SB Nation - Paul Spicer

Tuesday Notes: Free Agent DE Paul Spicer Visits Lions

Sean Yuille — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:43:24 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Sanchez - AP

3 months ago: New Orleans Saints defensive end Paul Spicer, left, runs after recovering a fumble as Oakland Raiders' Oren O'Neal pursues in the second quarter during an NFL preseason football game in Oakland, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Marcio Sanchez)

Browse more photos »

Defensive end Paul Spicer visited the Lions today and was worked out by the team. Spicer played for the Jaguars the last four seasons and was released by the Saints in the final round of roster cuts earlier this month. The defensive line obviously needs to get better, especially with the Vikings coming to town, so it's not surprising that the Lions are considering signing someone. With Kevin Carter staying retired, someone like Spicer is probably the next best option.
Ernie Harwell is going to be an honorary captain for the Lions game on Sunday. Harwell recently shared the sad news that he has cancer, and tomorrow night he will actually be at Comerica Park to speak with the team and thank fans for all of the support they have given him in the last couple of weeks.
Louis Delmas was called for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against the Saints. The first one was for knocking the ball out of Jeremy Shockey's hands after he scored. Delmas was pissed that Shockey was celebrating, but Jim Schwartz pointed out a much better way to prevent that from happening.

"I said, 'When a player makes a touchdown, no matter what he wants to do with the ball, he's earned that right,' " Schwartz said. 'You don't want him to dance, you don't want him to show you up, whatever, stop him from making a touchdown. That's an easy solution.' "
The other penalty was for running into a referee, which I had never heard of before Sunday.
One of the reasons Brandon Pettigrew didn't see much action on Sunday was because the Lions were playing from behind. Pettigrew and the other tight ends were getting open underneath, but the Lions needed to move the ball down the field and overlooked him apparently.
Matthew Stafford is a big fan of Brett Favre.
Jay Leno's new show premiered last night, and one of his first jokes was about the Lions.

"I had a strange thing happen to me yesterday. I set my TiVo to record 'The Biggest Loser' and got the Lions game."
Leno has joked about the Lions for quite some time now, so it's not surprising they were mentioned last night.
In case you missed it on Sunday, TMZ has a video of Chris Myers making fun of Whoopi Goldberg by comparing going to the Lions from the Steelers to dating her after dating Beyonce.

New Orleans Saints Announce Roster Cuts

Saintsational — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:06:59 -0000

The Times-Pic has just released the full list of New Orleans Saints players who were cut today. Including Joey Harrington and Adrian Arrington, whose names were released earlier today, those players are:

Position	Player
WR	Courtney Roby
WR	Skyler Green
WR	Matt Simon
RB	P.J. Hill
RB	Herb Donaldson
LB	Anthony Waters
DT	DeMario Pressley
G	Tim Duckworth
CB	Danny Gorrer
DT	Early Heyman
TE	Martrez Milner
TE	Jermey Parnell
DE	Paul Spicer
G/T	Anthony Davis
T	Michael Brown
C	Digger Bujnoch
G	Nate Bennett
S	Chip Vaughn placed on IR

The only surprises here are the release of Paul Spicer, DeMario Pressley and Anthony Waters. Can't say we didn't see Chip Vaughn being placed on IR. He's just missed too much time for a rookie this pre-season. Chris Reis, Jonathan Casillas, Buck Ortega, Leigh Torrence and Rod Harper all survived the cut and have made the squad.

Here's a look at how the 53-man roster looks now:

Offense

*Position*	*Player*	*Player*	*Player*	*Player*	*Player*	*Player*
QB	Drew Brees	Mark Brunell
RB	Pierre Thomas	Reggie Bush	Mike Bell	Lynell Hamilton
FB	Heath Evans
WR	Marques Colston	Robert Meachem	Lance Moore	Devery Henderson	Rod Harper
TE	Jeremy Shockey	Darnell Dinkins	Buck Ortega	David Thomas
C	Jonathan Goodwin	Nick Leckey
G	Carl Nicks	Jamar Nesbit	Jahri Evans
T	Jammal Brown	Jon Stinchcomb	Zach Strief	Jermon Bushrod

Defense

*Position*	*Player*	*Player*	*Player*	*Player*	*Player*	*Player*	*Player*
DE	Will Smith	Charles Grant	Bobby McCray	Jeff Charleston	Anthony Hargrove
DT	Sedrick Ellis	Kendrick Clancy	Remi Ayodele
LB	Jonathan Vilma	Scott Fujita	Scott Shanle	Jo-Lonn Dunbar	Jonathan Casillas	Troy Evans	Marvin Mitchell
CB	Jabari Greer	Tracy Porter	Malcolm Jenkins	Randall Gay	Leigh Torrence
SS	Roman Harper	Pierson Prioleau	Chris Reis
FS	Darren Sharper	Usama Young

Special Teams

*Position*	*Player*	*Player*
Kicker	John Carney	Garrett Hartley
Punter	Thomas Morstead
Long Snapper	Jason Kyle

You'll notice the depth chart contains Will Smith, Charles Grant and Garrett Hartley, all three of whom are suspended for the first four games of the season. They will not count against the 53-man roster during those games, so at least two players (David Thomas was brought in) will need to be signed to take their place in the interim. It appears the Saints are light at the defensive tackle spot so I would hope to see one of those signings be used on that position.

Poll

Which player cut surprises you the most?

DeMario Pressley

136 votes

Paul Spicer

295 votes

Joey Harrington

98 votes

Adrian Arrington

208 votes

Anthony Waters

55 votes

Danny Gorrer

4 votes

796 votes | Poll has closed

Previewing the Kansas City Chiefs 2009 Schedule: Week 9

Matt Conner — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:38:00 -0000

Well, at this point we're past the bye week, hopefully a nice time for the Chiefs to reflect upon their (predicted) 2-5 record thus far. It's a prime time to look at the highlights, realize you just went through the roughest stretch of the schedule (and one of the more difficult stretches for any NFL team) and came through still breathing and still fighting.

Jacksonville Overview:
Now it's on to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The good news for the Chiefs is that the next two games (including next week versus Oakland) are very winnable and could bring the team close to .500 again before the Steelers and Chargers match-ups. The Jags flipped their record last year, moving from a dominating 11-5 playoff team that nobody wanted to face to a 5-11 team that struggled on both sides of the ball. Their offense struggled and the defense lost the swagger that put fear in the hearts of opponents the previous four seasons (when the Jags finished in the top 10 in total defense every season).

So this year, coach Jack Del Rio aims to right the ship and some offseason acquisitions should really help with this. The problem has been the lines for the Jags, both offensive and defensive, so there's been some turnover here, as there should be. The team's first two draft picks went to promising bookend tackles Eugene Monroe (who the Jags had to be ecstatic was still sitting there at the eighth pick) and Eben Britton. Also, Eagles longtime tackle Tra Thomas was signed so the tackle position should be much improved.

The defensive line was addressed by adding defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, a 320 lb. hulk who should help solve problems up the middle after losing Marcus Stroud to a trade with the Buffalo Bills. However, the Jags also lost talented DE Paul Spicer to New Orleans which only creates further issues with depth and ability. The secondary also receives a face lift with Sean Considine coming over from the Eagles and Marlon McCree from the Broncos. However, both players were allowed to leave their former teams for a reason and aren't game-changing presences in the defensive backfield.

One of the biggest needs on this team has long been a gamebreaking WR and Torry Holt was signed to bolster the receiving corps while Jerry Porter and Matt Jones were given their notices to leave. It's still a position of need although hardly any team has such a talented receiver out of the backfield as Maurice Jones-Drew and Mercedes Lewis is an adequate TE. Holt should bring some skills not seen in Jacksonville for a long time, even if he is a little long in the tooth.

Prediction after the jump...

Why the Chiefs Can Win This Game:
The Jags areas of need are rather big and while there are reasons for hope, something tells me it might not all come together this season. The pass rush and defensive line overall have taken big hits the last two offseasons with Stroud leaving and now Spicer. Promising youngsters like Quentin Groves and Derrick Harvey were drafted to fill those needs but it remains mostly promise, especially in Groves' case. The Chiefs know all too well the issues with no pass rush.

The defense also let Mike Peterson leave from the middle so replacing the leadership there might be an issue this season. It's a younger defense that needs time to come together on the line and in the secondary, where former first rounder Reggie Nelson still hasn't blown anyone away and Derek Cox, this year's Division 1-AA grab, will need time to adjust. John Henderson provides some strong veteran presence as does Reggie Heyward and they will need to stay healthy for the defensive presence of old to really come back.

If the Jags fail to really gel this season, the Chiefs could be running all day on the d-line and middle linebacker like Daryl Smith. Sticking to Larry Johnson and Jamaal Charles as a change-up most of the day should work well. Unfortunately this would be a great game for Tony Gonzalez and the match-ups here so we have to hope Brad Cottam (or someone else) emerges to convert some third downs. Still, Bowe and others should enjoy decent numbers and this will be a game where the Chiefs move the ball.

Defensively, the Chiefs will wish Khalif Barnes was still manning this line, but that doesn't mean they're now impervious to the pass rush. Jones-Drew will cause fits all day so the Chiefs will need to have a strong game plan here, but the lack of a strong receiving corps will allow the Clancy Pendergrast to get creative with his blitzing schemes.

Why the Chiefs Could Lose This Game:
If the Jags mature faster than expected, this game could spell trouble. It's easy to look at the Jags as a team picking in the draft's top ten and forget that they went .500 or better the last several seasons, including 11 wins just in 2007. But Derrick Harvey could develop into a potent pass rusher and teaming with Heyward, they could wreak havoc on Cassel if the Chiefs right side doesn't come together.

And, simply put, Jones-Drew is a gamebreaker - one of a handful of players in the league who can single-handedly alter the outcome of a game by breaking a play wide open by capitalizing on a single missed read or missed tackle. The Chiefs have no one to answer for this (as hardly any team does), so this will be of paramount importance to plan well for this week. Luckily the bye week allows for just that.

Prediction:
Ultimately, I think everyone internally and externally realizes the season radically changes in the second half and even if the Chiefs are a bit beat up heading into the bye, Coach Haley will have them fired up and ready to go for the stretch run. It's a winnable game and good teams find ways to win games like this. It will be close but ultimately, Chiefs win 27-23.

Predicting the Arizona Cardinals Record: Part 1

Andrew602 — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:00:17 -0000

With the start of the 2009 preseason only less then a week away, now's a good time to break down the regular season and predict a record for 2009. Last year, many of us figured a realistic record would be 9-7 or 10-6, and their actual record fell along those lines. This year, the schedule becomes more difficult, coaching changes are made, and different personnel and schemes are brought in that can make predicting a valid schedule very frustrating. This season is sure to feature its ups and downs, upsets and surprising, and many more unknown scenarios. Let's break down the schedule and attempt to bolster a reasonable prediction for the Cardinals 2009 record. We'll do 4 weeks at a time until we have the complete 16 game record complete.

Week 1 - San Francisco 49ers

Key Additions: WR Brandon Jones, CB Dre Bly, WR Michael Crabtree

Key Losses: LB Tully Banta-Cain, WR Bryant Johnson, CB Donald Strickland, QB J.T. O'Sullivan

Analysis: When Mike Singletary took over the 49ers last year, it took a couple of games, but Singletary was able to spark a fire under the 49ers and make them one of the most competitive teams towards the end of last year. That fire is sure to continue on this season, and should create a great season opener as the Cardinals and 49ers have opened the season together the last 3 years together.

What to watch for: The most obvious things to watch for would be how Beanie Wells handles his first regular season game, as he should get a good amount of carries against a physical defense in the 49ers. We should also watch out to see if Larry Fitzgerald's momentum from the playoffs continues into this season.

Key Match Up: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie vs. Michael Crabtree

Prediction: Win - Cardinals coming off a Super Bowl run, at home, should be too much for the 49ers.

Week 2 - At Jacksonville Jaguars

Key Additions: WR Torry Holt, S Marlon McCree, OT Tra Thomas, OT Eugene Monroe

Key Losses: LB Mike Peterson, RB Fred Taylor, DE Paul Spicer, CB Drayton Florence, WR Matt Jones, WR Jerry Porter

Analysis: The Jaguars had high hopes last year after coming very close to the Super Bowl in 2007. They were also one of the very dominant rushing teams that year. Things changed last year when injury, and inconsistency at the quarterback position hit them. They lost Fred Taylor but Maurice Jones-Drew looks to lead the team in the running game. The Jaguars are still a very dangerous team and have the right tools to make week 2 a very competitive one for the Cardinals.

What to watch for: This will be the first game on the road in 2009 and as we all know, the Cardinals have never played well on the road in the past. Although they surprised us against Carolina in the playoffs, winning on the road week 2 should be a challenge. If they can overcome the road games early, it should be a good sign for the 2009 season.

Key match up: Maurice Jones-Drew vs Karlos Dansby

Prediction: Win - Too many holes on the Jaguars and virtually no chemistry will give the Cardinals the edge.

Week 3 - Indianapolis Colts

Key Additions: DT Ed Johnson, RB Donald Brown

Key Losses: WR Marvin Harrison, RB Dominic Rhodes, Tony Dungy

Analysis: The Colts took 5 games last year to get back to playoff football. Things won't be the same this year as Peyton Manning is healthy heading into the season. The loss of Harrison shouldn't have too much of an effect on the offense as the Colts have virtually been without him the last couple years. The main factor that could give the Colts problems is the loss of long time head coach, Tony Dungy. There will be an adjustment but expect their top offense and quick defense to show up when they come to University of Phoenix Stadium.

What to watch for: Peyton Manning. The entire Cardinals defense will need to be watching Manning if they have a chance at winning the game. Manning can pick any defense apart with his superb quarterback skills. If the Cardinals can stay focused and not commit any mistakes, look for the upset.

Key match up: Dwight Freeney vs Mike Gandy

Prediction: Loss - Unfortunately, banking on not committing mistakes is not smart, and the fantastic offense of the Colts will be too much for the Cardinals.

Week 5 - Houston Texans

Key Additions: DE Antonio Smith, DT Shaun Cody, LB Cato June, LB Brian Cushing

Key Losses: QB Sage Rosenfels, S Will Demps, CB DeMarcus Faggins, RB Ahman Green

Analysis: After another average season, the Texans hopes are high heading into 2009. They have continued to fit the right pieces into place for the last few years, and seem to finally have most of the puzzle complete. They've built a solid line and built everything around it. They found a steal in last years draft in Slaton, have one of the best wide receivers in the game in Andre Johnson, and if Shaub is consistent, they're offense is set. If they're defense can adapt and improve off of last year, this team will be a contender.

What to watch for: This is surely going to be a hyped match up as the top two wide receivers in the NFL meet up. Expect many breakdowns and predictions for who will have a better performance, along with who the best receiver is during the post game news.

Key match up: No brainer...Larry Fitzgerald vs Andre Johnson

Prediction: Win - The Texans are still too inexperienced and will have trouble facing the Cardinals on their home field.

------------------------------------------------

Cardinals record through Week 5 - 3-1

It's not a bad start to the season and if the Cardinals are able to pull it off, this should surely jump start them to a lead in the NFC West. The only problem with that is keeping their number one spot as the other three teams will be gunning for them. We'll break down weeks 6-9 next week but what would you think of their record so far? Could you see it going any other way?

Saints Training Camp Update: Day Seven

Saintsational — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:11:07 -0000

Twitter

reggie_bush No grind no shine! Todays a new hustle! Let's go!

MalcolmJenkins yooo twitter was trippin earlier... i had no way to share my boredom with the world lol

jeffduncantp ESPN @ Saints hotel today shooting intros for MNF. Word is they are doing some crazy visual graphics.

jeffduncantp Rickey Jackson & Dalton Hilliard visited media room. Both will be at prax. Jackson jabbed ESPN's Pat Yasinskas for wearing a Penn State cap.

jeffduncantp Pat quickly offered to take the PSU hat off. Smart man

reggie_bush Practice Conditions: 100 degrees plus humidity, full gear, sore body, bad headache Put "Lil Wayne-money on my mind" in and let's get it!

jeffduncantp NFL officials arrived @ Saints camp today. Will work Thurs./Fri. practices. Referee Carl Johnson is among them.

MalcolmJenkins just got done working out... it was kinda hot today but a lil heat aint never hurt nobody (not really)

jeffduncantp Just talked to Gruden. Very high on Saints. JG: "I really think that with the additions that they've made that they have a real chance. "

jeffduncantp Gruden on Saints: "They've added some pieces this year to their team that I think are going to make them real hard to deal with."

jeffduncantp Prax update: Mike Bell bruised hip. Will be evaluated. No other injuries to report

therealJShock the fans were great today! thx for all the support... Even the Military came out to watch... see you guys tom early in the am

jeffduncantp Saints worked on some 3-4 today. McCray, J. Charleston, T. Evans & J. Dunbar took turns at stand-up OLB

Linkage

Spicer Provides Tremendous Flavor to D Line Depth - New Orleans Saints official website

"The CFL was a humbling experience," said Spicer, "but I was upbeat because I knew I could make it in the NFL after my time with Seattle. The CFL still is football, and I wanted to make a living out of playing the game that I love."

-Paul Spicer

"Being cut is never going to be a good feeling," said Spicer, "but ultimately when I was playing against the best, I knew I could hold my own. So, I just worked my butt off to make it."

-Paul Spicer

"When you’re on the bubble of making a team," continued Spicer, "having an injury in camp basically guarantees getting cut."

-Paul Spicer

"It was a great honor because it tells you something about the man," Spicer said, "because it is fellow teammates voting for that prestigious award. I have never acted better than anyone, and I try to treat everyone from the kitchen staff to the owner with the same level of respect that each person deserves."

-Paul Spicer, on the Ed Block Courage Award

"It was hard leaving Jacksonville," said Spicer. "I didn’t want to leave, but when Coach Jack Del Rio called, I told him I appreciated my opportunity there. I said my good-byes and moved on. I had planned on retiring there and living the rest of my life there, but it just didn’t work out that way."

-Paul Spicer

"There’s total commitment here toward that goal," said Spicer. "Being here, I see that the whole team is on the same page and focused together about getting to the Super Bowl."

-Paul Spicer

"Every game the fans will see me give my all, bust my butt, and will my body to its absolute limits on every play."

-Paul Spicer

For NFL players, it's tweet at your own risk - Times-Pic

"I'd already stopped before training camp," he said. "I'm definitely going to stay off of it now. I sure can't afford $2,500."

-Chip Vaughn

New Orleans Saints cornerbacks capitalizing on Malcolm Jenkins' absence - Times-Pic

"I'm loving it," Jones said as the Saints went through their sixth day of practice without Jenkins on Wednesday. "The coaches have let us know that when Jenkins comes in, things are going to change, so I'm taking advantage of right now, going as hard as I can on every play."

-Reggie Jones

"I haven't been displeased with anybody," Allen said. "Jason's always had good ball skills and the ability to make plays on the ball, and he's really been battling and making some plays.

"Leigh has that instinct and toughness, and he's done a really good job. They all understand the business and know that this is their chance to get true evaluation."

-Dennis Allen

"I'm following what's going on with Malcolm," Torrence said. "And we definitely need guys like him in here to help the team.

"But I'm more worried about what I've got to do to make myself better so that I make this team, too. If you're able to add to the formula, especially on special teams, which I pride myself on, they're going to find a spot for you."

-Leigh Torrence

"The competition is fierce out there, but that's part of the business," he said. "And the longer you stay, the more you understand the business of this game.

"Part of that is not worrying about putting yourself against the other guys at your position, but making yourself one of the best 53 players on the team. The more you show, the better off you are."

-Jason David

New Orleans Saints reach 11th practice of training camp - Times-Pic

Nothing new to report on the Malcolm Jenkins negotiations, whose now into Day 8 of his contract dispute, tying him with Devery Henderson (2004) for the longest rookie holdout under Saints GM Mickey Loomis.

Hokie: Hamilton may be the Saints back to "plow through people" - WWL

"It's way too early to say right now. I think they are still trying to figure it out. I'm pretty sure they are pretty well set on Pierre Thomas being their starting back," Hokie said. "Then again, it takes a little bit different breed of cat to be that 3rd and one or 3rd and two type of back. That guy that on 4th and inches that you gotta get it... you just gotta be a bull back there and hit that line of scrimmage and just plow through people."

-Hokie Gajan

New Orleans Saints Aug. 6 practice report - Times-Pic

Video: Kincaid: Brees has special practice- WWL

Video

New Orleans Saints training camp video log, Day 8 (Aug. 6, 2009)

Sunday's Random Notes, Links, Audio, Video and Puzzle

Saintsational — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:00:21 -0000

CSC All-Time Saints Team

Congratulations to the latest inductee to our CSC All-Time Saints team, Wayne Martin. He was the overwhelming favorite in our poll last week, winning with nearly 44% of the vote. With all of the action happening this weekend, I nearly forgot about our All-Time team. By the way, you can keep up with our team as we continue over on the right sidebar. Exile on Mtn St. (my new nickname for MtnExile) was corteous enough to create the fancy little roster for us. We'll get back to the team very shortly.

Puzzle

I will post a picture puzzle today at 12pm Noon Central. Anyone interested in some friendly competition should be here at that time. First person to correctly guess the subject of the picture wins. For some warming up or practice, click here. Today's puzzle will be harder. Goodluck. You're gonna need it.

Linkage

Saints Coach Payton focuses on teamwork - New Orleans Saints Beat

"I wouldn't say yesterday's practices were too physical, but the one in the p.m. was close," Stinchcomb said. "Right now, it's intense and good. There's some self-regulating going on. There are some flare-ups. That's how players police things. If something gets out of line, there are ways players go about balancing out things, like holding up players and not taking them to the ground." "It's pretty much a free-for-all in shorts and helmets, as long as you don't have pads on," Stinchcomb said. "As long as there is an understanding that the main objective, no matter whether you're on offense or defense, is to get better and for us to be a Super Bowl-contending team, then everything is good in here.

"The offense doesn't have a problem if the defense is playing hard, and the defense doesn't have a problem if the offense is going hard. It's about intent."

"I've been going up against (left defensive end) Charles Grant for nearly a decade," Stinchcomb said. "But there is a professional aspect to his game. If he's in danger of rolling up somebody or getting rolled up, he'll pull up, because it's the first week of June, and we don't have our first game until the middle of September.

"This is a concern for every player in this locker room just because of our health. This is our career, and this is how we conduct our business -- with our bodies. So protecting our team and our careers comes first and foremost."

BACKUP PLAN - NOLA.com

"I wanted to get with a good team, and the Saints have been a good team since Coach Payton got here," Spicer said. "After talking with him and knowing Coach Williams like I do, and knowing what the Saints have been about the past few years, I wanted to be a part of this.

"Now I have this opportunity, and I'm going to make the most of it."

-Paul Spicer

"This is a great opportunity for me; it's really been a blessing," Hargrove said. "These guys -- the GM (Loomis), Sean Payton, Gregg Williams, (defensive line coach) Bill Johnson, everybody -- have gone above and beyond for me. All I want to do is return the favor.

"They're giving me a shot; that's all. Nothing else has been discussed with me. All that other stuff (the pending suspensions) has nothing to do with me."

-Anthony Hargrove

Sharper brings years of talent to beleaguered Saints defense | News for New Orleans, Louisiana | Saints | News and Weather for New Orleans | wwltv.com

"I feel good now," Sharper said. "The thing when you get into the years I’ve put in, I feel good. You think of guys and I always try to see guys I’ve seen play like Leroy Butler, who was older when I got there, or Eugene Robinson or Rod Woodson and see these guys play until they’re 36, 37. "I know I condition myself well so I know I can go that long. It’s just having the want-to. That’s the big difference now."

WWL - AM870 | FM105.3 | News | Talk | Sports - Q and A with Jeremy Shockey at Saints Mini-Camp

This is what happens when the media starts asking the tough questions. This was an interesting interview.

Q: Can you discuss what happened in Las Vegas?

A: Not much. I'm sure all of you read about it. If you're halfway intelligent you can read it.

Q: Was it overblown?

A: Yes, I think so. They say, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. That's the past, we're talking about the future.

New Orleans Saints cornerback Malcolm Jenkins finishes school, gets to work - New Orleans Saints Beat

"I was watching some film on the plane," said Jenkins, who arrived around 9:30 p.m. "As soon as I got to the hotel, I got some water and just got in the playbook some more before I took a nap. So I'm kind of low on sleep right now."

"The sooner I could get down here, the more I could learn," said Jenkins, who arranged the expedited schedule with all of his professors and school advisors. "And now I'm just all out."

Best Of New Orleans Blog - The Saints’ Defense has the "Chip-on-the-Shoulder" Routine Down Pat

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and the Saints’ defense brought their lunch pales with them to the second half of today’s OTA’s. The Saints’ reconstructed Defense went to work on the NFL’s number one ranked offense but not before giving up big plays over the middle of the field to tight end Billy Miller and deep threat wide receiver Devery Henderson.

Audio

These are all from, where else, WWL's Sports Talk. They are locker room sound bites from this weekend. In order we've got Adrian Arrington, Jason David, Carl Nicks and Jeremy Shockey.

Video

Here are a couple of random YouTube clips from training camp. Very short. Guerilla style.

Transcript of Sean Payton's Minicamp Press Conference

Saintsational — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:03:28 -0000

Per the Times-Pic.

Opening Statement:

"The one player that wasn't here was Thomas Morstead, our punter. He was excused for a funeral and he'll be getting back tonight. It was our first morning of the minicamp and so far, so good. We just have a lot of work ahead of us."

How do you prepare for the looming four-game suspensions for Charles Grant and Will Smith?

"One of the things we'll do out here is to rotate the order of how these guys are getting reps. In minicamp here, with eight more OTAs, all of training camp - we have a lot of time to mix up the repetitions and we'll be mindful of that."

Are you comfortable with the personnel you have behind those guys heading into the season?

"Yes. Purposefully we've been able to go out and acquire some guys at that position and get some depth, some guys with experience. We'll be prepared."

Did Marques Colston have a setback or do you just decide to hold him out this morning?

"With him and Reggie (Bush) both, we're just gradually increasing their workload. Both of them are getting some work in after practice. They're at that stage where we just don't want them getting tangled up in a drill. We'll be smart and continue to increase their workload as we see fit. There hasn't been any setback."

Do you still have Reggie Bush and Lance Moore penciled in as your top punt returners?

"Obviously we're going to look at Reggie; we're going to look at Lance Moore; we're going to look at Skyler Green; we're going to look at Tracy Porter and Jason David. So if you look at five right now that are going to be getting some reps along with some of these younger guys, that's how it will start off."

So you're not shying away from having Bush and Moore back there?

"Not at all."

How has Darren Sharper fit in with the defense so far?

"So far pretty well. He obviously has a lot of experience and he's been here throughout the whole offseason as we've added and really installed the new defense. He's been involved with it just like everyone else. It's not like some of these new players coming in are behind because we're really looking at a new installation for everybody. He's been able to handle it from the beginning."

Is it the same for Jabari Greer?

"Yes, it's the same for Jabari and really quite honestly for all the veteran players that have been here."

What have you seen from Anthony Hargrove and Paul Spicer so far?

"Both of those players have played in the league and have experience. They're different types of players; Spicer is someone that we feel like is stout at the point of attack and plays the run well. Anthony Hargrove is someone that can get up the field and rush the passer. Their skill sets are a little different and yet they are at key positions for us, especially if we're looking at possibly losing some players to start the year."

When you bring those guys in, do they know about the possible suspensions for the other players?

"I think so. I think they're aware of it. The better question would be, 'Are we bringing those two players in if that looming suspension doesn't sit out there?' And the answer to that would be, probably yes."

It looked like Devery Henderson has improved on catching the ball cleanly. Have you seen that?

"I think that's accurate. He's taking some reps at 'X' right now, which is really the other side of the formation with Marques (Colston) not going full-speed yet. It's helpful when you can move him a little bit. Certainly he knows the 'Z' position, but outside of the specific position, he's catching it cleanly and playing with confidence and he's done a good job. He had a good morning practice today."

Is this the Jeremy Shockey that you wanted to get, the player we saw on the field today?

"It was our first practice and he's healthy, so you were able to see him move around better. But it's early and we'll see."

Is he as healthy right now as he has been since you traded for him?

"I think that's true. He came here off the injury in New York and then he had the sports hernia. There has been enough time between both of those injuries now to where if he's not 100 percent, he's getting back into a rhythm."

Has he been at the OTAs?

"We had four OTAs that he was excused from. I use that term although he doesn't have to be excused from them. There were four OTAs that he wasn't able to be at, and we're here at minicamp with eight more OTAs left."

What has been your early evaluation of having Tracy Porter back on the field?

"It's a big plus having him back. We felt like he was playing at a pretty high level when he got injured and he's certainly going to be in the mix at the corner position. We feel like he has a good skill set and understands the defense. He has good cover skills and range and it's a big plus."

How does Dan Morgan look right now?

"He's picking things up pretty quickly and he seems to be moving real well. His movement skills have been real impressive and that's encouraging."

This will be the fourth straight year of sellouts at the Superdome. What are your thoughts on that?

"It's a credit to our fan base. To some degree, the fan base has shifted a little bit after '06 and regionally you're seeing not only the local fans from New Orleans but more of the state, you're seeing Mississippi, you're seeing Florida, Alabama and that's all a positive thing, especially with the economy now. I think the fans are pretty smart in their decisions as to how they want to spend their money and it's a positive for the organization. It just keeps getting back to putting the right product on the field and certainly we're appreciative of it."

What happened to Darnell Dinkins and did Adrian Arrington hurt himself out there?

"Arrington is coming off a hamstring from the last OTA so we really didn't see him do much except for the walkthroughs. We feel like we'll have more of him here in the next two weeks. Dinkins and (Dan) Campbell were the two guys that got nicked up a little bit. Dinkins looked like he twisted his ankle and Campbell twisted his knee so we'll get those two guys examined. But Arrington had a hamstring from our last OTA practice."

Have you seen progress from Robert Meachem?

"Yes. He's healthy and he has a real good grasp of what we're doing. He's someone that has been involved the whole offseason and is playing with a lot more confidence."

There were a couple of skirmishes out there this morning. Does that just show the players are feisty and ready to compete?

"I think that's fairly common when you get together here and you start working against each other. The key is just being smart and understanding what time of the year we're at. We have a long way to go."

What was your reaction to Shockey's hospitalization? Did you talk to him?

"No, I didn't. I'm sure I'll have a chance to visit with him here. Really, outside of that, I know it happened on the weekend and out of town. What's important is that he's healthy and he gets back to what we're doing here and getting on the same page with what we're doing offensively and our quarterback. These repetitions for him - not only at the minicamp but at these next OTAs - are going to be important, especially coming off his injury."

Are you happy with his attitude throughout the offseason?

"This is the first offseason to my knowledge that he's been around and been working. I would speak first from a group standpoint and I say this at the team meeting last night, we have a chance to where we're over 35 players now that are over 100 percent of the workouts and that's probably double where we have been in the last two or three years. This is the first year where everyone has been here; in other words we haven't had a player holding out or not involved. There are various degrees of how much each player has been involved, but overall it has been our best offseason by far."

In the practices that we've seen it's looked like Dan Campbell has been catching the ball well and looks smooth out there. Is that what you've seen?

"He catches it well. I don't know about looking smooth, but he catches it well. He's someone I'm familiar with; obviously we had him in New York. He's a guy that gives you a presence in his blocking. He's strong at the point of attack in the run game, he can block defensive ends in the passing game, and he's functional as a receiver, which is important. If you look at his assets or his skill sets, it would start with his ability to block in the run and the pass. He made a real nice catch out here in the one drill."

How much catch-up will Malcolm Jenkins have to play when he finally gets back here?

"Fortunately, he has graduated and he's flying in tonight. He was able to get his exams done and he'll be in tonight and you guys will see him on the field tomorrow. That's pretty important. That gives us Saturday, it gives us Sunday and that gives us all these OTAs coming up, and he's already been at the rookie minicamp. I think the learning curve for him will be smaller than it would have been had he had to wait longer."

Did Mike Bell seem impressive to you out there?

"He has been doing well. He's done a good job. He still hasn't been here a full year but he knows what we're doing. He's big and he's a guy that is relatively young when you look at the age of a running back. He's someone that is in the mix and will have a lot of opportunities."

Considering Rob Ninkovich's ability to play defensive end, do you think this will be the most competitive battle you've had at long snapper here?

"One of the things that we've looked at with Rob is making sure that his focal point starts with being a snapper and then having the flexibility of being able to play on the defensive line. You're seeing him spend more and more time with the specialists than maybe in years past or when he was in Miami. You're always trying to develop that position and have depth at that position and have competition, and I think we have that right now. We'll see how that plays out."

Do you have him listed as a long snapper more than a defensive end now?

"I think that would be fair to say right now, long snapper first. With the depth at defensive end, it gives him the opportunity and the flexibility to go play on defense, but still that's the mindset as to how he's going to make the team."

Will you give that job to whoever performs best as a long snapper or does Ninkovich have an edge because he can do two things?

"We still have to look at the results at the position and make sure that whoever is our long snapper is someone that we have confidence in. Obviously it's an added bonus if a guy can play another position on the field because you're always looking to see how many snaps we can get these guys in when it comes to the game. That will factor in, but it still starts with snapping."

Could the Grant/Smith Suspensions be the Best Thing to Happen to the Saints?

Saintsational — Sun, 31 May 2009 12:00:19 -0000

It seems pretty inevitable that the league is going to suspend both Charles Grant and Will Smith for the first four games of the 2009 season. It's not official yet but it will be. So we might as well start looking toward the future and get on with our collective lives. But what can we expect from the entire scenario?

I have no idea. I'm not going to even pretend that I have any clue. But it's fun to speculate and use our imaginations while thinking positive thoughts. MtnExile has already brought up the interesting point that these suspensions might very well be the kick in the pants both Grant and Smith need. That would be great, but I'm more concerned about what life will be like for those first four games without them.

I have always thought it interesting that the Saints offense has been arguably better the last two years when they were without Reggie Bush. On the surface, it just doesn't make sense. How could a team be better without one of its best players? It's possible because other factors change as a result. Play calling changes. Predictability changes. Chemistry changes. All of these things mix together and sometimes, unlike New Coke, the new formula is better than the original. So all of this begs the question: Could the defense be better without it's two best (read: highest paid) players, Charles Grant and Will Smith? Could this be one of those instances of addition by subtraction that I discussed not too long ago?

Obviously it's an unanswerable question but it's a good topic for discussion. The Saints have known all off-season that these suspensions were imminent and prepared accordingly. They've added Paul Spicer and Anthony Hargrove to play along with capable backups Bobby McCray and Jeff Charleston. As much as Grant and Smith may have fires lit underneath them when they return, any of those four guys may be equally pumped at their chance to prove themselves in the interim. Never underestimate the determination of a player with a lot to prove (see: Pierre Thomas; Lance Moore). And here is another question to think about: Would Gregg Williams keep Smith and Grant on the bench if it was best for the team? If the defensive improvement proves immediate and they're playing lights out from week one, do you mess with that after four games?

Certainly lots to think and talk about.

Addition by Subtraction or Addition by...Addition?

Saintsational — Tue, 26 May 2009 11:00:15 -0000

It's a fact that after every season, NFL teams begin the process of improving their roster during the long off-season months. These improvements can come about in two different ways: Getting rid of certain players/coaches and adding others. Most often, and rightfully so, it's the big name free agent signings or the top round draft choices that get talked about most. But after the Saints didn't re-sign Josh Bullocks and let go of Gary Gibbs this off-season, I started wondering if getting rid of a player or coach could be just as important to the betterment of a team as who they add.

We know defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs has been replaced by Gregg Williams and hope this is going to be an improvement for the Saints. If this turns out to be the case, which half of this defensive coordinator transition would factor most in the Saints defensive improvement; the absence of Gibbs or the presence of Williams? In reality, it's a combination of the two. But is it possible that one could play a larger role than the other? Perhaps Gibbs' system really was that bad and any new defensive coordinator would provide better results than what Gibbs was able to accomplish. If that was the case than I think it would be safe to assume that getting rid of Gibbs was more important than actually choosing the correct replacement, whoever that may have been. And this logic could just as easily apply to the players on the field. Anybody has got to be better than Josh Bullocks, right? Also remember that with a limited number of spots, roster re-arranging is a zero sum game. Every time the Saints sign a player, someone else has to go. Are the Saints getting rid of the right players or are they releasing a future Pro Bowler?

So let's get a little philosophical with this today. On the whole, have the Saints improved more because of the players they have added or because of the players they've gotten rid of this off-season? Are there at least specific instances where this was true this off-season? Is it even possible that getting rid of a player/coach is more important than acquiring one?

As a quick refresher and to help facilitate discussion, here is a list of some personnel that are not returning to New Orleans this season as well as some players who will be making their regular season debut with the team. This list is meant for illustration purposes only and is not making any comparisons.

Position	Former Player	New Player
Def. Coordinator	Gary Gibbs	Gregg Williams
CB	Aaron Glenn	Malcolm Jenkins
S	Kevin Kaesviharn	Darren Sharper
CB	Mike McKenzie	Jabari Greer
S	Josh Bullocks	Pierson Prioleau
TE	Mark Campbell	Darnell Dinkins, Dan Campbell
RB	Aaron Stecker	Lynell Hamilton
DT	Hollis Thomas	Rod Coleman
C	Matt Lehr	Nick Leckey
DT	Brian Young	DeMario Pressley
FB	Mike Karney	Heath Evans
DE	Josh Savage	Paul Spicer

Poll

Have the Saints added by subtracting this off-season?

Not at all

27 votes

Yes, slightly.

355 votes

Every cut they've made has been genius

233 votes

615 votes | Poll has closed

Saints 2009 Position Battles: Defensive End

Saintsational — Thu, 14 May 2009 11:00:13 -0000

Today we examine the last of the position groups on the defensive side of the ball: the defensive ends. Last years line was blamed for not getting enough pressure on the quarterback while having to deal with nagging injuries all season. With Gregg Williams now driving the bus, fans are expecting to see more pressure from the edge. But who will be invited to ride that bus?

A quick look at your New Orleans Saints defensive ends:

Player	Height	Weight	Age	Experience
Will Smith	6'3"	282	27	6
Charles Grant	6'3"	285	30	8
Bobby McCray	6'6"	260	27	6
Paul Spicer	6'4"	295	33	10
Josh Savage	6'4"	276	28	4
Jeff Charleston	6'4"	265	26	3
Rob Ninkovich	6'2"	255	25	3
Jermey Parnell	6'6"	278	22	R

Due to the large amount of money invested in both Will Smith and Charles Grant, making this team is a sure thing for these two. No need to even really discuss this matter. Whether or not they're worth it is another question altogether but hopefully they'll remain injury free and blossom under Gregg Williams' new system.

Bobby McCray was arguably the most productive defensive end on the Saints roster last season, leading the team in sacks with a total of six. McCray was a quarterback-seeking missile under Gibbs' vanilla defense so it will be fun to watch what happens now that he is in a blitz-happy scheme. With all that in mind, Bobby is a good bet to make the team for sure.

Free agent acquisition Paul Spicer was signed this off-season and should help add some depth on the line. The veteran may also slide to the inside if needed, making him that much more valuable. Regardless of where he plays, Spicer will make this team unless something goes horribly wrong.

The remaining players left battling it out for a spot will have to fight and claw their way onto the 2009 Saints roster. Jeff Charleston was the most productive of the bunch last season and actually contributed significantly. Josh Savage was also with the team in 2008 but was used very sparingly. Ninkovich never played a down while on the Saints practice squad last year and will be lucky to achieve the same feat for a second year in a row. Undrafted free agent rookie Jermy Parnell, though impressive in size, is doubtful to make the team. The good news for all four of these players is that if suspensions get handed down in the Starcaps case they have a good chance of seeing the field at least for four games.

The floor is now open. Will there be any surprises here when training camp opens? Can we expect more pressure this year from these players? Will Charles Grant and Will Smith earn their fat contracts this season?

Poll

Which defensive end will surprisingly make the team this year?

Josh Savage

35 votes

Jeff Charleston

210 votes

Rob Ninkovich

102 votes

Jermey Parnell

72 votes

None of the above

40 votes

459 votes | Poll has closed