty price. The Saints have gotten to a point where they're an elite team that sports character players with tremendous ability. Pet projects are not something they need to be wasting their time on, because the negatives of adding Russell by far outweigh any positive. You know how far Russell's stock has dropped when I say I'd rather give Chase Daniel a chance. And yes, you heard me correctly. Given the choice between the two, at this point, and at the same price, I'd pick Daniel. You can't teach work ethic and Russell has none. I wish him the best but I believe he is an utter waste of time and I'm glad the Saints feel the same way.

Saints Nation: Clint Ingram Is Newest Saints Addition

2010-05-19T18:57:00.000-05:00

It's official, Clint Ingram has signed a one year deal and is the newest member of the New Orleans Saints. He'll help fill the void left by departed linebacker Scott Fujita. Man, it really bums me out that we lost Fujita. How did we let that happen?

Anyway, Ingram will compete for a starting spot with Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Jonathan Casillas. The good news is Gregg Williams coached Ingram back in 2008 in Jacksonville, so he obviously likes him and he should be familiar with the defense. That should give him a leg up in his transition with the Saints. I expect him to compete for a starting spot, though I'm hopeful our up and coming young backers will outperform him. Either way he provides nice depth.

Saints Nation: Chance to Win 2 Saints Season Tickets in Raffle

2010-05-19T10:13:00.000-05:00

A family is raffling off 2 plaza level season tickets, with the proceeds going to their church's mission trip.

The details are:

2 Saints Season Tickets (plaza level)

$25 per chance

only 500 chances sold

All money to support mission work

Go HERE to check out the site and enter the raffle.

Saints Nation: Saints Are Close to Signing Linebacker Clint Ingram

2010-05-18T07:26:00.000-05:00

Per NFL reporter Jason LaCanfora's twitter page: "Free agent LB Clint Ingram mulling offer from New Orleans. Could well end up with the world champs." Ingram was a restricted free agent for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He had originally received a small qualifying offer from the Jags, but the team later rescinded their offer making him an unrestricted free agent free to sign with anyone. Ingram has been a somewhat productive and decent player, and at just 27 years of age it's a little surprising he hasn't received much interest. The Saints' offer is apparently in the $1.2 million neighborhood, so it's clear they're lowballing him and hoping to get him at a reduced rate. They used this same philosophy with Darren Sharper last year and it turns out very well, but by no means is Ingram on that level. Ingram's best season came in his rookie year when he tallied 71 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception. Last year, his 4th season in the NFL, he posted 52 tackles. Ingram played in 13 games last year, starting 12. He'll compete for a chance to start with the Saints should he sign.

I hope the Saints get this guy. They're very young and inexperienced at linebacker after Jonathan Vilma and Scott Shanle. I'm not saying this guy will come in and make a huge impact, and I'm not even sure he'll crack the starting lineup, but the Saints need a veteran that can come in and compete. The more the Saints can push Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Jonathan Casillas' progression, the better. Especially at the price they're trying to get Ingram, a failed experiment would have been worth it. The flip side is they get him at a very affordable rate and get tremendous value out of it. Fingers crossed he becomes a member of the Black and Gold soon.

Saints Nation Fans Have Spoken: Tracy Porter Is the Sean Payton Era's Best 2nd Round Pick

2010-05-17T13:52:00.000-05:00

After his performance in the SuperBowl, how could Tracy Porter not win this poll? Saints Nation fans picked him as the best 2nd round pick of the Sean Payton era by a landslide with 94% of the vote, leaving table scraps for Roman Harper and Charles Brown. Thanks for your participation in the poll, and please vote in the new Saints Nation poll on the right side of the site: Who is the best 3rd round draft pick of the Saints in the Sean Payton era?

Saints Nation: Former Saints Norman Hand Dies at the Age of 37

2010-05-15T00:01:00.003-05:00

Former Saint Norman Hand has passed away at the young age of 37. He collapsed in his home in Walterboro, SC and died shortly after (STORY). While Hand battled weight issues throughout his NFL career and after his playing days, he was best known for his standout run stopping ability. Hand also had a very outgoing personality that quickly made him a fan favorite in New Orleans. His best year with the Saints was his first year with the team in 2000 when the team won their first ever playoff game in franchise history. Hand was nicknamed "Big Wiggle" for his wiggle dance celebration following the numerous big plays he made.

Besides Deuce, "Big Wiggle" was one of my favorite Saints of the Haslett era. He never shied away from showing off his big friendly smile and he was always kind and gracious the times I saw him in interviews or interacting with fans. In his prime he could push the pile like few dominant defensive tackles. He played with the Saints from 2000 to 2002. RIP Big Wiggle, we will miss you.

Saints Nation: Civil Suit Withdrawn, Saints Going to Arbitration

2010-05-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

THIS ARTICLE confirms that the suit made against the Saints in the Vicodin scandal is headed to arbitration. This news isn't really good or bad, because an arbitration will settle the money amount Santini is owed in this case. Instead of a jury ruling it will be a judge behind closed chambers. Ultimately the Saints stand to possibly lose money, which is what they risked in the lawsuit all the same. The bigger fear down the road is the possible federal charges facing Joe Vitt, Mickey Loomis, and possibly Sean Payton. Add to that the possible sanctions the NFL might impose on the team. As fans, those are the things we should be most concerned about.

LAGNIAPPE:

Rodney Leisle released, and sign receiversLarry Beavers and Andy Tanner.

Interview with Thomas Morstead on CSC

Saints Nation: Former Employee Geoff Santini Speaks Out in Vicodin Case

2010-05-13T00:01:00.000-05:00

We received over the past couple of days some details of Santini's allegations against the Saints. ESPN.com posted THIS STORY which includes the public comments Geoff Santini (the former employee accusing the Saints of criminal activity) has made about the case. More than anything, I just hate to see this case get this kind of national attention. The fact that it was on ESPN's front news page for the better part of 36 hours is not the kind of attention we want our team getting. As much as the organization is dismissing the merits of the case, it's a public black eye and it's lending itself to this kind of public attention is embarrassing. We all know that pain pills get passed around in professional sports locker rooms like candy, but the crimes the Saints are being accused of are serious. Between stealing narcotics, which Santini claims Joe Vitt and Sean Payton are both guilty of, and covering up a felony, which Santini blames Mickey Loomis of doing, this is not pretty. I keep hoping this is resolved quickly and quietly, but it's not looking good.

In other news, THIS STORY confirms the Saints have signed former 3rd round draft choice receiver Roy Hall. Hall is 26, big and fast, so what's not to like in the receiver? Well, he gets hurt all the time. He's got promise if he can stay healthy, but that's been the major if for this guy's entire career. He'll come into camp and compete, likely ending up as a camp body unless he can really turn some heads.

Saints Nation: Team's Priority is Currently on Extending Their Stars

2010-05-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

With the free agency period and the NFL draft wrapped up, the Saints are currently turning their attention to their own restricted free agents. The 7 year contract the Saints just agreed to with guard Jahri Evans was the precursor to what we can expect to see over the coming weeks in Saints news. The current remaining players that the Saints have exclusive negotiating rights with, but no current contract, are Pierre Thomas (pictured), Roman Harper, Lance Moore and Jammal Brown. There's still a big question mark surrounding Jammal Brown's future with the team, but it's safe to say the other three are in the team's future plans. As quiet as those players have been, it's safe to assume both sides have agreed to keep things on the down low while agents and the Saints' brass attempt to work out the negotiating terms of these extensions. These players are all a big part of the Saints' present AND future, so the sooner these deals can get struck the better. Getting the Jahri Evans deal done was a step in the right direction towards getting this behind us. Stayed tuned...

Saints Nation: Saints Add 2 New Rookie Free Agents

2010-05-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

Auburn receiver Montez Billings (pictured) and Kentucky linebacker Sam Maxwell are the newest additions to the Saints' roster. Can you say camp body? Billings didn't play last season for apparent academic reasons, so I don't see how he'll be able to make the team with the crowd ahead of him. Maxwell did have 6 interceptions last year for Kentucky as a linebacker, and a some of the guys ahead of him (Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Jonathan Casillas) were undrafted free agents... so you never know.

Saints Nation Fans Have Spoken: Reggie Bush Is the Sean Payton Era's Best 1st Round Pick

2010-05-10T00:01:00.001-05:00

Saints Nation fans picked Reggie Bush as the best 1st round pick in the Sean Payton era. 46% of you went with Reggie, so he ended up winning by a fairly wide margin. Second place was tight with Sedrick Ellis getting 26% of the vote, and Robert Meachem receiving 24%. Thanks for your participation, and please vote in the new Saints Nation poll: Who is the best 2nd round pick of the Sean Payton era? The poll can be found on the right side bar.

Saints Nation: Jimmy Graham Could Make Most Meaningful Immediate Impact

2010-05-09T12:32:00.001-05:00

With rookie mini camps underway this weekend, rookie Jimmy Graham is getting lots of talk. The Times-Picayune wrote about him turning heads and making the biggest statement early on in the workouts. Graham played basketball for 4 years at Miami before he used one last year of eligibility to play football with the Hurricanes. At 6'6", he sports a huge frame and uncanny athleticism. I'm going to go ahead and make the prediction now that Graham will have the biggest impact as a rookie on the Saints.

If you look at the Saints' picks this year, Patrick Robinson and Charles Brown will likely be eased into their NFL careers. Barring injuries, I don't really see either playing much in their first season. Robinson will get reps on special teams, but neither player will likely crack the starting lineup. I think Al Woods likely has the best chance to start of any rookie on the Saints, but I also think it's more likely he'll platoon in a defensive tackle rotation on running downs. As for Jimmy Graham, if he's even half as good of a receiver as people are suggesting he might be, Sean Payton will find a way to get him on the field. While there's little chance he'll pass Jeremy Shockey and David Thomas on the depth chart, we all know how much Sean Payton loves to rotate players and shift lineups. I think Graham will be a great fit as a red zone target. In addition, Shockey has struggled to stay healthy with any sort of consistency in his seasons as a Saint. Should something happen to him, I wouldn't be surprised to see Graham get on the field very often. I could see him ending the year with about 30 receptions and 5 touchdowns, if he does all the little things the coaches ask of him. You know Brees loves a big target with sure hands. Just ask Marques Colston or Antonio Gates.

This isn't as bold of a prediction as you might think. While there's no denying that Graham is raw in his football skills, the guy is big, he can run and he can catch. Those are qualities you can't teach, and he'll be a new weapon in an offense that's already unstoppable. What we've learned watching Brees for this long is it doesn't matter if you're a 10 year veteran or an undrafted rookie... he doesn't play favorites. If you're open, you're getting the football. Keep an eye on this kid...

Saints Nation: Getting to know Al Woods

2010-05-07T21:08:00.000-05:00

Saints' draftee and LSU Tiger Al Woods spent some time as a resident blogger on Canal Street Chronicles this week, and made several separate installments on the Saints blog. Very interesting reads that I recommend taking the time to check out. Al seems like a diehard Saints fan and a great guy. Looking forward to seeing him on the field.

Draft Days: Too Nervous to Watch (Part 1)

Draft Days: And Then the Phone Rang (Part 2)

Draft Days: I've Always Been with the Saints (Part 3)

Video of Al Woods Receiving the Saints' Call (Part 4)

Enjoy!

Saints Nation: Will Smith To Be Suspended First Four Games of 2010 Season

2010-05-06T12:30:00.000-05:00

Will the StarCaps saga ever end? Jeff Duncan pointed my attention this morning to THIS ARTICLE via his twitter account. It sounds like the Saints' top pass rusher and Pro Bowl defensive end Will Smith will miss the first four games of the 2010 season. That ruling affects Charles Grant, too, and since he's a free agent it may make it tougher on him to find a new team. Deuce McAllister is also in the mix, but since he's retired it's a moot point. Since the NFL elected to postpone suspending Smith until this case ruling in Minnesota was resolved, it now looks like the suspension is inevitable barring appeal.

What's frustrating about this is Smith was supposed to serve these 4 games in 2008. Then it was the beginning of the 2009 season. Now it's next season. He's still facing what I think is unfair punishment for something that is now dragging over 2 years. The good news is the Saints signed Jimmy Wilkerson and Alex Brown in the offseason, who are two proven veterans at the same position. Add Bobby McCray, Jeff Charleston and possibly Anthony Hargrove to the mix (Hargrove's primary position is defensive tackle, but he can play end) and the Saints should be able to absorb the loss of Smith for four weeks. In fact, with the additions of Brown and Wilkerson, the Saints are arguably as deep as they've ever been at defensive end. Sure, they've lost Charles Grant, but his production since the signing of his absurd contract was unimpressive. And they'd be starring at a four game suspension for him too if he was still on the ball club. It makes you wonder if the Saints knew this was coming, and prepared accordingly. At this point I think I'm just hopeful Smith serves his suspension and gets this over with. It's time to put StarCaps behind us.

Saints Nation: Saints Make Jahri Evans the Richest Guard in NFL History

2010-05-05T13:15:00.003-05:00

Jahri Evans will be a Saint for quite some time to come. The superstar guard signed a 7 year, $56.7 million deal to finalize his restricted free agent status this offseason. The deal makes him the highest paid offensive guard in NFL history. As far as I'm concerned the guy deserves every penny because he's been a stud the last three years and has clearly demonstrated he's the best player on arguably the best offensive line in the league. Last year Evans was finally elected to his first Pro Bowl, though his performances in his first two seasons were good enough to deserve the same. Congrats to #73, looking forward to seeing you in black and gold for many season to come!

Now that he's locked up, we're just waiting on Pierre Thomas, Lance Moore and Roman Harper to follow suit with long term extensions. Jammal Brown is also a restricted free agent yet to sign a contract, so it remains to be seen what will be done with him as well. Trade rumors on draft day were heard, and based on his injury history a long term extension seems less likely.

Saints Nation: P.J. Hill Back with Saints

2010-05-05T09:21:00.000-05:00

P.J. Hill came extremely close to making the team last season over Lynell Hamilton, and he's back in Saints camp for another year. Hill lead the Saints in rushing last preseason and he'll compete for a chance to earn the third and fourth running back spot on the team's roster. Based on his promise a year ago, I wouldn't be against him making the team. Welcome back!

Saints Nation Quote of the Week

2010-05-04T13:13:00.002-05:00

"I don't see what the big deal is, Vicodin is just a stronger version of Tylenol" - Anonymous Saints fan on some forum

Haha! WOW. Try a weaker version of heroin.

Saints Nation: The Current Unofficial New Orleans Saints' Depth Chart

2010-05-04T10:21:00.000-05:00

Based on the re-signing of Darren Sharper, the roster looks at least temporarily complete. I've decided to list the depth chart as I currently see it. This includes the restricted free agents that are exclusive Saints' property though they've yet to sign a contract:

QB: Drew Brees, Chase Daniel, Sean Canfield
HB: Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush, Lynell Hamilton, Christian Ducre, Chris Ivory, Carlos Brown
FB: Heath Evans, Marcus Mailei, Zak Keasey
WR: Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, Lance Moore, Adrian Arrington, Courtney Roby, Rod Harper, Matt Simon, Chris Bell
TE: Jeremy Shockey, David Thomas, Tory Humphrey, Tyler Lorenzen, Jimmy Graham
T: Jammal Brown, Jon Stinchcomb, Jermon Bushrod, Zach Strief, Charles Brown, Jermey Parnell
G: Jahri Evans, Carl Nicks, Tim Duckworth, Brandon Carter, Joe Tonga
C: Jonathan Goodwin, Nick Leckey, Matt Tennant

E: Will Smith, Alex Brown, Bobby McCray, Jimmy Wilkerson, Jeff Charleston, Junior Galette, Brandon Sharpe
DT: Sedrick Ellis, Remi Ayodele, Anthony Hargrove, DeMario Pressley, Rodney Leisle, Al Woods, Earl Heyman, Jay Ross
OLB: Scott Shanle, Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Jonathan Casillas, Troy Evans, Anthony Waters, Jason Beauchamp, Harry Coleman
MLB: Jonathan Vilma, Marvin Mitchell, Stanley Arnoux
CB: Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter, Randall Gay, Malcolm Jenkins, Leigh Torrence, Patrick Robinson, Reggie Jones, Greg Fassitt, Patrick Robinson, Marcell Young, Glenn Sharpe, Rafael Priest
FS: Darren Sharper, Usama Young, Chip Vaughn, Ryan Hamilton
SS: Roman Harper, Pierson Prioleau, Chris Reis

K: Garrett Hartley
P: Thomas Morstead
LS: Jason Kyle, Clint Gresham

Saints Nation: Darren Sharper re-signs a 1 year deal with Saints

2010-05-03T16:51:00.000-05:00

Yessss!!!!!!!!! After all that, Darren Sharper is back with the New Orleans Saints! He has signed a one year deal, and he confirmed this on his twitter account. You can also visit details of the story HERE.

I'm feeling pretty good about Two-Dat all of a sudden.

Saints Nation: Vicodin Theft Accusation Spells Trouble for Saints

2010-05-03T08:15:00.001-05:00

So much for that squeaky clean reputation the Saints' front office, staff and players have enjoyed during the Sean Payton era. By now, most of you are familiar with the suit currently facing the Saints, which alleges that two senior staff members (rumored to be assistant coach Joe Vitt and head coach Sean Payton) stole the pain killing pill Vicodin from team supplies without a prescription. The suit claims Mickey Loomis was aware of the issue and ordered that it essentially be ignored, and it also claims to have video evidence of Joe Vitt stealing said medication.

It seems like most Saints fans believe this is nothing more than a greedy and desperate disgruntled former employee looking for a cash grab. Part of me agrees with this because it's clear that money is the main motivating factor in this man coming forward and exposing this story to the public, true or untrue. That said, this man Geoff Santini who is accusing the organization of these unlawful crimes is a retired FBI special agent. He's obviously a threat in that he knows how to collect evidence, and he's likely not reckless or stupid in making any serious claims. I believe the bottom line is that pills were stolen from the team's stash. If you steal medication you do not have a prescription for, that is a felony. I don't think Santini would fabricate that story out of thin air, so I do believe there's at least partial truth in his claims. I don't doubt for one second, though, that he may have sensationalized his story in order to go for the jugular.

None of us should be that worried about this particular case because the only thing that stands to happen is an exchange of money. Santini still has to prove beyond reasonable doubt facing Saints' lawyers in a court of law that his claims are true. That will be no easy feat, but if he does he would be awarded a nice chunk of change. I do think there's a decent chance this may get settled outside of court because the Saints will want this to go away. What we should be worried about is the state charges that could follow this case, and the possible jail time Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis, Joe Vitt and others could face. If Vitt and Payton both really stole Vicodin, they're facing a possible felony charge. Loomis is facing the possible cover up of a felony, based on the charges. This could cause a serious distraction to both the team and the players. Depending on how far this goes it could weigh heavily on the coaching staff's mind smack dab in the heart of the regular season. We know how long these kind of proceedings can drag out, and without resolution something of this nature can stay in the back of someone's mind for a long time. Sadly I think this claim is just the beginning of what will be a long and taxing process to uncover the truth.

Whether some or all of the Saints' staff are innocent from these charges, they'll have to worry about proving it over the course of a long period of time. The effects could ultimately hinder the team's performance, and as fans that is what we should be worried about the most. On top of that, we're looking at a possible public black eye for the organization on a national scale, and maybe jail time down the road for some of the team's biggest masterminds. That's all worse case scenario, but we shouldn't be naive about the fact that these charges are very serious, and there's probably no easy way out of this.

Saints Nation: Heath Evans' Softball Event A Big Success

2010-05-01T07:41:00.000-05:00

The softball showdown at Zephyr field was a raging success in large part thanks to the Saints fans. The turnout was close to selling out Zephyr field, and fans were treated to a great softball game by their favorite athletes. You can read a review of the game and evening HERE. Proceeds from the event went to the Heath Evans Foundation, designed to give counseling to sexually abused children. More information on the foundation can be found HERE.

Congrats to the fans for making this event so special, and thank you to the players, particularly Heath Evans, for putting on something the fans could really enjoy!

Saints Nation: Getting to Know Saints' Undrafted Rookie Free Agent Marcell Young

2010-04-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

Here's an interview with new Saints' cornerback and undrafted rookie free agent Marcell Young. This is a great interview as he showed a lot of personality in his answers. I like this guy already. Hopefully he can compete and make his way onto the team. I think he could become a fan favorite in the making. Thanks again to Marcell and good luck this season!!

Saints Nation: What were your expectations going into the draft? Were you told you'd be drafted by a certain round?

Marcell Young: Well I was expecting a late round chance in the 6th to 7th round. The Rams called me and told me they were going to take me in the seventh round but they didn't!

SN: I'm sure not getting drafted was a disappointment, but talk about the process afterward and how you feel about joining the Saints?

MY: After the draft I had about seven teams offer me a free agent deal and the Rams were one. I was upset with the Rams for not taking me in the seventh so when they called I declined their offer! When the Saints called, I was at my daughter's birthday party and they said they were trying to get a corner in free agency and said if I signed I would be the only one they signed. I asked them if I could think it over for a few minutes and they said ok, but right after we hung up Coach Payton and their DB coach called. I said to myself that they must really want me and that made me feel good so I chose my favorite team! All the other teams that I talked to, their head coach or db coach didn't get on the phone!

SN: Who is the toughest player you've gone up against during your college career?

MY: One of the toughest players I faced in college was Demetrius Byrd from LSU. We played junior college ball against each other.

SN: Do you know anyone on the Saints or have any ties with the team, or will you be going in completely blind?

MY: I don't know anyone on the Saints team! My mentor this past season was Deuce but he is no longer on the team. So it looks like I'll be completely blind, I hope they'll embrace me!

SN: Can you maybe tell the Saints fans what they should expect from you as a player? Any big time college moment experiences you want to share with us?

MY: The Saints fan should expect a hard working, blue collared guy who doesn't mind making an appearance to speak to kids or different events! They should expect me to make this team and contribute on where ever they coaches need me!

SN: What do you know about the Saints cornerback situation going in? It's crowded with depth so do you see it as an uphill battle making the team?

MY: Yeah, I know it's crowded, but I don't see it as an uphill battle because my play and overall work ethic will speak for itself! All the teams that called me had crowded secondaries so it wasn't going to be easy anywhere I went... But I don't want it to be easy! Thanks man! Who Dat!?

Saints Nation: Getting to Know Saints' Undrafted Rookie Free Agent Rafael Priest

2010-04-29T08:58:00.000-05:00

Saints' new rookie undrafted free agent Rafael Priest of TCU was kind enough to stop by Saints Nation and tell us a little bit about himself. I've got a few of these lined up so you can look forward to these in the coming days. Many thanks to Rafael for taking the time. He seems like a hard worker, a class act, and a player with potential. Best of luck to him!

Saints Nation: Welcome to the Saints and thanks for doing this! Can you tell me about the draft? Did you expect to get drafted and were you told you might go by a certain round?

Rafael Priest: I expected to get drafted in the late rounds and only the late rounds because I suffered a foot injury before we played in the Fiesta Bowl. So with that injury I didn't get to run a 40 time on my pro day, and the injury scared teams off. During the season I was projected to be a 4th-5th round pick.

SN: I'm sure not getting drafted was a disappointment, especially with your success prior to the injury, but talk about the process afterward and how you feel about joining the Saints?

RP: After the draft I was disappointed but I was very fortunate to join the world champion Saints!

SN: Who is the toughest player you've gone up against during your college career?

RP: Throughout my career at TCU I have faced plenty of great receivers and many of them are NFL starters/contributors. So for me to pin-point 1 particular receiver would be very tough!

SN: So do you know anyone on the Saints or have any ties with the team, or will you be going in completely blind?

RP: No I don't know anyone or have any ties with the Saints organization. Other than I played with David Roach who's currently a safety for the Rams, he started his career off with the Saints a couple of years ago.

SN: I saw you had a streak of 47 consecutive games started in college, is that right? That's a ridiculous stat. What else should Saints fans know about you as a player?

RP: Yea that's correct, I started every year I was at TCU. I always play like I'm the underdog. I'm only about 5'10 but when I play you would never know. I started the season ranked as rivals.com 6th best cornerback in the nation. I was also a 3rd team All-American on a couple of lists. My stats weren't that good this year because I didn't get much action on my side!

SN: What do you know about the Saints cornerback situation going in? It's crowded with depth so do you see it as an uphill battle making the team?

RP: I know its pretty stacked, but I also know a lot of corners got hurt this past season and they gave free agents opportunities. I have the mindset that I am a draft pick that slipped to free agency because of my prior injury that I'm now healthy from. Its gonna be a challenge, but I'm ready.

Saints Nation: Grading Drafts Is Stupid

2010-04-28T12:23:00.000-05:00

I will not be handing out a letter grade for the Saints' draft class, or anyone's. The idea that "experts" can tell how good or bad a draft is just hours after it happened has to be the most ridiculous concept I've ever heard. Like anyone would know what genius picks Jahri Evans and Marques Colston were going into the draft. Based on their production since the draft, both players would have been top 10 picks, not drafted in the 4th and 7th rounds respectively. I'm pretty sure Pierre Thomas wouldn't have gone undrafted either. Similarly, how often are picks labeled "can't miss" only to flop royally? I really don't think you can put any stock in how people grade draft classes unless those grades are given a MINIMUM of 3 years later. The bottom line is the draft isn't an exact science. Fans don't know what they're getting, media "experts" don't know, and the teams don't even know for sure. As much time that's spent scouting, interviewing, and testing, teams still get it wrong all the time.

So here's what I suggest you do if you hear any talk about the Saints having an awful or mediocre draft (or even a great one): wait at least three years before rushing to judgment. To further illustrate what a difference a year can make, consider that Meachem and Bushrod were both considered horrible picks leading up to 2009, a couple years into the careers of both players. Look how they contributed in 2009, and in one year the importance of those picks made a complete 180. Patience is a virtue.

Saints Nation: Former Saint Aaron Stecker Retires

2010-04-27T09:25:00.000-05:00

Amidst free agency, the draft, my interview with Jonathan Goodwin, and undrafted rookie signings, Aaron Stecker's retirement last week got lost in the shuffle. I did want to give the man his due, though, because while he was never a superstar in the league, he was always a very valuable role player. Stecker was a special teams captain and stalwart, but he was also a versatile back that could run outside, between the tackles, catch the football, and block. Stecker played 5 seasons for the Saints from 2004 to 2008, and started 15 games due to injuries to players ahead of him on the depth chart at running back. His most productive season was 2007 when he rushed for 448 yards, caught 36 passes, and scored 5 times. He also ran back a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown in 2004 against his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Thanks for the memories #27, and thanks for your time with the team. He was always a fun football player to watch, and he embodied the high character/hard working prototypical Saint we've come to expect over the last few years.