http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/2799 Recent articles about Mike McKenzie en-us There have been allot of questions, the last few months on how much injuries will affect the 2008 season for the New Orleans Saints. Deuce McAllister is by far a big component of the Saints offense, without a big bruising back coming out of the backfield; the Saints will only have a passing game. It will not take long to find a way to defend against Drew Brees, if Deuce is not in the line up. He has looked good so far, with minor swelling, and all reports have him ready to march in come September. One of the biggest defensive pickups for the Saints this off season was Jonathan Vilma; he also has been questionable coming off from injury. The success of the Defense weighs heavily on him being on the field.. He has been impressive so far, and his limited reps, should not hinder his ability to step in, and provide the tough leadership the Saints need on the defensive side of the ball. Mike McKenzie has been slow to return, but looks to be close. The big question for him, will be has he lost a step? The only consolation is the depth the Saints have in proven veterans, and young emerging talent at the corner back position. If there is one thing the Saints are not lacking, is depth at each position. The battle to make the roster as a special team?s player is going to be tough. The number two, and three wide out position is still in question or at least who will be lining up, look for Meachem and Patten to hold down those spots. After that, it will depend on who has the best preseason. Copper, Henderson, Arrington, Green and Moore, are all going to be doing their best to impress Coach Payton. Don?t look for Jeremy Shockey to see allot of playing time either in August. Campbell, and Miller, along with Ortega will see most of the reps at the tightend position. As far as the running backs, Pierre Thomas will use every chance he gets to prove he was not a one hit wonder from last years Bears game, and can help make a difference in the Saints running game. Aarron Stecker will also be trying to solidify his place. Since New Orleans is a pass first offense, Coach Payton and gang may look to cut down the depth at running back in order to hold onto another receiver. The offensive line is healthy, there is no question about the starting five, the preseason will give second year players, tackle Jermon Bushros, guard Andy Alleman, and this years draft pick Carl Nicks, a chance to show they will be able to step up, in case one of the incumbents go down. Defensive injuries have hampered some players from practicing at each position as noted earlier with Vilma, and McKenzie. The defensive line has had a case of sore knees, and second round draft pick Tracy Porter suffered a minor hamstring pull that is holding him back from getting those precious reps he needs to make him a possible CB2 or nickel starter. But don?t worry people, the preseason is just starting, and as it looks, as if everyone is healing fine, and most of the holdouts are only precautionary. Look for the Saints to come marching in and ready to go full force when it?s time and the score counts. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:25:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301443 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/301443 Let's face it, 2007 was a fluke. The Saints were one win away from playing in their first Super Bowl ever in 2006. They were preseason favorites to take it all the way in 2007. Then came the 0-4 start, and losing their prized running back Deuce McAllister did not help either. Then came the four-game winning streak, and everyone thought they were back from the dead. From that point on it was hit and miss. Missing the playoffs, and ending the season 7-9. What happened? First, it was the inconsistent play from Reggie Bush. Bush just could not give the Saints the edge in the running game, and Coach Payton was forced to go to the air. Then you had the Saints defense not even showing up for games. You cannot expect to win football games by giving up (14) 20-plus-yard rushes and (54) 20-plus-yard completions. This was clearly due to a defensive player being out of place, or just having the completely wrong defense called. I myself thought the defensive play calling was extremely bad last year. As bad as the defense played last year, the Saints still had a chance to win. Drew Brees and the Saints offense still put up great numbers, Marques Colston had a pro bowl year, and had Bush not been hurt, the Saints may have made it to the playoffs. The season is over though, and the what if's are said and done. The 2008 season is almost here, and even though there are still some big questions to be answered on both sides of the ball health wise, the Saints are ready to come marching in. The Saints have a great balance of veteran and young players in all positions. Drew Brees is one of the top five QBs in the NFL right now. Mark Brunell is a seasoned veteran, and will provide sound advice to both Brees and second year man Tyler Palko. Reggie Bush has now got the "Hollywood" out of his system. He had a disappointing sophomore season, and has yet to produce like he did while at USC. This year he will be focused, and more patient. He is going into his third year, and knows that unless he starts to produce, he will not be seeing any contract extensions in his future. Jeremy Shockey is a proven play-maker as long as he stays healthy. Along with his play he adds a dimension that the Saints have been lacking the last two seasons. David Patten was said to have helped Meachem this offseason. Patten has not had a stellar career in 12 seasons, but he has been consistent, and holds three Super Bowl rings while with the Patriots. He definitely is qualified to lend some advice to a possible future star in Meachem. What makes this such a great story is the fact that Meachem will be challenging Patten for the second wide receiver position. Patten is a stand up guy in my book. Then you have pro bowl tackle Jammal Brown to mentor the young guys on the offensive line. Jahri Evans is already making waves going into his third year as a Saint. Back ups Jermon Bushrod and Carl Nicks will also benefit from the first string talent. On the defensive side of the ball, you have young veterans in Smith and Grant. Smith just signed a huge contract extension, and Grant is in the second year of his huge pay day. Both did not have great years last season, but with rookie defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis finally coming on board, they will not want to be showed up by the young up and comer. I did not loose any sleep with the Ellis holdout; defensive tackle is probably the easiest position to learn and with Smith, Grant, Thomas, Young, and McCray all there, Ellis will be able to pick their brains and should fit right in. As for the linebackers, Fujita and Simoneau are the veterans, and the acquisition of Jonathan Vilma is sure to give them a spark. The defensive backs have got the most balance in terms of years in the league, while the only standout in the group is Mike McKenzie. He is getting older with nine years in the league. Arron Glenn is the grandfather of the bunch, and with 14 years of experience, he is sure to bring a wealth of knowledge to the position. I am sure that is exactly what the front office had in mind when they signed him. Harper is coming into form, and with some tweaking he is not far from being great. Others like Usama Young and rookie Tracy Porter will all benefit from the veteran guys. I am also impressed by the addition to the coaching staff. Coach Orgeron is fierce, and his personality will rub off on everyone. So yes, there are some reservations when it comes to saying the Saints have what it takes to have a repeat of the 2006 season, but I truly believe that 2007 was a fluke, and that the 2008 season will prove that the Saints are Super Bowl contenders. Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:39:37 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/298704 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/298704 Some would say that the 2008 season for the New Orleans Saints depends on the health of or more specifically, the return of health for key players. Unfortunately, health has been an issue on both offense and defense. Depending on what happens in the next 6 weeks, could be make or break for New Orleans. OFFENSE There are several players on this side of the ball that need to be at, or close to 100% for the Saints to be running full speed. Probably the most important person of this group is Deuce McAllister. Noticeably the biggest difference from 2006 to 2007 was the running game (or lack there of). Most believe that without the threat of an inside run game, the Saints became one dimensional. With all the pressure on Drew Brees and the passing game, the offense was not able to sustain drives which put more pressure on an already porous defense. If Deuce can come back healthy from his ACL tear as he did in 2006, the offense will be much better off than they were last year. McAllister is not the only key player coming back from a set back last year. Both Reggie Bush and newly acquired Jeremy Shockey are getting ready for a better year in 08. Reggie, having to deal with more carries due to the loss of McAllister, eventually went down himself with 4 games left to play. With several competent backs, Payton should have the opportunity to split time between them to keep legs fresh. Shockey has also been working slowly to get back to form after a broken leg late last year. Jeremy has been told to take it slow for precautionary measures but should be ready to go by the start of the season, and hopefully back to Pro Bowl form as well. DEFENSE In my opinion, the defense has less room for error but has a few players hoping to be injury free as well this year. Mike McKenzie was one bright spot for the defense last year with two interceptions returned for touchdowns as well as 52 tackles. These numbers could be even better if he had not gone down with an injury himself in week 16 vs. the Eagles. Luckily for us Saints fans, he has been out on the practice field and is expected to start week 1 vs. Tampa Bay. Jonathan Vilma may be just as big a piece to the puzzle as McKenzie, relative to his play making ability and leadership. Vilma was brought in via a 4th round pick and conditional pick in 2009, but the Saints believe he is worth much more. Those who have watched practices this training camp have been praising him for his play even during "7 on 7" drills. Vilma claims to not be quite at 100% but is very close, and has been moving around well. He should be a very important part of the defenses success this year. Now, I know I missed a few players and a few minor injuries, but I pointed out the ones that I felt were most important and have the most impact on the team's success. Overall, all of these players have been doing well in camp and are on pace to play by game 1 in the Superdome. The 2008 season has the potential to be magical, but may be largely dependant on the health of these key contributors. The offense is just as potent as ever and the defense is much improved. But unless the two come together, it could be a long season. In my opinion, the Saints may just make it longer for anyone in their way. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:17:39 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297247 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297247 These notes were taken by James Blake and Jean-Paul Bergeaux while personally attending the Saints Training Camp practices. They are raw scribbles and are not meant to be grammatically correct. They may not be perfectly correct and sometimes may not even make sense to the "casual Saints fan". With that disclaimer, here we go! _______________________________________________________ Some notes as the practice started. Henderson, McKenzie, Porter, Bullocks and Blythe were all in shorts on the sidelines as the players warmed up. Deuce did what I think is his normal trainer stretching on the sidelines to warm up. *First drill was punt returns with Coach O working the DL on one side and OL and QBs doing snap practice on the other end. Brees was practicing with Goodwin, Brunell with Lehr and Palko with Rob Hunt. Punt returners were Moore, Green, and Bush with Devery hanging out with them but not dressed, so just listening. As the players were jogging around, you could hear a coach yelling "Come on David Roach! You ready to be a gunner today?!?!" No real action on the punts. No lines, just punts with all making a catch. *Next was a red zone walk through at half speed. 1st team was Brees throwing to Cambell and Shockey on screen passes. Then a dump off to Reggie. Not a lot of real action, seem to be just getting the play moves right. Of note was that Meachem, Patten and Colston were lining up in the first team for three wide receiver sets with Colston being the slot receiver. Billy Miller was on the 1st team as the TE as well. Shockey seemed to be talking to the coaches around him a lot. Asking a lot of questions. 1st team defense was lead by Brian Young (returning) and Hollis Thomas at DT and Mitchell at MLB. Vilma was running with the second team. One thing that I thought was interesting was that you could see Drew going through his progressions. There were no misses or dropped passes except a lazy effort on a low pass by Patten. *Team stretching directed by coaches. Porter and Henderson did not stretch, Bullocks, Blythe and MM did stretch. *Sleds for O and pick drills for D. *O was running gauntlet (for RB/FB) while D was doing pass catching for CBs and angle practice for S. *Next was "jamming off the line" practice for WR and CBs. Meachem couldn't beat Gay off the line. A coach started yelling at him as he passed him and Meachem said something to him. Coach responded with "Don't slip then!" Meachem got lined up against Gay again and beat him the second time to the praise of the same coach. Arrington Juked Jason David on the line. *WR Pivot catches. In this drill, they had 3 orange spots for the WR to run up to, stop, turn and catch as they came out of the break. All caught the passes well, but Colston who had two drops in a row and was pretty mad about it. Kicking the final ball off the field slightly. The coach kept yelling "Run THROUGH it! Accelerate!" The only WR that seemed to do it right was Patten. *QBs throwing shoulder catches with another WR trailing behind for distractions. *Normal passing route throw from QBs while D-line and O-line were practicing at the end zones. All of the DL were running through four dummies lined up and then charging a coach who threw the ball over their heads. The D-lineman were extending to tip or intercept the ball. All seemed to do well, but seemed to be very much an easy drill, setup in the DL favor to look good. Only thing of note on the QB/WR was Carlos Robinson getting reamed for catching a ball into his body. "Catch with your hands!" was heard. *Next was some pass drills w/ QBs. Four different passers (coach as 4th) throw passes to four different patterns. Shibby and I were a little concerned for a minute while Colston seemed to be paying attention to his calf in between drills. Then a trainer came up and cut a sleeve off of his leg (longer knee sleeve?) and then he seemed fine with no concerns to worry about. Also right as the drill was starting, David Patten wandered away from the group with a very mad look on his face, and limping with his left leg. He walked around for a while and returned to the group with no ill effects that we could tell. *Next was one of the BEST drills we saw! One on one WR against CBs with QBs throwing to them. This is a very difficult drill for CBs where time is not an issue and they have no help from anyone over the top. It made for some interesting competitions. Wale Dada was covering Colston on the first one and made a NICE play on the ball preventing the pass. Usama Young was on David Patten, who won by catching a good ball. Greg Fassitt was beat by Lance Moore. Adrian Arrington BURNED Aaron Glenn on a double move and the ball was over thrown. Arrington laid out for the ball and caught it, maintaining control as he hit the ground. It was probably the highlight catch for a WR all day. Cheers erupted and people were encouraging both Glenn and Arrington after the play. Jason Craft couldn't prevent a good pass to Robert Meachem. Skyler Green juked Jason David on a comeback pass. Reggie turned and blazed to a good catch over Usama Young. Fassitt was beat on a comeback by Copper similar to Green's over David. Colston did the same comeback over Aaron Glenn. Shockey had a nice slant catch to beat Jason Craft. Patten beat Wale Dada. Jason David had BLANKET coverage on Lance Moore, but a pinpoint pass by Drew got in anyway. Arrington tried to blaze past Young, but Young stuck with him well, tipped the ball and then grabbed an INT. The INT might have been reviewable in a game, as the ball did hit the ground while in Young's hand, but he seemed to have control of it. It was a BEAUTIFUL play by Young and drew a ton of cheers and sounds from the crowd. Shockey beat Dada. Meachem had a nice cut inside to beat Jason David. Carlos Robinson couldn't shake Young, Young was in his face and at the last minute, tipped the ball away with a hand in Robinson's face. Reggie beat Jason David. Colston beat Dada only because of his size domination over Dada. Shockey caught a back shoulder pass that was perfect from Drew over Jason Craft. *Punt Return drills were next. They started from short yardage (2 yard line) where it would be difficult for the punt team to defend. Reggie miss judged the first punt, but recovered and caught it. Reggie couldn't escape Copper and Young (no blockers at all) and they said something and laughed together. Moore also miss judged the punt next, but recovered and caught it. Skyler Green was perfect on his punt return, but again no one was able to run very far because the gunners were usually right there when they caught the punt. (Again, no one had any blockers.) Interestingly Tuff Harris returned a punt next, which I had not heard or seen earlier. We were thinking that it was just because Devery Henderson was sitting out. Reggie was perfect on next punt and then Moore did something entertaining on the next one, he tried to use the coaches as interference, running through a group standing together. He didn't escape completely, but it was funny. Skyler Green fielded the next punt perfectly, but it was a VERY good angled punt by I believe Weatherford. Green caught it with one foot barely out of bounds. Reggie finally broke one even without blockers as he out ran Copper and a defensive player that I didn't catch and broke up the sidelines. *Goal line punts were next. Mostly the returner had to get out of the way as the ball was landing at the 2 to 5 yard line and the gunners were trying to down it before it went over the goal line. Weatherford kicked a perfect kick, but Meachem missed the ball as it rolled into the end zone. Coaches started screaming at Meachem. Prather had a perfect backward spinning punt that died at the 1 yard line and was caught by Arrington to down it inside the 2 yard line. Weatherford then topped that with a PERFECT sideline punt that would have gone out of bounds and been spotted at about the 2 yard line. Prather kicked a tough one to get and Jason David made a half hearted effort, but might have been able to get it if he had put more effort in it. Tuff Harris ran full speed from the other side gunner spot and almost got to the ball to down it before it bounded into the end zone. Weatherford then kicked a nice punt inside the 5 and Aaron Glenn miss-judged the ball and it got by him to roll into the end zone instead of getting downed. Reggie fielded a ball at the 5 yard line, I think because he was tired of letting the ball go by him. J They then flipped around and did a new punt drill. This one was a "max protect" line for the punter where there were no gunners, a full rush and the outside protectors became gunners for the punt return, with blockers trying to stop them. This produced more chances for the PR to get into the open field, as there were only 2 tacklers against 4 blockers and a punt returner. The line didn't really make an effort. Moore, Green, and Reggie all had good returns with Reggie out running them sometimes, but mostly blockers allowing the PR to get out. *Break Tuff Harris seemed to be wincing in pain as he limped, but then kept playing and remained in the practice at full speed. *They did a Red Zone walk through again, not at full speed and little contact. Several plays practiced, but nothing noteworthy except a dropped pass by Meachem from Brunell (2nd team). *Full speed Red Zone practice for all three groups. -Brees started the first team. off by hitting Colston for a twisting "Colston-like" body contorting pass. The DB came up (didn't see who it was) to try to make a play, which is why Colston did the twisting. The DB missed and fell down as Colston caught the ball, kept upright and took off open and free. GREAT catch (of course). NOTE: This is not the play at this link. That play was from the beginning of the second 1st string run (I note it later) http://www.coxsportstv.com/WebSite/PopupFlashVideo.aspx?VideoId=482 Something of note was that Mark Simoneau was running the 1st team D as MLB. Brees hit Billy Miller. Gay made a NICE play on the ball to knock it away from Colston. Colston had done his normal goal line catch domination because of his size, but Gay had none of it as he knocked the ball out before Colston came down with both feet. Run up the middle by Deuce. Brees was getting a lot of pressure from Charles Grant. Brees threw a side arm AROUND Grant as he came in right to Shockey for a short gain. Good instincts by Brees and good short route and catch by Shockey. With pressure on Brees, Copper wasn't able to pull in a bad throw over the middle. There was some debate over whether the pass was to Shockey or Copper, but the majority voted it was Copper. J It's worth noting that the D-line was getting good pressure on all three QBs with all three D-lines and O-lines playing. -2nd team came on with Brunell throwing a bad pass to Lance Moore in the right flats area. The ball went almost right to Usama Young, who made the INT. Again the D-line had a lot of pressure on Brunell. (For some reason I missed who was running MLB with the second team. Since Mitchell was running 3rd team, I assume it was Vilma? Anyone see this?) Yet again the D-line is dominating. Brunell couldn't find a receiver and got flushed out to the left side for what would have been a short rushing gain. Arrington dropped a TOUGH catch from Brunell over Greg Fassitt. It wasn't good coverage and wasn't a bad drop by Arrington, yet it was not a completion. Probably in an effort to relieve the pressure by the D, they called a reverse. Meachem had good speed on the reverse and would have gotten free for a good gain. We didn't notice it, but we think that Arrington either sold the pass or had a good block on Fassitt, as he was not even near the side that Meachem came on (which was the left side where Arrington had been lined up). Since they were only 10 yards from the end zone (this was almost all red zone play), Arrington must have had a good block at some point to pull it off. Brunell followed it up with a good throw to Adrian Arrington, who made the catch. Looked like a normal successful play. Arrington switched to the right side and had a WR in the slot. A pick/screen play got Arrington a short catch in traffic. Good catch and showed good concentration. -Palko came in with the 3rd string. (As noted before Mitchell was running the MLB with 3rd string D) Palko completed a screen to Lance Moore. Outside run by Lynnell Hamilton was a good run. Showed some speed and running ability. Palko completed short pass to Buck Ortega, and Ortega got a few yards after stumbling with no defensive player around him. They started with a stack of two WRs in the slot position with no WR on the outside. After the WR cleared out on patterns, Palko completed a quick pass to RB Olanyi Sobomehin coming up behind where the WR stack had been. Screen pass to Barclay which Barclay turned into a nice run. Palko finished off his chance with a bad pass… -1st team came back in with a short flats pass to the left to Mike Karney who was immediately hit by Fujita (love tap, but harder than most of the day) Here is where the play from this link happened: http://www.coxsportstv.com/WebSite/PopupFlashVideo.aspx?VideoId=482 Grant had a lot of pressure on Brees, it was a marginal pass that looked wobbly and could have been tipped. Gay tipped it up in the air and made his own INT for a BEAUTIFUL play by Gay. Duece with a run up the middle, good push. Copper dropped a very hard to catch sideline pass from Brees. It looked like Copper was not the first guy in Brees' progression and Drew was trying to squeeze the ball in tight. Good pass, tough catch Copper didn't make. Middle run by Deuce again. (I think they were trying to relieve the D-line pressure) Drew finished up his session and was MAD. He hit the ground with his helmet as he walked off. -Brunell came back in with the 2nd team and Vilma was definitely the MLB with the second team this time around (which is why we assumed the first time around but forgot to note it) Brunell's first pass was behind the line to Stecker for what probably would have been a short gain. D-line getting a lot of pressure, Brunell threw a TIGHT inside pitch in traffic to Pierre Thomas. Was a scary play from the sidelines, but worked well to what looked like it would have been a good play. Brunell threw a good pass over the middle to Billy Miller. Another nice pass to Moore. Arrington dropped a catchable ball that was a bit behind him, but he still should have caught. -Palko came in with the third team. Marvin Mitchell came in as the 3rd string MLB again, with JoLonn Dunbar as one of the OLBs, but we had a hard time telling if he was Sam or Will, and got distracted and didn't follow up later… so sorry couldn't tell which… Quick pass to Barclay for short gain. Great D-line pressure YET AGAIN with Marcus Pittman and Marques Gunn in on a sack (rare with this drill). Usama Young made a great INT, but the crowd seemed to think that he dropped the ball as he hit the ground. I didn't see that part, but it might be true. Who cares, he made a play on the ball! Palko threw another INT by Craft trying to get the ball to Lance Moore. Palko gets a break with a hand off up the middle to Lynell Hamilton (who wasn't spectacular necessarily, but was looking good). -1st team back with Brees and Simoneau as MLB again. Screen pass to start with Shockey getting popped by Usama Young (love tap) as he caught the ball. Was around the line of scrimmage when hit. Hand off to Reggie for run. Brees pass to Copper (made catch) but hit by Jason David as he caught it. Brees handed off to Reggie for outside run to the left. Reggie was FAST to the outside. Brees pass was tipped by Charles Grant (pass middle right), still caught by Lance Moore, with good concentration. Inside run, didn't see who… Nice pass to Reggie. Pass to Colston over Jason David. Colston used size to get ball. -2nd team with Brunell again. MLB was Vilma again. Short pass to Billy Miller. Tight coverage to the left and Brunell threaded a BEAUTIFUL pass between defenders to a sliding Adrian Arrington for a great catch in the end zone. Outside run by Stecker. Short pass to Lance Moore of Greg Fassitt. Hand off up the middle to Stecker (could have been PT?) Was almost like a draw play. Good outside run to the left by Pierre Thomas. Bootleg to the left, D-line following with Ronnie Ghent wide open for a touch down pass. -3rd team with Palko Wale Dada deflected a pass to Adrian Arrington by timing his hit over the top of AA very nicely. Very close timing on the tip (over the top). Wale Dada hit the WR again in another nicely timed play as the WR (couldn't see who) tried to catch the ball. Practice was over, huddled up before they went in. Skyler, PT, Lance Moore, Barcley, and more were left out with the jugs machine practicing fielding kick off simulated spinning kicks. We got distracted because Drew and Billy Miller came over to sign things and Shibby got a hat signed by both. Billy made a comment about people coming from a distance and I said that we had come from 15 hours away. He looked at me all puzzled and asked where and I said DC and he said, "I'm sorry!" as a joke. J (seemed like a good guy) Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:58:56 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297195 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297195 2007 Summary: Cornerback last year was the most visible position on the Saints defense, in a negative way. After Fred Thomas was burned late in the 2006 season, Jason David came in as the presumptive savoir and the Saints drafted two CBs. One of which, Usama Young, secured a roster on the team. David did indeed start across from Mike McKenzie, but was burned for several highlight reel touchdowns. Young rotated in with Jason Craft and Fred Thomas as the nickel or dime defensive back, but none of the three were spectacular. 2008 Offseason: During the initial free agency period, the Saints signed two free agents at the cornerback position, neither of which were high-profile signings. Randal Gay was a four year player, but rarely a starter for the New England Patriots. Aaron Glenn is surely on his last legs and is not a savoir at the cornerback position, but has been a great player in the past and has a lot of experience to impart to the Saints younger defensive backs. In the draft, the Saints picked up Tracy Porter in the second round. Fred Thomas was released from the team and is not going to be with the Saints in 2008. Around the time of OTAs, the Saints picked up a couple of other players to compete in training camp as well. Player summary: CBs on roster as of today (in the order listed on the Saints website when sorting by position): Mike McKenzie (34) Tracy Porter (22) Jason Craft (21) Aaron Glenn (31) Randall Gay (20) Greg Fassitt (32) Usama Young (28) Anwar Phillips (36) Jason David (42) Jerametrius Butler (45) Mike McKenzie: Jersey Number: 34 School: Memphis Year: Junior Drafted: 3rd Round 1999 (Packers) Experience: 10 years Height: 6-0 Weight: 194 40-Time: 4.58 (Combine) There is nothing more you can say about McKenzie except he has been the number one starting CB for the Saints for more than a few years. The prior Saints staff traded for McKenzie in 04' and it's been a praised move ever since. McKenzie, however, injured his right knee in week 15 against the Eagles in 07'. He had knee surgery soon after and has been in intense rehab trying to prepare for 08'. According to McKenzie, he is on schedule to report to training camp at full speed. If so, that is a very fast recovery. Usually a player is not back to the practice field for upwards of 9 or 10 months and really ready to play for at least year. It will be almost exactly 7 months from the injury if he is on the field and playing full speed when training camp starts. It really comes down to how McKenzie has recovered on whether he starts or is on the IR/PUP lists come the beginning of the season. How that goes will make a large impact on several other players on the team. Certainly the players who would want to fill his starting LCB spot while he is still recovering will be impacted. Also players that would not have been given a chance to play at all will be impacted, because the nickel CB will probably be the LCB. Look for whether MM is on the practice field with "the 1's" (starting players), or if he is riding a bike or missing completely from the field. That will tell you what the lay of the land is. Tracy Porter: Jersey Number: 22 School: Indiana Year: Senior Drafted: 2nd round 2008 (Saints) Experience: Rookie Height: 5-11 Weight: 186 40-Time: 4.37 (Combine) With 24 INTs in his college career and 6 in his final year, Porter was a leader on the Indiana football team. He was a stand out cornerback and considered to be one of the better man-to-man cover corners coming out of the draft. He's a bit undersized for the "ideal" cornerback, but not for the standard NFL starting cornerback. He has played well in OTAs, but has already shown his inexperience by being beaten by the veteran receivers he has faced. Cornerback is one of the harder positions to transition from college to the NFL. So don't expect the world from Porter just yet. Although it has happened before, so it's not beyond all possibility. Being drafted as a high second round pick means he is probably considered, at this point, to be a future starter for the Saints at CB. Porter did some kick returning in college and will probably spend some time returning kickoffs in TC. The Saints have suffered quite a bit from average to poor kickoff returns since Michael "Beerman" Lewis departed after 2006. Word around town is that Porter is rising fast on the Saints depth chart after an impressive performance in shorts and shells at the OTAs. Even if Porter doesn't make the starting line up, which would be surprising; expect Porter to make the team as a developmental backup, kick returner and maybe a nickel/dime package defensive back. Jason Craft: Jersey Number: 21 School: Colorado State Year: Senior Drafted: 5th round 1999 (Jaguars) Experience: 10 years Height: 5-10 Weight: 187 40-Time: 4.52 (Combine) Jason Craft has been on the Saints roster since 2004. Craft has been a decent cornerback in that time, but is not the answer long term. Craft started the last four games to the end of 2007 after Mike McKenzie went down, but will have to fight off David, Young, Gay and probably even Porter to keep that position even if MM doesn't make it back to 100% in time for the first game. He can certainly hold the position down, but is not expected to start unless there is both a surprise performance by Craft and a surprising under-performance by others. Craft has 36 interceptions in 10 years, giving him an average of 3.6 INTs a year. Last year was his best year ever in total tackles as a Saint (56) and just four behind his career high of 60 in 2001 with the Jaguars. If Craft doesn't start at the beginning of the year, he may end up competing with Aaron Glenn for the roll of veteran backup. Glenn has been a utility defensive back, playing free safety solidly when called upon. Aaron Glenn: Jersey Number: 31 School: Texas A&M Year: Senior Drafted: 1st Round 1994 (NY Jets) Experience: 15 years Height: 5-9 Weight: 183 40-Time: 4.57 (Combine) Aaron Glenn was released by the Cowboys late in the last round of cuts in 2007. He was picked up quickly by the Jaguars, but wasn't activated as a player right away. Glenn started four games for the Jags when Rashean Mathis (CB) and Brian Williams (FS) were injured, playing admirably. Glenn made his lone interception while playing the free safety position in place of Williams in game 8 against the Bucs. Glenn will probably not figure into the starting competition for cornerback, but his versatility as a backup CB or FS, makes him an interesting player for roster spot competition. That versatility and veteran experience could put any cornerback (or free safety) that lands near the bottom of the depth charts in jeopardy of a job. Sean Payton likes versatile backups, especially ones that have a lot of experience to impart to younger players. Expect Glenn to make the team if he can show he still has some gas in the tank and can stay healthy. Randall Gay: Jersey Number: 20 School: LSU Year: Senior Drafted: UDFA 2004 (Patriots) Experience: 5 years Height: 5-11 Weight: 190 40-Time: 4.38 (Combine) Randall Gay has been with the New England Patriots for the last four years. He started 9 games in his rookie year and had a decent showing. Unfortunately he hurt his ankle, forcing him to miss 3 months in 2005 and his hamstring in the third game of the 2006 season, putting him out for the rest of the year. In 2007 Gay played injury free, mostly as the nickel cornerback, but getting three starts. He was able to grab 3 interceptions and had 7 pass deflections, even with the limited playing time. Gay was picked up by the Saints in free agency, probably as an insurance policy, but also with the upside that he could end up starting. If Mike McKenzie does not make it back to the starting line up by game 1, expect Gay to make a serious challenge for a starting cornerback position. If MM does make it back, Jason David and Usama Young will probably have a battle on their hands from Gay. He has been fighting for a starting spot ever since the 2005 and 2006 injury riddled seasons. Gay is back home in Louisiana and wants to prove that he belongs in the starting line up. Gay is fast and has been coached by one of best defensive teams in the NFL. He has had a lot of experience in both man to man and zone coverage, with decent success, despite being down the depth chart. Expect Gay to make the team even if he doesn't start. He has excelled as a nickel back and the NFL today has the nickel back on the field upwards of 60% of the time. Greg Fassitt: Jersey Number: 32 School: Grambling State Year: Senior Drafted: UDFA 2007 (Bears) Experience: 1 year Height: 5-11 Weight: 186 40-Time: 4.39 (Combine) Greg Fassitt was picked up by the Chicago Bears as an UDFA and was put in their practice squad, never being activated through the 2007 season. So Fassitt is a bit of a mystery. He showed some speed at the combine and topped it at Grambling's Pro Day with a 4.36. Unless otherwise proven, Fassitt appears to be a camp body. Expect Fassitt to be near the bottom of the depth chart or even the practice squad at best. Maybe he will be a diamond in the rough though, it wouldn't be the first time that the Saints have found one. Usama Young: Jersey Number: 28 (formerly 38) School: Kent State Year: Senior Drafted: 3rd Round 2007 (Saints) Experience: 1 year Height: 6-0 Weight: 200 40-Time: 4.4 (Combine) Usama Young was an unexpected selection by the Saints in the early third round of the 2007 draft. In camp last year Young showed a lot of athleticism, but also proved that he was a long term project. Young did not start in 2007, but played in all but two games (hamstring) for the Saints. As the season wound down, Young saw more and more playing time and seemed to be improving week to week. He did not have any INTs, and only had two passes defended, unfortunately, for a Saints defensive backfield that sorely needs a game breaker. Young may be the future of the CB position for the Saints, but that has yet to be proven. After Mike McKenzie went down in the Eagles game, Young was not put in the starting role, even though the playoffs were merely a statistical possibility. One would think that if the Saints had big plans for Young, they would have played him more to give him more game experience. In addition, would they have gotten so many new CBs to compete if Young was the answer? They didn't just draft Tracy Porter in the second round, they brought in Randall Gay, Aaron Glenn Jerametrius Butler and Fassitt in free agency. That has to make one think. With that said, Young may still be in the hunt for the starting job at CB if Mike McKenzie is unable to make a full recovery from his knee injury. If MM does make it back, it will be a lot harder for Young to break into the starting role. Anwar Phillips: Jersey Number: 36 School: Penn State Year: Senior Drafted: UDFA 2006 (Saints) Experience: 2 years Height: 6-0 Weight: 187 40-Time: 4.46 (Combine) Anwar Phillips started out as a wide receiver for the Nittany Lions, but moved to defensive back midway through his college career. Phillips went undrafted in 2006, but has been in the Saints training camp and practice squad for two years now. No doubt the converted receiver was looked at as a long term project by the coaching staff, but after two years, the team probably expects some fruit for their investments soon. Phillips has never played an NFL regular season down, so there is not much to know about. If Anwar doesn't make the team this year, he is likely to be looking for a new team to play with in the future. Expect Phillips to be fighting for a final roster spot, if he makes it that far. Jason David: Jersey Number: 42 School: Washington State Year: Senior Drafted: 4th Round 2004 (Colts) Experience: 5 years Height: 5-8 Weight: 180 40-Time: 4.47 (Combine) Jason David was brought in from the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts and was expected to save the day. Unfortunately, he had a hard time transitioning back to a mostly man to man scheme from the Colts mostly Cover-2 zone scheme. David has great instincts and deceptive speed, often showing his skills in one on one drills. He played most of his college years as a man to man specialist at cornerback. His reactions were off, though, after being forced to change his instincts for four years in Indianapolis. David was severely burned on some high profile plays early in the season. Then he broke his forearm against Tenn in the third game. David returned a month later and did start to show improvement as the season wore on. It wasn't enough to satisfy the Saints though, as they brought in a host of competition to keep David honest. David comes in as the returning starter, but with Gay, Glenn, Porter and Young all in camp, David will have to really shine to keep that job in 2008. It would be surprising to see David not make the team as a backup or nickel back if he does loose his job, so expect David to be on the final roster come September. Jerametrius Butler: Jersey Number: 45 School: Kent State Year: Senior Drafted: 5th Round 2001 (Rams) Experience: 8 years Height: 5-10 Weight: 181 40-Time: 4.57 (Combine) Butler is an interesting pickup for the Saints. After being a developmental project early in his career, he had a breakout year in 2003, starting all but one game, grabbing 4 INTs and getting 71 tackles. Then in 2004, he topped it with 5 INTs, an impressive 14 passes broken up and 79 tackles. Butler appeared to be on the way to a productive career. Then in 2005, Butler had a major injury to his right knee that eventually resulted in him being cut from the Rams after 2006. In 2007, Butler started one game for the Buffalo Bills, but was cut at the end of the year. Butler appears to be one of those low risk gambles, sort of like David Patten was in 2007. If he is finally fully healed from his knee injury, he may be a starter quality player for the Saints. If he is not, then the Saints don't have a lot invested in him and can cut him. If Butler performs well and makes it to the later rounds of cuts, he may end up being a nice pick up. Competition Summary: There are 10 players listed at CB going into camp, for either 5 or 6 positions. If the coaching staff feels very good about the first 5, there may not be a 6th position. That leaves 4 or possibly 5 players out. If McKenzie ends up on the PUP/IR list, it will give a temporary reprieve for one player. It is unlikely though, if McKenzie is rehabbing as fast as he says, that he will not be on the active roster, even if he is not ready to start. The NFL restricts a player from returning for several weeks if he is on the injured lists. The Saints will probably want him to be able to play as soon as he is ready. If he does end up on the IR/PUP list, he is probably out about half of the season. If Mike McKenzie is healthy, look for Jason David, Randall Gay and Usama Young to compete for the starting role opposite him. That would leave a large contingent vying for the final roster spots. The nickel corner position gets a lot more playing time that most think, so it will be a coveted position and most likely go to the runner up for RCB. If Mike McKenzie is out and not on the active roster, then expect to see a wide open competition for both LCB and RCB. It's going to get very interesting with wild card players like Butler that have been brought in. The most likely locks for the roster include Mike McKenzie, Tracy Porter, Randall Gay and possibly Usama Young. One could make an argument for Jason David as well, but there are no guarantees. David should be competing for a starting role, but if he is completely outperformed by some of the new arrivals, he could be odd man out. So, most likely, that leaves only one or two roster positions open. Jason Craft has tenure, but Aaron Glenn has more success filling in for both CB and FS. That makes him versatile and possibly able to fill two roles, freeing up a roster spot, which Head Coach Sean Payton likes. Then there are the unknowns with Greg Fassitt and Jerametrius Butler. Even Anwar Phillips could suddenly have the lights turn on in his third year. Strap on your seatbelts Saints fans, it's going to be a fun ride! Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:49:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/288554 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/288554 2007 Summary: Cornerback last year was the most visible position on the Saints defense, in a negative way. After Fred Thomas was burned late in the 2006 season, Jason David came in as the presumptive savoir and the Saints drafted two CBs. One of which, Usama Young, secured a roster on the team. David did indeed start across from Mike McKenzie, but was burned for several highlight reel touchdowns. Young rotated in with Jason Craft and Fred Thomas as the nickel or dime defensive back, but none of the three were spectacular. 2008 Offseason: During the initial free agency period, the Saints signed two free agents at the cornerback position, neither of which were high-profile signings. Randal Gay was a four year player, but rarely a starter for the New England Patriots. Aaron Glenn is surely on his last legs and is not a savoir at the cornerback position, but has been a great player in the past and has a lot of experience to impart to the Saints younger defensive backs. In the draft, the Saints picked up Tracy Porter in the second round. Fred Thomas was released from the team and is not going to be with the Saints in 2008. Around the time of OTAs, the Saints picked up a couple of other players to compete in training camp as well. Player summary: CBs on roster as of today (in the order listed on the Saints website when sorting by position): Mike McKenzie (34) Tracy Porter (22) Jason Craft (21) Aaron Glenn (31) Randall Gay (20) Greg Fassitt (32) Usama Young (28) Anwar Phillips (36) Jason David (42) Jerametrius Butler (45) Mike McKenzie: Jersey Number: 34 School: Memphis Year: Junior Drafted: 3rd Round 1999 (Packers) Experience: 10 years Height: 6-0 Weight: 194 40-Time: 4.58 (Combine) There is nothing more you can say about McKenzie except he has been the number one starting CB for the Saints for more than a few years. The prior Saints staff traded for McKenzie in 04' and it's been a praised move ever since. McKenzie, however, injured his right knee in week 15 against the Eagles in 07'. He had knee surgery soon after and has been in intense rehab trying to prepare for 08'. According to McKenzie, he is on schedule to report to training camp at full speed. If so, that is a very fast recovery. Usually a player is not back to the practice field for upwards of 9 or 10 months and really ready to play for at least year. It will be almost exactly 7 months from the injury if he is on the field and playing full speed when training camp starts. It really comes down to how McKenzie has recovered on whether he starts or is on the IR/PUP lists come the beginning of the season. How that goes will make a large impact on several other players on the team. Certainly the players who would want to fill his starting LCB spot while he is still recovering will be impacted. Also players that would not have been given a chance to play at all will be impacted, because the nickel CB will probably be the LCB. Look for whether MM is on the practice field with "the 1's" (starting players), or if he is riding a bike or missing completely from the field. That will tell you what the lay of the land is. Tracy Porter: Jersey Number: 22 School: Indiana Year: Senior Drafted: 2nd round 2008 (Saints) Experience: Rookie Height: 5-11 Weight: 186 40-Time: 4.37 (Combine) With 24 INTs in his college career and 6 in his final year, Porter was a leader on the Indiana football team. He was a stand out cornerback and considered to be one of the better man-to-man cover corners coming out of the draft. He's a bit undersized for the "ideal" cornerback, but not for the standard NFL starting cornerback. He has played well in OTAs, but has already shown his inexperience by being beaten by the veteran receivers he has faced. Cornerback is one of the harder positions to transition from college to the NFL. So don't expect the world from Porter just yet. Although it has happened before, so it's not beyond all possibility. Being drafted as a high second round pick means he is probably considered, at this point, to be a future starter for the Saints at CB. Porter did some kick returning in college and will probably spend some time returning kickoffs in TC. The Saints have suffered quite a bit from average to poor kickoff returns since Michael "Beerman" Lewis departed after 2006. Word around town is that Porter is rising fast on the Saints depth chart after an impressive performance in shorts and shells at the OTAs. Even if Porter doesn't make the starting line up, which would be surprising; expect Porter to make the team as a developmental backup, kick returner and maybe a nickel/dime package defensive back. Jason Craft: Jersey Number: 21 School: Colorado State Year: Senior Drafted: 5th round 1999 (Jaguars) Experience: 10 years Height: 5-10 Weight: 187 40-Time: 4.52 (Combine) Jason Craft has been on the Saints roster since 2004. Craft has been a decent cornerback in that time, but is not the answer long term. Craft started the last four games to the end of 2007 after Mike McKenzie went down, but will have to fight off David, Young, Gay and probably even Porter to keep that position even if MM doesn't make it back to 100% in time for the first game. He can certainly hold the position down, but is not expected to start unless there is both a surprise performance by Craft and a surprising under-performance by others. Craft has 36 interceptions in 10 years, giving him an average of 3.6 INTs a year. Last year was his best year ever in total tackles as a Saint (56) and just four behind his career high of 60 in 2001 with the Jaguars. If Craft doesn't start at the beginning of the year, he may end up competing with Aaron Glenn for the roll of veteran backup. Glenn has been a utility defensive back, playing free safety solidly when called upon. Aaron Glenn: Jersey Number: 31 School: Texas A&M Year: Senior Drafted: 1st Round 1994 (NY Jets) Experience: 15 years Height: 5-9 Weight: 183 40-Time: 4.57 (Combine) Aaron Glenn was released by the Cowboys late in the last round of cuts in 2007. He was picked up quickly by the Jaguars, but wasn't activated as a player right away. Glenn started four games for the Jags when Rashean Mathis (CB) and Brian Williams (FS) were injured, playing admirably. Glenn made his lone interception while playing the free safety position in place of Williams in game 8 against the Bucs. Glenn will probably not figure into the starting competition for cornerback, but his versatility as a backup CB or FS, makes him an interesting player for roster spot competition. That versatility and veteran experience could put any cornerback (or free safety) that lands near the bottom of the depth charts in jeopardy of a job. Sean Payton likes versatile backups, especially ones that have a lot of experience to impart to younger players. Expect Glenn to make the team if he can show he still has some gas in the tank and can stay healthy. Randall Gay: Jersey Number: 20 School: LSU Year: Senior Drafted: UDFA 2004 (Patriots) Experience: 5 years Height: 5-11 Weight: 190 40-Time: 4.38 (Combine) Randall Gay has been with the New England Patriots for the last four years. He started 9 games in his rookie year and had a decent showing. Unfortunately he hurt his ankle, forcing him to miss 3 months in 2005 and his hamstring in the third game of the 2006 season, putting him out for the rest of the year. In 2007 Gay played injury free, mostly as the nickel cornerback, but getting three starts. He was able to grab 3 interceptions and had 7 pass deflections, even with the limited playing time. Gay was picked up by the Saints in free agency, probably as an insurance policy, but also with the upside that he could end up starting. If Mike McKenzie does not make it back to the starting line up by game 1, expect Gay to make a serious challenge for a starting cornerback position. If MM does make it back, Jason David and Usama Young will probably have a battle on their hands from Gay. He has been fighting for a starting spot ever since the 2005 and 2006 injury riddled seasons. Gay is back home in Louisiana and wants to prove that he belongs in the starting line up. Gay is fast and has been coached by one of best defensive teams in the NFL. He has had a lot of experience in both man to man and zone coverage, with decent success, despite being down the depth chart. Expect Gay to make the team even if he doesn't start. He has excelled as a nickel back and the NFL today has the nickel back on the field upwards of 60% of the time. Greg Fassitt: Jersey Number: 32 School: Grambling State Year: Senior Drafted: UDFA 2007 (Bears) Experience: 1 year Height: 5-11 Weight: 186 40-Time: 4.39 (Combine) Greg Fassitt was picked up by the Chicago Bears as an UDFA and was put in their practice squad, never being activated through the 2007 season. So Fassitt is a bit of a mystery. He showed some speed at the combine and topped it at Grambling's Pro Day with a 4.36. Unless otherwise proven, Fassitt appears to be a camp body. Expect Fassitt to be near the bottom of the depth chart or even the practice squad at best. Maybe he will be a diamond in the rough though, it wouldn't be the first time that the Saints have found one. Usama Young: Jersey Number: 28 (formerly 38) School: Kent State Year: Senior Drafted: 3rd Round 2007 (Saints) Experience: 1 year Height: 6-0 Weight: 200 40-Time: 4.4 (Combine) Usama Young was an unexpected selection by the Saints in the early third round of the 2007 draft. In camp last year Young showed a lot of athleticism, but also proved that he was a long term project. Young did not start in 2007, but played in all but two games (hamstring) for the Saints. As the season wound down, Young saw more and more playing time and seemed to be improving week to week. He did not have any INTs, and only had two passes defended, unfortunately, for a Saints defensive backfield that sorely needs a game breaker. Young may be the future of the CB position for the Saints, but that has yet to be proven. After Mike McKenzie went down in the Eagles game, Young was not put in the starting role, even though the playoffs were merely a statistical possibility. One would think that if the Saints had big plans for Young, they would have played him more to give him more game experience. In addition, would they have gotten so many new CBs to compete if Young was the answer? They didn't just draft Tracy Porter in the second round, they brought in Randall Gay, Aaron Glenn Jerametrius Butler and Fassitt in free agency. That has to make one think. With that said, Young may still be in the hunt for the starting job at CB if Mike McKenzie is unable to make a full recovery from his knee injury. If MM does make it back, it will be a lot harder for Young to break into the starting role. Anwar Phillips: Jersey Number: 36 School: Penn State Year: Senior Drafted: UDFA 2006 (Saints) Experience: 2 years Height: 6-0 Weight: 187 40-Time: 4.46 (Combine) Anwar Phillips started out as a wide receiver for the Nittany Lions, but moved to defensive back midway through his college career. Phillips went undrafted in 2006, but has been in the Saints training camp and practice squad for two years now. No doubt the converted receiver was looked at as a long term project by the coaching staff, but after two years, the team probably expects some fruit for their investments soon. Phillips has never played an NFL regular season down, so there is not much to know about. If Anwar doesn't make the team this year, he is likely to be looking for a new team to play with in the future. Expect Phillips to be fighting for a final roster spot, if he makes it that far. Jason David: Jersey Number: 42 School: Washington State Year: Senior Drafted: 4th Round 2004 (Colts) Experience: 5 years Height: 5-8 Weight: 180 40-Time: 4.47 (Combine) Jason David was brought in from the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts and was expected to save the day. Unfortunately, he had a hard time transitioning back to a mostly man to man scheme from the Colts mostly Cover-2 zone scheme. David has great instincts and deceptive speed, often showing his skills in one on one drills. He played most of his college years as a man to man specialist at cornerback. His reactions were off, though, after being forced to change his instincts for four years in Indianapolis. David was severely burned on some high profile plays early in the season. Then he broke his forearm against Tenn in the third game. David returned a month later and did start to show improvement as the season wore on. It wasn't enough to satisfy the Saints though, as they brought in a host of competition to keep David honest. David comes in as the returning starter, but with Gay, Glenn, Porter and Young all in camp, David will have to really shine to keep that job in 2008. It would be surprising to see David not make the team as a backup or nickel back if he does loose his job, so expect David to be on the final roster come September. Jerametrius Butler: Jersey Number: 45 School: Kent State Year: Senior Drafted: 5th Round 2001 (Rams) Experience: 8 years Height: 5-10 Weight: 181 40-Time: 4.57 (Combine) Butler is an interesting pickup for the Saints. After being a developmental project early in his career, he had a breakout year in 2003, starting all but one game, grabbing 4 INTs and getting 71 tackles. Then in 2004, he topped it with 5 INTs, an impressive 14 passes broken up and 79 tackles. Butler appeared to be on the way to a productive career. Then in 2005, Butler had a major injury to his right knee that eventually resulted in him being cut from the Rams after 2006. In 2007, Butler started one game for the Buffalo Bills, but was cut at the end of the year. Butler appears to be one of those low risk gambles, sort of like David Patten was in 2007. If he is finally fully healed from his knee injury, he may be a starter quality player for the Saints. If he is not, then the Saints don't have a lot invested in him and can cut him. If Butler performs well and makes it to the later rounds of cuts, he may end up being a nice pick up. Competition Summary: There are 10 players listed at CB going into camp, for either 5 or 6 positions. If the coaching staff feels very good about the first 5, there may not be a 6th position. That leaves 4 or possibly 5 players out. If McKenzie ends up on the PUP/IR list, it will give a temporary reprieve for one player. It is unlikely though, if McKenzie is rehabbing as fast as he says, that he will not be on the active roster, even if he is not ready to start. The NFL restricts a player from returning for several weeks if he is on the injured lists. The Saints will probably want him to be able to play as soon as he is ready. If he does end up on the IR/PUP list, he is probably out about half of the season. If Mike McKenzie is healthy, look for Jason David, Randall Gay and Usama Young to compete for the starting role opposite him. That would leave a large contingent vying for the final roster spots. The nickel corner position gets a lot more playing time that most think, so it will be a coveted position and most likely go to the runner up for RCB. If Mike McKenzie is out and not on the active roster, then expect to see a wide open competition for both LCB and RCB. It's going to get very interesting with wild card players like Butler that have been brought in. The most likely locks for the roster include Mike McKenzie, Tracy Porter, Randall Gay and possibly Usama Young. One could make an argument for Jason David as well, but there are no guarantees. David should be competing for a starting role, but if he is completely outperformed by some of the new arrivals, he could be odd man out. So, most likely, that leaves only one or two roster positions open. Jason Craft has tenure, but Aaron Glenn has more success filling in for both CB and FS. That makes him versatile and possibly able to fill two roles, freeing up a roster spot, which Head Coach Sean Payton likes. Then there are the unknowns with Greg Fassitt and Jerametrius Butler. Even Anwar Phillips could suddenly have the lights turn on in his third year. Strap on your seatbelts Saints fans, it's going to be a fun ride! Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:49:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/288554 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/288554 As Saints training camp approaches, starting on July 24th, there are going to be several very interesting battles for starting positions as well as roster spots. In the next few days we will provide you with some details of what positions to watch and some details about whom you will be watching. First let's define what positions we will be giving detailed player by player information on: CB: Due to Mike McKenzie's injury, we will probably see a lot more action at both right and left cornerback. Even if MM is completely healthy, Jason David will have a battle on his hands to maintain his starting position at RCB. WLB: With Jonathan Vilma more than likely locking down the MLB spot and Fujita returning as the SLB, there is going to be a fierce battle for the WLB spot. Mark Simoneau started at the MLB position and Scott Shanle returns after being last years starting WLB. What about Marvin Mitchell and JoLonn Dunbar? The rest of these position battles we will not be giving player by player breakdowns, but will be giving a summary of the position and competition. RB: Reggie Bush may be the star and Deuce McAllister may be the work horse, but right now, neither has a lock on the starting position. Can Reggie emerge as a full time starter? Can Deuce recover completely and show that he can carry the rock another year? What about Pierre Thomas? DT: Last year was a down year for the Saints D-line. The DE weren't perceived to be the problem, DT was. Young was hurt all year, Hollis Thomas came in overweight and now they have to face two rookies down, DeMario Pressley and Sedrick Ellis to keep their starting jobs. K: Martin Gramatica came in late last year to hold up the Saints kicking game as Olindo Mare failed to deliver. The Saints drafted a big legged kicker in Taylor Mehlhaff, who will win? TE: This position is probably the most painful to watch, but it will be a heated competition. The Saints haven't brought in any big name free agents as some fans had hoped *cough*SHOCKEY*cough*, and didn't draft any hopefuls at TE either. So the competition against the same TEs will be fierce, but probably not exciting. OL: This may come as a shock to some Saints fans to be here. The Saints have a very good pass blocking O-line that gave up a league low sack total. However, the run blocking was poor and Drew Brees' smarts account for some of that low sack total. The Saints have two 2007 draft picks and a 2008 draft pick that have a lot of promise. FS: Josh Bullocks has the athleticism to be a great FS, but he has not been able to translate that into stellar play. Kevin Kaesviharn figures to challenge Bullocks for the starting spot and don't forget about UDFA David Roach. WR: No, we're not talking about Colston. Marques is more than likely headed to a Pro-Bowl soon. We are, however, talking about the spot next to him. David Patten was a great asset last year, but Robert Meachem and a few others could challenge him for that starting spot across from Colston. The details of the training camp battles will come out in the following days as they are ready. Keep tabs on this page and get ready for some football! Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:58:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/288114 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/288114 As Saints training camp approaches, starting on July 24th, there are going to be several very interesting battles for starting positions as well as roster spots. In the next few days we will provide you with some details of what positions to watch and some details about whom you will be watching. First let's define what positions we will be giving detailed player by player information on: CB: Due to Mike McKenzie's injury, we will probably see a lot more action at both right and left cornerback. Even if MM is completely healthy, Jason David will have a battle on his hands to maintain his starting position at RCB. WLB: With Jonathan Vilma more than likely locking down the MLB spot and Fujita returning as the SLB, there is going to be a fierce battle for the WLB spot. Mark Simoneau started at the MLB position and Scott Shanle returns after being last years starting WLB. What about Marvin Mitchell and JoLonn Dunbar? The rest of these position battles we will not be giving player by player breakdowns, but will be giving a summary of the position and competition. RB: Reggie Bush may be the star and Deuce McAllister may be the work horse, but right now, neither has a lock on the starting position. Can Reggie emerge as a full time starter? Can Deuce recover completely and show that he can carry the rock another year? What about Pierre Thomas? DT: Last year was a down year for the Saints D-line. The DE weren't perceived to be the problem, DT was. Young was hurt all year, Hollis Thomas came in overweight and now they have to face two rookies down, DeMario Pressley and Sedrick Ellis to keep their starting jobs. K: Martin Gramatica came in late last year to hold up the Saints kicking game as Olindo Mare failed to deliver. The Saints drafted a big legged kicker in Taylor Mehlhaff, who will win? TE: This position is probably the most painful to watch, but it will be a heated competition. The Saints haven't brought in any big name free agents as some fans had hoped *cough*SHOCKEY*cough*, and didn't draft any hopefuls at TE either. So the competition against the same TEs will be fierce, but probably not exciting. OL: This may come as a shock to some Saints fans to be here. The Saints have a very good pass blocking O-line that gave up a league low sack total. However, the run blocking was poor and Drew Brees' smarts account for some of that low sack total. The Saints have two 2007 draft picks and a 2008 draft pick that have a lot of promise. FS: Josh Bullocks has the athleticism to be a great FS, but he has not been able to translate that into stellar play. Kevin Kaesviharn figures to challenge Bullocks for the starting spot and don't forget about UDFA David Roach. WR: No, we're not talking about Colston. Marques is more than likely headed to a Pro-Bowl soon. We are, however, talking about the spot next to him. David Patten was a great asset last year, but Robert Meachem and a few others could challenge him for that starting spot across from Colston. The details of the training camp battles will come out in the following days as they are ready. Keep tabs on this page and get ready for some football! Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:58:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/288114 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/288114 I will not bore you with all the moves the Saints made this off season, what I will tell you is that they were the right moves, and the defense will be the difference maker the Saints need to finally play(and win) this years Super Bowl. In 2006 Coach Peyton shocked everyone with his play calling. The Saints offense could not have been better. The most memorable game for me was their win over Dallas. With the "Big Tuna" watching from the other side, you would have to wonder what he was thinking. Both anger, and proud, that one of his protégé's was out coaching him on national TV. In 2007 however, the offense seemed to be missing something, Coach Peyton's play calling was not working as it did in 2006, and with Deuce gone, and injuries to other key players, they just could not get it together. The defense also did not help. Even when the offense scored, the defense could not manage to keep the opposing team from coming back, and with 3 games decided by a touchdown or less, it proves that defense is the key to winning no matter how good your offense is. 2008 will be different; the defense is primed to be a force this year. Roman Harper is more experienced and has already shown signs of greatness. We will also have one of the most expensive front fours in the NFL after Sedrick Ellis signs, and with 3 1st round draft picks taking the field chasing after QB's, I cannot wait for the 1st snap. "Quarterback's Beware" Yes there are still some questions whether Mike McKenzie will be ready, will Grant miss time due to legal issues. If they do miss time it will not matter, the Saints have enough depth and experience along with young talent that will see them rise to the occasion. Turnovers have been the biggest issue the last 2 years. History has shown defenses that create turnovers win football games. So with that, expect Gary Gibbs to have some nice blitz packages ready with his multiple playmakers. Smith, Grant, Ellis, McCray, Vilma, and Harper… Can you say SACK FACTORY? One final note, I do believe Coach Peyton will find a use for Reggie Bush, and he will not be the worst bust since Ricky Williams, and Meachem will also show he was worthy of a 1st round pick. ….. And Marques Colston will finally make it to the pro bowl. Go Saints!!! Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:27:36 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/287617 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/287617 From: Pro Football Weekly Word out of New Orleans is that rookie CB Tracy Porter made a good first impression during OTAs and has already passed second-year CB Usama Young on the depth chart. Jason David and Mike McKenzie, if he's recovered from a torn ACL suffered late last season, are the presumed starters at corner, but David could very well lose his job to Porter or nickel back Randall Gay if he doesn't show better field awareness and he continues to get beat deep. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:27:35 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/287614 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/287614 This is another part of our best of players with dreads series. Enjoy! 1.Bob Sanders Colts 2.Atari Bigby Packers 3. Al Harris Packers 4.Brandon Meriweather Patriots 5.Rashean Mathis Jaguars 6.Asante Samuel Eagles 7. Reggie Nelson Jaguars 8. Mike Mckenzie Saints 9.Greg Wesley Chiefs 10.Michael Griffin Titans 11.Usama Young Saints 12.Jack Williams Broncos 13.Terry Cousin Bears 14.Dunta Robinson Texans 15.Marcus Trufant Seahawks 16.Cedric Griffin Vikings 17.Adam Jones (when he had them) Cowboys 18.Leigh Bodden Lions 19.Chris Houston Falcons 20.Charles Tillman Bears Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:01:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282121 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282121 New NFLPA president Kevin Mawae said Thursday he's against the cutting of the hair proposal brought on by Herm Edwards, and he is going to fight it. He said, "I don't think there is any rule in the NFL rulebook saying your hair can't be a certain length. For management, council or ownership to say we need all our players to cut their hair or bind it up or whatever, I think they need to understand it goes way beyond just haircuts," Mawae said. It goes into a cultural issue with the African American population in our league, and also with the Polynesian population. The hair is a part of their culture. It's part of the history and the background. To ask a player to cut it off just because a select few don't like it, I think there is an issue with that." I think it's dumb. These men have been growing their hair for several years, now all of a sudden you want them to cut it off. I understand putting it in a pony tail or tucking it in, but just asking them to chop it off is stupid. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:47:20 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/224934 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/224934 You can't go wrong with a list like this: 1.Pacman Jones (when he had them) 2.Marshawn Lynch 3.Nate Webster 4.Devin Hester 5.Reggie Williams 6.Josh Cribbs 7.Ernest Wilford 8.Rashean Mathis 9.Marion Barber 10.Laurence Maroney 11.Bob Sanders 12.Brandon Meriweather 13.Larry Fitzgerald 14.Reggie Nelson 15.Steven Jackson 16.Donte Stallworth 17.Mike McKenzie 18.Al Harris 19.Chris Davis 20.Walt Harris Mon, 26 Nov 2007 02:51:44 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/38610 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/38610 Friday's FIO weekly fantasy football columns deals with those leagues that implement Individual Defensive Players (IDP) - co-founder & editor Matt Hinzpeter discusses some of the key defensive players to keep an eye on in Week 10. Check this article each and every week on Fridays. Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:58:16 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/35246 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/35246 Here is my list of the best 20 corners in the league. 1. Champ Bailey 2. Rashean Mathis 3. Pacman Jones (when eligible to play) 4. Nate Clements 5. DeAngelo Hall 6. Asante Samuel 7. Dre' Bly 8. Chris McAlister 9. Ronde Barber 10. Lito Sheppard 11. Walt Harris 12. Al Harris 13. Terrence Newman 14. Nnamdi Asomugha 15. R.W. McQuarters 16. Ty Law 17. Charles Woodson 18. Aaron Glenn 19. Mike McKenzie 20. Nathan Vasher Some others are Antoine Winfield, Chris Gamble, and Brian Williams Fri, 10 Aug 2007 20:17:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/23075 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/23075