SB Nation - Billy Miller

Analyzing the Saints 2010 Free Agents: Receivers & Tight Ends

Saintsational — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:00:30 -0000

We turn back now to our look at Saints players set to become free agents. Today, we're discussing receivers and tight ends. The tight end position is particularly interesting because every player at the position not named Jeremy Shockey will enter free agency this off-season. That leaves much to discuss. More after the jump.

Of course I can't forget the official 2010 off-season disclaimer...

Throughout this series of posts, it's important to keep in mind the very real possibility that a new CBA will not be reached this off-season and that the 2010 season will uncapped. This means that any 4th or 5th year players, who would normally be unrestricted, then become restricted. This is represented by an asterisk(*).

Also keep in mind that because of the top eight provision, the Saints will not be allowed to sign any unrestricted free agents unless they let the equal value of unrestricted free agents back onto the market.

Lance Moore

Wide Receiver

Restricted Free Agent

Analysis: He was Drew's favorite target in 2008 but Lance's production was hampered significantly by his absence due to injury this season. I'm still a big fan, however, so I would like to see him stay. Like they did last year, I think they tender an offer. If another team is interested, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Saints take the draft pick compensation and let Moore leave; the Saints have plenty of receivers.

Opinion: Tendered offer. Don't know what happens after that.

Courtney Roby

Wide Receiver

Restricted Free Agent*

Analysis: I gotta say, Roby really won me over toward the end of the season with his special teams play. Watching Morstead punt and Roby down it on the two-yard line with surprising consistency was just a thing of beauty. It's exactly what the Saints were missing and what Payton was madly searching for when they cycled through a million punters last year. Seriously, it was like a million. For his special teams play alone, I want to see him stay. Thanks to the uncapped season Roby, who would normally have been unrestricted, is now restricted.

Opinion: Keep him.

Dan Campbell

Tight End

Unrestricted Free Agent

Analysis: I couldn't really tell you anything about Dan Campbell other than I remember him looking like a member of Nickelback. Campbell was placed on IR very early last season so fans never got to know him. I wouldn't plan on ever getting to know him.

Opinion: He's gone.

Billy Miller

Tight End

Unrestricted Free Agent

Analysis: Billy is part of the heart and soul of the New Orleans Saints and everyone's favorite hard-nosed tight end. He has stayed active and involved with the organization and media even while spending the entire year on IR. I'm expecting the Saints to offer Miller a contract, perhaps something short term. The only question is: Where does he now stand on the depth chart?

Opinion: Welcome back, Billy.

Dave Thomas

Tight End

Restricted Free Agent*

Analysis: One of the most pleasant surprises of the season - other than winning the Super Bowl - was the emergence of The Baconator. I think he's earned a spot in Payton's heart and on his roster. Expect to see Thomas next year fighting Billy Miller for the second spot.

Opinion: He stays.

Darnell Dinkins

Tight End

Unrestricted Free Agent

Analysis: Dinkins wasn't much of a factor on the field this season, with only five catches for 22 yards. Injuries may have been to blame. My fondest memory of him this season was his penchant for standing up on the bench and waving a towel at the crowd in an effort to get them loud on key downs. Depending on how many tight ends they want to keep, the Saints may let him walk or keep him around for competition and depth purposes if it's cheap.

Opinion: Wouldn't be surprised to see him leave.

Poll

Which tight end should the Saints consider their number one priority in free agency?

Darnell Dinkins

15 votes

David Thomas

597 votes

Billy Miller

127 votes

Dan Campbell

5 votes

744 votes | Poll has closed

NFL Free Agents: anything worth a second look for our Patriots?

MaPatsFan — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:58:42 -0000

As we ease out of 2009 and slide into 2010, the same process starts anew for every team in the NFL: that of evaluating their current coaching staff and roster, deciding who to cut and keep, tracking college prospects, and examining the free agent market for talent. We all know Belichick absolutely LOVES free agents. He loves trying to get a "washed up" veteran who turns out to be a star. This year, he had a few misses (Joey Galloway anyone?), but he's allowed a few mistakes I guess. Before taking a look at who's out there, let's focus on our free agents, shall we?

Pos	Player Name	FA Status	Previous Team	Current Team
RB	Kevin Faulk	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
TE	Billy Miller	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
TE	Benjamin Watson	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
PK	Stephen Gostkowski	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
P	Chris Hanson	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
OG	Logan Mankins	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
OG	Stephen Neal	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
DL	Derrick Burgess	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
DL	Jarvis Green	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
DL	Le Kevin Smith	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
DL	Vince Wilfork	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
LB	Eric Alexander	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
LB	Tully Banta-Cain	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
LB	Pierre Woods	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent
CB	Leigh Bodden	UFA	New England Patriots	Free Agent

I've italicized the FA's I think we should keep - YMMV. It's pure emotion at this point with very little analysis; I leave that to smart people like The Hill and Comedic.Sans. Moving on...

Given the absolute silence from Gillette Stadium, I wouldn't surprise me in the least if Vince Wilfork were franchised. I don't see anyone else on the list worthy of that "distinction". He's arguably the best 3-4 NT in football and proved this year that he can be moved around the line and be productive. If Kraft, Inc. decides not to give him a contract, he'll get the tag.

Now, onto the available FA's in the NFL as of today. Who we give a second look will be directly related to what spot we need to fill on our current roster AND who we plan on dumping from the previous list. In some cases, it could be who we plan on trading away or cutting (at least Adalius Thomas has another career pedaling BBQ sauce).

Without looking at college prospects or the FA list, there are a few burning needs on this team: WR, rushing OLB/DE, OL not necessarily in that order. I'm partial to rushing OLB/DE, so I'll start there: Julius Peppers. Unless the Carolina Panthers decide to slap with a second franchise tag, Peppers is on the market. The question is will he be expensive? Probably. But Carolina will definitely franchise him, trying to get some value (ie: draft picks, etc...). Is he worth it? Considering our anemic pass rush, maybe so.

Looking at WR's, the Ravens' Kelley Washington is looking to get more playing time. Could he be a valid 3rd receiver? How about the Broncos' Brandon Marshall? Word is he's looking to draw interest. Pickings are a bit slim, I know. Hopefully our Brandon Tate is healed up and ready to rock.

OL? I'll leave that to our resident PhD of the pigpile, JohnHannahRules; I'm less knowledgeable on the 300 pounders.

Where you at? What's our needs? Any guys on the FA list you'd be interested in? Let's hear it.

Sean Payton Press Conference Transcript

Saintsational — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:37:27 -0000

(Opening statement) "It’s been a good week of practice. We have two more; one today and a walk-through tomorrow at the stadium."

(On the importance of Drew Brees’ comfort during the game and how they will achieve that) "Well I think the flow of a game is important for a quarterback. You try to look at the defense that you’re getting and try to get some rhythm for him. He’s a guy that can get real hot early and I look at it as a coach, our coaches look at it, as certainly an objective of ours. Sometimes it’s through intermediate throws, sometimes a screen, sometimes a throw down the field. Just having the right balance and mix is important, but I do think that (comfort) is important in any big game."

(On how the team has handled the Super Bowl week) "We’re on our normal schedule. There are a few little nuances just in regards to the bus logistics. This event here is a little different. We’re in meetings right now. But this is something that we’ve done before in regards to travel and relocate. Our London game last year; Houston in the pre-season this year; with (Hurricane) Gustav last year we relocated to Indianapolis. You know, you set up shop in the hotel much like you would at training camp. You get your meetings established, you get your itinerary established and you try to stay in routine. Those are things that are important."

(On the game against the Dolphins and how it was a turning point for the team) "Well just in regards to the game, you know, as the season goes on you find yourself playing with leads, playing with deficits, and certainly in that game we fell behind, didn’t play too well early and Miami did a great job. We kind of hung in there in the second half and made a few plays, got some turnovers and capitalized on them, and that ended up really making the difference and giving us a chance to win. All those things, I think, build confidence and you hope to draw on those things in the post-season. Certainly that was a handful, one of a handful of games where we fell behind and battled back and were able to overcome some early mistakes."

(On Saints DT Remi Ayodele) "Remi’s done a good job. He is someone that gives us size inside. He’s athletic. He’s a good worker and he’s been a nice edition really when you look at him as being someone we were able to sign as a free agent."

(On the city of New Orleans and the team rebuilding together) "The relationship with the fans I think is unique. This is a city that really has been very close to this team through a lot of hard times. After Katrina, when the Saints were able to get back and play in the Super Dome, certainly there was some symbolism that evening. I think playing good football and giving them something to be proud of is important. With as visible as many of our players are in the community, and many of them are just because of the logistics of where they live, I think all of those things make it positive and make it pretty special."

(On how his experience in Dallas prepared him to get to this point in his career) "Well I had three years there. I was fortunate to have had certainly three years with the Dallas Cowboys, an organization like that with Bill Parcells, three years before that with the New York Giants and those are a couple flagship organizations that have won a lot. Being with the people there in Dallas; Mr. (Jerry) Jones and his family, Bill (Parcells) and the staff we put together, Bill put together, was a great experience for me. I consider myself fortunate to have had a chance to be touched by all these people that we’re talking about, and they are a big reason that I’m sitting here today. It was very important, very instrumental in my development."

(On acquiring TE David Thomas this year) "Well, we had lost Billy Miller in the preseason to an injury, an Achilles, and we knew New England had a lot of depth at tight end. We had done trades with them before, and it was just a matter of just trying to find out maybe if any one of those players would be available and fortunately we were, in our case, able to obtain Dave. He’s a guy that plays at a lot of different spots. He’s versatile, he’s smart and you know exactly what you’re getting. Sometimes, you’ve got to be careful to not play him too many snaps. With Jeremy’s (Shockey) health a few weeks ago, he was playing more than maybe you would have liked. But he’s certainly been an important part of what we’re doing offensively and gives us flexibility."

(On any time spent with his family this week) "Last night was the one night we went out. A lot of the families got in yesterday, and I went out with my immediate family and in-laws and sisters and brother and just got something to eat and then got home and got some rest. It’s really the one night to do it. So it’s a great experience for the family members. They can come down here and enjoy themselves, and the key is just managing the distractions as players and coaches and handling that the right way."

(On meeting his wife at Indiana State and his family ties to Indiana) "Well, I don’t know if they’ve been rooting for this matchup, but I’ve got a lot of family back in Indiana. Beth and I met at Indiana State when I was coaching. Her family is from back in that area, Morocco, Ind., which is in the northern part of the state. I spent two years as a coach (there). My high school coach was from Indiana. Had a lot of good friends and family that lived back there. My brother and sister-in-law live in Greenwood, just south of Indianapolis, and I think all of them were on the flight out here yesterday and probably were the only ones wearing Saints jerseys. But I consider that region home. Being from Illinois, you really, as you move from one state to the other, unless there was a sign that told you you were entering Indiana, you wouldn’t know it. So there has been a lot of people that I’ve met and am close with over the years there, and it’s still a pretty special place for me."

(On how he has grown as a head coach since his first training camp) "Well, I think you’re learning all the time. I think that certainly, just as we ask our players to improve, study, hone their skills, the same has to be expected of us. There’s certain experiences that are hard to simulate, maybe, and each year, something – something maybe little, something maybe big – comes up, and you deal with it and reflect back sometimes at the end of the season. You try to look at ways where you can improve as a head coach. I think that’s the nature of teaching – at least good teaching – so that’s something we try to pay very close attention to."

(On what a Super Bowl victory would mean to him personally) "You know, one of the things that you talk to your players about, an accomplishment like that almost binds you forever as a team, a coaching staff. More important than any of the celebration or any of the other things that go along with winning a championship, I think that in itself is pretty significant."

(On if there’s a danger of getting too wrapped up in trying to play for the city of New Orleans) "Well, I think throughout the course of the week and by game time, I don’t think when we meet or talk, there’s any of this, ‘We’ve got to win one for the city’ speech. In other words, I think that’s just a sense, a feeling that exists or permeates really throughout the course of the year or throughout the course of the players’ time here. That sense of or that feeling of, ‘This is pretty important to everyone,’ and they remind us daily how great the fans are. They remind us daily how important it is to them. So that being said, I think games like this come down to the execution, the details. Players will be excited to play. All the little things that really allow you to win games and all the little things that potentially could cause you to lose games, and I think they understand that."

(On if there’s a word he attributes to his team this week and if he expects to sleep well on Saturday night) "Focus is a good word. That’s kind of one of the things that we’ve talked about all week long. And I think (despite) the challenges that exist during the course of your week that break up maybe your routine or things you battle against, I’ll sleep fine. Just like any other game, you’ll have a routine. But I think that overall, the work week’s going well, and I think that the schedule and the way our players have managed the schedule and the distractions, that they’ve handled it well."

(On how much offensive flexibility is taken into consideration when constructing the roster) "A lot of it is, when you sign a player, you have to have a vision for the player. In other words, we’re not going to draft and sign, and then when they arrive say, ‘’Well, we’ll do this.’ Generally, when you sign a free agent player, you have a pretty clear vision as to what you want to do with him. I think it’s important each year to be flexible in regards to the health of your team, in regards to whose playing well, and to try to put them in good situations that give them a chance to be successful. He (TE David Thomas) provides some flexibility in that he plays ‘Y,’ he plays ‘X,’ he can do a number of things. That’s a good trait to have."

(On the task of getting his team ready for the playoffs after losing the final three games of the regular season) "I think the key was preparing to play well in the playoffs. Much was made of finishing the regular season and a lot was written about it. Most importantly, it was just getting prepared physically and mentally to play the divisional round, no different than the approach Indianapolis was taking. Certainly, we wanted to win, a couple of those close games we weren’t able to. To get guys healthy, and to really focus on taking advantage of playing at home against Arizona, and then home again the next week against Minnesota, that becomes most important."

(On what he has learned from football that he applies to his daily life) "Hard work. I think that commitment is critical. The challenge often times is finding that balance with football and family. It can at times consume you and take from family time, and that’s something that I think you have to pay attention to always. It’s something that still I can continue to look at from a schedule standpoint and really look and try to evaluate how to do a better job of managing time that way. I think that the commitment aspect of hard work and dedication, those things all would apply."

(On the relaxed feel of this team this week) "If you go back earlier in the year, this term ‘big game’ was used. In week four against the Giants it was a ‘big game,’ and then week seven or eight another ‘big game,’ and then another one on Monday night against Atlanta. Then there’s another ‘big game’ against the Patriots, so you get used to that idea that we’re in a big game. If you continue to play well, we’re going to be in more games that are certainly bigger than this one, and obviously this is the last game. This is the championship game and yet, that routine, that mindset as to preparation and going and playing, and keeping it just like we’ve done throughout the course of the year. Sure, there’s going to be nerves, and guys are going to be wound up, but we’re going to manage that fine."

(On if he has done anything to prevent his defense from becoming awed by Peyton Manning) "He’s a tremendous player. We’ve got a lot of respect for his accomplishments, just like we did with Kurt Warner, Hall of Fame player a couple weeks ago, and Brett Favre, another Hall of Fame player last week. We’ve had a stretch here, where each week these guys are special. He’s done it – we were talking about this at breakfast – he’s done it over time. His staying power, and his consistency, and his approach is unique. That’s why it is talked about so much. We’ve got a lot of respect for his abilities and what they’ve done offensively there, and coaches, and preparation. It will be a tremendous challenge for us. We’re going to have our work cut out for us with the way he’s playing."

Billy Miller to Play this Sunday Against Bills?

Saintsational — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:02:13 -0000

I just checked into my Twitter account and noticed Billy Miller had recently updated fans on his status.

Just landed in Houston to see the Doc. I know I am still in a boot but I am going to see if he can clear me for Sundays game

Ha! Wishful thinking, Billy. We miss you and look forward to watching you on Sunday's again but I'm afraid it probably won't be this year. Keep up the optimism.

Canal Street Chronicles: Fleur-de-Links 9.08.09

Saintsational — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:30:15 -0000

Twitter

jeffduncantp Practive observation: If Drew Brees is 6-feet tall (and he is), then Chase Daniel is 5-10 -- tops.

wwltvsports First pass of regular season camp: A drop from Drew Brees to Jeremy Shockey. And the fun begins.

jeffduncantp On the bright side, Reggie Bush did practice and looked 100 percent. Ran the ball with impressive speed and acceleration.

wwltvsports No.'s of Interest: Those still on the roster after preseas caught 56 passes for 778 yards and 5 TDs. Hamilton had 10 catches, Shockey had 8

wwltvsports Of the 6 TD passes caught this preseason, only 1 was caught by someone who isn't left on the roster? Yep, Skyler Green caught that pass.

FletcherMackel Payton says if grant and smith are not suspended by nfl today or tomorrow then he assumes nfl will not suspend them

jeffduncantp Payton was very cryptic about Pierre Thomas. Played the old "we'll wait until Wednesday" injury-update card. My gut says he's out for Sunday

jeffduncantp Best quote of open locker room. I asked DE Jeff Charleston his thoughts on playing rookie QB in 1st career start. Charleston: "Fresh meat."

jeffduncantp For all of you Saints' jersey numbers freaks, John Carney still had No. 1 today but said he plans to wear No. 3 for the season starting Wed

JeremyShockey Just got home from work... Cant wait till sun going to be a blast....

JeremyShockey "sinner to SAINT" ill alwaqys be a CANE...... enjoy your night going to eat with all SAINTS...... cant wait till sun @@@@@@

JeremyShockey @saints83 bill how did it go?? canes play tonight

saints83 @JeremyShockey good bro but I really miss you guys already you are going to have a great season and when u go to probowl I am going with u

Pierre_Thomas Sunday is around the corner! Is the Who Dat Nation ready to rock the Dome or what? @DrewBrees lets make it happen captain!

ChaseDaniel Been on the Saints for less then 24 hrs & I'm amazed at the type of player/leader #9 is...such a great opportunity to learn from him!

saints83 Congrats to our 2009 captains @drewbrees John V and Troy E

MalcolmJenkins just got done eating dinner with the team... had some great seafood! now im gonna relax and enjoy my day off tomorrow

Linkage

New Orleans Saints salivate about getting after rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford in opener - Times-Pic

"It's fresh meat," Saints defensive end Jeff Charleston said of Stafford. "It's his first real game. He's our opponent, and you still have to respect him, but we're going to come after him."

-Jeff Charleston

"He's from Georgia, and I'm from Georgia Tech," Saints defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove said, smiling. "Any time I get a chance to go against a Bulldog, I'm definitely going to try to bring my 'A' game."

-Anthony Hargrove

"This isn't an internship," Schwartz said at a news conference. "This isn't a trial basis, you know. He's our starting quarterback.

"His command of the offense is very good. His command of what defenses are doing is very good. And what he needs to do is play. I think he had a very good preseason."

-Jim Schwartz

"Last year Matt Ryan kind of got on my nerves, and he was a rookie and he was kind of intelligent," Saints defensive end Bobby McCray said. "So therefore I'm going in with the same perception of Stafford. He's the No. 1 overall pick and probably highly intelligent.

"I'm sure they're not going to give him too much to handle in his first game, but it's our job to get after him no matter what. It's very important that we break his spirit early."

-Bobby McCray

"It's still football 101," Ellis said. "We have to keep the pressure on him and keep the ball in his hand as much as possible. Everybody knows that's the rule when you play against young players.

"Gregg is an up-tempo guy, so I'm sure we're going to be running around a lot and coming after him."

-Sedrick Ellis

"With a rookie you can do some different things to try to get him rattled and get him looking at the rush, instead of looking down field," Hargrove said. "Daunte is a guy who's been in the league a while, and he knows how to stay in the pocket. Plus, he's also a great escape artist, so you like playing against a rookie quarterback."

-Anthony Hargrove

"I don't think the Lions' coaching staff is going to try to put too much on (Stafford) at first," Harper said. "At least I wouldn't want that as a rookie quarterback in the NFL. I don't think that would be the smartest thing to do. They'll try to run the ball a little bit and establish that and give him a nice little package that he has confidence in and understands."

-Roman Harper

"This team has changed," Hargrove said. "It has made a 180. It's not the 0-16 team from last year. They were the No. 1-rated offense in the preseason, and you got to take that into account."

-Anthony Hargrove

New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush says he's ready for opener, but Pierre Thomas looks iffy - Times-Pic

"I feel like (my timing and rhythm) is good, " Bush said. "And if it's not good, it'll be good by Sunday."

-Reggie Bush

New Orleans Saints' Charles Grant-Will Smith saga deserves fast conclusion - Times-Pic

Saints Practice Mon Pre-Detroit, other thoughts/news (including Smith, Grant news) - WWL

Payton plans to play Smith, Grant, for now - WWL

Kristian: Are the Saints overlooking the Lions? Not a chance! - WWL

Mickles: Saints not looking past Lions - The Advocate

Stafford to start at QB in Lions season opener - Detroit Free Press

Dozens of new faces in Detroit - ESPN

Video

New Orleans Saints talk about taking on a rookie quarterback

Audio

Here are three clips from WWL's Sports Talk yesterday.

Billy Miller's Surgery Experience

Saints tight end Billy Miller traveled to Vail, Colorado yesterday to have surgery to repair his torn achilles. He documented his experience using Twitter and pictures, all found below. Click each picture for a larger version and to read what Billy wrote to go along with it.

saints83 Ok, Billy is out, it was successfull! He is very groggy and just wants to sleep. Great job Dr. Clanton! Great prayers from everyone! xoxo

Sean Payton Press Conference Transcript

From NewOrleans.com

Opening Statement:

"Today - much like we have done in the past - was an additional day of preparation with the focal point just on Detroit. The players will be off tomorrow and we'll come back Wednesday and then resume preparation."

How do you prepare for a team that has a new coaching staff?

"I think you have to go back and pay close attention to the preseason first off, and then go back to Jim (Schwartz) and his staff and try to research in regards to their history. It's fairly common when there is a change in a coordinator or in a coaching staff. Until you start seeing regular season games on tape, you're going off the preseason and past places where the coaches have worked."

What is the situation right now with Charles Grant and Will Smith?

"Right now our focus is playing them in this game until we're told otherwise. They practiced today and both of them moved around well; that's our approach until the league tells us otherwise."

Do you have a contingency plan in case they are suspended?

"Yes. The two scenarios were that of the suspension taking place on the weekend and how that would affect the roster and then the second scenario is no suspension and how that affects the roster. To answer your question, yes, and we have to take the approach that here we are on Monday and those two are playing in this weekend's game until we hear differently."

To clarify, you're waiting on a federal appeals court to rule in their case?

"I think it's a state, and really we're waiting to hear from the league. That's really the proper channel. The league will keep us up to date and advise us as to how to proceed. Right now we're proceeding with the idea that those two players are playing."

Has the league given you any assurances that they won't suspend them on Thursday or Friday?

"That wouldn't be the case. Generally, they're mindful of the preparation time it takes to bring in players to replace them. I don't anticipate that being an issue. The key is just staying in touch and moving forward with the idea that both of them are playing and then waiting to hear."

Is it likely that any suspension that would come this week would happen tomorrow then?

"I think that would be a good assumption. Past tomorrow, it would get difficult."

Did their status weigh at all on your roster moves this weekend?

"It did because hypothetically had the two of them been suspended, then the roster would look different with two more players. That's the challenge of a suspension - or two suspensions in this case."

Would Paul Spicer be likely to return if the suspensions do go through?

"Potentially. He's someone who has gotten a lot of work. I visited with him two days ago on the day that we made the releases and we'll stay in touch with him and make sure he's staying in shape. The key is really just trying to monitor and wait for word."

If they are going to be suspended, would you prefer it happening at the start of the season and not delaying it?

"It's all out of our control. There is really no other way to put it - we wait and proceed forward with them planning to play and stay in close contact with the league and follow their lead as it pertains to this."

Do you feel that the league is taking a sympathetic approach on this?

"I think they're just trying to gather the information as best they can and that's a big reason why nothing has been done to date, officially."

How did Rod Harper stand out over the other receivers in making the team?

"He had the two punt returns - which is one thing - but when you spend time watching him in practice and in the games, you see that he's someone that can run, someone that catches the ball pretty well. He still has a lot of room for development. There are a number of things that he has to improve upon but we did like what we saw from his speed and we liked what we saw in the returns and his consistency in catching the football."

Would you be looking at him to possibly return kickoffs?

"We'll see as we get closer to the game who we'll feature back there. He's certainly a guy that's comfortable and has good ball security and can handle that part of it."

Who are other options for that role of kickoff returner?

"Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson, Rod Harper - we'll look at a bunch of these guys. Potentially one of the running backs - certainly Pierre Thomas has had a lot of experience doing it so he would be another lead candidate."

Is there an update on Pierre Thomas' health situation?

"Nothing right now. We'll wait until Wednesday and then go ahead and give you the injury status on these guys. We're hoping that he's making the progress necessary so we can play him in this game, but we'll see."

Did you hold him out today since it was a bonus day?

"We held him out today, tomorrow will be a day off and then Wednesday we'll have a chance to practice him and see."

Is it the same injury he had on his knee?

"He has a laceration that took place in the last three days that's not real significant, but nonetheless something that he had to get some stitches on and he's battling through that. I'm optimistic; we'll see Wednesday where he's at and go from there."

Is that in the same area?

"No, a different area. Just a cut from a fence."

Going into training camp, did you always plan on just carrying two quarterbacks on the active roster?

"We didn't go into it with the idea that we were going to keep two. You go in developing and training and evaluating, and those are always tough decisions. We felt like when it came down to it, looking at the 53 and the decisions that we had to make in a number of areas that that was one area that allowed us to protect another player and we went that direction. We then went and signed Chase Daniel to the practice squad. He arrived last night; David Thomas arrived last night and they practiced today."

What is Randall Gay's situation?

"He has the flu. We sat him out today with the fever and we'll see where he's at Wednesday."

What do you like about Chase Daniel?

"He had a good training camp. I was familiar with him in high school where he played in Texas. We thought when we evaluated him on Missouri film that he was a big part of that program's turnaround. But equally as important was the film that we had on him at Washington in the preseason. He's a guy that is smart and competitive and can make some plays with his feet. We'll have a chance to look at him now."

Did you make a run at him after the draft?

"He would've been one of those guys; I can't recall exactly where we were at as far as signing him after the draft, but certainly we had evaluated him as a guy that you'd like to have in camp."

He has drawn comparisons to Drew Brees. Do you see any of that?

"For us it's a chance to look at a young prospect and see if we can develop him. The important aspect was really how he played in the preseason. He separated himself from some of the other practice squad quarterbacks that we were looking at."

Does David Thomas immediately vault to the second tight end spot?

"Sooner than later. The key is getting him up to speed with everything we're doing."

Detroit named Matthew Stafford their starting quarterback today. How overwhelming can it be for a rookie to start from day one?

"There is so much transition anymore. When you look at last year, there were a couple good examples of guys in Baltimore and in Atlanta, there were two guys that were selected fairly high that led their teams to not only good seasons, but postseasons. Having spent a lot of time on evaluating that position in the draft each year, (Stafford) is someone that has real good arm strength. I'm sure that as Detroit looks at it, they're looking to really make a decision based on who gives them the best chance to win - whether that's a first-year player or a veteran player, we have to prepare accordingly. He's a tremendous talent and someone from whom on Georgia film you saw a lot of good things."

Does having Grant and Smith available at this point almost feel like a luxury?

"It is what it is in regards that we're planning on them playing. The good news would be a reduced or no suspension down the road, but again it's really in the league's hands and it's something that if there is a suspension, there are going to be four games, so you could argue it either way."

How is Charles' hamstring?

"He practiced pretty well today and it looked pretty good. We'll see how it feels tomorrow when he's in for treatment but today he went and took a lot of snaps."

Was he held out of the game for injury reasons?

"Mainly because of that."

Do you have an update on Jammal Brown?

"Nothing new right now. He's back out east having another exam - we're having his hip looked at. The sports hernia surgery went well, but before they can examine the hip area, the sports hernia needed to heal. There's really nothing new to report. We'll find out if there is any additional work that needs to be done. He's rehabbing and we're planning to play Jermon Bushrod."

What is Reggie Bush's status for this weekend?

"He looks good."

Have you ever been around a quarterback that has the physical and mental command the way Drew Brees does?

"He is exceptional in those areas, so to answer your question, no. It would be hard to make a comparison to other players that I've worked with. He's unique and there are so many things that go into his preparation. He's accurate and he's a quick decision-maker. Those are the things that you can see when you watch him play. It would be hard for me to draw a comparison to another player."

Where could he get better, if he can?

"I think he can. Certainly you look to reduce the turnovers, that's one area that he has worked on and I think ultimately we tend to measure quarterbacks by championships so that's an area that he certainly has as a challenge ahead of him, and all of us. There are parts of his game that he has worked hard - especially this offseason and training camp - to improve on."

Is there a potential for your team to possibly overlook the Lions since they didn't win a game last season? How would you guard against that?

"I think the focus is really on ourselves and our preparation. This league is too good - it's not like college where you can look past someone. Every week you prepare and you focus on playing your best game regardless of who the opponent is. This is an entirely different team than a year ago when you look at their roster and their coaching staff, the make-up of everything is really completely different. The focus is really on us and playing our best football and eliminating the mistakes and the things that keep you from winning."

Do you have to remind your players that this is a new team?

"I think we have players that are pretty intelligent and they understand that they need to play well to have a chance to be successful. I think that's really the key objective as we head into this game or really any game that we play."

Does it put your mind at ease that you seem to have so much depth at running back?

"Mike Bell certainly is a guy that has had a good camp and played well for us. We kept Lynell Hamilton because we thought he had a good preseason. He came back after the fumbles early in the preseason and he has worked hard. It gives you some depth at a position that where often times it's necessary."

Are you anxious to see your new defense in its full regular season form?

"There have been some encouraging things already in regards to the takeaways and you've seen it each week. The key is being sound and having the proper plan in place week by week for the opponent you're playing and that can vary. I think all of us collectively and everyone in the league is excited now. This is the first week of regular season games and there's always a level of excitement. The key is still doing the things well - blocking, tackling, protecting the football - that end up really winning games for you."

Are you leery at all about playing against a young quarterback?

"You try to spend as much time on the tape that you've seen and find what are his strengths and weaknesses. Our players - with the additional day of this Monday's practice - will have plenty of opportunity to study the film and do all the homework necessary."

Miami Dolphins 10 @ New Orleans Saints 7: Who Dat Say!?

Saintsational — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:00:40 -0000

Twitter

DougTatum Outstanding performers: Thomas Morstead, Jo-Lon Dunbar, Rod Harper, Anthony Hargrove

DougTatum Disappointing efforts: Joey Harrington, Malcolm Jenkins and the third-string offensive line. Joey never had much time

wwltvsports Miller's injury is of the Achilles variety. Will get checked tomorrow. But it doesn't look promising.

JeremyShockey home thinking about my teammate BILLY MILLER! Hes more than a teammate hes a true friend.GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEPS. he will bounce bk

jeffduncantp Nothing official but I'm hearing Billy Miller tore his Achilles tendon. Players I talked to afterward sounded like they'd lost him for good.

SupaFreak69 I like to give a big thank u to the saints organization for trusting and believing in me...a sober and troublefree camp. Thank u lord.

Linkage

Photos: Saints and Dolphins battle it out at the Dome Thursday night - Times-Pic

Handwerger: Miller's injury not good, but it doesn't doom Saints' season - WWLTV

Saints fall to Miami 10-7 in Dome - WWLTV

"We just have to wait and see where he’s at tomorrow," Head Coach Sean Payton said. "… But it is a position of some concern. We’ll see. We have to pay attention to it."

-Sean Payton, on Billy Miller

"I thought defensively we did some real good things tonight," Payton said. "We weren’t able to sustain any drives offensively. I thought we were sloppy with penalties and struggled to protect."

-Sean Payton

"It was nice to see Rod Harper make a play later in the second half for us to get back in it," Payton said. "But obviously, we have to play better offensively."

-Sean Payton

New Orleans Saints tight end Billy Miller exits with injured Achilles tendon - Times-Pic

"I've got good strength now, so hopefully it's not as bad as it could be,"

-Billy Miller

"I felt like I made some plays (in the preseason). Obviously the two returns were pretty good, but really at the end of camp you never feel like you made enough plays," said Harper, who lamented the fact that he struggled on offense early in Thursday's game. "Hopefully in their eyes, I made enough of them."

-Rod Harper

"That was one of the biggest adrenaline rushes I've ever had, because I've never done that,"

-Thomas Morstead, on kicking off

Anthony Hargrove has found home as New Orleans Saints tackle - Times-Pic

"He's pretty good," Saints linebacker Scott Fujita said. "He's a high-motor guy and he's such a good athlete. When you combine those things, you're going to see him make big plays. He's disruptive."

-Scott Fujita, on Anthony Hargrove

"It was good to get all the work in," Hargrove said. "I was thankful the coaches kept me in there so long. After having the year off, I need the work, and it helps my conditioning."

-Anthony Hargrove

"I'm feeling good inside, and the coaches say I'm moving good there, so I'm happy," Hargrove said. "I'm all for doing anything I can to help the team. I get more comfortable every day."

-Anthony Hargrove

"I thank God every day for this opportunity," Hargrove said. "I was lying in my bed in my hotel room (Wednesday) night, looking out the window at all the buildings downtown and thinking about where I was a year ago at this time looking out the barred windows (of a detention/treatment center). I know I can't get too cocky or too arrogant.

"I love this team and the coaches. I just hope they have plans on keeping me around."

-Anthony Hargrove

Lynell Hamilton's closing argument to snag roster spot with New Orleans Saints impressive - Times-Pic

"I hope so," Hamilton said after accounting for 122 of the Saints' 234 yards of offense. "I'm the kind of person who puts it all in God's hands. I'm just going to continue to try to get better and let the chips fall where they may, and keep my trust in God."

-Lynell Hamilton

"I wish I could've helped my team more, maybe put some points on the board and helped my team win," he said. "We did some things right, but we did some things wrong. It's still a learning process."

-Lynell Hamilton

New Orleans Saints lose final preseason game 10-7 against Miami Dolphins - Times-Pic

"Defensively we did some real good things tonight," Payton said. "Offensively we struggled. We weren't able to sustain anything offensively. We were sloppy. Obviously we'll have to play better offensively."

-Sean Payton

"We'll know more tomorrow," Payton said. "Right now it's too early. We're already a little dinged up at that position with Darnell Dinkins out (ankle/foot). So that's a concern."

-Sean Payton

"Credit him," Payton said. "He's taken advantage of the opportunity. I was encouraged with the play he made tonight."

-Sean Payton, on Rod Harper

"It was a middle return, and I tried to hit it as quick as possible,"

-Rod Harper

"Let the chips fall where they may,"

-Lynell Hamilton

"That's part of football," Harrington said. "You've got to make the plays when they're presented to you. Sometimes they come within the offense and sometimes you have to create them on your own. It was just one of those games. I don't even worry about (making the team). That's what I've said all along. I'm not thinking at all about down the road."

-Joey Harrington

Saints Close Out Preseason Against Dolphins - New Orleans Saints official website

"We were sloppy in a few phases and that bothered me,"

-Sean Payton

"I thought Morstead was outstanding tonight," Payton said. "It was good to see him continue to develop. He did a lot of good things tonight."

-Sean Payton

Miami Dolphins finish pre-season play perfect for first time in 11 years - Palm Beach Post

"We did what we didn't do last week, which is sustain drives," guard Justin Smiley said. "We played football the way we're supposed to. Was it always pretty? No. There's things we can take from this and learn from. This next week is a really big week for us."

-Justin Smiley

"We had some plays for Teddy (Ginn) early in the game, but the coverage didn't dictate that and we checked out of them,"

-Tony Sparano

Miami Dolphins ready for prime time after perfect preseason - Miami Herald

``You saw a little more continuity, and that's what you should see,'' quarterback Chad Pennington said. ``I'm glad we had this test.''

-Chad Pennington

``The preseason is all about building chemistry and building timing,'' Camarillo said. ``We're getting there. We made some good plays, but there's also some plays that we can still get better on.''

-Greg Camarillo

NEWS: GameDay Live - MiamiDolphins.com

"I thought Henne did a good job. He had a better week of practice this week," said Sparano, who kept the first team offensive line and skill players on the field with Henne in the second quarter. "I just talked to him before the game a little bit and told him to relax and have some fun. I thought he did a good job with that and made some good throws early, got into a little bit of a rhythm early and I thought moved the team pretty well."

-Tony Sparano

"The biggest thing was making smart decisions and we got that drive down there, which helps your confidence and builds it up," Henne said. "I think it's a big key to get that first completion underneath your belt. That really gets everything going, gets the rhythm going and you feel good about yourself."

-Chad Henne

"To hold a team offensively to no points and that few yards, regardless of who's playing was big for us," middle linebacker Channing Crowder said. "We just showed that we're a good team and that we're going to be a team to be reckoned with this season. ... We're clicking as a defense, clicking as an offense and making plays. Everybody knows the games don't count but it just shows you where you're team and it shows you that we're playing together well."

-Channing Crowder

"It was a really good play that he made out there," Sparano said. "It was good to see us force a turnover and get off the field. I remember (General Manager) Jeff Ireland showing me a play there and our scouts showing me a play with Sean making a very similar interception like that. I believe it might have been against Wyoming or somebody like that and he made an almost similar to play to that and you could see his ball skills show up right there."

-Tony Sparano

"I think (the extra weight) will help in the long run, once I find that perfect number I want to play at," said Taylor, who is the NFL's active career sack leader with 120.5. "Before it was always a little different when I was going 243 or 242, but now that number will change a little bit based on the position and the role I have to play. It's good that I can maneuver my body around a little bit right now and I think I'm closer to where I want to be right now. Playing this position is a lot different. You have to be able to move around and play in space."

-Jason Taylor

"It was a great pass from Chad. There wasn't much space to put it in there and he put it right on the money," Camarillo said. "I just tried to come up with a play for him. It felt good, especially because we got to sit back and watch the replay a couple of times before they actually called it in. It's always good to make a play early. It gets you going for the rest of the game."

-Greg Camarillo

"For me, I put one out there was a little risky really," Pennington said. "I felt good with the ball placement of it and I felt like he would make the play and he did. I think that shows the type of trust that I have in him and the chemistry that we're gaining and trying to regain because it has been a revolving door. We've been rotating a lot of guys and working with a lot of guys in camp and now we're starting to hone in on the core guys that are going to be making plays for us on Sunday so it's important."

-Chad Pennington

Video

Jeff Duncan's video log from the New Orleans Saints-Miami Dolphins exhibition game (Sept. 3, 2009)

Canal Street Chronicles: Fleur-di-Links 8.12.09

Saintsational — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:00:29 -0000

Twitter

reggie_bush Ok I bowled terrible today I'm embarrassed to even put my scores up. 100 and 175...first game was a warm up! Lol! I think?

Harp41 Bowling was fun!

CPT23 Hard day of hitting today - I'm ready to hit another team! Who's with me? Who Dat!

NFLprguy We r going 2 announce tmrw plans 2 kick off NFL season 9/10 in Pittsburgh w/ huge free concert b4 game and other events

jeffduncantp An addendum to earlier posts about D. Brooks. He's in town tonight, will work out tomorrow. I predict he signs & is at practice tomorrow.

SupaFreak69 Gettin ready for the Bengals to come in town...why must people shout loudly bout wat they know not....I tell ya what I Love training camp.

jeffduncantp FYI: Saints are $4.9 million under the salary cap so signing Brooks won't be a money issue.

jeffduncantp My guess: He'll take Simoneau's spot. Reserve WLB/MLB in 4-3, w/1st unit inside in 3-4. @BigandEasy Jeff, will Brooks start?

GregBensel afternoon practice, originally scheduled for outside and open to fans has been moved indoors and is closed; roy jones jr will visit camp

Linkage

Derrick Brooks would be a good fit for the New Orleans Saints - Times-Pic

New Orleans Saints' Reggie Bush has time to turn career around - Sports Illustrated

Notes from New Orleans Saints practice Tuesday - Times-Pic

PLAY OF THE DAY

After dropping a beautifully thrown pass from Harrington, who laid it over tight coverage from a cornerback, veteran tight end Billy Miller made a circus catch on a pass thrown by Mark Brunell. Miller made a diving grab against linebacker Anthony Waters for a 22-yard completion.

New Orleans Saints left tackle Jammal Brown wants to improve on run blocking - Times-Pic

"Face it: he has the toughest job on the offensive line," Saints line coach Aaron Kromer said. "We just threw for 5,000 yards and he plays left tackle. We drop back and throw the football a lot, and sometimes we were down by a couple touchdowns and everybody knew it, and they took off pass-rushing.

"And to be honest, Jammal Brown did a really nice job of pass protecting, and that's what you're asking your left tackle to do."

-Aaron Kromer

"Of course if you make the Pro Bowl one time, then anything less than that is not as good as you had," Brown said. "So I think my situation, once you reach that high bar, you've got to get back to that, but personally you've got goals, and my goals are for sure playoffs first, and then get to a Super Bowl. Then personal things fall after that."

-Jammal Brown

"Look at what we did that year," Brown said. "We came in after the hurricane year, and were one game away (from the Super Bowl). That playoff game against the Eagles was what, the first win or the second win ever? So that's special to the fans here and the city and to us, so I'd say that's been the proudest of my years."

-Jammal Brown

"He's absolutely one of the top guys in the league, athletic-wise, and strength-wise, he's getting there," Smith said. "And he's a well-conditioned guy. You know, I love going up against him because I know not too many guys I'm going to play against on Sunday are actually going to have that much energy and that much quickness like him."

-Will Smith

"You can get on him and tell him exactly what you want, and he can take it right to the field," Payton said. "He's more of a quiet leader. I think he's got the respect of his teammates because of how he plays, but he's not necessarily going to be the guy up in front of the group talking all the time."

-Sean Payton

Video

Audio

Sports Talk...Unplugged with Kenny Wilkerson

Saints Training Camp Update: Day Eight

Saintsational — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:08:25 -0000

Twitter

therealJShock some serious heat outside today!! wear your sunblock and drink up...

reggie_bush Have you ever been so hungry that your stomach feels like it's touching your back? Man I would destroy a In-N-Out Burger right now! LMAO!!!

therealJShock everyone try to make it to our scrimmage tomm!! think it starts at 230 should be fun.. We all are putting in hard work and long hours..

CSCtweet @therealJShock The Black and Gold Scrimmage has been closed to the public. Wish we could!

JeremyShockey sorry peps its closed!!! guess you will have to wait for the cincy

jeffduncantp Injury update from morning: Brown/Goodwin, heat-related. Not serious. Sharper lower leg, knee or hammy. No official report on Sharper yet.

jeffduncantp Just finished with annual rules session with NFL officials. Not a lot of major changes this year. Most conspicuous: No more wedges on KOR.

jeffduncantpInjury updates per Payton: Sharper has a busted bursa sac in his right knee. Not serious. Gay expected to return to practice on Monday.

jeffduncantpSix Saints will be held out of Black & Gold scrimmage on Saturday: D. Campbell, A. Arrington, R. Bush, L. Moore, D. Sharper, & R. Gay

Linkage

Saints: Friday Morning Practice Report - NewOrleans.com

"We've been practicing pretty hard," said Saints running back Reggie Bush. "(The scrimmage) will be a good chance to see where we're at and to gauge ourselves."

-Reggie Bush

Training Camp, Day 8: Release of the Wildcat! Bush rests...and more - WWL

Kristian: Hargrove says he has "to get it right" with the Saints - WWL

"I had about 17 months to get my act together, I had to admit a lot of things, and I did."

-Anthony Hargrove

Deke: TE Billy Miller wants that ring - WWL

"This game is all about opportunities. When you get an opportunity to make plays, you have to make them. Whether you're a ten year veteran or a rookie, if you're called on you have to make the play."

-Billy Miller

"I don't pay attention to numbers. While the season is going on, I don't look at how many catches I have, I just worry about getting better. I just want to win a Super Bowl ring. I don't care if I catch two passes or two hundred. I just want to win a ring!"

-Billy Miller

"I think it's amazing how he spreads the ball around. That's what makes him such a great quarterback. He does not look for one guy. He doesn't telegraph his passes. Drew looks for the open guy and we all go out and try and make the play."

-Billy Miller

"I want to work on pass protection. Defensive Ends in the league are so much bigger and faster now days. I have to be ready to take on some of the best in the game every Sunday."

-Billy Miller

"No offense to what we had here last year, but it's night and day. It's very competitive out there every day. I can remember a time when it was a little easier for us to go out there on offense and move the ball against our defense. It has become a challenge for us to do that now."

-Billy Miller

Video: Henderson: Could Harrington be challenging for the No. 2 QB spot? - WWL

Day Eight Practice Notebook - New Orleans Saints official website

Greer Challenging All Comers - New Orleans Saints official website

"I am just used to cooling down with some stretches that I think help the muscles," Greer remarked, "It helps keep the legs fresh for the afternoon workouts."

-Jabari Greer

"I want more," Greer said of the interceptions. "I go out every single practice with the goal of getting interceptions, breaking up passes and making plays. That’s what I expect of myself and what I want my teammates to expect of me."

-Jabari Greer

"There are not too many, if any, quarterbacks that are as good as Drew Brees. There is a reason he is so good and that’s because he works so hard and studies so hard. So if I want to be one of the best at my position, doesn’t it just make sense that to get to that level that I need to work against the best every single day?"

-Jabari Greer

"I will gladly walk up to them in the locker room after practice and congratulate them if they make a play on me in practice," Greer said. "But not on the field. That’s competition and I’m out there to prevent them for doing what they are trying to do. I take it seriously and will battle."

-Jabari Greer

"He is a guy that makes a competition out of everything. I think he even tries to stretch better than the next guy."

-Jabari Greer, on Robert Meachem

"When you line up and play together, things start to become second nature and you know exactly where your teammates are going to be," he said. "That’s why we are out here in 100 degree heat and busting our butts. I can assure you that there are a lot easier training camps in the NFL to be a part of compared to this. But, we know we are doing this for a reason. This is hard, hard work. Tedious, tiring and grueling. But, at the same time, are we getting better? Yes, no doubt in my mind."

-Jabari Greer

New Orleans Saints break out "Wildcat" formation at morning practice - Times-Pic

Practice and heat take toll on three New Orleans Saints players - Times-Pic

New Orleans Saints quarterback Joey Harrington shines in morning practice - Times-Pic

"I feel like I'm starting to get to the point, prior to the snap, where I'm understanding the intricate details of the installations,'' Harrington said. "I'm starting to feel real comfortable, you know, where things are slowing down for me.''

-Joey Harrington

New Orleans Saints training camp Friday photo gallery - Times-Pic

Deke: STC Day 8/Practice 1 - WWL

Tavern talk: Worst game managers - National Football Post

5. Sean Payton: Sean doesn’t mismanage games as much as he lacks an ability to close them out. Last year, the Saints lost five games by a combined total of 13 points. Losing too many close games will cause you to re-evaluate how you approach game management. If the Saints excel in this area this year, they might be hosting a NFC Championship game. If they improve in this area, they will be tough to beat with that offense.

Jim Henderson: Saints going to the Super Bowl - WWL

"I think the Saints are going to win the Super Bowl, put it right there, Deke,"

Video

Jeff Duncan New Orleans Saints training camp video log, Day 9 (Aug. 7, 2009)

Bobby Hebert talks about Joey Harrington

Canal Street Chronicles: Fleur-di-Links 8.7.09

Saintsational — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:00:24 -0000

There is a lot here this morning. Feel free to read every word as you waste time at work, counting down until this weekend.

Twitter

saints83 Great to see the military out at practice today. Thank you for all you do!!!!

reggie_bush Shout out to all the Army Troops who came to practice today! Thank you for all you guys do for our country! You guys are the real heroes!!!

drewbrees Thanks to Jon Gruden for coming in town to speak to the team tonight and spend some time with us. He is a heck of a guy and football coach

saints83 Make your haters your motivators< I like this one

Linkage

New Orleans Saints defensive line coach Bill Johnson ideal hire - Times-Pic

"To me, it's an opportunity for somebody else to show that they can play," Johnson said between practices Wednesday. "Then, when they come back, it's an opportunity for us to be stronger in the fifth week of the season. It's an opportunity for us to be stronger in the 16th, 17th, 18th week, because we have somebody else better."

-Bill Johnson

"He has got a good ol' boy sense of humor, but he has also got a good ol' boy sense of kick you in the ass, too," Williams said. "The players love him, and they love being around him. He coaches them hard, but they have a good time because they laugh and joke, too."

-Gregg Williams

"I've tracked Bill for a long time," Williams said. "I was tracking him when he was in college football. I'm really pleased that we finally have a chance to get our contracts matched up, and we get to work together."

-Gregg Williams

"It was harder to hire a staff in '06 than it is in '09," Payton said. "Obviously, I'm biased, but we changed the culture, and how we're perceived in this league nationally is much different. We were able in '09 to hire a Gregg Williams and a Bill Johnson, when I don't know in '06 those same opportunities would have presented themselves."

-Sean Payton

"There was a four-year stretch when he was in Atlanta when they led the league in sacks with a four-man rush," Williams said. "If we're going to be any good here, we've got to do a better job rushing the passer out of a four-man rush."

-Gregg Williams

"Bill is intense," Coleman said. "He makes you dig deeper than you thought you could. It has helped me that I was with him in Atlanta, so I know his mentality and his methods of madness. He's basically going to grind you, grind you and push you to your limits.

"He's still tweaking his vision, but as long as you're working hard for him, he's going to take care of you. He'll go to bat for you as long as he knows you're out there busting your butt for him out there between those white lines."

-Rod Coleman

"People say I'm here because I had to come back to Louisiana," Johnson said. "I promise you, if the things I was looking for as a coach would have been in Canada, I would have gone to Canada to coach. I was looking for an element of what I am as a coach and an opportunity to do that with a group that I could rally together and bond with.

"My passion is coaching defense the way I know how to coach defense. I wanted a four-man front, and this is where it was."

-Bill Johnson

Jon Gruden likes what he sees in New Orleans Saints: With video - Times-Pic

"I really wanted to see Drew Brees up close and watch the Saints carefully because I've got a lot of respect for them, with good reason," Gruden said. "I really think that with the additions that they've made that they have a real chance (to make the Super Bowl)."

-Jon Gruden

"What you see (with Brees) isn't always the whole picture," Gruden said. "What people don't see is Drew Brees behind the scenes. He is as on top of things as you can imagine. This is very important to him -- every snap, the outcome of every play. You couple that with his talent and instinctiveness and the fact that he's a better athlete than people think, and you have what you have -- a superstar quarterback that probably hasn't gotten the national or global recognition that he deserves, especially after last season."

-Jon Gruden

"He's one of the more creative innovators in pro football in the last 10 to 15 years," Gruden said. "He's got results wherever he's been."

-Jon Gruden, on Sean Payton

New Orleans Saints top pick Malcolm Jenkins' holdout reaches ninth day - NOLA.com

"I feel pretty good, " said Simoneau, who estimated he's about 5 pounds lighter this year, between 230-235 pounds. "It's been a long process getting back to this point. Right now it's just a matter of me getting back to playing football."

-Mark Simoneau

"This game, you don't take anything for granted, " said Simoneau, who began his career in 2000 with Atlanta. "You want to have fun, because it's a game you're playing. But it's a job, and you want to go out every day and earn your position and earn your spot in the team."

-Mark Simoneau

New Orleans Saints have plenty in reserve on the defensive line - Times-Pic

PLAY OF THE DAY:

Meachem broke wide open behind the Saints' defense after Brees faked a handoff, then made a brief hitching motion to the left. Brees turned and hit Meachem for a gain of about 70 yards, depending on whether or not nickel cornerback Leigh Torrence would have stopped him short of the end zone in a live drill.

Saints finish 1st week of training camp - The Advocate

Duckworth, Coleman negotiate jersey swap - The Advocate

Duckworth’s compensation will be a Philly cheesesteak when the team travels to Philadelphia to play the Eagles in September.

Saints still looking at power backs - Sun Herald

"I’m a bottom feeder just trying to make this team," Bell said. "That’s how I’m going to play no matter what I’m always going to play like a bottom feeder. Right now I don’t have a role yet because I haven’t proven myself.

"I think I became too content in Denver. They named me the starter and I ran for all those yards and led the team in touchdowns. I felt like almost that I was owed something, but in all actuality, it’s a privilege to play in the NFL so you should do whatever they ask you to do."

-Mike Bell

"It helps me feel more confident in filling a role here and more comfortable within the offense," Hamilton said. "When you’re a rookie, your eyes are so far wide open because you really don’t know what to expect. That’s different for me now. It helps with confidence because the staff on its own already felt we had the guys already here in the building."

-Lynell Hamilton

Camp Blog, Day 7: Offense, Drew Brees owns defense; Bush practices -WWLTV

Saints: Thursday afternoon practice report - NewOrleans.com

SIRIUS XM's Solomon Wilcots and Adam Schein at Saints Camp Friday - NewOrleans.com

Day Seven Practice Notebook - New Orleans Saints official website

Kristian: STC Day 7 / Practice 1 - WWL

Audio

More "extreme" training camp coverage from WWL's Sports Talk including Billy Miller and Mickey Loomis in the first clip.

Video

John Gruden Visits at Saints Training Camp

Sean Payton Press Conference Transcript

From the New Orleans Saints official website

Opening Statement:

"Mike Bell had a little bruised hip but we think he's going to be fine. He had a pretty good practice. Overall, I thought it was a pretty physical practice. I was pleased - both sides of the ball did a good job responding. I thought we handled the heat pretty well. We got our two-minute offense and defense in today; it was the first time that we got to install it in this camp. It's a pretty important installation since so many of the games we play in are close in the fourth quarter and also in the second quarter. We'll work on it again tomorrow as well."

It looked like Devery Henderson got up limping a little bit in the two-minute drill. Is he alright?

"I think he was more tired. Those guys get gassed in a drill like that, especially coming off of a team period. I think he's fine."

Is Mark Simoneau fighting for a job on the 53-man roster or do you have him slated in there?

"We don't have a lot of guys slated in. Mark is a guy that we understand exactly what we have in him and I like that. He has experience playing the Mike and the Will. He's a guy that can play in the kicking game. Certainly he's competing - like all these guys are - for a job and right now he's our number two Mike. He's our fourth linebacker in the game if we were playing this weekend. He has recovered well from the injury, he's close to being healthy - he's not 100% healthy, but he's close - and that's encouraging."

Are you throwing him in there when you go to that 3-4 look?

"He's in that package. We have a handful of packages that we're trying to move guys around in."

What's it like to have Jon Gruden here to watch practice?

"It's good. He's here for a couple of days. My first job in this league in 1997 was with him in Philadelphia as he was the offensive coordinator. For me it was like going to law school. It was my first exposure to the NFL and an NFL offense. He's one of the few coaches that wherever he's at, we study his tape very closely; we have that much respect for him. We met today for awhile offensively, he'll speak to the team tonight, and he has been a huge influence on my career."

How long do you think he'll be out of the coaching game?

"I think he's going to have a lot of opportunities. I do think he's going to do a great job for Monday Night Football. He's one of those guys - and I'm not comparing him to John Madden - but after awhile we viewed John Madden as a sports announcer and we forgot how good of a coach he was. One of the reasons was that he was very charismatic as an announcer and a guy that was really easy on the ear and I think that Jon has those same traits. He certainly has a coach's perspective, but more importantly he has a personality that I think will appeal to everybody - not just the avid football fan. He's going to have a lot of choices in his life and he's very talented. So if he does come back, hopefully it's in a different division. We really respect him. He has been a big help to me and he has been a big help these last couple of days just looking at some things offensively and looking at our team."

And now he has inside scoop on you guys?

"He has inside scoop but there's a tradeoff. Drew Brees had a chance to sit in our meeting today. We met for about three hours at lunchtime, just going over football and talking football. He's someone that would be up at 3:15 in the morning, in the office by 4:00, and before most guys are drinking their first cup of coffee he has three hours of work in. It's real important to him. I've learned a lot over the years from him, especially those early years. Even after that, he has given me a lot of sound advice. He's one of the few guys that I call on any decision and I respect his opinion a lot. I'm glad he's here."

Did it seem like the pass offense really got going today?

"It was kind of back and forth. I thought Drew did some good things. We caught the ball and we blocked up front pretty well in the pass drills. I thought the defense played real well in the run drill. In the full contact period that we had, I thought we did a real good job defensively. It was a physical practice and fortunately guys stayed up. It's good to have the officials here now. They'll be here for tomorrow and Saturday and they'll help us along the way. They'll have a chance to meet with you guys as well."

As a former quarterback, can you appreciate when Drew gets into one of those rhythms like he was today?

"For him, that's kind of the bar. He works at it extremely hard. I thought we did a good job today of giving him a good pocket, but he was in rhythm and he made some big throws. We rely on those. We keep trying to find different formations and plays to get guys open. He has a great way of handling it all and digesting it and bringing it all to the field. He's real special that way. It was good to see."

Is it easy to get spoiled when you have a quarterback like that?

"If you coach long enough, you're going to be on both sides of the spectrum and it makes you appreciate what you do have. It was good to see. We'll keep battling; tomorrow we have two practices. The morning will be outside and then in the afternoon we'll go inside."

Are you happy with the way you've managed this camp, with going inside and everything?

"I think it has helped us some. It's still tough. We're still treating it like a camp. That hotel is set up much like it would be at a true training camp. I think we've done a good job with the balance of inside and outside. Today was a hot practice and you need to get conditioned to this heat because we're going to play in it. And you need to have a little bit of balance and that's what the indoor facility gives us."

Is there urgency on your behalf to get Malcolm Jenkins in here?

"Anytime you get into training camp and you're at the end of your first week, that sense of urgency applies. That being said, it's like I tell our team - there are some things that we can and can't control. As the head coach, I have to focus on what I can control. I know that both parties are doing a great job of trying to get this thing done and both parties are extremely talented at doing this; they've done it for a long time, Mickey (Loomis) and Khai (Harley) and Ben Dogra and Tom Condon from CAA. The good news is that we have experienced guys in the positions of importance as it comes to negotiations. I think both sides will do a good job."

What were those days like in Philadelphia?

"Tough. I learned a lot. There wasn't a lot of sleep, but it was good."

Were you married then?

"We were married. I had just taken a job at Maryland - I was there for two months and then got hired by the Eagles in March. My daughter was born two weeks after we moved to Philadelphia. That was our first child. Jon was married with two children and we were just young coaches. I think he was 32 or 33, I was 32 and for me it was coming in and learning a system from square one. It's something that I still use to this day, in regards to the base terminology and how we operate."

Who else was on that staff?

"Bill Callahan, Joe Vitt, Mike Trgovac, Emmitt Thomas. There were a lot of good coaches. Juan Castillo is still the offensive line coach on that staff. Like I said, it was my first exposure to this league and it was a big learning curve."

Did you share an office, you had the couch and he had the desk?

"I didn't have a couch. I had a corner of the couch and little cell phone. I left Maryland where I had an office overlooking the stadium, mahogany desk, everything. We were in the basement of Veterans Stadium and I had the corner of his sofa, but it was worth it."

How is Chip Vaughn progressing?

"He's doing well. There's a lot to learn as a rookie at safety. He's doing some things. He's flashing for us. I'm anxious to see when the bullets are live, in the scrimmage and in these preseason games we're going to be able to get a feel. He's doing well."

Why did you think Mark Brunell would be a good backup for Drew Brees?

"The first thing you want to hear is the interest level of the player in still wanting to play. When you deal with someone with his experience, you want to make sure their heart, mind and body are still in it. There's a lot of stress that goes on even when you're not taking the snaps in the games. But you have to make the preparation each week as if you're going to take the snaps. Second, you want to make sure he's still in shape and has the juice he once had. He brings a calm demeanor and confidence to the huddle and that's something I think is important."

Does it help that Mark knows his role?

"The trick and this is no secret that in the weekly preparation and grind as you prepare to get ready each week, knowing that you might not play, but that you might play in week eight or 14. It's not like a relief pitcher. There's a big difference, because there's a good chance his name's going to get called in two or three games. So at that position, it's the mental focus and the work ethic to be prepared."

You also want a team guy in that position?

"There's no question about that. He's a great sounding board for Drew (Brees)."

Have you seen him be a real asset to this team?

"That role you don't know until the guy gets on campus, but I think the players have a lot of respect for him and would say he's an outstanding teammate. I know that Drew has a lot of confidence in him and trusts him a lot in his conversations."

You guys made some tough decision with some veterans that were injured to move on this offseason. Why did you decide to keep Mark Simoneau?

"I don't think his injury was as significant and I think from an age standpoint, I think he's got some more years left. He's a guy that takes great care of his body and a lot has to do with the recovery time when he was able to come back. Doctors felt good about his prognosis and we did as well. Those are all things we felt were a plus. He has a lot of versatility, which is a good thing to have at linebacker."

How do you think Rod Coleman is doing?

"I think he's doing well. He's getting in shape. He's a guy that played at a high level in Atlanta.Bill Johnson had some experience in coaching him at Atlanta and we felt like he was worth the opportunity to look at and see if he can get his body back and get in the shape we think we can. We think he still has some miles left. So far, he's been able to battle through it. I think he's handling things well. We'll get a chance to see in the preseason how he's doing."

Have you nailed down a scrimmage schedule?

"It will be much like the last three years. The ones will go against the two defense. The two offense will go against the one defense and threes against threes. The next time it will be the one offense against the one defense, two versus two and three versus three. We'll put the special teams in between."

How many scripted plays are there?

"I think we have scripts of eight and ten and keep the drive alive. If all of a sudden you have a drive going, we'll let it finish out."

How has Garrett Hartley done the last few days?

"The big thing is dealing with the timing, the snap-hold-kick. His leg looks strong. I'm excited about him as a kicker. I think we found someone last year. I think he did a good job in some tough circumstances and handled the game snaps well. Once we get going here, it's an important evaluation making sure he stays on top of things."

Is it tough for him to adjust to a new snapper?

"There's a rhythm in there. We'll be able to work through it."

Gregg Williams Press Conference Transcript

From NewOrleans.com

Where do you feel you stand at this point of camp?

"Every day we're getting a little bit better. I'm starting to learn a little bit more about the guys by seeing them compete and push through being tired and soreness and all that stuff. We're still not playing with live bullets. We've had one drill since we've been here where we've had live tackling down there on the inside run period, which was good. But a defense is measured by how well you tackle. We haven't had much time with live tackling, but I do like their effort, I do like their want-to and for the most part, I do like their smarts."

Is a lot of what you bring to the team instilling a mentality?

"It's attitude. It's so much about attitude. It starts with attitude. Tackling starts with attitude; toughness starts with attitude; technique starts with attitude. I come from a family of coaches with attitude in Buddy Ryan and Dick LeBeau and all those guys that I've been around, Dom Capers and obviously Jeff Fisher being my best friend in coaching. We've all coached defensively with that kind of a mindset. These guys have a great attitude; there's a very good locker room here. I'm pleased to date, but we're still a long ways off."

Is that attitude part of the reason that we've seen some of that chippiness lately?

"That is, and I don't see that being negative. We have to protect our teammates. We obviously don't want to hurt our own teammates in practice, but we do want to play with a chip on your shoulder. You have to play like you're living on the edge. I'll pull them back if they get too close to the edge."

Is Bobby McCray one of the more versatile guys you have on the defense?

"He is. He reminds me a lot of Jevon (Kearse), when I had Jevon early on a long time ago. We've kind of migrated and moved on and added a lot of new things for a guy like that. I didn't get a chance to do as many things with Jevon - he was a very rare player and still a really good player, but I see a lot of similarities there and I'm really excited about the opportunity to coach him. He's had a very good spring and he has had a very good training camp to date."

Does he have a particular strength? Is it coming off the edge as a pass rusher?

"Here's the deal - he's not bad against the run. I've had guys that are slender - not 300-pound guys - that have been great run players. Why would a safety that weighs 215 be a great run player but yet a guy that weighs 260 or 270 like him not be? He'll be a good run player. He's a really good, instinctive athlete. He can do a lot of things I can't coach. Mom and dad blessed him with a lot of skills and movement and change of directions. I'm looking forward to try to find some things to try to get him isolated on some people."

You said the other day that you weren't overly concerned with Malcolm Jenkins not being here because he had picked up a lot in OTAs. Are you getting concerned now that he's still not here?

"That's just a part of the business. He's a great kid, he really is. He's a sharp kid and I feel sorry for him going through that. Am I concerned? It depends on how long it takes. I happened to be on a team last year that had a first-round draft choice that didn't sign until the day of the last preseason game - Derrick Harvey, a bright young player and I think he's going to be a good player in the league. He never caught up the whole year. He never caught up and it was unfortunate for him on that. We'll see how it goes, but Malcolm is a good kid and when he gets here we'll get ready to coach him."

How do you see these guys grasping your aggressive philosophy?

"Excellent. 99% of athletes want coaches to let them be aggressive. There's always the excuse, ‘I wish Coach would let me attack more; I wish Coach would let me run more; I wish Coach would let me be nastier,' and all that. That won't be an excuse here. You can think about it like basketball and all those teams that like to run and gun up and down the floor. That's kind of the thing we do defensively here. We have to be able to run; we have to be able to attack; we have to be able to apply pressure all the time. And it's not only in blitzing and that kind of stuff; it's being able to apply pressure when you're not blitzing. We have to do a better job of winning one-on-one blocks and attacking one-on-one blocks and running real fast. We're going to play a lot of people and they have picked it up pretty good right now but we have a long ways to go."

Canal Street Chronicles: Fleur-di-Links 8.5.09

Saintsational — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:00:20 -0000

Twitter

CPT23 Another day on the grind - the best one yet! @therealJShock making playes all over the field today! WHO DAT!

MalcolmJenkins sitting here Skype'n

therealJShock getting ready for some much needed rest!! If you can come see us practice in the am!!!! night

ltorrence24 Attitude is Everything! Pick a good one!

saints83 Man had a tough practice today just never felt in a groove but the great thing is, God willing, I get another chance tomorrow. God bless

MalcolmJenkins good night world... wake up motivated to make something... anything better!

drewbrees Another good practice today. I can't wait to scrimmage our defense on Saturday. You won't want to miss it! Work to be done until then

Linkage

Coleman working into form - Times-Pic

"Well, I'm just really getting my feet back under me, and the coaches understand that," said Coleman, who had 58 1/2 sacks with the Raiders and Falcons between 2001 and 2007, including 22 from 2004 to 2005. "So each day I'm getting better and getting my timing down. I feel like I'm on pace to really be the old me."

-Rod Coleman

"At first it was (frustrating to start over from scratch), but I started out from the bottom," Coleman said. "So I just took it as a challenge to myself. I'm just trying to approach it and get the mindset like everything is stacked against me and just work hard and take it day by day and then go out there the first preseason games and make plays and make some highlight films and just show other teams, 'I'm back.' "

-Rod Coleman

"I think Rod's heading in the right direction," said Johnson, who is optimistic about Coleman's potential. "All I can tell you is this: I think his arrow's pointed in the right direction. Who knows where those arrows stop? When you come in this time as far as evaluations are concerned, all you want to see is them headed in the right direction and let time take care of itself."

-Bill Johnson

"The thing he told me when we went through this process is that, the thing he missed most, is that they used to call him a football player," Johnson said. "The year he wasn't playing, he wasn't a football player anymore, so that tells you about his commitment. It isn't about the money or the contract. It's about the fact that he loves playing the game."

-Bill Johnson

News and notes from Tuesday's New Orleans Saints practice - Times-Pic

PLAY OF THE DAY

The best example of the back-and-forth competition came when the second-team units were on the field. Tailback Mike Bell was shoved out of bounds by a group of defenders, leading to some jawing back and forth. Then on Bell's next carry a few plays later, he lowered his head and drove into linebacker Mark Simoneau, knocking him to the ground.

Jeff Duncan: Malcolm Jenkins on losing end of negotiations standoff with New Orleans Saints - Times-Pic

Special teams must improve - The Courier

One step forward, two steps back for Arrington - New Orleans Pro Football

Training Camp, Day 5: Shockey rules the day, big hits color wet practice and more! - WWL

Video: Offense, Shockey have big practice - WWL

Saints offense looks like its regaining form - WWL

Saints return outdoors for Tuesday workout - NewOrleans.com

"I'll be first one to tell you the defense had our number yesterday," Brees said following a practice held at times in a light rain "They stuck it to us. We wanted to respond today with a good practice and I feel like we did."

-Drew Brees

"He made a couple big catches kind of right there at the goal line, and then kind of busted through a couple arms to get in the end zone," Brees said. "That's where he absolutely comes in handy."

-Drew Brees

Audio

A couple of clips from WWL's Sports Talk. Training camp coverage and a bit with Jeff Charleston.

Video

Drew Brees Transcript

From the New Orleans Saints official website

What are your thoughts of Pete Carmichael as an offensive coach?

"He's a great coach, a great offensive coach. He's the guy that really paid his dues, going back to when he was a tight ends coach in Cleveland, a quality control coach in Washington and San Diego and then becoming the quarterbacks coach here in 2006 prior to me coming a month or two later. That meant so much to me to have familiar face around - a guy that I knew and he knew me - and we just worked so well together. Obviously now three years later he's our offensive coordinator and he's a guy who has absolutely earned it. He has gained a lot of respect from everybody on the team, especially us quarterbacks. It's a great dynamic in our quarterback room and it's very conducive to learning. He's constantly challenging us and helping us to prepare to play well on Sundays."

Did Sean Payton solicit any opinion from you when he was looking to fill the offensive coordinator position?

"Sean and I had talked about it before because Pete had had the opportunity after the 2006 season and then after the '07 season to take the offensive coordinator position in Miami on two occasions - the first with Cam Cameron and then with Tony Sparano. That just shows you what other coaches around the league think about Pete; he's highly regarded. He chose to turn down those positions to stay here and I think that was another big reason why Sean knew that we needed to lock him up because other coaches were coming to grab him away."

How did the first day of red zone go today?

"It was good. It's a lot of information in a short amount of time. Granted, we did go over it in OTAs and minicamp and a lot of it is our base stuff that we've been running for three years, but there are some new wrinkles and new coaching points and then obviously we're going against a new defensive scheme. It's just constantly repping it against our guys and then the more our defense understands how to play that scheme, the tougher it becomes for us to get the ball in the end zone. It makes for some really competitive periods because unlike any first down, second down, third down where you're just in the middle of the field, down in the red zone their backs are against the wall trying to keep us out of the end zone and we're trying to get it in the end zone so you find that even periods where there's no tackling, it ends up being when you get close to that goal line that the runners are trying to get in and the safeties and linebackers are trying to keep them out. It becomes really physical."

Would you agree that the offense looked really fluid out there?

"It was. Like I said, they're working on their defensive schemes. Every team has a few things that they do in the red zone and they just try to do it really, really well. Typically it requires you as an offense to be patient but you have to be really accurate with your throws, timing is everything. You're trying to get into good plays and it becomes a big challenge. It's very much a chess match when you're down there. That's what makes it a lot of fun. These red zone practices are a lot of fun."

Was it nice to see Jeremy Shockey use his size on some of those plays down there?

"Yeah. He made a couple of catches right there at the goal line and then busted through a couple of arms to get into the end zone. That's really where he comes in handy."

What have you seen from Robert Meachem so far in camp?

"He's coming around. He just continues to get better every day. He's one of those guys that the more reps that he gets, the more opportunities he gets, he's only going to continue to thrive. I'm really happy for him. I think he has worked extremely hard and we just have to keep finding the right opportunities for him."

How does his knowledge of the offense and maturity help him?

"There are certain things that look good on paper or you might teach it the way that it's written on paper and it's not necessarily always the way that it's drawn up once you get on the field. So much of once you get on the field is feel and not everything is really the same - that can be dependent on the coverage, that can be dependent on the defensive back that you're going up against. That's what studying film is all about and that's why the more repetitions that you get, the more you're able to really hone in on those things. The more time you can spend with your quarterback - I know a lot of times the way I would like to see a route run or where I'm expecting them to be - and that's why we rep this so much and that's why we stay after practice and get those extra reps. The more that we can get on the same page and the less thinking it is and the more just reacting it is, that's when the plays really start to happen and it becomes automatic."

Has there been a change in the amount of time that he's been spending with you in the last couple of years?

"I'd say that starting last year, yeah. In '07, he was really just running reps on practice squad a majority of the time and didn't dress out for many games. He was kind of banged up a majority of that time. Last year, the more he started playing and the more opportunities that he started getting, the more that we were spending time together and getting on the same page. He had a package of plays to start with so we just repped that package of plays. It was, ‘If you have five plays this week, we're going to be as good as we can be at those five routes. Gradually that has expanded to really being the whole offense for him."

Do you have a bigger target area with Marques Colston than with any other receiver?

"Definitely. You can just have him stand here and show you his wingspan."

But he also seems to catch a lot of low balls and throws behind him too. Why is that?

"It's because he has great body control. Most guys like that you can look at and guarantee that he's a good basketball player, which he is. A lot of it you can also see on the hoop court - the way that they position their bodies where they're used to shielding guys off, giving you a place to get them the ball. Then there just comes a confidence level with that. I know that if he's one-on-one, there aren't many times where I'm not going to throw him the ball and know that he's going to make a play and he knows that I'm going to be putting the ball where it's going to be him or nobody, and that's just repetitions."

So you guys have that rhythm to where you could throw behind him and he'll expect that?

"I feel like I could throw it just about anywhere with him and he has a chance to catch it."

You've played basketball with him before. Is it the same in that situation?

"It's the same. We haven't played a whole lot. Nobody wants to hear that we're playing a lot of basketball in the offseason."

Is the play called sometimes so that the throw is to his back shoulder?

"Yes, according to the look. Again, that's a feel thing. That's something that you can draw up on paper but it's not until you get out there. If you rep it enough times, you don't think about the back shoulder you just know that according to the look or the feel, you know that it's going to happen. We call it the ‘clock in your head' - that clock goes off to where they understand that I've probably hit my back-step and I'm ready to throw the ball - in fact I probably have to get it off because the pass rush is going to get to me eventually and here it comes."

Do you feel like that timing and feel is back between you two after his thumb injury?

"It's coming back. We're only a couple of days into camp here. It really takes camp and preseason and just getting those live reps to kind of get back on the same page. Any time you're injured and are out for an extended period of time - and especially when it's a thumb deal like Marques had - it kind of affected the way that he would catch the ball and where I could throw the ball - and so it made a difference. He wasn't catching the ball the same because the thumb wasn't able to move like it used to with the brace that he had on it. Now that he's out here and he's 100% and we're able to get this time together, we'll get that chemistry back."

He said you guys had some time in the summer in California. How was that?

"We were able to see each other in California and then obviously work together quite a bit here in the offseason."

So there's room for improvement this season?

"Are you kidding me? Yeah. There's not much he can't do."

Can you think of particular plays where he has bailed you out?

"You can look at the Carolina game last year. The first touchdown that we threw right before halftime, there was a safety basically standing right there and Marques was running and I threw the ball high because I was trying to throw it to where he could get it and the other guy couldn't and it ended up being one of those balls that was going to be a collision - and I don't like to do that to guys - but Marques jumped up there and snatched the ball and the guy just kind of fell off him. It was one of those throws where I don't know if there's anyone else on the team that I could've made it to, just because of its location. You see him being such a big body that he was able to take that shot while elevated and grabbing the ball and then he falls on his feet, keeps his balance and then runs five yards into the end zone. If any other guy was to catch that, he probably would have fallen down and been hurt. Marques kept his feet and got in the end zone."

Was Antonio Gates like that?

"Yeah. Gates was like that."

Was he more plodding than Marques or almost as fast?

"Gates is a tight end so he isn't as fast, but when I talk about former basketball players and body control and he has that. The thing that Gates has - and Marques does too - is that even though they're big guys, Marques is a receiver at 220 pounds and Gates is a tight end at 250 so different positions, but they both have great suddenness to them. For being big guys that you wouldn't think would be really quick, they have a suddenness to them to where it doesn't seem that they're really running, they're just really fluid and all of a sudden they just give you a little shake and it freezes a defender and just stuns them enough to where then they can gain separation and get by the guy really quickly without the guy really knowing it. I call that suddenness. He's a big guy, he's pretty quick, not extremely fast but he's sudden which allows him to really get separation and put himself in a position to catch a lot of balls."

Did the defensive backs making a lot of plays in practice the last few days get the offense on focus more today?

"Oh yeah. I'll be the first one to tell you that the defense had our number yesterday. They stuck it to us. We wanted to respond today with a good practice and I feel like we did. But you certainly can't sit back on your laurels at any point during training camp because the installation continues so you're always in that learning mode while at the same time having to stay up on the same stuff that we've already installed. When we scrimmage this weekend, it's going to be a little bit of everything so guys are going to have to know what to do. That's when it gets really fun because you really start playing in situations. We'll be moving the chains and third downs will be mixed in there. We'll get in the red zone and get red zone snaps. You're just put in a lot of situations which is good. It's like a real gameand that's what we're trying to simulate."