Saints News

"If enthusiasm and self-confidence can translate into ability, the Saints no doubt significantly upgraded their interior defensive line in the recent NFL draft. Tackles Sedrick Ellis, the team's first-round draft pick from Southern California, and DeMario Pressley, the fifth-round pick from North Carolina State, are both prepared to come into the team's rookie minicamp that begins today to prove they belong in the big leagues and are prepared to step into significant roles immediately. "

"The Saints completed their visit with free-agent tailback Shaun Alexander on Wednesday, but he returned home to Seattle without a contract offer. It's unclear how serious the interest is from either side. Alexander, who was released by the Seahawks last month, has just started to test the market. He visited Cincinnati on Sunday and Monday before flying to New Orleans. Alexander's agent, Jim Steiner, said the former league MVP and three-time Pro Bowl player has not set a timetable for choosing a team. "

" Former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry on Wednesday became the latest troubled player to seek refuge with the Dallas Cowboys. Henry is awaiting trial for misdemeanor charges of assault and a ruling from the NFL on whether he will be able to play in 2008. On Tuesday, an Ohio judge ruled Henry be released from electronic monitoring and house arrest to travel for tryouts. No visits have been scheduled, but Henry told ESPN.com the Cowboys and New Orleans top his list of teams. "

"New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson announced Monday that he will purchase local Fox network affiliate WVUE-Channel 8 for $41 million, a purchase that Benson said could be seen as an indicator that the Saints' long-term future in New Orleans is secure. The team is negotiating with the state on a package of inducements to keep the team in the Louisiana Superdome beyond the 2010 season. "

"The Saints will bring in free-agent tailback Shaun Alexander for a visit this week, a sign that they're still in the market for some insurance in case Deuce McAllister is unable to return to form. Alexander, 30, was released by the Seattle Seahawks last month after two disappointing, injury-plagued seasons. The former league MVP and three-time Pro Bowl player was scheduled to make his first free-agent visit with the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday. "

"Bengals coaches and executives wrapped up a two-day visit Monday with former NFL MVP Shaun Alexander. Alexander, a Boone County High School graduate from Florence, is scheduled to visit the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday, Alexander's agent Jim Steiner said. Alexander was released April 22 after eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. "I have talked to Shaun," Steiner said Monday afternoon. "I have not talked to (the Bengals). We don't even know if the Bengals are interested." Alexander grew up a Bengals fan."

"The NFL has crowed this week about its success in "streamlining" the annual college draft by shortening the time allotted for picks in the first and second rounds. In 2007, it took the 32 teams 18 hours, five minutes to draft. This year the proceedings finished in a neat 14 hours, 26 minutes. What's wrong with this picture? Fourteen and one-half hours. What could you do in 14 1/2 hours? You could sleep. When was the last time you sacked out for 14 1/2 continuous hours? You could watch "Gone with the Wind," four times with enough time left over for a trip to the store to buy more popcorn. "

"The Saints announced the signing of 16 rookie free agents and the release of four veterans Thursday. Among the cuts were running back Jamaal Branch and defensive end Josh Cooper, who had started twice and appeared in 14 games in the 2007 season. Also released was defensive tackle McKinley Boykin, who played in three games in 2007. "

"The Saints apparently have reached back into their past, in a way, with at least one free-agent acquisition, signing Jeremy Geathers, the son of former defensive end James "Jumpy" Geathers. Jumpy Geathers was the Saints' first pick in the 1984 draft, in the second round, out of Wichita State. Jeremy Geathers, who was born in New Orleans, played defensive end at Nevada-Las Vegas. His signing was reported by a South Carolina newspaper. "

"Day 2 of this year's draft felt like a luxury for the Saints, who had already addressed their most pressing needs throughout the depth chart. All four of their picks Sunday were more about potential and upside than they were about immediate need -- which was a good thing, because the Saints didn't have a pick in the third or fourth rounds. "

"Pressley started 31 games at N.C. State, 28 of them at tackle and three at end. He had 4.5 sacks in his career, 21 tackles for loss and 14 QB pressures. He also intercepted two passes as a senior and deflected three others in his career. He battled several nagging injuries in college, but none of them were serious and he only missed three games."

"They made no secret about their desire to land one of the top two defensive tackles, calling every team that picked ahead of them to talk about trading up. And eventually they got their man, Southern California defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, by moving up three spots to No. 7 overall."

"If Glenn Dorsey wasn't just being modest, if he knows what he's talking about, Sean Payton took a giant step toward mending his team's Achilles' heel in drafting Sedrick Ellis, a 6-foot-1, 307-pound tackle from Southern Cal."

"The Saints got one man they desperately wanted, couldn't consummate a trade for another, then added a cornerback who grew up about 90 minutes from the Superdome on the first day of the NFL draft Saturday."

"Bucking a trend in which many of Louisiana's best and brightest often flee after college to earn their living elsewhere, Port Allen's Tracy Porter gets the opportunity to make his mark back in his home state."

"As it turned out, the Saints didn't do anything shocking on draft day. Despite numerous reports the past few months that the Saints were interested in trading for New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, the deal didn't happen. And chances are, it won't. "

"Jeremy Shockey is not a saint. Well, no kidding. The talented but controversial tight end has a better chance of being Cantonized than canonized. But the big news today is that he's not a Saint with a capital S, as in a member of the team from New Orleans that was trying to pry him away from the Giants for several weeks."

"The Giants wanted a second-round pick and then some. The Saints weren't willing to go that high. A league source familiar with the Giants' situation described the Saints' pursuit of Shockey as "not very hard." In the end, Reese stood pat because the value just wasn't there."

"But until the last name is called, the uncertainty will continue, exacerbated by last-minute reports like the one that surfaced late Thursday night that the Saints were offering starting left offensive tackle Jammal Brown to the St. Louis Rams as part of a package to move up to the No. 2 spot in the draft. New Orleans then could select LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey... The Saints could also pull off a draft-day deal to acquire disgruntled New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, who reportedly has told the Giants he is no longer interested in playing there."

"Former Giants offensive coordinator Sean Payton has made no secret of his desire to be reunited with Jeremy Shockey. The only question now is this: How much is the reunion worth to him?"

" To that end, this draft for the Giants is mostly about adding depth and deciding what becomes of tight end Jeremy Shockey. The Giants have not actively shopped him, but there's no doubt interest is coming at them, mostly from the Saints and New Orleans coach Sean Payton, the Giants' former offensive coordinator who covets his former player, and that the Giants would deal Shockey for the right price. "

"There is "a good chance" that Jeremy Shockey will be part of a trade that ends his tenure with the Giants on Saturday, according to a league source familiar with the team's situation. The Saints remain the most likely suitor for the tight end in a draft-day deal, with growing interest from the Falcons among others."

"Could the Eagles trade down from 19, draft Phillips at the end of the first or high in the second, and pick up an extra draft pick, as they did last year? (The third-rounder they got from Dallas ended up being Stewart Bradley, penciled in as this year's starting middle linebacker.) Sure, they could, but they enter draft weekend with 11 picks and more expected, assuming they finally consummate a Lito Sheppard trade."

"Cornerback Lito Sheppard, barring some unforeseen development, will become a member of another team, and we'll all get to see what he brings in return. Early yesterday evening, it was the New Orleans Saints' second-round pick that qualified as the best offer on the table. A league source said five teams had made offers for Sheppard. The St. Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were among those teams, and the source said the Eagles were still hopeful when they went to bed last night that some team would improve its offer today."

" The New Orleans Saints are trying hard to move up in Saturday's draft for a shot to draft defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey of LSU, and one of the pieces they are shopping in a trade is left tackle Jammal Brown, according to a league source... To get to Dorsey, the Saints would likely have to work out a deal with the St. Louis Rams to get the second pick. The Rams also like Dorsey, so it might be tough to pry that pick away."

"Even if the Saints stay put with the picks they have, they'll get a crack at some serious talent. Heading into this weekend, we break down the Saints' depth chart, ranked in order of team needs, and point out some prospects who might be flying into New Orleans come Saturday night:"

"If LSU's Glenn Dorsey wasn't around, Southern California defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis would be getting a lot more attention. Despite continued speculation about the health of Dorsey's injured knee, it's likely the Tigers' All-American, who swept the major national defensive awards after last season, will be the first defensive tackle chosen Saturday. "

"Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis confirmed that the team has been exploring the idea of moving up from the No. 10 spot in this weekend's draft."

"One source also indicated that other teams have expressed an interest in Shockey, although none more than the Seahawks and Saints. The source did not say who those teams were, but one possibility is the Atlanta Falcons, who are looking to replace tight end Alge Crumpler."

"Of course, Rivers' draft-day measurables have made him the top prospect in a thin draft at the linebacker position, one that the past three years has been unsettled for the Saints despite the fact that the team has had the same starting trio in successive regular seasons. Nevertheless, for the second consecutive year, the Saints have concentrated their offseason efforts on bringing in linebackers (Jonathan Vilma, Dan Morgan in 2008; the departed Brian Simmons in 2007) to bolster a unit the team evidently believes is less than spectacular."

"These Jeremy Shockey-to-the-Saints rumors won't go away, especially in the wake of recent reports that Shockey wants out of New York... The Saints have not been linked to Philadelphia cornerback Lito Sheppard like they have been with Shockey. But it wouldn't be surprising to see the Saints make a run at him on or before draft day."

"Deuce McAllister said he and the Saints both came away with some protection after he agreed to restructure part of his salary and bonus payments into incentive clauses for the 2008 season. The Saints are protected from paying their veteran tailback's full salary if he is unable to return to form after surgeries on both of his knees last September. And McAllister has a little more long-term job security. The team will now be less likely to cut him, even if he is limited by the injury during training camp."

" The next time you get sick of some player – Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis comes to mind – grousing about his contract, think about New Orleans running back Deuce McAllister."

"The Saints' 2008 schedule was released Tuesday, and it's highlighted by a season-opening showdown against Tampa Bay in the Superdome on Sept. 7 and two Monday night home games -- against Minnesota on Oct. 6 and Green Bay on Nov. 24."

"The Saints open the season against the defending NFC South champion Bucs still smarting from a pair of defeats last year, including an especially gut-wrenching loss at the Superdome when Sean Payton's attempt at a trick play late in the game went horribly awry."

"To this day, Shinn and Benson have met and spoken only a handful of times, and only in business settings. Despite similar livelihoods, backgrounds and tax brackets, the conversations never have gone beyond simple greetings. "

"The 10th pick in the draft is just like any other pick, really. Hall of Famers can be found (the Raiders' Marcus Allen in 1982 and the Steelers' Rod Woodson in 1987). And colossal blunders can be made."

"The Saints have drafted two players with the No. 10 pick during franchise history, and both of them went on to long and productive NFL careers -- for other teams. Receiver Ken Burrough, drafted in 1970, played just one season in New Orleans before being traded to Houston, where he excelled the next 11 seasons. "

"Veteran utility offensive lineman Jonathan Goodwin, who re-upped with the Saints before the beginning of the free-agency signing period when it seemed certain Faine would sign a fat contract elsewhere, said he has learned through the bulk of his six-year NFL career to assume nothing."

"No one around the Giants expects to see Shockey much or at all until the June 11-13 mandatory veteran mini-camp and his working out in Miami is no longer the source of any legitimate controversy. But whether Shockey returns for his seventh season with the Giants has been a point of conjecture ever since the Giants won the Super Bowl without him, and the Saints tried to trade for the four-time Pro Bowl tight end."

"Jeremy Shockey was nowhere to be found yesterday at Giants Stadium. Then again, it's April and Shockey doesn't usually arrive in East Rutherford until late May. But with rumors swirling for the past three months about a possible Shockey trade -- perhaps to the Saints -- the injured tight end's absence didn't do much to silence rumblings of a divide between himself and his teammates. "

"McCray has had some ups and downs during his four-year NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. When he's on his game, that's the type of disruptive force he can be, and that's exactly the kind of player the Saints went looking for in free agency this year. They brought McCray in for a visit on the first day of the free-agent signing period last month and agreed to a five-year deal with him two days later. "They were obviously talking about wanting to get a better pass rush," McCray said of the Saints' sales pitch."

"New Saints cornerback Aaron Glenn realizes he's no spring chicken, and he said he was reminded of it when he came to New Orleans and met with secondary coach Dennis Allen. In the early 1990s, Glenn and Allen were teammates at Texas A&M. Allen is two years younger. Nevertheless, as Glenn heads into his 15th NFL season, he thinks he still has plenty to offer a Saints secondary that was among the league's worst in 2007. "

"Five months later, information from Jacobs has led authorities to subpoena at least one active N.F.L. player — a member of the Atlanta Falcons — to testify before a federal grand jury in Texas, said two lawyers with direct knowledge of the matter. The player has not been publicly identified. The lawyers also said that one of the subjects of the grand jury’s investigation was Matt Lehr, an offensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints who played for the Dallas Cowboys from 2001 to 2004 and for the Falcons from 2005 to 2006."

" Federal authorities in North Texas are investigating a former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman for allegedly distributing steroids and have subpoenaed a current member of the Atlanta Falcons to testify for federal grand jurors in the matter, The New York Times reported late Monday."

" Rivers, meanwhile, reportedly ran the 40 in 4.51 seconds after not running at the combine because of an ankle injury, and he wowed scouts with a 42-inch vertical jump. The end result? We're now convinced that Ellis will be gone before the Saints make their pick at No. 10. And we think Rivers will wind up in New Orleans on draft day. "

"If the Eagles really have "significant" offers for cornerback Lito Sheppard, as some suggest, then why haven't they made the trade? According to a very influential league source, who also knows the Eagles, there is no way they will get a No. 1 pick for Sheppard... Cincinnati, at No. 9 and New Orleans, at No. 10, are possibilities. "

"The Saints announced most of their preseason schedule Thursday, which includes a nationally televised road opener at Arizona on Thursday, Aug. 7, and a home game against Houston on Saturday, Aug. 16. The Saints will round out their preseason schedule with a trip to Cincinnati in Week 3 and a home finale against Miami in Week 4. Dates and times have not been released. The opener against the Cardinals, set for 7 p.m., will be televised by ESPN. "

"Saints defensive end Will Smith, apparently unhappy that the team has yet to restructure his soon-to-expire contract, is not participating in the team's offseason conditioning program, Coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. Smith played for a base salary of $695,000 last season. Fellow lineman Charles Grant last year signed a seven-year contract that could eventually be worth $63 million. "

"The NFL took the first step toward eliminating the temptation to videotape opponents' defensive signals by passing resolution G-4 on Tuesday, allowing coach-to-defense communication in the same fashion that has been in place for offenses since 1994."