New Orleans Saints - Black and Gold - Community

Are Polls Gay?

Danno — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:19:34 GMT

What do you think?

Inside the Number Part VII

Luda32 — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:21:12 GMT

Inside the Numbers Part VII

NewOrleansSaints.com,
Friday, July 10, 2009 - 12:00 PM

In the weeks leading up to the start of the New Orleans Saints� 2009 training camp, NewOrleansSaints.com will take an inside look at some interesting facts and figures of various high-profile players on the Saints� roster. This is part seven in the series.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE SEDRICK ELLIS

Height: 6-1

Weight: 307

NFL Experience in 2009: 2nd Season

Years with Saints: 2nd Season

College: Southern California

SAINTSATIONAL NOTES:

A three-year starter at Southern California, the Saints selected Ellis with the seventh pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. A first-team All-American and the PAC-10 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior, Ellis moved into the starting lineup immediately as a rookie and started all 13 games that he appeared in and recorded 42 tackles, while also tying for the fourth-most sacks among NFL rookies and second in the NFC with four sacks, which also represented the second-highest total on the Saints� team.
Ellis was selected to the Pro Football Weekly all-rookie team.
Recorded his first career sack and also recorded three solo tackles in the Saints� win over the San Francisco 49ers (9/28/08).
In team�s Monday Night Football game over the Green Bay Packers at the Superdome, the rookie had three tackles, a sack and a pass defensed.
Recorded his second sack in as many games when he had his fourth sack of the season at Detroit (12/21/08) on a fourth down play that forced a Lions turnover on downs. Also had four tackles on the afternoon in the Saints� win.
Missed three games due to mid-season knee injury that required surgery, but bounced back quickly and picked up right where he left off prior to the injury.
Recorded at three or more tackles in 11-of-the-13 games he started, including a season-high five tackles on two different occasions (at ATL and at CHI).

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Does your Wife Love Saints Football?

SmashMouth — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:18:35 GMT

I am blessed ... my wife LOVES football and the Saints.

Just for grins, how do your better halves feel about it?

Speed and Clutch Receivers

Rugby Saint II — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:01:34 GMT

In New Orleans we finally have both speed and clutch receivers with good depth at both. When the New Orleans Saints drafted Colston, the coaches thought he was worth a 7th round draft pick and he has exceeded every ones expectations. The coaches still felt like we needed to solidify the receiving core and drafted Henderson in the 2nd round. He progressed slowly. We were still looking to upgrade the receivers and took Meachem in the 1st round, however he progressed slowly as well. We then put Moore on the practice squad to develop. Peyton was still not happy with his group of receivers and took a chance on a late draft pick when we took Aarington. We have several other players on the roster who could contribute in the passing game if necessary, but are destined for special teams. (Currently we have 11 receivers on the roster.)
It has taken some time, but it looks like our receivers could start on any NFL team. Both Henderson and Meachem are burners, while Colston and Aarington make difficult catches look easy. We have both speed and clutch receivers that will be able to compete with any other group in the NFL. :cool:

cc

Rate the Saints for 2009

foreverfan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:15:37 GMT

The past 2 years I thought we had the best Saints team ever assembled.
We all know how that turned out. Based on what I see this year,

The All Seeing Cat in the Ceiling Says...

The Saints are an above average but not yet in the very good category.

A+ QB
B RB
B+ WR
A TE
B OL

C+ DE
C- NT
B LB
C+ CB
C S

B K
C P
B Kick Coverage
B Punt Coverage
A PR
B KR

Offense 3.4 Very Good B
Defense 2.2 Average C
Special Teams 3.0 Very Good B
Team Average 2.875 C+ Above Average

Veteran RB Alexander working toward possible NFL return

QBREES9 — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:44:38 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Shaun Alexander fills his days with a mix of the spiritual and physical.

The former NFL MVP is on a nine-city tour speaking at churches, clubs and businesses -- anywhere that will let him share his Christian faith. In the meantime, a different kind of faith carries him through a tough workout regimen: That an NFL team in need of a running back will summon him before the 2009 season is up.

Drew Hallowell / Getty Images
Shaun Alexander had just 11 carries with the Redskins last season.
"I feel before the season is over, I think somebody will go down and they'll say, 'We want somebody who can score some touchdowns and make some things happen,"' Alexander said during a phone interview Thursday. "They'll say, 'Let's go get Shaun."'

Alexander's initial return to the NFL was short-lived. The Washington Redskins signed him last October to fill in for injured backup Ladell Betts. Alexander had only 11 carries in five games before he was released, an aborted comeback after the Seattle Seahawks cut him following two seasons marred by foot and wrist injuries.

Alexander, who turns 32 in August, feels like his body has more football left in it.

"I've played nine years but really it feels like I played maybe four because of how the game is played and how coach (Mike) Holmgren and Stump Mitchell used me," the former Alabama star said.

"Even my MVP year, I didn't play in nine quarters because we were beating teams so bad," he said.

Alexander ran for 1,880 yards and 17 touchdowns during that 2005 season, helping carry the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl appearance and landing a $62 million contract as a result.

His career went downhill after that, with a shrinking per-carry average and only 1,612 yards and 12 TDs over the next two seasons. Alexander said he has received calls from NFL teams checking in this summer, but no offers.

When he's home in Ashburn, Va., Alexander said he does three-a-day workouts every other week, working on agility and lifting weights -- "which is just so miserable. Oh my goodness" -- in the morning and running in the afternoons.

"It's pretty intense," Alexander said. "Everybody always laughs, 'Man you have a busy week.' I'm like, 'This is not busy, this is the choice. I choose to train and get ready to have a great season next year, and I choose to be used to teach little people about Jesus."'

The latter mission is behind what he calls his "nine-city tour for Jesus."

Shaun Alexander, RB

Career Statistics
Carries: 2,187
Average: 4.3
Yards: 9,453
Touchdowns: 100
Now, he and his wife and children have landed in Mobile, along with six youth he has mentored. On Wednesday, they spoke at four churches or groups.

On Thursday, his stops included Alma Bryant High School, where former Alabama assistant Ronnie Cottrell coaches the football team.

Alexander is hosting a lunch Friday at Hank Aaron Stadium to raise money to send kids to Fellowship of Christian Athletes camps. He's also involved in programs to teach second- and third-graders how to play chess and prevent kids from dropping out of high school.

The other cities on his tour have included Seattle, Los Angeles, Tulsa, Okla., Dallas, BATON ROUGE, LA, Washington D.C. and Atlanta. It winds up in Birmingham on July 14.

"It's been fun. We've been able go out there and help the homeless and get them food and stuff," Alexander said. "I've been able to walk the streets and I've been able to just talk to people. It's been really cool."

Getting that summons from the NFL wouldn't be bad either.

"If the right team comes along," he said, "... they will be very, very happy with what they get."

Veteran RB Alexander working toward possible NFL return

Attached Thumbnails

Darren Collison

tiggerpolice — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:07:52 GMT

Darren Collison practicing 3 ptrs before UCLA vs CAL

YouTube - Darren Collison practicing 3 ptrs before UCLA vs CAL 3/08/08

YouTube - DARREN COLLISON BRAKING ANKLES AND DROPPING DIMES (ETIWANDA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTAGE)

YouTube - UCLA G Darren Collison Highlights vs Oregon State (1.2.08)

YouTube - DARREN COLLISON "DC 2" UCLA 07-08 HIGHLIGHTS

Article Hornets reportedly expressed interest in Celtics Glenn "Big Baby" Da

tiggerpolice — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:54:19 GMT

Hornets Happenings | Bees Out of the Running for Two Targeted Free Agents

Jannero Pargo had been hanging around New Orleans. He had reportedly been playing one-on-one with Byron Scott.

Surely, the Hornets would sign him.

But in an attempt to partially ease the pain of losing Ben Gordon to the rival Pistons, the Bulls signed Pargo to a one-year deal worth roughly $2 million.

So much for a proven backup guard who can swing between the one and two spots.

The assumption is that although neither of them have one minute of NBA experience, the Hornets' management is comfortable enough with draft picks Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton coming off the bench.

According to Pargo's Chicago-based agent Mark Bartelstein, "It's a great fit. A lot of teams wanted him, but he loved it here. He's an explosive scorer who can take up some slack for Gordon."

Tony Dutt, the agent for Dallas free agent Brandon Bass, has identified Orlando, Detroit, and Portland as the finalists among teams vying for the four-year pro's services, according to news reports on WWL 870 radio in New Orleans.

With Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess headed to Boston and San Antonio, respectively, Bass has become an in-demand player and will likely receive a deal for less than the mid-level exception.

Bass, a second-round selection by the Hornets after leaving college as a sophomore, was cut after his second year with the club. He had shown interest in rejoining New Orleans, and this writer believed that there was mutual interest from the Hornets.

The options for boosting their front court are getting slimmer for the Hornets. Some of the players about whom the Hornets have inquired about are Mikki Moore, Maceo Baston and Jake Voskuhl.

Wow! These guys are really going to strike some fear into the opposition.

The Hornets have reportedly expressed interest in Celtics' restricted free agent Glenn "Big Baby" Davis. Davis is going to be overpriced whereever he signs, and with their salary cap problems, I cannot see the Bees swinging a deal for the former LSU star.

With all of the significant free agents headed anywhere but the Crescent city, let's hope the Hornets have a blockbuster trade in mind to shore up the roster.

Otherwise, it is going to be a long and painful season.

Hornets Happenings | Bees Out of the Running for Two Targeted Free Agents | Bleacher Report

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Breaking News Governor signs Saints, other bills

tiggerpolice — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:21:24 GMT

Governor signs Saints, other bills

Legislation to make New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson the state�s landlord is now law.
Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Wednesday that he signed House Bill 719, which includes the Saints provision.

With the latest batch of legislation, Jindal has signed into law 433 bills from the session.

Jindal wants to lease space in an office building in downtown New Orleans as part of a long-term deal to keep the NFL franchise in Louisiana.

The legislation allows the state to enter a contract and lease office space, a former shopping mall and a parking garage from the team�s owners.

The state also plans to renovate the Louisiana Superdome to help the Saints generate more money.

HB719 sparked heated debate during the recent legislative session. Some lawmakers balked at approving incentives for a sports franchise when the state is cutting funding for higher education and health care.

2theadvocate.com | Legislature & Politics | Governor signs Saints, other bills — Baton Rouge, LA

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Breaking News Judge blocks doping suspensions of 2 Vikings

mighty12 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:35:06 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)�A judge has blocked NFL plans to suspend Minnesota Vikings players Kevin Williams(notes) and Pat Williams(notes).

Hennepin County District Judge Gary Larson on Thursday granted the players� motion for a temporary restraining order. That keeps the NFL from suspending them until their case is decided.

That may be a while. The judge also scheduled a hearing for July 22 on whether he should put state court proceedings on hold while a federal appeals court considers other issues in the case.

The defensive tackles tested positive last summer for a banned diuretic that can mask the presence of steroids, though they�ve never been accused of taking steroids.

The NFL had intended to enforce the Williamses� four-game suspensions at the start of the upcoming season.

Judge blocks doping suspensions of 2 Vikings - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

Does anyone else find it a little unethical to block suspensions of Vikings players but to make the Saints player fullfill their suspension? Can't wait to see what happens in these cases.

Attached Thumbnails

Reggie Bush

Luda32 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:23:27 GMT

I was at home lastnight on youtube and I was watching a whole bunch of Bush highlight ( I can't pull up the link because I'm at work now and they block youtube) I don't know what everyone see but this guy is amazing. The guy is not between the tackle kind on guy he want be the leading rusher on the team but he just may lead in every other offense category except passing. I wouldn't change anything about Reggie or have him do what he's not good at now don't get me wrong I would love to see him go up the middle but that's why we have PT, Bell ,and Hamilton. I just fell this guy fits this offense and the special teams I hope he stay heailty so he can approve everyone wrong and show the league what he can do.

Cold Hard Cash!

SmashMouth — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:40:18 GMT

Dollar Bill Jefferson caught red .... errrrrr... cold handed!

Jury sees photos of cash in William Jefferson's freezer - NOLA.com

Evidently a Pillsbury fan too!

He sure likes the Dough!

Mavs land Marion

saintsfan1976 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:20:43 GMT

Meanwhile Shinn and Bower continue to sit on each others hands... :rolleyes:

Dallas and San Antonio continue to improve their rosters.

Quote:

The Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors, living up to the wild tenor of the past few weeks in the NBA, have hatched a complicated sign-and-trade arrangement that went through numerous constructions Wednesday before resulting in an agreement in principle that will send Shawn Marion to Dallas and also absorb the Raptors' much-anticipated signing of Hedo Turkoglu.
Sources close to the negotiations told ESPN.com on Wednesday night a trade call has been scheduled with the league office for Thursday, indicating all sides have agreed to the terms of a transaction that, in its final form, will also involve the Memphis Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic.
Sources said the Mavericks, after securing Memphis' participation as a third-team facilitator, contacted numerous teams to expand the deal and believed they were close to securing a fourth trade partner from the Eastern Conference. That team, according to ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher, was the Chicago Bulls and would have landed Tim Thomas with the Mavericks.
But one source close to the process later told ESPN.com that the deal was scaled back to a three-team arrangement without Chicago before it was expanded yet again to fold in the Raptors' signing of Turkoglu.
The deal, according to sources, calls for the Mavericks to acquire Marion and Kris Humphries from Toronto and Greg Buckner from Memphis, with Marion to receive a five-year contract worth an estimated $39 million. Buckner has had two previous stints with the Mavericks but is likely to be released, sources said.
The Grizzlies will land Jerry Stackhouse from Dallas, Quincy Douby from Toronto and a substantial cash payment to buy out Stackhouse's contract. Only $2 million of Stackhouse's $7.25 million salary next season is guaranteed, as long as he is waived by Aug. 10.
The Raptors will receive Devean George and Antoine Wright from the Mavericks, while also preserving their $5.9 million mid-level exception for the coming season by turning their acquisition of Turkoglu -- who is getting a five-year deal worth an estimated $53 million -- into a sign-and-trade as opposed to an outright signing. Assembling the trade this way could also enable Toronto to re-sign Carlos Delfino, after it appeared that the Raptors would have to renounce Delfino to help make room for the Turkoglu signing.
The Magic, meanwhile, were motivated to join in the trade because their participation, as opposed to merely letting Turkoglu walk, will create a valuable trade exception they can use in future deals worth around $7 million.
The inclusion of Humphries, Wright and George gave the Raptors more financial incentive to help Marion find a new home via sign-and-trade, as both George and Wright are heading into the final year of their contracts, while Humphries has two years left on his deal. Toronto, furthermore, is in need of a shooting guard after Anthony Parker signed Wednesday with the Cleveland Cavaliers, so adding Wright gives them a credible starter until newly drafted DeMar DeRozan is ready to contribute.
The main thrust of Wednesday's involved maneuvering, though, is Marion's move to Dallas, since Turkoglu's commitment to join the Raptors has been known since last weekend.
The Mavericks are hoping that the combination of Marion and Orlando restricted free agent Marcin Gortat -- along with the re-signing of Jason Kidd -- will greatly improve the depth and flexibility possessed by a team that won 50 games last season and advanced to the second round of the playoffs before losing to Denver. The Magic can match the five-year, $34 million offer sheet Gortat has signed with Dallas but are expected to let him go.
Mavs owner Mark Cuban has said for months he was prepared to be as aggressive as possible this summer as opposed to waiting for the free-agent bonanza of 2010, when Dallas was initially expected to have substantial cap space. With these moves, Dallas can start Marion at small forward next to Dirk Nowitzki and shift Josh Howard to shooting guard, with Sixth Man Award winner Jason Terry staying in a bench role. The Mavericks also believe that they will have a strong small-ball unit when they elect not to play Gortat or Erick Dampier, featuring Howard at small forward, Marion at power forward and Nowitzki at center.
Sources say the Mavericks are determined to keep Howard even with Marion on the way, believing that Howard will have a strong season with free agency looming in the summer of 2010. If there's a concern for Dallas, it's that Marion will be yet another key member of their core over the age of 30, joining Nowitzki (31), Kidd (36), Jason Terry (31) and Howard (who turns 30 next April).
Marion earned $17.8 million last season and was traded for the second straight February when Miami sent him to Toronto in a swap for Jermaine O'Neal. He went from Phoenix to Miami one year earlier in the Shaquille O'Neal trade.
Yet sources say Toronto was intent on re-signing Marion until the Raptors realized that they had an 11th-hour shot at convincing Turkoglu to back out of a verbal commitment he had given the Portland Trail Blazers, having seen late-season signs of promise in Marion's collaboration alongside Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani.
A deal with Dallas appeared to Marion's best and last hope for securing a new contract starting above the $5.9 million mid-level exception, given that the Cavaliers -- despite their recent pursuits of Trevor Ariza and Ron Artest and a well-chronicled need for a combo forward -- were not making a hard push for him.
The Mavericks on Wednesday also signed free-agent swingman Quinton Ross to improve their perimeter defense and replace the outgoing Wright. Dallas' moves also would appear to make it unlikely that it will try to bring back free-agent forward Brandon Bass.
"It's been a long day of looking at spreadsheets, reading NBA cap rules and rubbing my eyes," Cuban said via his Twitter account.

Squad by Squad, Part 2: Defensive Ends

QBREES9 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:40:30 GMT

Squad by Squad, Part 2: Defensive Ends
by MtnExile on Jul 7, 2009 7:48 PM CDT 5 comments
If you wanted to be cruel, you could say that Tom Benson collects defensive ends like other people collect Beanie Babies: they cost a whole lot, and all they do is sit there.

I said cruel, not accurate. Actually the Saints' ends are okay. But "okay" doesn't cut it when you consider that, as a unit, they control a bigger chunk of team salary than any other position. Plus, both Will Smith and Charles Grant�the two biggest offenders�are both first-round draft choices, and we have a right to expect more of them. By rights, the Saints should have one of the most fearsome set of defensive bookends in the league. Instead, we have the only pair of starters who will be sitting out four games for trying to lose weight.

When Gregg Williams took over the defense, one of the first things he told his players was, "There are no starters." We can be certain that Smith and Grant won't be starting before the bye; yet that's about all we can be certain of. Williams isn't likely to put them on the field�big salaries or not�if someone else is doing a better job. So what are the chances that someone will do a better job than either of them?

WILL SMITH & CHARLES GRANT
It's hard to consider these two separately. Much of the same criticism�justified or not�has been leveled against both; and as starters, they're somewhat "joined at the hip."

Smith is widely considered to be the better of the two. He has been voted to one Pro Bowl, which is one Pro Bowl more than Grant has played in. Stats-wise, though, it's pretty much a wash. Grant (who has played two seasons longer) leads in the sack totals; he also leads in the dubious "category" of "most sacks by a player in his first three years." That kind of category description is necessary in the cases of Smith and Grant, however�because both of them have slowed down considerably since the three-year point. Over the last two years, Smith's output has dropped to 7 sacks and then to 3; Grant's plummeted, from a high of 10.5 in 2004, to an average of 4 sacks over the last 3 1/2 seasons. (Curiously, Grant's decline coincides almost exactly with Will Smith's ascension to starter status.)

Admittedly, a lot of the problem, at least from the point of view of fans has to do with their salaries. Both of them cashed in with huge deals; both of them promptly crashed as pass-rushers. In both cases, injuries were part of the problem: a torn ankle ligament in Grant's case, a sports hernia in Smith's. But fans desperate for a return to the playoffs aren't in a forgiving mood. Grant, especially, has acquired a rep as a chronic underachiever.

Reportedly they're both healthy now; and you'd think they'd be highly motivated to prove themselves again, especially with a new coach to impress. That might hold true for Smith; but Grant faces so many problems right now I wouldn't be surprised if he's entered full-blown "screw it" mode. Not only will he (like Smith) miss the first four week because of the StarCaps suspensions, he also still faces trumped-up manslaughter charges in Georgia (trumped up or not, I've seen juries do very screwy things...in his place, I wouldn't feel complacent). On top of that, he's the biggest loser in the recent film studio investment scandal, dropping almost a half-million dollars�which he may get back, or may not. Like his starting position.

On top of that, this may indeed by Grant's last chance. 2010 is an uncapped year�that means no cap on salaries paid, but it also means no cap hits in cutting players. It would be the ideal time to cut overpaid, underperforming players, and I for one expect a wholesale massacre taking place throughout the NFL if labor and management can't come to some sort of agreement quickly. Which they won't.

ASSESSMENT: When Smith and Grant return after the bye, I expect them to get a lot of playing time�Gregg Williams isn't going to let them go to waste. Smith will probably regain his starting position. Grant? He's 30 years old, has four straight underachieving years behind him, and a lot of ground to make up. I don't know if he still has the hunger it takes to earn his salary. If he doesn't, this is his last year as a Saint. If he does, then New Orleans will end 2009 as they started 2008: with Smith and Grant as defensive bookends.

BOBBY McCRAY
Bobby McCray is ready. This is his time. He led the team in sacks last season as a part-timer. He's playing for an aggressive defensive coach now, someone who needs an end who can pin back his ears and fly to the quarterback. Bobby McCray is about to become the next Jevon Kearse.

That's what he's hoping, anyway. He's already stated that he's going to start this year; and he knows that with Smith and Grant sitting out the first quarter of the season, he's going to get his chance. One factor working to his advantage: he only has to beat out one of them. One factor working against him: it's probably going to have to be Smith.

According to the Times-Picayune, as of March McCray was behind Smith on the right side (note: this was before the additions of Paul Spicer and Anthony Hargrove). That makes sense: he's light for a defensive end, and playing the weak side means he can speed-rush the left tackle and not have to worry about taking on the tight end. That job will probably be left to Paul Spicer and Anthony Hargrove, both of whom are heavier and more compact than McCray (although both have played on the weak side in the past). With Smith out, McCray will probably start on the weak side; so if he hopes to keep a starter's job, it will have to be the one he's auditioning for.

ASSESSMENT: Bobby McCray will start this year. He'll start games 1 through 5. By that time Will Smith will be back, and hungry. Smith is bigger than McCray; but what most people don't know: he's also faster. If McCray is leading the league in sacks by the time Smith comes off suspension, he has a chance to keep his starting position; otherwise he's going to have to be satisfied with being a situational player. A healthy Will Smith isn't ready to go yet.

PAUL SPICER & ANTHONY HARGROVE
In the same way that it's difficult to separate Smith and Grant, it's also difficult to separate Spicer and Hargrove. Both of them were added to the Saints' roster primarily as depth�as possible, temporary replacements for Smith and Grant. Perhaps both will start at the beginning of the year; perhaps neither will. It's not even certain that they'll make the final roster.

They could hardly be more different. Spicer is a ten-year veteran who has made a name for himself through sheer drive and determination; Hargrove is a talented head-case who is on his third team in four years because the first two gave up on him.

* * * * *

"Paul Spicer plays the run. And every now and then, I get to the quarterback." [Source] That, in a nutshell, is Paul Spicer's take on Paul Spicer: a blue-collar player who works hard, who came from a small college and free agency and earned every start he made in the NFL. Spicer played nine seasons for Jacksonville, and as recently as 2007 he led his team in sacks with 7.5. But he became expendable when the Jags chose Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves back-to-back in the 2008 draft.

There's something in Spicer's personality that reminds one a little of Hollis Thomas, a little of Warren Sapp, and a lot of Sam Mills. He's humorous, blunt, and conscientious all at once. He's also big: at 6'4' and 295 lbs., he's the biggest defensive end on the Saints' roster. He's also old: he'll be 34 at the season's start; among active defensive ends, only Jason Taylor, Trevor Pryce, and Leonard Little have been around longer. Some question whether Taylor and Little have much left to give; and apparently Jack del Rio felt the same way about Spicer. JagNation.com agrees:

"Paul Spicer will give 100% on every snap and never takes plays off, but he has always been an effort guy who got the most out of his marginal talent...His talent is now fading quickly, and at this point in his career he can be a rotational end or even a defensive tackle, as he plays the run better than he rushes the passer." [Source]
* * * * *

Anthony Hargrove is nearly the polar opposite of Paul Spicer. He's acknowledged to be very talented, but so irresponsible that he can't hold down a steady job in the NFL. He's been deactivated by St. Louis for an unexplained absence; arrested in Buffalo for disturbing the peace; and suspended twice by the NFL for substance abuse. In between he's played some impressive football�especially on special teams, where he's been called "a monster on kickoff coverage."

"He's an interesting player," according to Sean Payton.

Hargrove is more than simply interesting: he's out there. According to Chris Brown, writing on the Buffalo Bills' official blog:

"I once had a long conversation with him where he told me about the voices in his head. He said there are 11 people living up there and they all "come out" at different times. He rattled off their names like it was nothing. The list by the way included three or four female personalities. He just told me he has fun with it so it must be an act of his that gets laughs in the locker room."

Some of his teammates at the time were convinced he was nuts."
Signing Hargrove is the sort of personnel gamble that Payton and Loomis have avoided in the past; but speaking about the signing, Payton sought to allay fears that Hargrove would become a distraction:

"We have a strong locker room. That being said, that's something that we don't take for granted and it's something that can change quickly. I think that aspect of who we're bringing in is very important. In his case, we feel like we're bringing in someone...and we have a little bit more insight in regards to him being that he was with Joe Vitt in St. Louis and we felt real good about signing him." [Source]
Methinks he doth protest too much. Still, we'll see. Perhaps the combination of Spicer and Hargrove is exactly what Hargrove needs. Or perhaps New Orleans will send him over the edge. He's an edge rusher, after all.

ASSESSMENT: Spicer may be the perfect answer to Charles Grant's apparent motivation problems. If he pushes Grant to his do his utmost, he'll have served the Saints well. But I don't see him lasting as a starter much beyond Grant's return...unless Grant mentally crashes and burns. That pretty much takes control of the situation out of Spicer's hands and makes the left defensive end position Grant's to lose...another reason why I think Smith and Grant will be our starters again by the end of the season. In the short term, he looks to be a good stopgap measure; and if he has more left in the tank than some people figure, he could be a very valuable addition to the Saints' rotation.

As for Hargrove...flip a coin. He looked solid in the OTAs; and while it's a truism that anyone can look good in shorts, nobody has ever questioned his skills or toughness. Hargrove will either be a genius pickup or a bad distraction...or an early cut.

JEFF CHARLESTON
I think everyone in New Orleans is pulling for Charleston. He's like a younger, lighter version of Paul Spicer: a player who wills himself to success lining against players almost all of whom are more talented than he is. As a part-time player in the last half of the season, he collected three sacks�as many as Will Smith did all year, and as many as Charles Grant in half a season as a starter. He'll get a chance with Gregg Williams at the helm, but the odds are long. Payton brought in two extra defensive ends to provide depth behind Smith and Grant�not behind McCray and Charleston.

Still Charleston is a good special teams performer as well, and should make the roster.

ASSESSMENT: Charleston did a good job last year and earned a shot at starting. Instead, he'll have extra competition to contend with. I can see him making the roster as a sixth, a fifth, or even a fourth defensive end...but Smith, Grant, and McCray are likely to remain ahead of him on the depth chart. In the early part of the season, he may surprise a lot of people and start in place of Grant.

ROB NINKOVICH
Ninkovich turned a lot of people's heads in his rookie training camp in 2006. The kid had a motor, and played with good intensity. Then he wrecked his knee against Atlanta, was placed on injured reserve, and everything spiraled downhill. In 2007 he suffered another knee injury in training camp, was released, and picked up by the Miami Dolphins. He managed to play that year, was demoted to the practice squad, reactivated later in the season, released, resigned to the practice squad...

Finally the Saints put an end to the merry-go-round by signing him once again. Recently Ninkovich made news by entering into competition with Kevin Houser for the Saints' long snapper job; but then Houser was cut, and the Saints signed veteran long snapper Jason Kyle. Does that make Kyle the depth behind Ninkovich? Or vice versa? And will Ninkovich's special teams skills be enough to ensure him a roster spot?

ASSESSMENT: Ninkovich is a good backup...but he's not better than any of the backups ahead of him. Last year the Saints kept six defensive ends: Smith, Grant, McCray, Charleston, and the now-departed Antwan Lake and Josh Savage. If you assume that Smith, Grant, and McCray are givens, and that Spicer, Hargrove, and Charleston have the inside track at backup positions, that leaves Ninkovich once again in a bad spot. He'd certainly be signed to the practice squad if he clears waivers...but that's likely to be the best-case scenario.

Unless, of course, the signing of Kyle was merely a blind, and Ninkovich is the true heir to Kevin Houser. If that's the case, he's a lock for a roster spot. But if that's the case, we're considering him under the wrong category here.

JERMEY PARNELL
Finally, we come to the wild card. Parnell was a four-year letterman at Ole Miss...in basketball. He played football only sparingly as a senior. Little is known about him�it seems nobody can even agree on his height and weight. The Saints' official site has him listed at 6'6", 278 lbs.�roughly Bobby McCray size.

We've been giving a lot of weight to comments made by Mike Detillier, who has so far praised Devery Henderson, Adrian Arrington, and Mike Bell. But Parnell also caught his eye:

...Ole Miss defensive end Jermey Parnell looked impressive.

Parnell, who played on the Mississippi basketball team, played football as a senior.

While both are a bit rough around the edges technically, Parnell and [cornerback Danny] Gorrer can run the field. Parnell also has a huge wingspan to upset a quarterback�s passing rhythm.
ASSESSMENT: It's a nice story...but Parnell is the longest of shots. It's not impossible�perhaps Ninkovich will suffer another knee injury, and most of Hargrove will decide football isn't for them. Parnell could sneak in. But I wouldn't bet the house.

Squad by Squad, Part 2: DefensiveEnds - Canal Street Chronicles

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NFL 32 in 32: New Orleans Saints

QBREES9 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:35:20 GMT

22. New Orleans Saints

Coach: Sean Payton (fourth year)

Last year: 8-8 (allowed 29 or more points in six losses).

NFL rankings: Offense � first in yards and first in points; Defense � 23rd in yards and 26th in points.

Additions: CB Jabari Greer, FB Heath Evans, DE Paul Spicer, S Darren Sharper, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and rookie CB Malcolm Jenkins.

Substractions: RB Deuce McAllister, CB Josh Bullocks, FB Mike Karney, CB Mike McKenzie.

Fantasy pick: QB Drew Brees. The numbers last year were eye-popping (5,069 yards, 34 TDs). Even if he comes close to meeting those marks, he�s worth a high draft pick.

Outlook: There�s nothing wrong with New Orleans passing game because Drew Brees back and Marques Colston is healthy. But the question is whether the Saints can run the ball and can the defense stop anybody? They were 28th last year in rushing and that was with McAllister as part of the equation. The top two backs are now Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. Defensively, Williams has a tall task. The Saints allowed 393 points last year but Williams has added a couple new pieces � chiefly Sharper and Jenkins � to go with Jonathan Vilma and Will Smith.

Projected starters

Offense: QB Drew Brees, FB Heath Evans, RB Pierre Thomas, WR Marques Colston, WR Devery Henderson, TE Jeremy Shockey, LT Jammal Brown, LG Carl Nicks, C Jonathan Goodwin, RG Jahri Evans, RT Jon Stinchcomb.

Defense: LE Will Smith, DT Sedrick Ellis, DT Kendrick Clancy, RE Charles Grant, SLB Scott Fujita, MLB Jonathan Vilma, WLB Scott Shanle, CB Jabari Greer, SS Roman Harper, FS Darren Sharper, CB Malcolm Jenkins.

Specialists: K Garrett Hartley, P Glenn Pakulak, KR Pierre Thomas, PR Reggie Bush.

Projected record: 6-10 (third in NFC South). The Saints can score 30 points on anybody. Too bad that it might not be good enough in a few games. They face a difficult schedule (the entire AFC East and NFC East) along with two games apiece against Atlanta and Carolina. Half of their games are against 2008 playoff teams.

Ryan O�Halloran

NFL 32 in 32: New Orleans Saints - Redskins 360 - Washington Times

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