NewOrleansSaints.com

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 - 6:00 PM

The New Orleans Saints have signed wide receiver Marques Colston to a three-year contract extension, it was announced today by Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis. Colston, who has more catches in his first two seasons than any player in NFL history, is now under contract with the club until 2011.

“Marques is a team-first player and a hard worker whose productivity over his first two seasons is unmatched in club history and we believe Marques can be even better as he gains experience in the league,” said Loomis. “We are very pleased to get this deal done and look forward to seeing great things from him over the next four seasons.”

Colston has 168 receptions since entering the NFL in 2006, including a club-record 98 last season for 1,202 yards. He also tied a Saints’ record in 2007 with 11 touchdown catches. In 30 career games, Colston has recorded eight 100-yard performances and 14 contests with at least one TD grab – including four games with multiple-touchdown receptions. He has 29 catches of 20 yards or more over the last two seasons, including an 86-yard touchdown in 2006.

“It was a priority for our team to get this done before our training camp practices started,” said Coach Sean Payton. “He is an established player in the NFL and a key part of our offense. He is also becoming a leader on our team, and certainly within our group of wide receivers.”

In 2006, the lanky target was the 252^nd player selected in the NFL Draft but emerged as the most productive rookie wideout in club history. Despite missing two contests, he recorded 70 catches for a team-high 1,038 yards and eight TDs. Inserted into the starting lineup immediately, after nine games he had 869 yards – the highest total in NFL history for a rookie over that span. Colston enters his third season in 2008.

Of his 168 catches since entering the league, 115 have moved the chains for a first down. He has been particularly effective on third down in his career – Colston has 49 receptions for 724 yards and six touchdowns on third down.

July 24th, 2008 by Billy | 1 Comment »

The Saints have acquired disgruntled New York Giants tight end Jeremy
Shockey.

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel on Monday confirmed the trade with the
Giants. The deal is pending league approval and contingent on Shockey
passing a physical.

The Saints did not immediately say what they were giving to the Giants in
exchange.

Stay tuned to WWL AM/FM & WWL.com for the latest.

July 21st, 2008 by Billy | 1 Comment »

Saints and Smith Agree to 6 Year Contract Extension

by New Orleans Saints PR, NewOrleansSaints.com
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 2:54 PM

New Orleans, La.- The New Orleans Saints announced today that they have agreed to terms with DE Will Smith to a six-year contract extension, which will take the defensive ends contract through the 2014 season. The announcement was made by Saints’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

“We are excited about getting this long-term contract done with Will,” said Loomis. “We view him as one of our core players and look forward to him having an impact on our defense for years to come.”

Smith, a 6-3, 282-pound product of Ohio State, was originally selected by the Saints in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft with the 18th overall pick. The native of Utica, New York has started 43-of-62 games and has and collected 265 career tackles, 33.5 sacks for -221.5 yards, 12 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and 12 passes defensed.

Smith’s sack total through his first four NFL seasons with the club is ranked third in franchise history He will be entering his fifth NFL season in 2008. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2006, Smith has recorded 121 tackles, 17.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Elected by his teammates as one of two defensive captains for 2007, he made 65 tackles, seven sacks, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, leading the club in quarterback takedowns in recoveries. In 2006, Smith collected a career-high 10.5 sacks, making 56 tackles, also adding three forced fumbles, two passes defensed and one fumble recovery as he was voted to the Pro Bowl.

By agreeing to an extension with the Saints, Smith becomes the latest in what has been a busy off-season for the club. The team re-signed 2007 starters and key contributors WR Terrance Copper, G Jonathan Goodwin, K Martin Gramatica, WR Devery Henderson, TE Eric Johnson, TE Billy Miller, G Jamar Nesbit, WR David Patten, LB Mark Simoneau, RB Aaron Stecker and DT Brian Young and key contributors DT Antwan Lake, TE Billy Miller, S Jay Bellamy, DT Rodney Leisle, also added free agent QB Mark Brunell, CB Randall Gay, CB Aaron Glenn and DB Bobby McCray and acquired LB Jonathan Vilma from the New York Jets.

June 11th, 2008 by Billy | 1 Comment »

Saints end relationship with Mueller

1:34 PM Wed, Jun 04, 2008 | Permalink
Bradley Handwerger
E-mail

The rumors have been out there for much of the morning and now the Saints have made it official, sending out a press release this afternoon.

Vice President of Player Personnel Rick Mueller is no longer with the franchise as it’s “restructuring” the Player Personnel Department.

The club also hired Khai Harley to become the Director of Football Administration. Harley’s previous job was with the league as the manager of labor operations with the NFL Management Council.

According to the release the Saints sent out, “Harley’s primary focus with the Saints will be managing the salary cap, and his responsibilities will also include contract negotiations, coordinating different areas of the football operations and being involved in the administrative functions of running the club on a daily basis.”

General Manager Mickey Loomis, in getting rid of Mueller and the Player Personnel Department as we know it, said it was a tough decision. He noted that under Mueller the franchise drafted running back Deuce McAllister, wide receiver Marques Colston and defensive end Will Smith, all of whom were pretty key in New Orleans’ 2006 NFC South title as well as its run to the NFC Championship Game.

June 4th, 2008 by Billy | No Comments »

Grant indicted for involuntary manslaughter

Posted by Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune May 20, 2008 9:25PM

Categories: Saints

Saints defensive end Charles Grant was one of seven men indicted on a charge of involuntary manslaughter, stemming from a February altercation outside of a night club in Blakely, Ga., according to the Early County News.

Early County officials could not be reached for comment. Neither could Grant or his attorney. The Saints said they were aware of the development but had no comment.

According to the report, the men were all charged because of their involvement in a fight that resulted in the death of Korynda Reed, 23, an innocent bystander who was hit by a stray bullet. Grant also received misdemeanor fighting charges.

Back in February, Capt. Will Caudill from the Early County Sheriff’s Office, said that Grant was not considered an instigator or a willing participant in the fight. According to the Early County News report, Woodrow Gray was indicted on a charge of aggravated assault for attacking Grant. Gray was also one of the men charged with involuntary manslaughter.

May 20th, 2008 by Billy | No Comments »

Competition for Roster Spots To Be Fierce

Doug Miller, NewOrleansSaints.com
Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 10:08 AM

On the eve of the New Orleans Saints’ three-day rookie mini-camp in Metairie, the Black-and-Gold currently has 86 players on their roster.

Or six more players than the team will be able to take training camp in late July.

Competition will be fierce when the 64 players invited to the rookie camp don their uniforms for the first time on Friday morning, as the team’s six 2008 draftees join 16 undrafted free agents that have agreed to terms with the team, as well as 36 non-roster tryout invitees and six other first-year players currently on the roster.

The NFL’s mandated training camp roster size of 80 players under contract means that the team will have to pare down the roster before heading to training camp. So the question that many will have is why the team currently has 86 players under contract.

The answer is that unsigned players do not count against the roster size, and since the draft picks have not yet signed their contracts, the team is able to get to a better look at the rookie free agents that have signed, as well as the tryout players.

Once the draft picks begin signing contracts, the Saints will have to make corresponding roster reductions.

In past seasons, roster sizes were increased during training camp due to the caveat that the NFL granted players exemptions that were allocated by the team to NFL Europe. However, since the league discontinued operations following the 2007 season, those exemptions simply no longer exist.

While there have been some discussions in league circles about expanding the training camp roster to 86 players, the measure wasn’t voted on at the NFL’s annual meetings in April. According to some in the know, the topic could once up at the league’s meetings later this month.

Thus it would hardly be a surprise to see some of the tryout players make a name for themselves and open eyes this weekend and perhaps garner a coveted spot on 86-man roster, but it will almost assuredly mean that a player currently under contract will be subjected to the waiver wire.

May 15th, 2008 by Billy | No Comments »

Saints Sign Four Free Agents

by Dave Lawrence, NewOrleansSaints.com
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 4:00 PM

Following the close of their three-day rookie minicamp, New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Wednesday the signing of three players that took part in the camp on a tryout basis. Signed by the team were quarterback Travis Lulay, defensive tackle Marcus Pittman and wide receiver Carlos Robinson. Loomis also announced the signing of rookie free agent offensive tackle Carnell Stewart.

Lulay, a 6-2, 216-pound product of Montana State, first signed a professional contract with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted rookie free agent in May of 2006. The Aumsville, Ore. native participated in the Seahawks’ training camps in ’06 and ’07 and played for the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europa in the spring of ’07. In college, Lulay passed for 10,746 yards and 58 touchdowns and left Montana State as the school’s all-time leading passer.

Pittman was a two-year starter at defensive tackle at Troy after transferring to the Alabama school from Garden City (Kan.) CC and played in 25 games, amassing 42 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, an interception, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick. The 6-4, 290-pound defensive lineman proved his ability to play both defensive tackle positions at the collegiate level.

Robinson is a speedy 6-1, 180-pound receiver who last played in 2006 at Grand Rapids Community College in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich. The 23-year-old wideout caught 28 passes for 421 yards and was an all-conference selection for the Raiders in ’06.

Stewart, a native of Metairie, played collegiately at LSU and started every game at right tackle for the 2007 National Championship team. The 6-5, 320-pounder switched to offensive line prior to the 2006 season after spending his first three seasons in Baton Rouge as a defensive tackle. The graduate of John Curtis High played in 27 games in his college career with 14 starts, 22 of the games coming after his shift to the offensive side of the ball.

In a corresponding roster move, the Saints waived offensive linemen Nate McManus and Akim Millington as well as receiver Evan Moore and quarterback T.C. Ostrander, each of whom were signed as rookie free agents after last month’s draft.

May 15th, 2008 by Billy | No Comments »

By Adam Schefter | NFL Network

Bill Parcells and the Miami Dolphins have been unable to find a trading partner for the No. 1 pick. But the St. Louis Rams now have options at No. 2.

The Saints have made inquiries with the Rams about what it would take to go from New Orleans’ scheduled 10th overall pick all the way up to St. Louis’ at No. 2.

Based on the antiquated NFL draft point chart, the Rams pick at No. 2 is worth 2,600 points. The Saints pick at No. 10 is worth 1,300, and their second round pick is worth another 490, meaning New Orleans is going to have to come up with more than its two first-day picks.

New Orleans is looking at add a stud defensive player, and it could opt for LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, a pick that would be enormously popular in that area, or even Ohio State linebacker Vernon Gholston, who would be a terror on the turf in the Superdome.

People who have spoken with the Saints insist the talks are not substantiative, more informal, but the fact that one team has pursued moving up is noteworthy. This year, no team has been willing to move up to Miami’s spot at No. 1, even New Orleans. The Saints are unwilling to pay what it would take to satisify the Dolphins or the player picked at No. 1.

In previous years, teams have declined to move into the top 10 picks. The last time there was any type of blockbuster trade was 2004, when the Chargers and Giants were involved in a trade that featured quarterbacks Philip Rivers and Eli Manning.

As interested as the Saints might be in moving up, the Rams are in no rush to relinquish their pick. They recognize that they’re going to come away with help for one of their lines -– either Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long or Dorsey.

In an upset, the Rams could always opt for the top-rated player on their board -– running back Darren McFadden. But it’s up to the Saints -– or any other team that’s interested –- to entice the Rams with an offer that is good enough to get them to surrender the No. 2 overall pick.

April 17th, 2008 by Billy | No Comments »

The NFL has released the Saints 2008 schedule. The Saints host the Buccaneers to open the season September 7th. In all the Saints will have three prime time games, including two Monday night games at home against Green Bay and Minnesota. The Saints will play the Bears in Chicago in a Thursday night game.

Here is the complete schedule.

Date	Opponent	Time
Sept. 7	TAMPA	Noon
Sept. 14	@ Washington	Noon
Sept. 21	@ Denver	3 p.m.
Sept. 28	SAN FRANCISCO	Noon
Oct. 6 (Mon.)	MINNESOTA	7:30
Oct. 12	OAKLAND	Noon
Oct. 19	@Carolina	Noon
Oct. 26	SAN DIEGO (London)	Noon
Nov. 2	Off
Nov. 9	@Atlanta	Noon
Nov. 16	@ Kansas City	Noon
Nov. 24 (Mon.)	GREEN BAY	7:30
Nov. 30	@Tampa	Noon
Dec. 7	ATLANTA	Noon
Dec. 11 (Thurs.)	@Chicago	7:15
Dec. 21	@Detroit	Noon
Dec. 28	CAROLINA	Noon

April 15th, 2008 by Billy | No Comments »

PACKAGE OPTIONS AND
ORDERING INFORMATION

OPTION 1: ON LOCATION COMPLETE TICKET, HOSPITALITY & TRAVEL PACKAGES

PACKAGE BENEFITS

• Stay with other Saints Fans at a great hotel in a perfect, and safe, location in London.

• Guarantee the authenticity of your game tickets, game hospitality and ground transportation with NFL On Location, the only League approved travel packages for the 2008 International Series.

• Saints fans receive discounted package rates, saving you money while offering exclusive ticket, game day hospitality, special events and transportation to/from the game.

All Packages include the following:

• Three nights (Fri, Sat, Sun) hotel accommodations at the Hyatt Regency London - Churchill

• Saturday evening party featuring Saints Celebrities with ground transfers provided to/from hotel and event.

• Game day round-trip ground transportation to/from Wembley Stadium

• Official NFL International Series Gift Bag

• Plus, select one of the four Game Ticket & In-stadium Hospitality options from below

Club Package

• Official NFL Tailgate Party for 3 hours pre-game (food & beverage available for purchase)

• Ticket in end zone location on the Club Wembley Level

• VIP Entrance to the stadium

• Access to exclusive Club Wembley cash bars and cafes pre-game

Price per person:

Double Occupancy: $2,399

Single Occupancy: $2,949

Premium Package

• Official NFL Tailgate Party for 3 hours pre-game (food & beverage available for purchase)

• Premium sideline ticket on Club Wembley Level

• VIP Entrance to the stadium

• Access to exclusive Club Wembley cash bars and cafes pre-game

Price per person:

Double Occupancy: $2,449

Single Occupancy: $2,999

Sapphire Package

• 3-course meal with wine before the game in one of Wembley’s stunning restaurants

• Complimentary bar with wine, beer and soft drinks before the game, cash bar post-game

• Official Souvenir Program for each guest

• Premium ticket near the 50-yard line on Club Wembley Level with access to all concourse facilities, including exclusive use of Club Wembley cash bars

Price per person:

Double Occupancy: $2,749

Single Occupancy: $3,299

Diamond Package

• Champagne reception on arrival

• Superb 3-course meal with wine before the game in one of Wembley’s exclusive dining areas

• Complimentary bar including wine, beer and soft drinks before the game, cash bar available post-game

• Premium ticket near the 50-yard line on lower tier, either side of players’ tunnel

• Official Souvenir Program for each guest

• Seat with access to cash bar facilities throughout the event

Price per person:

Double Occupancy: $3,099

Single Occupancy: $3,649

Additional Available Options:

• Round-trip airfare with ground transfer to/from hotel

• Day & evening sightseeing tours

• Additional Room Nights

WEMBLEY STADIUM SEATING DIAGRAM - PACKAGES

• Diamond (sec 101) • Sapphire (sec 226) • Premium (sec 225) • Club (sec 213)

 

HOW TO ORDER:

Packages go on sale Monday, April 7

For more information or to order one of the NFL On Location hospitality and ticket packages:

By Phone: call 1-800-449-2479

By Internet: visit www.quintevents.com/ics-2008

In order to receive these special discounted package prices please use this code:

Saints Promo Code: SAINTSLONDON

 

OPTION 2: INDIVIDUAL GAME TICKETS

Individual Game Tickets go on sale Monday, April 14 at 10:00 AM

TO ORDER VIA INTERNET:

• Visit www.neworleanssaints.com and click on the “London Game” link under the Tickets tab.

• Follow the steps to order individual game tickets.

• Once you have selected the price category and ticket quantity, enter your credit card number to complete your order.

• Specific seat locations will be assigned in July. Your credit card will be charged when your seat location is assigned. Orders will be processed in UK currency and converted to US dollars on your credit card.

• Ticket orders will be processed on a first come, first served basis and subject to ticket availability.

TO ORDER BY MAIL:

• Simply select the price category and quantity of tickets.

•Mail your ticket order to:

New Orleans Saints Ticket Office

Attn: London Ticket Offer

5800 Airline Drive

Metairie, LA 70003

• Please enclose your credit card number and expiration date.

• The Saints Ticket Office will forward your ticket order to the UK NFL Ticket Office for processing. Specific seat locations will be assigned in July.

• All ticket orders will be processed on a first come, first served basis and subject to ticket availability.

TO ORDER IN PERSON:

• Stop by the New Orleans Saints Ticket Office:

5800 Airline Drive

Metairie, LA 70003

• Credit cards will be accepted.

• Checks will be made payable to NFL International LLC.

• The Saints Ticket Office will forward your ticket order to the UK NFL Ticket Office for processing. Specific seat locations will be assigned in July.

• All ticket orders will be processed on a first come, first served basis and subject to ticket availability.

TICKET DISTRIBUTION

Individual game tickets ordered will be available for pick-up in London the week of the game. Season Ticket Holders will be required to show photo identification when picking-up their tickets. Your seat assignment will be sent to you in July and will include information on where to pick-up your tickets in London.

WEMBLEY STADUIM SEATING DIAGRAM

 

Note: Prices listed in UK pound amount above. The actual charge for tickets purchased will be based on the current conversion rate with the UK pound to US currency and will be determined at the time of seat assignment. Due to conversion rate, credit card is the preferred method of payment.

 

April 12th, 2008 by Billy | 2 Comments »