SB Nation - Dan Morgan

Mike Holmgren's Greatest Managerial Achievement

John Morgan — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:45:48 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

Even in red, a Seahawk.

Mike Holmgren selected Steve Hutchinson 17^th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft, seven picks after selecting Koren Robinson and 23 picks before he selected Ken Lucas. If Robinson could have kept off the bottle, that would have been a hell of a start to a draft. He swapped first round picks with Green Bay for Matt Hasselbeck, drafted Heath Evans, Alex Bannister, and John David Booty's older brother, Josh.

Holmgren built the 2005 offense that weekend. He won the draft. In a draft that produced someday Hall of Fame candidates: Richard Seymour, Drew Brees, LaDainian Tomlinson, Steve Hutchinson, Casey Hampton, Steve Smith, Reggie Wayne and Adrian Wilson, Holmgren won. The Panthers picked Dan Morgan, Kris Jenkins and Steve Smith with their first, second and third round selections, but still Holmgren's was better. He built the unit that would lead Seattle to its first and only Super Bowl.

Well, not quite.

The Bears cut Bobby Engram August 29 and Holmgren signed him August 31. Engram signed a two-year contract that paid him less than $500,000 annually. He was the 101^st highest paid receiver in 2001.

Engram received a 60k raise his second season and took on punt return duties to compensate. He averaged 10.7 yards per return and returned one to the house. That was the season Engram became the darling of Football Outsiders metrics. Targets to Engram ranked 26^th in total value and 13^th in value per target. He was ninth and second in 2003.

Holmgren struggled to fill out a roster and his teams were notoriously thin and talent poor defensively, but man did that man know early 21^st-century offense. He squeezed maximum value from slot receivers. Engram wasn't some schlub. He won the first ever Biletnikof trophy in 1994 and still holds most of Penn State's receiving records. Unlike Deon Butler, Engram wasn't a steady four-year starter with time to burn. Joe Paterno suspended him for the entire 1992 season after he was caught burglarizing an apartment and stealing a stereo with teammate Ricky Sayles. All charges were dropped against Engram after police determined Sayles convinced Engram the two were allowed to take the stereo.

The 1996 draft class included Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn, Eddie Kennison, Marvin Harrison, Eric Moulds, Terrell Owens, Muhsin Muhammad, Amani Toomer and Joe Horn. Engram was the eighth wide receiver selected, behind Johnson, Glenn, Kennison, Harrison, Moulds, Alex Van Dyke, Bryan Still and Muhammad. Engram never broke through with the Bears, struggling to receive for 38 year old Dave Krieg, Eric Kramer, Rick Mirer, Steve Stentstrom, Cade "AIDS" McNown and Shane Matthews, but he was good. Engram ended his career with Chicago with consecutive seasons of over 900 yards receiving before an ACL tear ended his 2000 season.

Holmgren didn't cash in a high pick or find a serviceable safety in the second, the kind of feats any GM can stumble into, he did that thing that separates the best general managers from the merely competent: found freely available talent and turned it into a long term asset.

Engram is a free agent after Kansas City cut him earlier this season. His time with the Chiefs was a tornado-obliterated double wide in a Rolls Royce career. Or maybe an efficient Elise is more Bobby's style. His short stop in the nation's dust mite might and probably will end Engram's fourteen-year career.

But maybe week 17, should the Tennessee Titans be out of it, Seattle can IR Patrick Kerney and sign Engram for one last perfectly-timed, Hasselbeck-to-Engram curl route for eight and the first.

2009 Saints Off-Season: A Nostalgic Look Back

Saintsational — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:00:28 -0000

Tomorrow is the official beginning of the 2009 Saints season, which means today is the official end of their 2009 off-season. The Saints have come a long way since Drew's final record-breaking pass attempt hit the Superdome turf and it's been a wild ride with lots of ups and downs. I figured what better way to say our final goodbye to the long, cold, lonely months of off-season action than to reminisce one last time and take a final look at how we've gotten to today, as seen through Canal Street Chronicles.

After the jump you'll find a timeline of memorable events, good and bad, from the past eight months for both the Saints organization and for us here at CSC. I had fun putting this together and I hope you have as much fun reading it and taking that quick trip down memory lane. Feel free to share any of your memories about these events or even add your own memorable moments.

Gary Gibbs is gone - January 7, 2009

One of the first but still probably the biggest and best moves of the entire off-season. The perfect start. We'll all remember where we were when we heard the wonderful news. Only Jessie Spano could properly express my emotions the next morning.

Gregg Williams is in - January 15, 2009

It didn't take long for the Saints to find a replacement for Gibbs. Less than a week after I urged the Saints to take their time finding a new defensive coordinator, they hire Gregg Williams. Probably because Williams was Payton's top choice, so much so that he was willing to give up a quarter of a million dollars of his own salary just to make sure Gregg came to New Orleans.

Dan Morgan unretires and re-joins Saints - January 22, 2009

Pro Football Talk broke the news that Dan Morgan would be giving it another shot. Sure, he's old but it's got to be worth a shot right? I like where this is heading.

Deuce McAllister is let go - February 17, 2009

The news wasn't surprising but it was certainly depressing. We still miss you Deuce.

Tomlinson to New Orleans? - February 28, 2009

It didn't take long after the release of Deuce for the talking heads to start throwing around rumors about a possible LT signing to fill the gap. It never seemed likely but still, it was a fun couple of days while it lasted.

Saints sign Jabari Greer - March 4, 2009

I'm planning on Jabari being the savior for the Saints secondary woes. If football doesn't work out, though, he can always try to get a job on SNL. I was shocked when I found these clips on YouTube...

Bears sign Bullocks - March 11, 2009

It was great news already when the Saints refused to bring back Josh Bullocks for another season but even better news when we found out the Bears had picked him up. If only the Saints were playing the Bears this year!

Welcome Darren Sharper - March 18, 2009

The Saints make one of their biggest signings of the off-season when they snag veteran Darren Sharper. Things are really starting to look up.

Mike McKenzie bites the dust - March 19, 2009

Another fairly predictable move by the Saints. Still, it's never easy to watch your teams best cornerback leave.

Jonathan Vilma's Condo Location of Double Murder - March 31, 2009

Obviously Vilma had nothing to do with it but what ever happened with this?

Jeff Duncan vs. Saints Nation - April 7, 2009

In the internet sports world, the people are served by two separate yet equally important groups: the reporters, who are paid professionals, and bloggers, who claim they're getting ripped off. This is their story.

NYSaint becomes YouTube star - April 25, 2009

Speaking of Law & Order...I just had to find some way to include this in a post one more time.

Saints draft Malcolm Jenkins - April 25, 2009

Most Saints fans agree: This was a good pick.

Hap Glaudi rocks CSC - April 29, 2009

I think we can all laugh about it now, but when Hap made her debut here on Da Chronic, she turned quite a few heads and caused a massive uproar. Now we'll never look at Thomas Morstead, or cats for that matter, the same way again. After some damage control, I think CSC it's only made CSC stronger.

Practice squad players arrested and cut - May 3, 2009

Kolo Kapanui and Biren Ealy were relieved of their duties after they were caught relieving themselves in a parking lot and exposing themselves to a woman.

Canal Street Chronicles brings back Kenny Wilkerson - May 21, 2009

It had been over a year since Kenny Wilkerson was involved with the Saints reporting scene and his whereabouts were becoming the stuff of local lore. Fortunately for us, he chose Canal Street Chronicles to make his triumphant return when he broke his silence and granted us an in-depth interview.

Dan Morgan retires...again - June 8, 2009

You're not experiencing Deja Vu. It was fun while it lasted. I hope Dan's restaurant is doing alright.

Saintsational ties the knot - June 27, 2009

This has absolutely nothing to do with the Saints or the blog really, other than my sweet wedding cake.

The tax credit fiasco - July 2, 2009

After being the point man on a film studio investment and losing the money of quite a few Saints players and coaches, Kevin Houser was let go. The timing, however, was purely coincidental since Payton was already looking to improve on the infallible play of the veteran long snapper. Houser landed on his feet, though, when he signed with the Seahawks at the end of July. CSC was the first in the world with that news.

Twitter takes over - July 9, 2009

I think the first time we realized how important a role Twitter would play in following the tea, came when Shockey aired out his emotions about "Chad" Houser via a tweet. Now, it's mandatory reading for all Who Dats. Even PayDiddy has an account!

Goodbye Jason David - August 17, 2009

The Saints most maligned player was finally shown the door. As if letting go of Gibbs and Bullocks weren't wonderful enough. You've got to admit, the front office was very good to us this year. And to think, I actually thought things might be different for David this season.

Canal Street Chronicles hits 1,000 - August 20, 2009

It took CSC only five months after reaching the 500 member mark to double that feat and reach 1,000 members. Thanks to everyone who reads everyday. It's nothing without all of you. Looking forward to another season.

Shockey's Tweets Offer Insight Into Kevin Houser Release...and More?

Saintsational — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:00:28 -0000

I'm sure most of you out there hang on every word I write and, as such, will remember a couple of jokes I've slipped in here or there about the worlds newest form of communication, Twitter. It's how we followed the turbulent saga between Jeremy Shockey and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. Rosenhaus also used Twitter to tell the world that Dan Morgan would be retiring...again. It even made headlines as recently as yesterday when Ocho Cinco announced he would be tweeting from the sidelines next season. But I can't really knock it. It's was pretty darn cool to be able to give you all live updates from minicamp just by using my crappy cell phone and CSC's Twitter account (and MtnExile).

Whether we like it or not, more and more athletes are using Twitter to express themselves and it's changing the way fans get their information. Personally, I like it. It's a way for them to communicate with the outside world in a more personal manner and more importantly, in their own words. No reporter needed. And because of the inherent nature of Twitter and its system of "following", athletes can feel safe knowing no personal information is provided beyond what they tweet. In fact, it's sometimes difficult to tell whether a Twitter account really belongs to a certain person or not.

Judging by the results of a poll I posted in May, I'm thinking many of you guys out there are not very active in the Twitter community but if you really want to make sure you know everything that's going on in Who Dat Nation, you really should be following the players who have Twitter accounts. If that isn't enough to convince you, don't worry. You know I'm still on it. That's why I was pretty surprised when Shockey tweeted this the other day:

thx chad houser our long snapper for losing my coaches ,teamates, and me around 2mill$.. what a dumb ---...you think your buying LA film tac creits. but the --- snapper didnt... wow this is a --- up world we live in

But I wasn't the only one surprised by Shockey's statements. Even Jeff Duncan seemed to take an interest in Shockey's off-the-cuff remarks by tweeting this from his personal Twitter account:

Going to weigh-in on the Houser case in tomorrow's Times-Pic, hopefully with a little more tact than Shockey did yesterday via Twitter.

Duncan did weigh-in later last night and even used Shockey's tweets to support his argument that the Kevin Houser release most certainly was in connection with the tax credit fiasco and may very well have been in the teams best interest from a locker room chemistry stand point. That's cool. I can accept that. Payton, and perhaps the other players, shouldn't have mixed other business with business but because they did the organization just lost a pretty darn good long snapper. It sucks but there ain't nothing anyone can do about it now.

So we've supposedly got a bit clearer picture about what really happened behind the release of Kevin Houser last week and it's all thanks to Shockey's big mouth. We didn't need a Times-Pic article. All we really needed was some common sense, a little intuition and a loud-mouthed tight end who is unaffraid to speak his mind and knows his way around a keyboard...sort of. In fact, Shockey's tweets seemed to be the only real truth ever revealed regarding the Houser situation and they were made public for everyone to read, fans and reporters alike. Truth-seekers such as myself must love what Twitter hath wraught.

So buckle up because the times they are a-changin'. And the timing couldn't be better. With Payton running such an incredibly tight ship and the media affraid to get the real dirt, there is still one frontier still not settled and it gives Saints fans an inside source as good as any other while cutting out the middle man. Thy name is Twitter and it will be fun while it lasts. Keep 'em coming JShock!

Projected Panthers 2009 Depth Chart: Linebackers

MichaelProcton — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:56:50 -0000

Recently, the Panthers have had one of the deepest LB corps in the league, full of guys with speed and ability. It's clear that the team values the position, as they've not only had up to eight roster spots used on the position (nine if LS Jason Kyle is counted), but also have shown they're willing to pick up talent there even if the depth chart has them blocked initially. Both Jon Beason and Dan Connor were drafted early with no regard for the fact that neither seemed to have a starting spot available to them. Beason, however, took the reins early in his 2007 rookie season after a Dan Morgan injury, and Connor showed he could be a valuable contributor on special teams even if he wasn't getting defensive playing time, leading the team in ST tackles prior to a torn ACL while covering a kickoff in the third game of the season against the Vikings. After the jump, we'll take a look at how this year's LB depth chart is shaping up.

LOLB	MLB	ROLB
Na'il Diggs	Jon Beason	Thomas Davis
Landon Johnson	Dan Connor	James Anderson

Last season, the Panthers carried seven linebackers on their 53-man roster (not including Jason Kyle, who was listed at the position, but was exclusively a long-snapper). All six of the players listed above were members of the opening day roster, but the Panthers also saw a couple players who were on the active roster leave in the offseason. Adam Seward, a backup MLB who played exclusively on special teams in an injury-riddled '08 season, signed a one-year deal with the Colts and is currently listed as their top backup at MLB. Donte' Curry, a special teams ace who found a roster spot after Dan Connor's season-ending knee injury, was second on the team in special teams tackles in just 13 games, but was not resigned by the Panthers and is currently a free agent.

Now, a look at the players on the current 80-man roster.

Jon Beason (3rd year, University of Miami) - 6'0", 237: Beason has been a sensation since he entered the league. He set a Panthers record for tackles in his rookie season and engaged in a very close Defensive Rookie of the Year race with Patrick Willis of the 49ers. In his second year, he showed an even more diverse range of skills, increasing his interceptions from 1 to 3, including two important picks that helped close out wins against Arizona and Green Bay. He also had an interception in the playoff loss and total of 9 PDs on the year, showing he is primed to be a force in coverage under Ron Meeks, who has shown a willingness to let his linebackers get involved in the passing game in the past. Perhaps most impressively, though, he played most of the season with a torn labrum suffered in the week 8 win against the Cardinals, an injury that occurred just two plays before the aforementioned INT. As Beason put it,

I was basically playing with no strength. When I tackled someone it was almost like throwing a pillow at them. I had no grip in that arm, no way to stop someone. I played like that the rest of the season, just fighting to get the job done. It took away my range of motion. But I know my teammates would do the same for me.

Impressive willpower and drive on his part. He's only 24, and should only continue to get better as Carolina's rock-solid MLB for years to come.

Thomas Davis (5th year, Georgia) - 6'0", 240: Davis was moved to the third position of his NFL career last year, and he may have finally found a home at weakside linebacker. He was able to establish new career highs in tackles, sacks, and PDs as the coaching staff found a way to take advantage of Davis' speed and reaction instincts while finding a way to minimize his occasional struggles in coverage which were more apparent at safety and LOLB. This coming year will be an important one for Davis, as the Panthers have allowed him to reach the final year of his rookie deal. With a young gun in Dan Connor likely ready to take over next year, Davis will be playing for a job one way or another.

Na'il Diggs (10th year, Ohio St.) - 6'4", 240: Diggs arrived in Carolina before the 2006 season as an affordable veteran who could add depth to the position and perhaps compete for a starting spot, but Diggs had other ideas. He's started 35 of the last 45 games at OLB for the Panthers, and is currently the starter at strong-side LB. Last season, he fought off a challenge by Landon Johnson, a free agent with a much bigger contract than Diggs, and he will likely have to fight for this job against both Johnson and Dan Connor, but at this point, his steady play likely makes him a clear favorite to win the position. Diggs is a solid player and a good special teams contributor, if not a flashy, big-impact player (involved in just two turnovers in his three years here.) I'd say he'll probably win this job unless Johnson or Connor very clearly outplay him during the preseason or camp, but even if he doesn't, he'll likely be kept around, as he's under contract for a very cap-friendly average of $1.25 million over the next two years.

Landon Johnson (6th year, Purdue) - 6'2", 232: Johnson was the Panthers' biggest free agent signing of the '08 offseason, but was largely a disappointment in his first year as a Panther following a successful start to his career in Cincinnati (average of 13 GS and 100 tackles.) He had shown the ability to start at all LB positions, but struggled to pick up the defense here, and made most of his contributions on special teams, including a forced fumble on KR Skyler Green of New Orleans which was recovered and returned for a TD by Dante Wesley, points that proved crucial in a 33-31 victory that secured the division crown. Johnson was considered a candidate to be released this offseason, but restructured his deal in a way that allowed the team to keep him and save the same amount. He will continue to be a special teams stalwart and will compete with Diggs and Connor to start at LOLB.

Dan Connor (2nd year, Penn St.) - 6'2", 231: Connor was a surprising third-round draft pick by the Panthers in 2008, who already seemed to be set at the linebacker position. As a projected first round pick by some, though, his value was simply too high to pass up when the Panthers pick came at #74 and Connor was still on the board. Connor rewarded their diligence, too, leading the team in special teams tackles as a standout on both kick and punt coverage through the first two-plus games. However, during the third game against the Vikings, Connor tore his ACL while covering on a kickoff and required season-ending surgery, although he actually covered one more kickoff after the injury. Connor was profiled as a solid, instinctive player with the ability to play any of the LB spots, and there was actually some talk early last summer that he could take over the MLB spot and the team would move Jon Beason to the outside, where he began his career before a Dan Morgan injury moved him to the inside. Connor should continue to be a presence on special teams and will compete to start at LOLB.

James Anderson (4th year, Virginia Tech) - 6'2", 235: Anderson is a former third-round pick who has never quite lived up to expectations, although the talent in front of him has had much to do with that. He was retained with the low RFA tender offer ($1.01 million) which would have returned a 3rd-round pick to the team had he been signed away, but received no interest on the FA market. Anderson only played defense in two games last year, and has started just three games in his three years here, so he is the most likely of our veteran linebackers to be cut, to which his non-guaranteed salary also contributes. Still, he should have a leg up on the remaining candidates to make the roster, who are all undrafted free agents with fewer than two years of experience in the league.

Jeremy Leman (2nd year, Illinois) - 6'2", 240: Leman is a former college All-American who went undrafted in 2008 and spent the preseason with the Vikings before being released in the final round of cuts. He was regarded as an instinctive player with high football IQ who lacked the physical attributes to be an NFL player. Chance of making team: 3.75%

Anthony Heygood (rookie, Purdue) - 6'1", 225: Heygood is a former running back who converted to linebacker and started for two years. He was considered a draftable prospect by some sources, and despite his inexperience at the position, he was a productive player due to his athleticism and instincts, and was voted the team's MVP by his teammates this past season. His future in the NFL--if he has one--is likely as a special teams demon and at the weakside LB position. Chance of making team: 6%

Mortty Ivy (rookie, West Virginia) - 6'1", 239: Ivy was another possible late-round pick who was a three-year starter. He likely projects as an OLB in the pros, but he also got some experience in the middle, and could conceivably play there in the NFL if he improves his football awareness. He was a first team All-Big East player for the 2008 season, and once came back from a torn ACL in April to play in 11 games for WVU. Like Leman, and unlike Heygood, he is considered a player who has used his intangibles to overcome a lack of extraordinary physical abilities. Chance of making team: 4%

EDIT: A girl I work with who's a WVU fan says, and I quote, "He's good." So I think that tells me two things: relatively casual fans of the team are aware of his existence, which means he was making plays, and they don't hate him. So those aren't bad things. :)

EDIT: These next two guys have been cut as of 6/30, but I'll leave their profiles for posterity's sake.

Brit Miller (rookie, Illinois) - 6'0", 243: After playing alongside Leman on the outside, he took over the MLB spot last year and was incredibly productive, leading the Big Ten in tackles per game at 11+. He is an experienced (38 career starts), huge LB, but there are concerns about his tackling technique, conditioning ("He's one of the only LBs in FBS with a gut"), and work ethic. A message board post compared Leman and Miller thusly:

J (Jeremy) was just a very emotional and smart player, but he has physical limitations. Brit is built better, he's much faster, he's better in coverage, and he's more versatile.

Chance of making team: 3.5%

Mike Juergens (rookie, Wyoming) - 6'3", 230: Juergens was a two-year starter at OLB who led the Cowboys in sacks last year. He posted decent numbers in the agility tests at his pro day with a 7.16 three-cone drill time, a 4.27 short shuttle time, and a 12.00 in the long shuttle. Chance of making team: .01%

Poll

Will we see any of the rookie linebackers make the team in favor of a veteran?

Yes

64 votes

No

154 votes

218 votes | Poll has closed

Atlanta Falcons News And Notes, June 11 Edition

Dave the Falconer — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:00:23 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

John Parker Wilson has nothing to do with this news roundup. Perhaps that's why he looks so perplexed. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Browse more photos »

Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the news roundup; and then stop.

Yes, it's time for us to re-visit the halcyon days of news gathering, where your fearless bravely goes into the Interwebs and collects bits and pieces of delicious data for you to peruse. Don't thank me too effusively, though. I'm only one man. We'll start this off today with a guy whose name isn't mentioned too often around here.

My stance on Michael Vick hasn't really wavered. He's done his time in prison, he's entitled to seek his fortunes as a football player and as a human being, and I wish him well wherever he may go. One thing I don't consider him at this point is an Atlanta Falcon, and it's clear that the Atlanta Falcons don't think so either. While rumors swirl about the quarterback being traded to San Fransisco or getting cut from the roster altogether, he's going back before a judge regarding a bankruptcy plan. His legal and financial issues are going to haunt him well beyond the point that he catches on with a team, methinks.
One more crime-related item and we'll move along. Quinn Ojinnaka isn't commenting on the charge of battery against him. I'm hoping this was a relatively minor incident that will be worked out swiftly, because the Falcons still need the offensive line depth. It's easy to forget that Ojinnaka is only 25. Hope for a just and speedy resolution.
Erik Coleman is apparently a wizened old man. The veteran safety, who as I recall fought in the War of 1812 alongside a reincarnated, steam-powered George Washington, is now the oldest starter in the secondary and one of the oldest guys back there period. A genuinely good guy, Coleman should be able to lead by example, and it's going to take one hell of an effort to pry him out of his starting role. And for those of you wondering, yes, I did minor in history in college.
Hat tip to reader TO falcon, who noted that the Georgia Dome has a new scoreboard. It's always cool to get new gadgets--especially during a relatively slow news cycle--but unless it fires laser beams at Drew Brees, it's not going to change my life too much.
The Tampa Bay Bucs are installing one of them zone blocking schemes, which you may remember in some form or another from the days of Alex Gibbs and Kynan Forney playing offensive guard weighing in at 150 pounds. I guess the nice thing to say here would be would be good luck, but I'm hoping it fails miserably and the entire team decides they'd rather make a living sailing the world on an actual pirate ship.

What? I'm a Falcons fan. What do you want from me?
Speaking of big changes on the defensive end of things, the Carolina Panthers are rolling with Ron Meeks, he of Indianapolis Colts fame (?). If the lessons of the past teach us anything--and judging by the way I live my life, they don't--it's that Meeks is going to swing a more complicated stick at us in the secondary and rely a little less on blitzing. Months away from the season, I think I can live with that.
In the least surprising news since scientists determined that people read news that doesn't contradict their point of view, New Orleans Saints linebacker Dan Morgan is retiring. An allegedly supremely talented guy, Morgan's career was crippled by injuries and concussions, with each off-season bringing some peppy pieces about how this would be the year. I have to wish him well, as does Canal Street Chronicles, who says it's hard to lose production you didn't have in the first place.

Got a news item I missed? Submit it at davethefalconer@yahoo.com.

Rethinking Dan Morgan's Re-Retirement

Saintsational — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:00:20 -0000

I've had some time now to cool down and rethink my feelings about the Dan Morgan situation. He gets to flip-flop between playing football and being retired so why shouldn't I have the same right? This realization came to me while I was enjoying my House Pad Thai at Bangkok Thai Restaurant and here it is:You can't lose something you never had in the first place.

The Saints never had Dan Morgan. They aren't losing any production from last year. Bringing in Morgan was the equivalent of putting it all on black with the money you just won over at the craps table. It could only have been a plus.

I'm not claiming to be profound here. When I came home, I discovered that Mickey Loomis and I think alike. It's exactly what Loomis alluded to when he commented yesterday...

"I wouldn't call it a loss. A loss is when you plan to have to have something in place and it doesn't happen. That's a loss. Our thinking all along was that if he could come back and play at anywhere close to the level that he had played like in the past, that would be a bonus. It would have been a bonus if he had been able to recapture his past."

"We’re not out anything, we just didn’t gain anything."

Judging by the rest of his and Paytons comments, Morgan's retirement seems as much a surprise to them as it was to all of us. In fact, they may even have learned of the news the same manner in which we did - Twitter. Do I think it sucks? Yes. Does it make the earlier loss of Stanley Arnoux that much worse? Also yes. Do the circumstances surrounding the situation seem odd? A bit. Do I enjoy answering my own questions? Apparently.

I hope everything is alright with Dan Morgan and there aren't any deeper issues at play that we don't know about. I also wish him the best of luck in the future. But this loss doesn't hurt the Saints at all. And remember what we just learned from minicamp this weekend about the Saints completely revamped defense; If we really are going to believe that this is a completely different defense under Gregg Williams then shouldn't a lot of the improvement come by getting more out of the players the Saints already have like Shanle, Mitchell, Dunbar et al?

Damn Morgan Retires: Part Deux!

Saintsational — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:08:10 -0000

By now you may or may not have heard the news that New Orleans Saints linebacker Dan Morgan has retired...again. Of course this comes from the real source for football news - Twitter! - and not from our local newspaper.

Dan Morgan has informed the Saints that he has decided to retire due continued injuries. Dan would like to thank the Saints for the chance to come back this year, but injuries would not let him continue his career. His decision is final and he will be moving on to focus on his restaraunt business in Charlotte. Dan also wants to be able to spend more time with his wife and children.

Let's just ignore the fact that Rosenhaus misspelled the word "restaurant." Let's also ignore the fact that it took Rosenhaus three separate tweets for this message. Drew, there is a reason Twitter put a 140 character limit to the length of each tweet; I'm sure the good people of Twitter figured any message longer than that would be best suited for another means of communication. Try Facebook next time. I digress. The Times-Pic has also confirmed the story.

To start, I wish Morgan nothing but the best. Obviously we never really got to know him well enough during his two brief stints with the team but we can only assume he is doing what's best for him.

That being said...WTF!?!?!?!? Are we allowed to be pissed about this? The dude only had a strained calf. How serious was it? Perhaps Morgan just realized he could only spend five minutes on the field before something inevitably goes awry. I can't help but feel a little angry about this. Looking at it purely from a business perspective isn't this kind of a crappy maneuver to pull? Morgan claimed to be in the best shape and condition of his entire NFL career when he returned to the Saints earlier this off-season and the Saints took him back with open arms. This whole retirement thing surely must screw up some planning that the team may have had. Morgan is, yet again, leaving them in the lurch.

We can only hope that the organization knew better of Morgan's real intentions to return to the game of football because from this outsiders perspective, it would seem Morgan takes retirement about as seriously as, well, Brett Favre.

The most important question of all still remains, however: What the hell do the Saints have to do to get rid of Scott "freakin'" Shanle!?!?!?

2009 continues to feel eerily like 2008.

2009 Saints Minicamp: What Have we Learned?

Saintsational — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:00:24 -0000

I hope you all got your fill of New Orleans Saints football for the time being because that's it. It's over. You won't be seeing anymore until training camp gets underway later next month. The team has just a couple of weeks of OTA's remaining, all of which are closed to the public, before they get some final vacation time. As we say goodbye to this three day tease they call minicamp I wanted to recap some of the major (and not-so major) themes I think are most important and open this bad boy up for one last discussion.

Shockey's Back

You know how I know Jeremy Shockey is going to return to form and have a great season on the field in 2009? Because off the field he has become the attention-grabbing, media magnet that all NFL fans have come to know and love. Shockey has done a pretty good job of staying out of the spotlight since coming to New Orleans. Unfortunately, he's also done a fine job of staying out of the end zone too. But The Shockmeister has made a return to national headlines with this most recent incident in Vegas. And wouldn't you know it - he had a damn good minicamp weekend too. I'm starting to think the off-field controversy and on-field production go hand it hand. Regardless, Shockey is creating a buzz and as of now it's the good kind. Don't kill my buzz.

Secondary No Longer Primary Concern

If Who Dat Nation wasn't talking about Shockey this weekend than they were talking about the ridiculously upgraded secondary. Though nothing is guaranteed when it comes to Saints football, with so many new talented faces on this years team the odds just have to be in favor of improvement. And if the increased depth doesn't get you excited, the fact that the secondary actually looked good this weekend should. Sharper, Jenkins and Greer all made interceptions on Saturday while Harper, Porter, Torrence and Reis each knocked down passes. Even Danny Gorrer is stepping it up. If we learned absolutely anything this weekend it's that the secondary should be better in 2009. Comforting, I know.

Is Different Better?

It was my main point when I gave my report back from Friday's minicamp and it's been a major theme of this weekend. The Saints defense has been given an extreme makeover worthy of Fox's The Swan. We're seeing different fronts and blitz packages. Gregg Williams was even tinkering with the 3-4 this weekend. I caution everyone to try and curb their enthusiasm because different doesn't necessarily mean better. It does, however, raise a million questions about what to expect this season.

Mike Bell Running Away With It

The battle for that third running back position will be intense this year but given the nature of minicamp we didn't really get a good look at the competition. If I had to pick a front-runner, though, it would have to be Mike Bell. He seemed to garner the most attention and praise from the media this weekend, moreso than Lynell Hamilton, P.J. Hill and Herb Donaldson. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens in training camp

Injuries are Scary

There were some injury scares this weekend with regards to a couple of players. First was, who else, Dan Morgan who left practice Friday with a calf injury. Darnell Dinkins was out with an ankle. Then Sedrick Ellis tried to hack Pierre Thomas's wrist off and Jammal Brown did his best Shockey impression (dehydration). Don't forget Scott Shanle missed time with a calf injury as well. All of which should hauntingly remind us of last season. It's frustrating to be reminded how quickly the potential for a great season can come crashing to an end at the hand of injury but unfortunately it's part of the game. All we can do is hope for some better luck this season.

Sean Payton is the Next Steven Spielberg

I don't know about you but I thought the story about Payton shopping his "XBox Kid" movie script was the most interesting news of the weekend. I'm sure it will be just a shell of it's original self once Hollywood gets its hands on it, but learning about Payton's creative side was certainly the most shocking fact of the weekend.

Biggest Surprise Players

Mike Detillier says Danny Gorrer and Jermy Parnell have been impressive.

Why Didn't We Hear Much About...

Chip Vaughn? DeMario Pressley?

Whose Job is in Jeopardy?

Glenn Pakulak. Thomas Morstead drew praise for his big leg and his hang time.

Who Picked Up Right Where They Left Off?

Billy Miller. He continues to be underrated and a fan favorite.

Quote of the Weekend

Billy Miller again...

"If Jeremy Shockey is at the best of his ability, Billy Miller in year 11 is going to win a Super Bowl," Miller said. "And that's all that matters. Nothing else really matters at my age but winning. Not money, not any of that. Just winning ball games.

"Jeremy Shockey was brought in to be the starting tight end and to provide me with a nice shiny ring."

Popular Minicamp Trend

The Times-Pic reports that Courtney Roby, Roman Harper, Jason David, Skyler Green and Anthony Waters all have mohawks.

Completely Stupid Random Fact

There are three players on the current roster with the last name Evans. Jahri, Heath and Troy.

Feel free to now discuss anything else you think I've missed and offer your final thoughts on Saints minicamp.

Sean Payton and Reggie Bush Press Conference Transcripts from Day Two of Saints Minicamp

Saintsational — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:21:33 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

6 months ago: New Orleans Saints defensive back Malcolm Jenkins (27) goes through a drill during morning football practice at the team's training facility in Metairie, La., Saturday, June 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Sean Payton

From the Times-Pic

Opening statement from New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton on Saturday:

"Just a couple notes: Malcolm Jenkins obviously had his first practice; Thomas Morstead had his first practice. With Dan Campbell, I mentioned yesterday that he's going to have surgery done on Monday morning. With Darnell Dinkins, it's an ankle sprain, and with Dan Morgan, it's a calf strain. We'll go from there."

How much better can this offense be with a healthy Jeremy Shockey?

"Certainly he's a guy both in the running game and in the passing game that we feel like is an asset to what we're trying to do. When you're at your full depth, obviously you have a chance to be more efficient so that's one aspect of it. We're looking forward to training camp where he'll be a year removed from both of the injuries that he's had. I think that definitely can help us."

What will Heath Evans add to your offense? Is he a contender to be a short-yardage back for you?

"I mentioned right after the draft that the primary focal point for him is as a fullback, both in the running game and in the passing game. I'm sure there will be some situations where we'll decide to hand him the ball. He's certainly a factor for us as a blocker and also as a receiver. I wouldn't go as far ahead as to say that he's going to be the short-yardage back - I wouldn't say that. He's probably going to be in a lot of short-yardage situations as the blocker. We'll see week by week."

As a veteran, what kind of locker room presence does he bring?

"He's a guy that has won a lot of games and any time that you can get a player from a successful organization, I think it adds to your team chemistry. He's a good leader and he's a guy that works hard. He does all the little things right. I think that's all a plus."

Is he an upgrade over Mike Karney as a blocker?

"We feel so. That's one of the big reasons that we ended up making this move. We felt like we needed to be more consistent at the point of attack as a blocker in that position and we feel like he does that well, talking about Heath. He has good athleticism to find the linebackers or the safeties at the second level; some of the things that we're asking the fullback to do in the running game. He's also versatile enough to where he's a guy that you can throw the ball to as well."

How will Darren Sharper's experience help the young guys in the secondary?

"His experience from the amount of games that he has played in this league is an asset, not only for himself but for the players that are watching film with him in the film room. You don't ever know exactly the type of leadership roles that veteran players that come in from other teams are going to have and we don't try to force those roles on any player. A lot of it comes from what they're doing on the field. Certainly there is competition too and we think we have a lot of new faces in the secondary that are going to help us, both at safety and corner."

Do you like the collection of talent that you have in the secondary?

"I like our spots."

Do you feel like you've made a big upgrade there?

"You just go through it and you can talk about the addition of a Jabari Greer, the additions of Darren Sharper, the addition of Malcolm Jenkins, Tracy Porter I look at as an addition because he's coming back off an injury. Those are a lot of new faces right off the bat before we get to Pierson Prioleau and some of the other players. To answer your question, yes."

After seeing Jenkins in action some, is he the same player you expected when you drafted him?

"Yes. When we drafted him, we felt like we were getting a guy who is physical, who is smart, who is disciplined, a guy that plays the run as well as he plays the pass. He has long levers and he has good size for the position. We're excited about him and we're excited that he was able to get out here earlier than we had anticipated having graduated."

Is it too early to tell if he's been in his playbook and doing his homework since the rookie camp?

"I think he's pretty smart. For all the new players there is a learning curve, but I would say that his ability to learn is a strength for him. I think he's a pretty smart player and he has handled the bulk of what we're doing now - especially in this veteran camp - pretty well."

Did Tracy Porter surprise you with how quickly he adjusted and played before his injury last year?

"There was a period of time in training camp, if you recall he pulled a hamstring and on the same play he and Devery Henderson both went down, and that kind of slowed him. He was able to come back before the start of the regular season and get healthy and we felt like he was on track and was playing at a very high level. Having him back is a big plus for us, a huge plus."

Do you expect Joey Harrington to compete for the number two spot now that he's here for a full offseason?

"Yes. I've talked to Joey about it and certainly Mark (Brunell) understands that each year you're competing for that position. It's something where each day they come out and take these reps. You may only get 28 team reps and I think both of those guys value those reps and understand the importance of being consistent. We'll continue - like we do with all of these positions at this time of year - to mix up the lineups and try to move guys in and out of spots. But certainly he's competing for that position and I think he understands that."

Will Reggie Bush work this afternoon?

"We'll see. Yesterday he got two (practices) in and I wanted to back off of him this morning. I want to see how he feels. I know if he doesn't go this afternoon, he'll work tomorrow morning."

Are there any positions right now where you see a great deal of competition?

"You look at some of the positions where there has been more turnover. We talked about the secondary and there are a lot of guys there competing for spots - at the corner position and at the safety position. There's a lot of competition I think at running back. We're certainly seeing some new guys on the defensive line and I think when we get through this offseason portion of the calendar and get into training camp, ultimately you start grading the preseason games and see how they handle everything."

Is it safe to say that the guys that are in camp right now are going to be your running backs this year?

"Yes. We feel pretty good about this group. The key is just developing and keeping these guys in tune to what we're doing. We have good depth. We have some good young prospects and we're excited about it."

Did you guys tell Pierre Thomas to bulk up?

"I don't know that he has bulked up so much. I've heard that but I think you're going to see him at a similar weight that he was a year ago. You have to be careful at that position. Especially at the running back and receiver positions, bigger isn't always necessarily better. The right weight is what's most important; the weight he's most comfortable carrying. He's probably three or four pounds heavier today than he was last season. I would anticipate his playing weight to be similar to what it was last season."

What was his playing weight?

"Probably in the (2)20s range; (2)24, (2)25."

Have you seen any loss of agility or speed in him?

"I just haven't seen that much of a change to begin to look at it. Mike Bell and I talked yesterday about his weight. He has played halfback before at about (2)18 or (2)17. He's probably (2)28 now. He's a guy that's a little bit heavier than what he's used to playing halfback at. Before these guys leave here in three weeks, we'll spend a lot of time assigning the reporting weights to these players. That's a pretty important topic because it's something that you want to be on with. You don't want to be too low or too high with the specific player's body type. Their body fat and how their body is made up is important in determining that."

What are your thoughts on the big crowd that has been out here for the two open practices?

"I think it's easy to feel the fans' excitement year-in and year-out here. I've said before that it's a fan base that is unique to any other that I've been a part of and I've been in some pretty big cities with pretty good football traditions in Dallas, New York and Philadelphia. But there is a uniqueness here and it's great that they have an opportunity to see some practices at this time of the year when they're all anxiously awaiting the season. It's good to see them out here."

Reggie Bush

From the New Orleans Saints official website

Q: Do you think you have a good overall group of running backs?

A: I think we definitely have a good core group of running backs. Everybody here that we have here right now are fully capable of stepping in and getting the job done. We're very confident about our group of running backs we have right now.

Q: What does Heath Evans bring to the table with veterans like Mike Karney and Deuce McAllister having left as far as a leadership role?

A: Experience. He also brings versatility to our group and that is really important for us at the fullback position, because that's going to just make us that more dangerous and enable us to create a lot of mismatches with defenses. On top of that the experience part is huge for us. The leadership role in terms of having been playing for championships and in a Super Bowl and coming from a winning organization brings an attitude that can only help us.

Q: Do you think there is a drop-off at fullback with the loss of Karney?

A: No, not at all.

Q: How can you guys improve offensively, even though your team was ranked number one?

A: We can always get better. We didn't make the playoffs last year so we can get better. It's not just about the offense or the defense, it's about us as a team collectively winning. Whether it's the number one offense or the number 15 offense, whatever it is, however it is collectively winning or not just individually or the offense doing well and the defense not doing as well. We want to collectively play well as a team.

Q: Do you think you guys will have problems in third and one situations this year and that you have the personnel to be successful in that situation?

A: I definitely feel like we have a chance to do that. I don't think that's ever a question for us. We're such a versatile offense we can line up or split five wides and get a first down. We're not that worried about first downs, third and ones or fourth and ones.

Q: Do you think you have a good overall group of running backs?

Q: What does Heath Evans bring to the table with veterans like Mike Karney and Deuce McAllister having left as far as a leadership role?

Q: Do you think there is a drop-off at fullback with the loss of Karney?

A: No, not at all.

Q: How can you guys improve offensively, even though your team was ranked number one?

Q: Do you think you guys will have problems in third and one situations this year and that you have the personnel to be successful in that situation?

New Orleans Saints Minicamp: The View from the Middle of the Top Metal Bleacher

Saintsational — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:00:32 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

6 months ago: New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey (88) reacts while waiting for his next repetition during afternoon football practice at the team's training facility in Metairie, La., Friday, June 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

Browse more photos »

You may not believe this but my off-season cautious optimism just took a big shot in the arm today and has now dropped all the way down to just slightly optimistic. Baby steps here people. Truth be told, it didn't really matter what happened out there on the field today I was just glad to see some Saints football. Any Who Dat would have been excited.

But seriously folks, there was a lot to be happy about yesterday afternoon and it was for obvious reasons. I'm about to say something you've been hearing quite a lot this off-season but that doesn't make it any less true: this defense is different. And it's a good different.

I know, I know. I sound like a broken mainstream media record but it's true. Probably the most interesting observation of the day was what I saw from the guys wearing black. They showed a few different looks, one or two of which had Shanle and sometimes Fujita up at the line and Vilma dropping back into coverage. Not surprising given what we learned about Gregg Williams and his schemes. The defense was also employing some unique blitz packages utilizing cornerbacks and safeties, one of which led to what would have surely been a Joey Harrington sack by a DB (maybe Chris Reis). Pretty complex stuff for minicamp! The stench of Gary Gibbs is definitely long gone.

Something else I wasn't used to seeing from the Saints defense that impressed me was their seeming ability to better get in position. More than once was a defender - Roman Harper is coming to mind - in the right place at the right time and ready to snuff out the play or end it quickly with a well-timed hit. Some of those offensive guys are lucky yesterday's practice was no contact. It's that last point, however, that brings me back to reality. These guys were just wearing shorts so I take everything yesterday with a grain of salt. Finishing the play is a whole other issue but it's great to see that everything appears to at least be on the right track.

So what's the bottom line? This years defense will certainly be more exciting and fun to watch so get ready. But better? Still too early to tell.

You know I like to roll bullet-style so why change a good thing. Here are the rest of my notes:

I was surprised to see so many people in attendance especially given it was the middle of a weekday. All seats were filled and latecomers had to stand. Getting their early was definitely wise.
I'm not sure why but I was surprised to see food (and alcohol), merchandise and solicitation tents lined up for business. It was like a miniature outdoor version of the Superdome concourse.
Notice you didn't hear any of the traditional "I can't believe how hot it is" cliches from the media and players. The weather was perfect. Just perfect.
Meachem drew the first reaction from the crowd when he dropped an easy pass in the wide open flat. There were grumblings.
One thing we can't see during these no-pads practices is tackling. Still no idea whether or not these ankle biters have improved in the weak tackling department.
Shockey looked pretty good out there. A leaping catch over the middle followed by a tuck and roll drew applause from the crowd. A lot of people in the audience were discussing "Dehydrationgate."
Not much to see from Colston or Moore yesterday.
There was a quick little scrap following a play during offense vs. defense work. Couldn't tell who it was.
I think it's a bit hard to really tell how well the running backs looked. They may be breaking through the line but with no tackling it's too far from actual game situations.
The cornerback mix was interesting. Gay and Greer were getting reps with the first team today. Greer I understand but Gay I don't. Tracy Porter and Leigh Torrence were with the second team. Jason David the third team. Don't forget that Malcolm Jenkins will be added to the mix as well. Very cool.
Garrett Hartley only saw a minute or so of action but he was perfect every time.
Colston and Henderson botched the exchange on a double reverse that illicited a reaction from the crowd. Other than that play Henderson caught everything else thrown his way.
Colston is a tall dude. Fujita is a big dude. Jason David...not so much.
Apparently injuries are still something Saints fans need to worry about. I didn't see it but Dan Morgan left early with with a calf injury and Dan Campbell missed practice with a knee injury.

Sorry to say I have to work tomorrow so I won't be able to make it out there for round two. To make up for it, I have included the rest of my pictures from yesterday's minicamp after the jump. Enjoy, then discuss. You must discuss.

Meal ticket.

No fun!

The grounds.

I guess you would call this a fieldhouse? Maybe?

Always a merch tent.

The crowd.

Even more crowd.

Roster handout. Alphabetically on one side, numerically on the other. In case you were wondering.

Food and beer. They think of everything!

The eye in the sky. Seriously, that thing was up there.

One on one.

Robert Meachem vs. Jabari Greer