Acquiring vet Brunell eases Saints’ QB worries
March 16, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008Jimmy Smith
The expected arrival of quarterback Mark Brunell into the black-and-gold fold answers one of the most pressing offensive questions for the Saints, and brings up another intriguing, but far more trivial, query.
Let’s put aside the mundane first.
Throughout his 14-year NFL career, Brunell has worn the number “8.”
Of course, legendary Archie Manning wore that same number here in New Orleans, primarily because when, as a rookie, he joined the Saints out of Ole Miss, his college number of 18 was worn by defensive back Hugo Hollas.
So 8 it was.
In the four years before Manning became a member of the Saints, no player had worn No. 8 in a regular-season game.
Since Manning was ignominiously traded to the Houston Oilers in 1982 for overweight and out-of-shape left tackle Leon Gray — “We need a left tackle and Archie ain’t gonna play much left tackle” was Bum Phillips’ pithy explanation — no Saints player has worn No. 8 since.
The number isn’t retired by the Saints. They don’t do that any more, and through the years the team unceremoniously “unretired” previously set-aside numbers 31 (Jim Taylor) and 81 (Doug Atkins), presumably because of a dearth of available digits in the 30s and 80s.
But since Manning departed, if anyone has asked to wear No. 8, the request politely was declined by equipment manager Dan Simmons. No. 8 is simply no longer issued.
As it should not be.
Brunell will just have to settle for another numeral in what will likely be his last NFL stop.
On to the more pressing matter once Brunell signs his agreement here: Brunell’s presence as Drew Brees’ backup finally gives the Saints a comfort level they’ve lacked at the understudy position since then-recovering Brees signed as a free agent in March 2006.
Coming off shoulder surgery to repair a 360-degree tear of his right labrum and a slight slit in his rotator cuff, Brees was just one hit away from a recurrence of the injury during that first season in New Orleans, with the only quarterback in the wings being Jamie Martin.
Same for 2007.
Fortunately for the Saints, New Orleans’ offensive line performed above expectations in 2006 and kept that steady effort going throughout 2007, keeping Brees vertical for the most part and negating any fears of an injury that would have knocked Brees out of the lineup for any length of time, therefore keeping the Saints’ offense on its expected track.
Martin has enjoyed a serviceable NFL career, but make no mistake — had he been under center for the Saints in place of Brees, the Saints offense would have been no where near the league-leading machine it often was.
Brunell is a proven quarterback, who during his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars led them to two AFC championship games and helped the Jags become the first expansion team to make the playoffs three times in its four seasons.
Brunell was a Pro Bowl quarterback three times when he was in Jacksonville (1997, 1998 and 2000) and was the Pro Bowl MVP after the 1997 game.
Brunell’s presence will give the Saints a greater comfort level should disaster strike and Brees be injured and forced to miss extended playing time. While Brunell, 37, is no Brees, the Saints’ offense would be in far more capable hands if Brunell was playing than if Martin were.
Tyler Palko can now continue to serve his apprenticeship under the guidance of Brees and Coach Sean Payton, with another veteran mentor nearby who has an abundance of NFL experience, as Palko presumably is being groomed to one day take over the offense and run it in the same fashion in which fans have become accustomed.
And with Brunell around, the scary “what-if” scenario just doesn’t seem as foreboding as it once was.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Oh to be in Cleveland in the early spring. The Browns have no draft picks in the first three rounds of the April 26-27 draft. What’s a fan to do, especially on the first day? No fan-driven “Draft Central” clambakes, no tailgate parties on the shores of Lake Erie, an absence of never-ending palaver about which player should have been taken in that first spot, or second spot, or third spot, no obnoxious talk radio. The good news for Cleveland sports fans is that baseball’s Indians will be in the middle of a four-game home series draft weekend against the New York Yankees. . . .
Part of the lure of signing with the St. Louis Rams for quarterback Trent Green was the fact that he’ll get to end his NFL career in his hometown. Green continues to play despite some devastating concussions — remember the hit he took when he was with the Kansas City Chiefs that knocked him out in 2006? — begging the question. Why? “I know everybody out there is going to say, ‘Why keep playing? You played long enough. Had some success. Made some money,’ ” Green told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “But I love playing. The window is only so big, and I realize I’m getting toward the end of that. I still enjoy playing. I still enjoy the whole experience of it.” . . .
It seemed to be with a measure of sadness that Baton Rouge native Warrick Dunn left Atlanta. The Falcons released Dunn after signing Michael Turner as an unrestricted free agent. Dunn returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he began his pro career. “I’ve had some of the best years of my career (in Atlanta),” Dunn told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I hope people always remember the way I played, and that was with all my heart. I left everything I had out there on the field. Always. These are the hardest times for an athlete.”
TRASH or TREASURE?
March 16, 2008
NFC South teams were active in free agency, but expect the unexpected this fall
Sunday, March 16, 2008By Mike Triplett
On paper, the Saints should have won the NFC South in 2007.
On paper, they never should have had a chance in 2006.
In other words, be careful with any opinions you might hear regarding this division.
Nobody knows how the flurry of offseason moves made the past two weeks will affect the NFC South in 2008. It’s the time of year when every team feels like a winner, or at least a contender. And optimism flows from one city to the next.
It’s a time when one team’s trash can become another team’s treasure. The Carolina Panthers released injured linebacker Dan Morgan, and the Saints were happy to pick him up. The Saints didn’t feel like center Jeff Faine was worth a super-sized contract, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made him the prize of their free agent shopping spree. The Buccaneers also picked up veteran tailback Warrick Dunn after he was dumped by Atlanta.
On paper, it looks like the Saints have had the best offseason of any NFC South team so far, followed closely by Tampa Bay. But we all know what that means.
Here’s a breakdown of this year’s NFC South makeovers:
SAINTS
Added: LB Jonathan Vilma (trade), CB Randall Gay, DE Bobby McCray, LB Dan Morgan, QB Mark Brunell.
Kept: DT Brian Young, LB Mark Simoneau, WR David Patten, WR Devery Henderson, WR Terrance Copper, TE Eric Johnson, TE Billy Miller, RB Aaron Stecker, G Jamar Nesbit, C Jonathan Goodwin, K Martin Gramatica.
Lost: C Jeff Faine, LB Brian Simmons, LB Matt McCoy, K Olindo Mare.
Analysis: Clearly, the Saints were determined to spice up their defense, which was one of the league’s worst in 2007. If only one or two of these moves pan out, New Orleans will be significantly better.
Vilma could be spectacular. Morgan is a low-risk investment. And Gay and McCray will immediately jump into the defensive rotation, if not the starting lineup. Plus, the Saints didn’t lose anyone of note, and they could add one or two playmakers in the draft.
Faine was the Saints’ only significant loss in free agency, but they feel like Goodwin is capable of filling in. Brunell should be an upgrade at the backup quarterback spot, but if they need him this season, that means the Saints are in big trouble.
TAMPA BAY
Added: C Jeff Faine, TE John Gilmore, TE Ben Troupe, RB Warrick Dunn, WR Antonio Bryant, QB Brian Griese (trade), DE Marques Douglas, DE Jimmy Wilkerson, LB Teddy Lehman, LB Leon Joe, LB Matt McCoy.
Kept: RB Michael Bennett, CB Sammy Davis, LB Antoine Cash.
Lost: CB Brian Kelly, S Kalvin Pearson, DE Kevin Carter, DE Greg Spires, TE Anthony Becht.
Analysis: The Buccaneers had more money to spend in free agency than any team in the league, reportedly more than $40 million. But they showed a surprising amount of restraint. Not many of their moves jump right off the page, although the sheer volume is impressive.
After winning the South last season, Tampa Bay shouldn’t suffer much of a dropoff. Faine filled the Bucs’ most glaring need, and veteran cornerback Kelly was the only loss they should have any trouble replacing. Douglas and Lehman, in particular, are low-key additions that could pay off.
CAROLINA
Added: LB Landon Johnson, DE Tyler Brayton, CB Ricardo Colclough, WR Muhsin Muhammad, RB LaBrandon Toefield, G Keydrick Vincent.
Kept: OT Jordan Gross (franchise tag), OT Travelle Wharton, FB Brad Hoover, DT Damione Lewis, LB Donte Curry, CB Dante Wesley.
Lost: DT Kris Jenkins (trade), LB Dan Morgan, CB Patrick Dendy, DT Kindal Moorehead, S Marquand Manuel, G Mike Wahle, C Justin Hartwig, RB DeShaun Foster, QB David Carr, WR Drew Carter, WR Keary Colbert.
Analysis: It’s hard to ignore that long list of players shipped out of town, but the Panthers felt it was time to do house-cleaning. On the surface, this feels a bit like a rebuilding project. But keep in mind, instant turnarounds have been all the rage in the NFC South.
Johnson was the best addition — a young, playmaking outside linebacker from Cincinnati. The Panthers got two extra mid-round draft picks from the Jets in the Jenkins trade. And they should have more breathing room under the salary cap the next season or two.
ATLANTA
Added: RB Michael Turner, TE Ben Hartsock, C Alex Stepanovich, S Erik Coleman, CB Von Hutchins, DT Kindal Moorehead, DT Rashad Moore, DE Simon Fraser.
Kept: QB Chris Redman, QB Joey Harrington, DT Tim Anderson.
Lost: TE Alge Crumpler, TE Courtney Anderson, RB Warrick Dunn, QB Byron Leftwich, OT Wayne Gandy, DT Rod Coleman, LB Demorrio Williams, LB Marcus Wilkins, CB Lewis Sanders.
Analysis: Atlanta needed to rebuild. But it’s tough to say if the Falcons got any better or worse.
Turner was one of the league’s top-rated free agents. He should have an instant impact on the Falcons’ offense, no matter who the next starting quarterback is. Erik Coleman and Von Hutchins were solid additions to the defense, but Rod Coleman and Demorrio Williams were significant losses, as was tight end Alge Crumpler.
The Falcons look destined for another fourth-place finish in 2008 . . . on paper, anyway.
Saints, Deuce delay decision
March 16, 2008
Roster bonus held up as rehab continues
Saturday, March 15, 2008By Mike Triplett
The Saints and tailback Deuce McAllister agreed to push back his $1 million roster bonus from March 15 to April 15, giving the team a better chance to gauge his health before making any financial decisions.
McAllister, 29, is recovering from surgery on both of his knees in late September. He expects to be ready for the team’s summer minicamp, usually around June 1, but he said he was agreeable to the postponement because it gives him more time to prove he’ll “make good on the investment.”
“I think, honestly, if I would have pushed for it, I think I could have gotten it. But in doing that, they probably would have wanted to lower my pay,” said McAllister, who is scheduled to receive a salary of $3.6 million this season, in addition to the $1 million roster bonus and a $100,000 workout bonus.
The Saints still might ask McAllister to take a pay cut next month, but McAllister will be further along in his rehab, which will put him in a better bargaining position.
“It’s pretty much both parties working together,” he said. “It’s not something they were interested in doing if I was healthy, but at the same time, they want to make sure they’re protected.”
Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis declined to expand on the decision, saying that there is no need to read too much into it and that both sides were in agreement.
McAllister has been rehabbing in Birmingham, Ala., for most of the winter, but he came back to New Orleans on Friday night to catch the Hornets-Los Angeles Lakers game at the New Orleans Arena before showing up for the start of the team’s offseason conditioning program Monday.
He said he will split time between Metairie and Birmingham during the next few months.
McAllister is jogging and doing light running and agility drills, but he said he hasn’t been released to do any hard cutting or planting. He also said he has been able to stay in shape and keep his weight down.
McAllister tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans at the Superdome last season. When he had surgery to repair that knee, he also had a microfracture procedure on his right knee to clean up some of the damage left over from when he tore his right ACL in 2005.
Microfracture surgeries have become more popular and effective in recent years. Several small holes are drilled into the knee bones to promote cartilage growth.
“I don’t know if it’s necessarily behind as far as pace is concerned,” McAllister said when asked to compare his recovery to his 2006 timetable. “The ACL is fine. We just want to be careful with the right knee as far as the microfracture is concerned. We want to make sure they heal extensively and not aggravate them.
“Without the surgery on the right one, I would have been doing some hard planting by now.”
It’s difficult to compare microfracture surgeries, because some are more severe than others, and the technique has become more refined. McAllister said his was not very extensive, and his expected recovery time is about six months. That sounds similar to the timetable of Portland Trail Blazers rookie Greg Oden, who practiced for the first time this week after having microfracture surgery in early September.
In the past, basketball players such as Amare Stoudemire and Penny Hardaway required longer recovery times. Saints safety Steve Gleason was not able to fully recover from a microfracture procedure in the past year. But the Carolina Panthers’ DeShaun Foster is an example of a tailback who returned successfully.
McAllister and the Saints will know more a month from now.
There’s no reason to expect the Saints will cut McAllister outright. They aren’t financially strapped, so the $1 million isn’t that big of a deal. But they may try to convert some of McAllister’s base salary to incentive clauses.
The Saints still are close to $20 million under the salary cap, but they have some important financial decisions coming up. They need to decide if they want to sign defensive end Will Smith, receiver Marques Colston and guard Jahri Evans to long-term contract extensions. They also have the 10th pick in the draft.
BRUNELL CONFIRMED: Loomis confirmed that the Saints agreed to a two-year deal with veteran quarterback Mark Brunell, who likely will replace Jamie Martin as Drew Brees’ backup.
Brunell, 37, also confirmed it in an unconventional way — with a short video on his MySpace page. He wore a Saints visor while telling his friends and fans the news.
Gleason retires after seven years with Saints
March 13, 2008
Fan favorite says injury was a factor
Wednesday, March 12, 2008By Jeff Duncan
Longtime Saints special teams standout Steve Gleason is retiring from the NFL after a seven-year career.
Gleason, who became a free agent when his contract with the team expired last month, told Saints Coach Sean Payton and General Manager Mickey Loomis of his decision last week.
Gleason, who will turn 31 on March 19, underwent microfracture knee surgery last year and spent the 2007 season on injured reserve. He said the injury was a factor in his decision, but only one of several reasons.
“I think I could play a few more years, but I would rather walk away with my health intact than the opposite,” Gleason said.
Gleason started only one game, but he became a fan favorite because of his fearless play on special teams and his dedicated work in the community. An undersized linebacker at Washington State, he made the Saints’ roster as an undrafted rookie free agent late in the 2000 season after being cut earlier. He quickly worked his way onto special teams, where he developed into a team leader and captain. He blocked four punts in his career and annually ranked among the team leaders in special teams tackles.
“I just played as hard as I could for as long as I could,” Gleason said. “I feel real good about what I accomplished.”
The defining moment of his career came in the opening minutes of the Saints’ nationally televised game against Atlanta on Sept. 25, 2006, when Gleason blocked a punt that led to a touchdown and fueled an emotional 23-3 victory in the team’s first game at the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina.
“That was an awesome moment,” Gleason said. “I just feel lucky to have been a part of it.”
Along with deep-snapper Kevin Houser and cornerback Fred Thomas, Gleason was one of three players on the Saints’ 2007 roster who remained from the first season under Jim Haslett in 2000. Thomas is a free agent and is not expected to return, leaving Houser as the longest-tenured Saint.
“I always look at it as everything after my first year (in the NFL) was gravy,” Gleason said. “One of the best things that ever happened to me was getting cut, because it made me think, ‘OK, what am I going to do now?’ I always had that thought in the back of my head.”
Gleason is scheduled to marry New Orleans native Michelle Varisco on May 16 in New Orleans. They plan to travel for six months before returning to New Orleans to decide their future. Regardless of where they settle, he said the couple plans to keep a home in New Orleans.
“I’m pretty optimistic about the future,” Gleason said. “There’s a lot of life to be lived out there. I think my future is bigger than my past.”
Saints re-sign tight end Johnson
March 11, 2008
Quarterback Brunell slated to visit New Orleans today
Tuesday, March 11, 2008By Mike Triplett
The Saints still are plugging those last few holes on their roster as free agency heads into its second full week.
New Orleans agreed to a one-year contract with tight end Eric Johnson on Monday, and veteran quarterback Mark Brunell is scheduled for a visit today.
Brunell, 37, will be the second former Pro Bowl player to interview for the Saints’ backup quarterback job. Last week, New Orleans hosted free-agent Trent Green, but he agreed to a three-year deal worth a reported $8.9 million with the St. Louis Rams on Monday.
Johnson, 28, is returning to the Saints after starting 12 games last season and catching 48 passes for 378 yards and two touchdowns. He spent his first six seasons in San Francisco and signed a similar one-year deal with the Saints last March — a sort of test run to see how well he fit into their offense.
The results were inconclusive, so they decided to try again.
“I didn’t have the year that I wanted to last year. But I’m back with the Saints, and I have another chance to get things rolling and have a good year. Another chance to step up my game and show the Saints fans what I can do,” said Johnson, who admitted he didn’t garner as much interest as he would have liked in free agency and said returning to the Saints was his top priority.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Saints’ tight end group is crowded. Last week, they re-signed veteran backup Billy Miller, and former starter Mark Campbell is back in the mix after missing all of last season with a back injury.
Plus, there still is a good chance the Saints could add to the competition in next month’s draft. The tight end is an important part of Coach Sean Payton’s offense. He worked with Jeremy Shockey in New York and Jason Witten in Dallas before coming to New Orleans.
Since then, he has tinkered with several different combinations at the position.
Johnson, 6 feet 3, 252 pounds, got off to a nice start last season, catching eight passes for 57 yards in Week 1 at Indianapolis. But he never flourished in New Orleans, catching two to five passes per game the rest of the season.
His low point came in Week 11 at Houston, when two passes bounced off his hands, resulting in interceptions.
“I just want to be more of a playmaker this year,” said Johnson, who missed two games in December with a groin injury. “Something I’ve always done in the past is catch every ball that’s thrown to me, and there were some times I didn’t do that last season. It’s something I haven’t really dealt with.
“But it’s not like the season was completely a wash. It was just a couple games where I didn’t feel like I played to my standard.”
Johnson, a former receiver at Yale, was “discovered” by Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh, who encouraged the 49ers to draft him in the seventh round in 2001. Johnson soon established himself as one of the NFL’s best pass-catching tight ends, peaking in 2004 with 82 catches for 825 yards and two touchdowns. But he also missed two seasons with injuries in San Francisco (broken collarbone in 2003, torn plantar fascia in 2005).
He became expendable after the 49ers drafted tight end Vernon Davis in the first round of the 2006 draft.
Brunell was released by the Washington Redskins last week after losing the backup job to Todd Collins last season. In his prime with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1995 to 2003, Brunell was a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
The left-hander, who began his career as Brett Favre’s backup in Green Bay in 1994, has thrown for 31,826 yards, 182 touchdowns and 106 interceptions in 14 NFL seasons.
The Saints obviously are kicking the tires on some of these quarterbacks, but they haven’t been overly aggressive in their search. The backup plan presumably still is veteran Jamie Martin, who backed up Brees for the past two seasons. Martin is a free agent.
Saints spending wisely
March 10, 2008
Sunday, March 09, 2008Mike Triplett
At this point, it’s hard to grade the Saints as free-agent winners or losers.
I liked some of their moves — especially the aggressive push to trade for Jonathan Vilma, an active, athletic middle linebacker who could bring back thoughts of Sam Mills if he’s healthy.
Linebacker Dan Morgan was another risk-reward signing who won’t cost the Saints much if he doesn’t pan out.
Defensive end Bobby McCray has the potential to make a big impact. He is expected to improve the Saints’ pass rush, which was so desperately lacking last season, and he could light a fire under veterans Charles Grant and Will Smith.
Cornerback Randall Gay seems like a good pickup, mostly because he plays cornerback. He never struck me as a star-caliber talent at LSU or in New England, but he’s a solid, reliable player, and give the Saints the benefit of the doubt on this one. They targeted him as the corner they wanted, apparently rating him ahead of Drayton Florence and as a better value than Asante Samuel.
That was the key word for the Saints this year — value.
They also let center Jeff Faine get away because he was looking for too much money, and they figured his understudy, Jonathan Goodwin, could fill in admirably at a discounted price.
The only problem I have is that was the same philosophy the Saints had last season, when they added linebacker Brian Simmons, cornerback Jason David and safety Kevin Kaesviharn to their defense. None of them made a significant impact, and the Saints’ defense didn’t get any better.
One can’t help but wonder if it would have been worth it to pay big bucks for Samuel or linebacker Lance Briggs instead of spending on the Gay-McCray-Morgan combo. Briggs would have been more of a “sure thing” impact player, and his price wasn’t outlandish (a reported six years, $36 million to stay in Chicago).
Either way, the Saints should be better on defense than they were last season. They added three or four potential impact players and didn’t lose anybody from last year’s starting lineup.
As a matter of fact, I just talked myself into it. Let’s put the Saints right on the edge of this year’s free-agent winners:
WINNERS
5. Saints. They will climb even higher on this list if they saved enough money to re-sign Smith to a long-term contract extension this summer. Smith, who belongs in that Briggs-Samuel class of impact players, is set for free agency in 2009. It will cost a fortune to keep him. But it might be worth it to avoid any contract holdouts this year or franchise-tag bitterness next year. . . . Receiver Marques Colston also is set to become a restricted free agent in 2009.
4. Bills. Their moves look very similar to the Saints’. Buffalo traded for a star with injury issues (defensive tackle Marcus Stroud). And the Bills signed two complementary defensive players (linebacker Kawika Mitchell and tackle Spencer Johnson). They didn’t lose anyone significant.
3. Eagles. They were originally No. 1 on this list after adding two very good pieces on defense — Samuel and young defensive end Chris Clemons. But then they released linebacker Takeo Spikes. They also dumped defensive end Jevon Kearse, and they’ve been shopping cornerback Lito Sheppard. They’ve still upgraded their defense, but are they just moving pieces around?
2. Colts. Their offseason was a bit of a yawner. But they re-signed the two players they cared the most about — tight end Dallas Clark and guard Ryan Lilja. And they’re still better poised for a Super Bowl run than any team outside of New England.
1. Browns. After just missing the playoffs in 2007, they’re going for it this year. They traded for stud defensive tackles Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams. They re-signed quarterback Derek Anderson and tailback Jamal Lewis. And they added receiver Donté Stallworth. All of those guys probably cost too much, but you have to admire their decision to move all-in.
LOSERS
5. Raiders. Here’s proof that spending tons of money doesn’t automatically put you on the “winners” list. The Raiders paid a fortune to keep defensive tackle Tommy Kelly, and spent big on receiver Javon Walker, safety Gibril Wilson and offensive tackle Kwame Harris. For what they spent, it just doesn’t feel like they got that much better.
4. Jets. They spent even more money than the Raiders, adding All-Pro guard Alan Faneca, young linebacker Calvin Pace, veteran offensive lineman Damien Woody and veteran defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (via trade). But at the same time, they traded Vilma, they’ve been trying to trade defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson, and they let safety Erik Coleman go. That swirl of activity hasn’t created a very positive vibe in New York. Some unnamed players have been criticizing management for spending on the new guys instead of keeping the old guys happy.
3. (tie) Patriots and Giants. New England will be fine, even after losing Samuel, Gay and Stallworth. And the Giants should be OK, too, after losing safety Wilson and linebackers Mitchell and Reggie Torbor. . . . But it just goes to show the price of success in the NFL. Good teams have trouble hanging on to their players.
2. Bears. They re-signed Briggs, which was a little surprising. And they re-signed quarterback Rex Grossman, which was even more surprising. I didn’t think it was possible, but Chicago’s offense actually took a step back this year. They didn’t upgrade at quarterback or tailback. They downgraded from Bernard Berrian and Muhsin Muhammad to Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd. They also lost tight end John Gilmore and special teams star Brendon Ayanbadejo.
1. Titans. What’s going on in Tennessee? For the second consecutive season, they didn’t add much (just Kearse and tight end Alge Crumpler so far). They let a lot of young talent leave town (defensive ends Antwan Odom and Travis LaBoy, defensive tackle Randy Starks, guard Jacob Bell and tight end Ben Troupe). And they actually had a good deal of money to spend. I’m not the only one who doesn’t get it. Defensive star Albert Haynesworth said it best:
“I don’t know what we are doing; I really don’t. Saving this money doesn’t add over to next year,” he told the Tennessean. “I wish we would make moves like Cleveland did.”
SAINTS’ LEFTOVERS
For whatever reason, the details on the Vilma trade weren’t officially released right away. But here’s how it breaks down: The Saints gave up their fourth-round pick this year, plus a conditional choice in 2009. If Vilma meets certain playing-time incentives and signs a contract extension with the Saints, then the Saints will send a second- or third-round pick to New York next year, in exchange for the Jets’ fourth-round pick in 2009. . . . Got all that?
– From what we could gather, the Saints never really showed any interest in Samuel because they didn’t want to spend that much on one guy and handcuff themselves everywhere else. They did show interest in Briggs, however, and they were hoping he might come at a slight discount after he sat out there in the open market for a few days. It sounds like the mutual interest between the Saints and Briggs quieted down a bit after the Vilma deal, even though they play different positions.
– The Saints reportedly reached out to the New York Giants to ask about tight end Jeremy Shockey’s availability, but it never seemed to get serious. It’s not clear if the Saints made an actual trade offer or just put out a feeler to see if New York was looking to unload him. Either way, the Giants reportedly have made it clear that the asking price is significant — either a first-round pick or a second-rounder and a player, according to the Westchester Journal News.
– The Saints’ offseason workout program starts on March 17.
GOODWILL TOUR
Saints quarterback Drew Brees, free-agent tight end Billy Miller and Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Donnie Edwards are spending this week on a USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour in Japan and Okinawa.
Brees and Edwards, who have been close friends since their days together with the San Diego Chargers, went on a similar tour last year in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, where they visited troops, posed for photographs and signed autographs. Miller is making his first trip.
“Last year’s trip was extremely rewarding, and I am grateful for another chance to visit with our troops and thank them for their sacrifice,” Brees said in a statement released by the USO. “The dedication and commitment of our servicemen and women makes it an honor just to be among them for a few days. I’ll never forget the time I spent last year in the Gulf and the inspiration I took from it.”
The Featured Story
March 10, 2008
The Featured story will be posted soon.
Saints sign ex-Panther LB Morgan
March 7, 2008
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Saints made another move toward strengthening their linebacker corps, signing former Carolina Panthers Pro Bowler Dan Morgan.
A team spokesman confirmed the signing but did not disclose the terms
of the contract. Morgan’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, did not want to
discuss the contract with the media, a person answering the phone in
his office said Friday.
Morgan, 29, made the Pro Bowl after the
2004 season but was sidelined by serious injuries for most of the past
two seasons before his release from Carolina.
Last season, he
played only three games because of an Achilles’ tendon injury. The year
before, a concussion forced him to miss all but one game.
Morgan has played mostly middle linebacker in Carolina, but would
likely be moved to the weak side, given that the Saints recently traded
for former Jets middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma and recently re-signed Mark Simoneau, the Saints’ starter at middle linebacker for the past two seasons.
Scott Shanle has started the past two seasons on the weak side, while Scott Fujita, a 2007 defensive captain, starts on the strong side.
In seven NFL seasons, all with Carolina, Morgan has started in all 59
games in which he has played, making or assisting on 386 total tackles
to go with seven sacks and five interceptions.
Bailey Gauthreaux
March 5, 2008
Bailey Brees Gauthreaux
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