I'm very sorry, that title was a dick move. Drew is fine, but now that I have your attention... What's all this talk about cutting Vilma? This is straight up foolishness. He's one of the best Middle Linebackers in the league. He is a true leader and very cerebral. 30 isn't that old for a linebacker, and his play has not dropped off any. Everyone keeps talking about his "injury history." Can someone inform me how two injuries is made to sound like the case file on Jeffery Dahmer? Vilma has had two injuries his entire career. One was when he was with the Jets and a piece of dead bone came dislodged from his knee, and it had to be removed. His most recent injury was the one last season, where he missed a few games, and was achy coming back. So, can anyone inform me as to why we would cut our best defensive player? I like the options that we are bringing in for interviews (Lofton/Hawhtorne), but can't they play OLB? If you say cap space is a reason, can't you find someone who has underpreformed to cut? EG: Sedrick Ellis, Malcolm Jenkins, or Will Smith?

Poll

Do you hate me for the title?

76%

Screw you, Jason

149 votes

23%

No, Brees is tough as nails anyway

47 votes

196 votes | Poll has closed

When I saw the post on here yesterday about Carl Nicks being doubtful about returning to the Saints, I got really worried about a possible replacement. There aren't very many top tier Guards in the league that are free agents. Today, I saw that the Vikings released Steve Hutchinson. The Saints have had good luck with signing "washed up" players in the past few years. Sure he's 34 years old, but look at his track record. What is everyone's thoughts on this?

Poll

Should the Saints sign Hutchinson?

36%

Yes, he's been a solid player player for years

44 votes

43%

No way, he's too old and hurt

53 votes

20%

I wants cheese burger

25 votes

122 votes | Poll has closed

I got to thinking the other day, what if the CBA is not signed by the early March deadline. Will there be a draft? Or better yet, will there be any professional football played in 2011? I doubt it will be a recreation of 1982 because the players were striking, not the owners. I am giving an educated guess that this bargain agreement will get nasty in the next month, and the lockout will be like 1987. There will be football played, but with replacement players. But who will play? I say we should look to the Arena League, Canadian Football League, and at college players who have a slim chance of being drafted. I've put together a roster of possible players the Saints should look at signing to play in replacement games.

Quarterback- There is a plethora of quarterbacks that are chomping at the bit to get noticed in the bigtime spotlight. In 1987, John Fourcade didn't do so bad, leading the Saints to a 2-1 record during the strike. The Saints decided to keep Fourcade for three more seasons to be a backup.

My scab choices: Ryan Perrilloux (NFL Free Agent), T.J. Yates (North Carolina)

Perrilloux:Are you really surprised I chose him? Sure he royally screwed LSU and Jordan Jefferson for a few seasons, and he has his off the field issues, but he's good. He went undrafted out of Jacksonville State, and signed by Minnesota, but released soon after. In two seasons at Jacksonville State, Perrilloux racked up 2,292 passing yards with a 64% completion percentage. We all know he's got the legs of a young Donavan McNabb, and a gun for an arm. In the UFL, he went 33 of 69 for 395 yards, 1 TD, and no interceptions. If he could keep his head straight, he could do good things for the Saints.

Yates: Standing at 6'4 and 220lbs, Yates is more than prototypical size. In a replacement league, the game will be sloppy. Yates can counter that because he runs the spread offense very well. In three years at North Carolina, he passed for 58 touchdowns. Last season, he had a 145.6 QB rating, and a 67% completion percentage. With a little practice and coaching, Yates could possibly even stay on the roster after the lockout is done with.

Running Back- Like quarterbacks, there are plenty of running backs who can be scabs. I like the 1-2 punch of thunder and lightning.

My scab choices: PJ Hill (Practice Squad), Noel Devine (West Virginia)

Hill:I chose PJ Hill because he is a familiar face. He knows the Saints playbook, and its as easy as that. He has been on and off our practice squad since 2009. He is a hard runner, but can't ever seem to stay healthy through the four games of preseason. In 2009, he rushed for 128 yards on 26 carries with 3 TDs. Hill has alot of similarities to Pierre Thomas. The real difference is Pierre's fluid moves.

Devine:The guy is 5'7 and 180 lbs. He's undersized, gets tackled easily, and isn't a recieving threat. So, why did I choose him? He has good vision finding the hole, and explosiveness. He runs a 4.3 40, which leaves Reggie Bush in the dust. At West Virginia, Devine played in 51 games, gaining 4315 rushing yards and a 5.9 ypc. With sloppy, untrained defensive play, Devine could suceed.

Fullback- I don't see much sucess from a filler for a fullback. Its hard to find a good one these days, and I can tell you none of the guys I have in mind are the next Lorenzo Neal or Craig Heyward.

My scab choice: Anthony Sherman, UConn


Sherman: Nothing too special about this guy. He doesn't run especially well, but he can create a good seal, or lead block. I watched him play in a few games and he reminds me of Mike Karney.

Wide Reciever- I guess I'm alot like Al Davis- I like my recievers fast.

My scab choices: Rod Harper (Philadelphia Eagles practice squad), Phillip Livas (LA Tech), Derek Lee (Dallas Vigilantes)

Harper: We all know who Rod Harper is. He can be a deep threat, and can return punts. In 2009 with the Saints, Harper returned two punts to the house during the preseason. He played for the Arkansas Twisters in the Arena II league, and was one of the top recievers. In one season, Harper had 107 receptions for 1375 yards and 38 TDs.

Livas:Hands down the fastest reciever who won't be drafted. If there is no lockout, Livas will definatly be an undrafted free agent. He runs a 4.3 40, which makes him a down the field threat. Last season in Ruston, Livas was banged up and only gained 266 recieving yards, but I think he can excel if he can stay healthy.

Lee: Lee reminds me of Colston, standing at 6'5 and weighing 230 pounds. In the Arena league, he is a top 5 reciever. He catches the ball away from his body, and can jump up to pluck a high ball out of the air. He's 29, but can provide some much needed veteran assistance to a likely young team

Tight End- Off topic, but man was Jimmy Graham a beast last season. Can't wait to see more of him. For my choices, I have one recieving TE (#1) and a blocking (#2). Its not very easy to find a veteran Tight End that could be a mentor figure because if they're not on an active roster, they don't last.

My scab picks: Tyler Lorenzen (Practice Squad), Weslye Saunders (South Carolina)

Lorenzen:Tyler has been on our practice squad since 2009. From coaches reports, he has shown promise, and just hasn't been able to break the barrier of practice squad and active roster. It's hard to grade Lorenzen from looking at his college career because he mostly played quarterback.

Saunders: Last, but not least, Weslye Saunders. This guy is an absolute monster. He is 6'6, 270 lbs. More of a blocking tight end, but also has great hands. I don't think he will get drafted because Saunders has not played since 2009 when he was dismissed from the South Carolina football team. He has off the field troubles, but consistantly provided edge seals for his running backs. He was also great on 3rd down, averaging 11.0 ypc.

Tackle- Of course tackle is the most important O-Line position. There aren't any veteran free agents that would be available, so most teams could be in for a sack-filled season if they do no find a diamond in the rough

My scab picks: Willie Smith, LT (E.Carolina), Kyle Hix, RT (Texas)

Smith: Has good height at 6'5, but a tad underweight, being just under 300 lbs. Smith has a problem with false start penalties at the wrong time. He is a good run blocker, recording a team high 71 pancake blocks last season at East Carolina. He has good arm strength, and momentum behind his big frame. I chose him to be the left tackle because he played the position for three years.

Hix: Hix is quite the opposite of Smith. He is the perfect size (6'7 320) to play tackle. He is slower than Smith, so could have some problems blocking speed rushers.  Hix is primarily a pass blocker. He has great upper body strength and a low center of gravity. Hix was an honorable mention for All-Big 10 Team. His best season was 2009, pass blocking for Colt McCoy's passing attack.

Guard- I think the key to a good running game for mediocre backs is good guards. I don't think we'll find Alan Faneca in this bunch, but we would have to pick up two run blocking guards.

My scab picks: Bryant Browning, RG (Ohio St.), Terran Hillesland, LG (CFL, Lions)

Hillesland: In 2009, Hillesland was rated as the being the 53rd best lineman in his draft class. Nothing spectacular, but at least worth being drafted. He was passed over in the draft, and went on to play in the CFL for the British Columbia Lions. After signing with the Lions, the team ran the ball behind him more than 80 times last season. Their rookie running back, Martell Mallett ran for 1240 yards.

Browning: Played at right tackle during his first season and struggled. He was moved to guard and played extremely well. His pro's include good hands and powerful run blocking ability. His downfalls are his bad footwork, where he can get beat by better defensive lineman.

Center- Its surprising how many bad centers there are floating around. Generally speaking, Centers do not develop as much as other positions on the Line. Most centers are undersized to help with pass blocking. Most of the other O-Lineman I chose were run blockers, so I think having a pass blocking center could help

My scab pick: Dominic Picard (Toronto Argonauts) 

Picard: Basically a no-name in American football, Picard is one of the top centers in Canadian football. He's a seasoned veteran, which would help out with a young offensive line. He has a normal size for a center. His only downfalls may be run blocking, and not calling plays. In Canadian football, the center calls the plays like the quarterback. I could see this as a problem.

 

If there is a lockout this season, I hope and pray there is football. If not, we may have to wait it out until LSU starts playing again. If there is a season, it will be a messy slopfest of penalties and missed tackles. Let me know what you think of my possible 2011 Saints Roster. Tune in this weekend for my defensive roster.

Poll

Will there be Scab football in 2011?

5%

Yes

2 votes

48%

No

17 votes

45%

I want a hamburger

16 votes

35 votes | Poll has closed

Yeah sorry about it title- it's horrible. But have you ever felt like the Saints have wasted a first round draft pick? Rickey Williams, Alex Molden, Jonathan Sullivan, Donte Stallworth, you get the picture.

We drafted Patrick Robinson because we had aspirations of moving Jenkins to saftey, which has been a sucess. What i dont understand is Robinson has been inactive for at least the past 4 games or so. As far as I know he is healthy. I was wondering if anyone else could give a definative answer- especially with Randall Gay being on IR and Jabari Greer coming off the field with injuries.

Before a light ankle injury, Robinson was playing like a starter, piling up 24 tackles and 4 passes defended in 9 games. Dont get me wrong because ive always been a supported of Leigh Torrence, but he makes Patrick Robinson look like Champ Bailey.

Poll

Do you want to see Patrick Robinson activated against Atlanta?

97%

Yes

41 votes

2%

No

1 votes

42 votes | Poll has closed

I went outside today to get the mail, and the UPS man drove up. 8 weeks after i ordered a new (retro) Brian Boucher jersey, it came. So i was talking to the UPS guy about the Flyers goalie situation and we mentioned Evgeni Nabokov and Jose Theodore, but I brought up the question of which goalie already on the Flyers roster will be resigned by the team.

It's too bad the Ray Emery experiment went raw. He was playing well until a rash of hip injuries put him on IR. After he got hurt, everybody thought "there goes our season." After we miraculously snagged Laviolette, he signed one of his former goalies- Leighton.

Leighton played well during the regular season, posting an impressive win loss stat until he got hurt. Boucher had to come in once again to play. He played decent for being a backup goalie.. I know i don't have to tell you the rest because just like me, you watched Boucher shut the Rangers out of the playoffs. During the playoffs, Boucher seemed like a different man. He seemed focused and hungry. I know what you're thinking- we were down 3 games to none against Boston until Leighton came in. 

If it were up to me, i say resign Boucher because he showed Leighton most definatly didnt. He showed courage and valor stepping up to play big against the Devils' big-name offense. His heart was as big as his catcher. I would take a player who has less talent and more heart over one who has alot of talent but cracks under pressure.

Like i said before, Leighton played awesome during the season and during the Canadians, but fell apart like a dried out piece of bread in the Finals. It could be a toss up between the two, maybe they'll resign both, and a third goalie and let them fight it out in training camp.

Poll

Which goalie should the Flyers resign?

29%

Brian Boucher

26 votes

56%

Michael Leighton

49 votes

13%

Ray Emery

12 votes

87 votes | Poll has closed

I was reading the sports page today and was happy to see that former reciever Joe Horn was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame. I think he deserves it. It wasn't only his numbers that were great, but he helped out this city so much during Katrina. He was the face of the franchise in 2005, where he was the only ray of light on a terrible team.

I was very disappointed in 2006 when he refused to take a paycut at the age of 35. Personally, it hurt even worse when he went to the Falcons. Besides Deuce, Joe was my biggest football hero growing up. We all know how bitter the separation between the Saints and Horn was. But if you go read the article on page D-5 of the sports page, the Saints' organization and Joe Horn have both forgiven each other, and now all is well.

What put a huge smile on my face was what was written at the end of the article. It said at 38, Joe Horn is ready to retire offically from the NFL, and that he and Mickey Loomis are in discussion of a one-day contract deal so Joe can retire a Saint. The contract will probably be something like Deuce's where he would be honored at a home game, and retire with the number 87.

Poll

Would you like to see Joe Horn retire a Saint?

80%

Yes, he was great

109 votes

10%

No, he knocked up Willie Roaf's wife

14 votes

5%

Who cares?

7 votes

4%

This article sucks, and you wasted my time

6 votes

136 votes | Poll has closed

Billy Miller has been one of my favorites since he joined the team in 2006. He's been a solid and speedy reciever and good morale support. Why do I think Billy Miller won't be back next season? Well for starters we drafted Jimmy Graham. But Sean Payton was talking at a press confrence and I caught this.

"At this stage, at this camp every year for us, we’ve been able to find a veteran like Billy Miller, who was able to work out for us at this camp in 06 for us on a three day tryout and ended up playing here for quite a while. Our scouts on both the college end and pro end, do a lot of work grading all of these guys to get them to the next step."

Poll

Am I taking this quote too literally?

24%

Yes, Billy Miller will be back next season

53 votes

20%

No, he's too old and beat up

45 votes

54%

Yes, but it's possible that he'll be gone

117 votes

215 votes | Poll has closed

This offseason has been gruelingly boring with the exception of the signing of Alex Brown. (Nice move) But I was watching the Superbowl again.. For about the 12th time, and I noticed something I hadn't before.

In the fourth quarter they showed some stat sheet on the screen and it said Brees had 30 completions, which was two away from tying the record that Tom "crybaby" Brady owns. Right after they showed the stats, Brees threw a quick pass to David Thomas, 31 completions. A couple of plays later, Brees threw the touchdown pass to Shockey, 32 completions, which tied the record.

We all know how it goes, but the Saints went for the 2pt conversion. It was a Brees pass to Lance Moore. Shouldn't that have been 33? Why wouldn't a two point conversion count as a completed pass? A fake field goal or punt counts as passing or rushing yards (which ever trick play is called)

I figured that theres nothing else to talk about this offseason, so why not stir the pot?

The past few weeks i've been arguing with people on who the Saints would sign in free agency, a DE or a LB. I believe we're going to snag a DE, but it's there's a reason I'm not an NFL GM. There isn't much out there on the defensive line or in a small group of linebackers.

Good defensive ends left on the market; Tyler Brayton, Dwan Edwards, Greg Ellis, Jarvis Green, Leonard Little, Adewale Ogunleye.

Out of this small group of guys, only one of them is under 30 years of age. If we did sign any of these guys, they'd be a temporary fix. Who is the best one you ask? I can't really decide. The ones on the bottom half would have to be, Adewale Ogunleye, Brayton, and Jarvis Green. I say Green is on the bottom half because we run a 4-3 more than a 3-4 and he has been in a 3-4 most of his career. Ogunleye was a career backup until a few seasons ago, and I just don't know that much about Brayton. Leonard Little was scheduled to make a visit with the Saints sometime this week. He's the first guy this free agency to even talk to the Saints, so they may offer him a contract. Greg Ellis may be the best choice out of this group of thirtysomethings. He played as a LB and a DE in the 3-4 and suceeded in both. A versitile guy is always good.

Good linebackers left on the market: Akin Ayodele, Bertrand Berry, Keith Bulluck, Paris Lenon, Pisa Tinoisamoa, and Will Witherspoon.

 

Most of the guys on this list, like the one of DEs are getting older. The youngest one is Pisa Tinoisamoa at 28. I think he would be the best fit. He came in  last year for a look see, and the Saints offered him a contract. He decided to go with Chicago for more money. He only played in a couple of games due to injury. If he can get healthy he should be fine. I think Ayodele plays ILB, but he could come in for a visit soley because his brother is on the current roster. Bulluck is in his mid 30's and is coming off major knee surgery but he is a monster force in size and ability. If you remember, a few years back, we tried to get Witherspoon here, but he opted to go to the Rams. Maybe after a few years, after being traded from the Rams to Eagles then being released, his mind has been cleared. He is an upgrade from Scott Shanle, but has the same style of play, under the radar.

I'm in somewhat of a hurry and wanted to tell the people who didnt know but the Saints brought the free agent DE in today for an interview... Sure he's 35, but he's still got some speed and had 6.5 sacks last season... and that was with the St. Louis Lambs! If he's still as good as he was last season, I wouldnt see him having a problem fitting in with Gregg's D.

 

This also tells me that the Saints aren't all that concerned about Scott Fujita leaving. They're either happy with the backup options: Jo-Lonn Dubar, Jonathan Casillas, and Stanley Arnoux. With Dunbar being the best of those three, in my opinion... If that's not the case, we might be looking at welcoming a LB as our first round draft choice.. Someone like Sean Weatherspoon maybe.

Many of the talking heads on tv and other sports sites blabbed all year long about how the Saint's defense was weak and overrated. They also seemed to go on and on about how mediocre and rookie quarterbacks put up big numbers against the Saints. I'm not going to deny that guys like Jason Campbell, Kevin Kolb, or Chris Redman put up better passing yards than they should have. While those plain quarterbacks put up gaudy passing yards, they also threw alot of interceptions. I noticed that the reason these guys had so many passing yards (and INTs) is because we blitzed so often. I'm not getting any more into the numbers game because I think stats mean nothing. Instead I came up with eight reasons why the Saints' defense will be one of the league's best in the 2010 season.

1. Darren Sharper WILL be back:

I have to admit, I got a little nervous when Sharper came out with statements like "I don't think they want me back." or "I have always admired coach Lovie Smith and his defensive system." The time to place the franchise tag on Sharper came and went. His tag value was in the $6 million range, which is a bit steep for one season. I believe the Saints are going to try and sign Sharper to a 2 or 3 year deal. A report came out a day or two ago saying how Sharper was in Chicago meeting with Lovie Smith and the front office. I don't think this is much cause for worry. Chicago runs a Cover 2 defense, which doesn't allow the free saftey to drop back in coverage and roam the middle of the field. Another team that runs the same defensive scheme is Minnesota, where Sharper played previously. In the 2008 season he racked up 57 solo tackles and only 1 interception. I don't think he will want to go back to that kind of system where he has to play almost like a strong saftey, especially when we've seen how bad his open field tackling can be. So, in short, Sharper will want to return to Gregg Williams' defense where he can do what he does best, get interceptions.

2. Something will be done with Charles Grant:

What that something is, I have no idea. I don't know what happened to Grant, but after the 2004 season, his stats have gone down steadily. It looks like to me that he just doesn't have the heart for the game anymore. I hate to accuse a man of that, but he doesn't even try to chase down a play. Sure he had 5 1/2 sacks last season, which is okay (backup DT Anthony Hargrove had 5), but he just doesn't play the same. He lets guys get to the outside, which is the number one thing not to do as the run stopping defensive end, and he's too slow to chase down the plays. There was an article in the Times somewhere around September, where Grant said "I know coach Williams is gunna cut my ass if I don't produce." Well Charles, that time may be here. We have Hargrove, who was a pretty good pass rusher on the inside, that could play in Grant's spot. If he's not cut, his contract will have to be restructured because a backup can't be making 8 or 9 million a year. I believe the solution to Grant's slow speed would be to move him inside to tackle between Will Smith and Sedrick Ellis.

3. Our Linebacking Corps:

I can already feel the heat I'm gunna get for saying that our linebackers are really good. I say that because we have depth players that are capable of taking over the starting positions... and they're young. The best of the backups, I would have to say is Jo-Lonn Dunbar. He started 3 games in place of Scott Fujita and did an excellent job. He containted the run well, and made tackles by grabbing the legs (like you're supposed to). Eventually, I believe he can take over at weakside linebacker. While I'm talking about weakside linebackers, yes I am a Shanle hater. He's not the worst player, and far from it. It's just that he doesn't do anything spectacular, he just does what he is supposed to do. I do have to give him props for covering Dallas Clark practically the entire Superbowl and did a good job of it. Now to the middle. Jon Vilma is about as good as it gets at middle linebacker, enough said, next. The only place the Linebackers need help at is at Inside linebacker in the 3-4. Marvin Mitchell just doesnt cut it. He's a bad tackler and poor in coverage. I can't wait to see Stanley Arnoux during training camp this summer. Remember him? He was one of the two guys we drafted out of Wake Forest in the 4th round. I'm excited to see what he can bring.

4. Malcolm Jenkins will come into form:

Jenkins wasn't bad... but he wasn't great. I thought his special teams play was excellent, especially at the beginning of the season. His cover abilities aren't bad, but he's slow. If you ever watch him before passing downs, he doesn't press the reciever and drops back way deep, almost to where the free saftey is lined up. I think if he goes to a speed camp (like Meachem), he could increase his speed and not have to do that. Because dropping back like that can hurt a defense in option routes and slants. I also think that if he watches Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter he could learn a great deal.

5. We will draft a monster-sized linebacker:

Not to contradict what I said earlier, but the Saints need another starting linebacker. Shanle and Fujita are both getting old, 31, and their speed has diminished. I haven't watched the combine at all, but just from the stats, a guy like Sean Weatherspoon would be awesome for us. Rolondo McClain would be good too, but there's no shot of us getting him with the 32nd pick. Any guy who could play OLB or DE would be a good option.

6. We have awesome corners:

Remember the days of Jason David, Jason Craft, and Ashley Ambrose getting burnt like toast? Yeah I try to forget too. It happened all of a sudden last preseason, but our corners got good. Tracy Porter wasn't doing too bad his rookie year until he got hurt against Minnesota on a Monday night game. I don't have to tell you how strong he came back. When we first signed Jabari Greer I was a little nervous because I didn't know a thing about him and just saw his height and weight, but boy can he run and jump. I do believe if he didn't have that hernia problem, he would have been in the Pro Bowl easily. I'm glad we signed him to a decent deal instead of overpaying for Ron Bartell of the Rams... That tells you how good Bartell is right there. I couldn't believe throughout the season how underrated our cornerbacks were. They made play after play, and not getting beat very much; and if they did it was rarely for a touchdown. It wasn't just Greer, Porter, Gay, and Jenkins that were awesome. Someone like Leigh Torrence, who, lets face it, is a career backup, played admirably when he was sorely needed. What he was missing in talent, he made up for in heart. During one game, we had 3 corners out of the game and he was in and separated his shoulder trying to make a tackle. I've never separated my shoulder but my guess is that it's very painful, and he came back in the game just a few plays later and sacrificed his body to make a key play in the game; he made a monster hit on the wide reciever with the very same shoulder he dislocated and made the reciever drop the ball.

7. Will Smith is an animal:

I'm not 100% sure what Will Smith does to blow past those tackles, but he gets it done. I was actually angry because he got snubbed for the Pro Bowl. He had more sacks and tackles than Julius Peppers and Trent Cole. I don't have much to say about him because he always gives it his all and finds a way to get to or at least pressure the QB.

8. The Domeland Security will be more effective:

If we keep our defense intact, which I hope we can, they'll just get better. The longer these guys are together, the more they'll learn what everybody does, and they will also learn Gregg Williams' schemes even better.

 

Those are my eight reasons that I came up with out of shear boredom because there is nothing but college basketball on tv now. Feel free to comment, and I appologize if this article sucks, it's my first one.