Rachel Whittaker, The Times-Picayune

Defensive end Bobby McCray will no longer be competing for a starting role on the New Orleans’ defensive line this season, as the New Orleans Saints released the six-year veteran Monday.

Parting ways with McCray was rather surprising, as he was the starting left defensive end in all three of the Saints’ playoff victories last season after Charles Grant suffered a season-ending torn triceps.  

McCray did not respond to messages left on his cell phone Monday, but he did tell WWL-TV’s Scott Cody, “I’m speechless.”

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In an unexpected move, the New Orleans Saints on Monday announced they have released defensive end Bobby McCray, who started for the team during its run to the Super Bowl title this past season.

New Orleans Saints defensive end Bobby McCray takes down New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on Nov. 30 at the Superdome.

McCray played two seasons with the Saints after signing as an unrestricted free agent in March 2008. He started eight of 32 games and made 59 tackles with 7½ sacks, three pass defenses and a forced fumble. The 28-year-old played the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He replaced Charles Grant in the Saints’ starting lineup after Grant was lost for the season because of injury and started all three of the team’s playoff victories.

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by James Varney

When the New Orleans Saints passed out their Super Bowl XLIV championship rings last week, several members of the team spoke about the bittersweet nature of seeing that great team gather together for perhaps the last time.

New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton offers instruction Monday at the team’s practice facility in Metairie.

But the truth is when the Saints begin training camp July 29, the team will be something very close to the 2009 version. There will be fewer jobs available on the 2010 Saints roster than at any other time under Coach Sean Payton.

Still, Payton said he’s not approaching the upcoming camp or season with any predetermined mindset. The organization does not have a number, however vague, in mind in terms of how many roster spots might be up for grabs.

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By Jeff Duncan

First of all, let’s get this out of the way right off the bat:

I did not get a ring.

Nor do I want one. Or deserve one.

I kid, but there are plenty of people who have asked me in recent weeks if I got a ring.

Indeed, it’s the question everyone around town has asked since the New Orleans Saints announced last month they’d award their Super Bowl XLIV championship rings last Wednesday.

The Saints had to draw the line somewhere in the selection process, and it’s hard to argue with the 219 folks who ultimately made the cut.

The decision process was not an easy task. And the job fell primarily to General Manager Mickey Loomis.

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The New Orleans Saints on Saturday afternoon announced that two-time Pro Bowl tackle Jammal Brown has signed his one year, $3.6 million tender and been traded to the Washington Redskins.

The Saints’ release said the team will receive an undisclosed pick in the 2011 NFL draft from the Redskins.

Brown, a 2005 first-round draft pick from Oklahoma who has been a starter since his rookie year for the Saints, missed all of last season after having hip and hernia surgery during training camp. Jermon Bushrod started in Brown’s place last season including the Saints’ 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.

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by Bradley Handwerger / Eyewitness Sports

METAIRIE, La. ― Saints running back Reggie Bush spoke for the time since the NCAA levied penalties against the University of Southern California for what that organization deemed to be rules violations.

He spoke for nearly 10 minutes, starting with a more than 2½-minute heartfelt opening statement in which he compared the events to being like dying and talked about his love for USC.

“For the people who say or I’ve heard people say that I don’t care about this too much and I just brush it off my shoulders, those people don’t know me,” Bush said. “Because this thing, regarding USC and the NCAA, is the closest thing to death without dying because I have such great love and respect for the University of (Southern) California.

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The New Orleans Saints officially announced that they have re-signed restricted free agents Pierre Thomas and Roman Harper to one-year deals. To make room, they released cornerback Greg Fassitt and receiver Roy Hall.

Here’s the team’s official release:

The New Orleans Saints have re-signed two restricted free agents, safety Roman Harper and running back Pierre Thomas, Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Tuesday.

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New Orleans Saints safety Roman Harper agreed to the Saints’ one-year tender offer of $2.521 million on Monday, according to a league source. He will likely officially sign the deal today.

Like fellow restricted free agent Pierre Thomas, who signed his deal Monday, Harper was facing an 11 p.m. deadline last night before the Saints had the right to lower his offer to 110 percent of his 2009 salary. In Harper’s case, that would have represented a nearly-$2 million pay cut.

Harper’s deal was worth more than Thomas’ $1.684 million deal because the Saints made him an offer at a higher level of compensation in case another team tried to sign him away. Harper’s compensation level was a first-round draft pick, while Thomas’ deal was at the second-round compensation level.

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Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune

With contract negotiations between his client, Pierre Thomas, and the New Orleans Saints at an impasse, agent Lamont Smith went on the offensive Wednesday.

mith said reports he and Thomas have sought a deal similar to the six-year, $44.8 million contract Steven Jackson received from the St. Louis Rams two years ago are inaccurate.

“We’re not asking for Steven Jackson money, ” Smith said by telephone from his Denver, Colo., office. “We just want a fair deal.”

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