Malcolm Jenkins was a no-brainer selection for the New Orleans Saints in the NFL Draft

Posted by Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune April 25, 2009 9:17PM

I don’t just like the pick of Malcolm Jenkins.

I love it.

The Associated Press
Malcolm Jenkins was the right pick for the Saints.

Jenkins was the best player on the board overall and by far the best player available for the Saints.

It’s the first time the Saints have used a first-round pick on a defensive back since they nabbed Alex Molden with the No. 11 overall pick in 1996.

The Saints are expected to try Jenkins first at cornerback, then move him to safety if — and only if — he proves to them he can’t play corner. But either way, he’ll bolster a Saints secondary that was victimized by opposing quarterbacks far too often the past two seasons.

The Saints secondary is significantly better today than it was two months ago. Jenkins, Jabari Greer and Darren Sharper are excellent upgrades. At least two of them will start next season. Maybe three.

The pick also could spell the end of Jason David’s career in New Orleans. The veteran cornerback will have an uphill climb in training camp to make the final roster.

Big question for New Orleans Saints in today’s NFL draft is, ‘Deal or no Deal?’

Posted by Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune April 24, 2009 10:03PM

Here’s the dream scenario for the Saints in the first round of today’s NFL draft:

The Associated Press
If Ohio State cornerback/safety is available at No. 14 when the Saints pick, there’s a good chance he’ll play in N.O. next year

A huddle of prospects they love is still available when their pick rolls around at No. 14. As is a top-10 talent that inexplicably has toppled out of his grade zone.

Faster than you can say Brady Quinn, the Saints would be positioned to make a deal that could transform their draft from four-pick famine to multi-pick feast.

This is the perfect draft storm for the Saints in the top half of today’s player lottery. And it’s a distinct possibility, judging by pre-draft forecasts from league outposts.

For once, it appears the stars are aligned for the Saints. In past drafts they have found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time to nab the apple of their eye.

This time, though, it appears the team is in good position to get its man. Most of the teams set to draft above them appear to be interested in players at positions the Saints don’t need: quarterback, offensive tackle, wide receiver, defensive end.

There’s a real possibility that the top-rated player at the position of most need for the Saints will be available at No. 14: defensive back/safety Malcolm Jenkins.

And therein lies a potential dilemma.

What if Jenkins — by all accounts a rock-solid impact talent — is there, along with a juicy trade offer?

Several teams in the pecking order below the Saints reportedly are interested in trading up this year, among them New England, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia.

If one of them offers a package that includes their first-round pick along with a second- or high third-rounder, then the Saints will have a tough decision to make.

With only four picks at their disposal, the Saints could use a pick or two more to adequately address their needs that include safety, linebacker, defensive tackle, running back and interior offensive lineman.

As is, they’ll pick in the first round today, then not again until Sunday afternoon’s fourth round. That’s a long wait for a team desperately in need of defensive help. The chances of adding an impact player in the fourth round are slim.

So the Saints desperately need a team to offer them a good trade, so they can move down in the first round and procure at least one other starting caliber prospect.

Carolina faced a similar scenario two years ago with the No. 14 pick of the 2007 draft. The Panthers were desperate for a safety to replace Mike Minter, but the Jets’ trade offer, which included the No. 25 overall pick and an additional second-rounder, was too good to pass up.

The Panthers liked cornerback Darrelle Revis, whom the Jets selected at No. 14, but they also liked a handful of other defensive prospects, including safeties Michael Griffin, Brandon Merriweather, Reggie Nelson and linebacker Jon Beason.

So they rolled the dice that at least one of those guys would be there at No.¤25, and they guessed correctly when Beason was still on the board. With the second-round pick, the Panthers added center Ryan Kalil, who has become a fixture on their offensive line.

Revis and Beason both made the Pro Bowl this past year, and Kalil is a candidate to make it soon.

The Saints need to ask themselves a similar question today if a similar offer is made. And a deal is quite possible.

The Patriots, who are blessed with six picks in the top 100, are potential trade partners. The teams worked out a deal in last year’s draft and have traded twice before in the past six years, so the relationship is there to get a deal done.

Patriots Coach Bill Belichick indicated as much earlier this week: “We could probably trade a combination of our picks in the first round and get up as high as 10.”

Clearly, the Saints have prepared for just such a scenario.

Many of the prospects invited to town for pre-draft visits are projected as second- and third-round picks. If the Patriots offered their first-rounder (No. 23) and one of their three second-rounders (Nos. 34, 47 or 58), do the Saints make the deal?

Will one potential impact player — Jenkins or, say, Clay Matthews Jr. — improve the team more than two lower-rated prospects, like perhaps cornerback Sean Smith and defensive tackle Ron Brace?

If the situation presents itself, the Saints should jump on the deal and disconnect the phone.

One pick at No. 14 is not going to turn this defense around, and make no mistake, defense is where the Saints need to concentrate today and tomorrow.

In three seasons under Coach Sean Payton, the Saints have scored more points than all but two teams in the NFL.

Their 26.1 points-per-game average over that span is the best in franchise history.

Problem is, they’ve allowed more than 26 points in almost half of their games during that span (21 of 48). Not surprisingly, they are 3-18 in those contests.

It doesn’t take Vince Lombardi to determine what the Saints need to add to join the NFL’s elite.

When you set a team scoring record (463) points, your quarterback passes for the second-most yards in NFL history (5,069) and you still only finish 8-8, then your team has a clear problem: Defense.

And the problems aren’t restricted to one phase of the defense. The Saints need help in the secondary, at linebacker and along the defensive line.

On offense, the needs are less pressing: A running back, preferably one with some junk in the trunk, to help fill the large cleats of the departed Deuce McAllister, and a perhaps a young interior lineman.

That’s more needs than picks.

So clearly, the best-case scenario for the Saints isn’t BPA — Best Player Available, it’s BDA — Best Deal Available.

Jeff Duncan can be reached at jduncan@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3404.

Posted by Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune April 01, 2009 2:40PM

As promised, here’s part two of today’s two-session mailbag. Keep the questions coming, and be sure to stop in for tomorrow’s chat at 11:30 a.m. if you get the chance.

Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune

Q: A lot has been made recently about Terrell Owens missing voluntary workouts when he has a personal trainer. Will Jeremy Shockey do the same thing with the Saints this year and not attend voluntary workouts? If you don’t know then when does voluntary work-outs for the Saints start to monitor that situation? Stephen LeCompte, Houston, TX

A: You’ll be happy to know, Stephen, that Shockey did report to the Saints’ offseason conditioning program, which began on Monday. And, really, I don’t expect Shockey to be anything like Terrell Owens this offseason. He’s committed to making things work in New Orleans – where else would he have it better than here? – and he’s determined to put last year’s disappointing season behind him. I don’t know how much time he’ll spend in New Orleans vs. Miami, where he has always worked out in past offseasons. But he said after last season that he plans to spend more time at the team’s practice facility than ever before. Here’s the whole quote: “I’m going to do a lot of work with Drew. I’m going to be here working with these guys. I haven’t done that in five or six years, and I’m not saying that I didn’t make the right decision in the past. Just here, I think it would benefit myself and the team a lot more than it would if I was playing, doing the one up in New York. So I’m going to still work out in Miami, that’s the normal plan, but really show my face and come around here a lot more than I’ve ever done in my whole career.”
Q: I was surprised that the Saints cut ties with Mike McKenzie, rather than simply re-working his contract. I realize the team needed some cap relief and McKenzie is coming off two serious injuries in two consecutive years, but given his past performance at a high level and the Saints’ need at cornerback (even with the signing of Jabari Greer), I would have expected the team to at least keep him around through the offseason and perhaps training camp before deciding that he is not in their future plans. Do you agree that it seems a little premature to have made that decision now, before he is completely rehabbed? Do you have any indication that the Saints attempted to rework his deal but McKenzie would not go along? Todd Owers, Metairie, La.

A: I didn’t really have a problem with the decision, Todd. I think McKenzie probably has a little gas left in the tank, but he’s 32 and the injuries have definitely slowed him down a little bit. This reminds me of the Saints’ decision to stick with Deuce McAllister last year. Sometimes it might be better to just cut ties and move on with the younger players rather than straddle the fence. The Saints are very high on their top three corners – Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter and Randall Gay. And they like backup Leigh Torrence, who will also contribute in special teams. … I’m not sure if/where Jason David fits in. But clearly, McKenzie had become expendable. I’m not sure how much of a discount he was willing to offer the Saints to stay for another year. I know early in the offseason, they seemed interested in keeping him around for a while at a discounted price to see how well he was progressing from a health standpoint. But I think that changed after they signed Greer.

Eliot Kamenitz/The Times-Picayune

Q: There’s been a lot of speculation/chatter on the fan sites regarding a trade of Lance Moore for LenDale White. Any talk like this from the Saints’ brain trust? Chris Lee, New York, N.Y.

A: Sorry Chris, but that sounds like more of a fantasy football trade than a real-life one. But this is probably a good time to clear up Moore’s status with the Saints one more time since there seems to be so much confusion about the restricted free agent process. … The Saints aren’t “shopping” Lance Moore. They don’t want to trade him, they don’t want to lose him, and the chances of him leaving New Orleans are extremely, extremely slim. True, they would get a second-round pick as compensation if Moore signed with another team and the Saints chose not to match the offer. That’s a protection clause designed to make it difficult for restricted free agents to switch teams – much like the franchise tag with veteran players. But that doesn’t mean the Saints WANT that second-round pick. They’d rather keep Moore, and they’ll probably work on a long-term extension with him at some point later this summer. Sean Payton said the other day that he envisions Moore being with the Saints for years to come. … So do I.
Q: I like the moves of getting rid of dead weight by cutting injured players, but we have underachieving players in Shanle LB and David CB. With all the good vets out there like Cato June LB and Ken Lucas CB why don’t we cut some more dead weight and do what Payton wants to do so desperately, get a big back in the draft or free agency and shore up the D by getting some quality defensive players like the players above? What do you think will happen and if we do nothing do you feel that Gregg Williams can get the current players to play great D? Craig, Dallas Tx

A: Ah, yes. No mailbag or chat would be complete without an anti-Shanle question. Thanks for filling today’s quota, Craig. … Seriously, though, I think it’s obvious that there are better outside linebackers in the NFL than Shanle. And I personally think the Saints’ best chance of upgrading their defense through the draft is to identify an athletic, dynamic difference-maker at that position who can rush the passer and cover tight ends. But Shanle isn’t “dead weight.” He’s a nice, solid player who has earned the trust of the coaching staff and the front office, and I think he had a pretty underrated solid season last year. Clearly, the Saints have not identified someone they feel is an upgrade over Shanle to this point – at least not at the right price tag. I know they kicked the tires on Pro Bowler Lance Briggs a year ago but didn’t want to break the bank for him. I don’t think Cato June is a great fit for their defensive system. And obviously Tampa Bay wasn’t too thrilled with June, since they released him despite having enough money to burn in free agency this year. … If the Saints think there’s someone better out there, they’ll make the switch – and don’t forget about Dan Morgan, who will compete at that spot this year. The Saints have proven that they’re willing to cut ties with underachieving veterans if they see an upgrade on the open market. Remember, they haven’t just dumped injured players this offseason like McAllister and McKenzie. They also dumped fullback Mike Karney and safety Kevin Kaesviharn, replacing them with guys they liked better in free agency. … As for Jason David, I still think he might end up getting released at some point. But I think he has enough potential that they’d at least like to take a look at him in new coordinator Gregg Williams’ system to see if it’s a better fit for him. … And yes, I think Williams will make a big difference with the current personnel. I feel like he’ll take some more chances, get more pressure on quarterbacks and force more turnovers. Even if the Saints keep giving up big plays from time to time, they can counteract that by making more big plays and giving the ball back to the offense.

Posted by John DeShazier, The Times-Picayune March 31, 2009 1:01PM

Not a single tear will be shed here over the Saints’ decision to relocate their training camp from Jackson, Miss., to the franchise’s training facility in Metairie. And the dry eye has nothing to do with any distaste for Jackson.

Chris Granger/The Times-Picayune

The Saints, whether because of economics or sentimentality, simply have opted to return where they belong.

The franchise never should have been working out three hours away from home in the first place, all the necessary amenities they needed sitting unoccupied as the team prayed it didn’t rain and hoped the heat index wouldn’t prohibit a decent day’s work in Jackson, where there is no indoor practice facility.

Now, if the Saints ever could’ve managed to produce a scientific study that directly linked regular-season and playoff success to holding training camp out of town, that’d been one thing. Starved as Saints fans are for a winner, they’d have gone for that in a heartbeat, would’ve probably provided gas money for the trucks that transported the needed items from New Orleans.

If the Saints could’ve proven, or made the compelling argument, that they were better served by vacating during the summer the facility they told the state they desperately needed – the one constructed to counter the very obstacles that were presented in Jackson – then we all cheerfully would’ve understood why New Orleans was minus its Saints for training camp.

But the truth is, training away from home never has guaranteed anything.

In three seasons in Jackson, the Saints followed with regular seasons of 10-6 in 2006, 7-9 in ’07 and 8-8 in ’08: One NFC South Division title and playoff win, one next-to-last finish in the division, one dead-last finish, respectively.

In that, there’s no pattern of success to hang a helmet on, nothing tangible with which to claim that going through the paces in Jackson was critical to improvement.

There seems to be nothing there but the football-old theory that distance and isolation create team unity and a distraction-free workplace. As if a team can’t work just as hard at its own place, that players can’t be isolated as effectively in their home city, that more than a few distractions and temptations can’t show themselves or be located by Saints players when they’ve trained in Jackson, Miss., or Thibodaux, La., or La Crosse, Wis.

Meanwhile, the fans that have combined to guarantee the Superdome is filled to capacity with season ticket holders, that have created such a demand that a franchise with two playoff victories in its history and consecutive non-winning seasons has a waiting list for season tickets, had been passed over in favor of another city.

Rather than happily cramping onto sizzling temporary bleachers in black jerseys to watch their favorite players run through drills in the heat of the day in Metairie, the die-hards who are 10- and 20-year season ticket holders had to make a six-hour round trip for the privilege.

And that seemed particularly thoughtless of the franchise after Hurricane Katrina, when it seemed the Saints should have been doing everything possible to reconnect with fans who’d watched them spend a season in San Antonio.

During the Saints’ absence, the relationship with New Orleans especially was tenuous. Nerves still were raw after San Antonio mayor Phil Hardberger declared that the Saints absolutely wanted to move to his city, the announcement hardly being a stunner after the Saints, on several occasions during past lease negotiations, had raised the prospect of moving.

Well, this is a good move, from Jackson to Metairie.

Saints fans should, and will, applaud this one. They probably are filled with glee, and it has nothing to do with slighting Jackson. It never was about Jackson.

Always, it was about New Orleans. The closer to it are the Saints for training camp, the better. Because it only puts the Saints where they should have been all along.

Posted by The Associated Press March 31, 2009 9:09AM

Jonathan Vilma

NEW YORK — Police are investigating two execution-style slayings at a Long Island condo owned by New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma, a former member of the New York Jets.

New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said Tuesday that New Orleans Saints player Jonathan Vilma was not there at the time of the slayings and is not believed to be involved.

The victims were shot in the head Thursday night in Woodbury, N.Y. One body was later dumped in Queens and the other in Brooklyn.

Police believe the killings involved a money dispute.

Vilma’s agent Mitch Frankel told the New York Daily News that Vilma hadn’t lived in the $900,000 condo since November 2007 and believed the place was empty, and there is no evidence that Vilma was involved in the crimes, according to the report.

Frankel said the condo is for sale, and neighbors confirmed that Vilma has not lived there since November ’07. A police source, however, told the Daily News that a friend or relative of Vilma’s with use of the condo may have been connected to the crimes.

Vilma, 26, was traded from the New York Jets to New Orleans in February 2008. He signed a new five-year, $34 million with the Saints last month.

He also ran into legal trouble earlier this year in Miami when he was arrested for reckless driving and resisting arrest following a traffic stop. But Vilma disputed the criminal charges, which were later dropped.

Here is the New York Daily News’ story on the incident

Posted by The Times-Picayune March 30, 2009 3:46PM

Fans of the New Orleans Saints won’t have to travel up Interstate 55 to see their Black and Gold in training camp this summer, as the team announced Monday that it will hold camp at its Metairie practice facility.

Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune

Here is a copy of the release the Saints sent out Monday afternoon:

The New Orleans Saints announced today that the team will conduct their annual training camp at the team’s year-around training facility in Metairie, La., this summer. The announcement was made by Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.

The team is tentatively scheduled to begin training camp on July 29/30. It will mark only the fourth time in the team’s history they have held training camp at their permanent facility. The team held training camp at the Metairie facility from 2003-2005.

“We, as an organization, look forward to holding training camp in our-state-of-the-art training facility,” said Saints Owner Tom Benson. “The fans in New Orleans and in our entire region from Baton Rouge to Lake Charles and from Biloxi to Pensacola will have the ability to come out and watch our team get ready for what will be a very exciting season. We are committed to our region and although Millsaps College was a great partner, we remain committed to doing our part to strengthen our state, our city and I believe this is another step in that direction.”

“Training camp in Jackson could not have been possible without the assistance and direction of Governor Haley Barbour’s office and the Mississippi Development Authority,” said Saints Owner/Executive Vice President Rita Benson LeBlanc. ‘In addition, we also thank BankPlus for their support during our three years there. Our involvement with our partners and fans in Mississippi will not end with the relocation of training camp. We look forward to continued participation with local events and youth football initiatives.”

The Saints have held their past three training camps at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., an arrangement that Loomis called ideal for the teams’ needs at the time.

“We first want to thank the people at Millsaps as well as our fans in Mississippi and Jackson, we had a first rate experience there. Millsaps proved to be a great location and we couldn’t have been treated any better,” Loomis said. “The dynamics and economics have shifted a bit and we have decided that holding training camp at our facility would provide us with enough quality fields to work on, an indoor practice facility in the case of inclement weather as well as access to the technology we have available at our headquarters in Metairie.

In making the decision to stay at their training facility during training camp, the Saints will become at least the 17th current NFL team to host their training camp at their primary operational base in 2009.
“As NFL training facilities evolve and develop, there is a trend to want to maximize the exposure your team has to all of the amenities that help make training camp successful,” Loomis added. “Training camp is a very physically and mentally demanding period of time for the players and by being able to utilize our facilities, we feel like it is the best decision that we can make for our team at this time.”

“Millsaps College and the Saints have established an exciting partnership in the past three years,” said Millsaps President Frances Lucas. “We’re delighted that our working relationship remains strong, mutually affectionate, and professionally beneficial. We look forward to their return. ”

The team will announce their formal training camp schedule following the NFL Draft.

Past Training Camp Locations:

· San Diego, California (1967-69) Cal Western University

· Bowling Green, Ohio (1970) Bowling Green University

· Hattiesburg, Mississippi (1971-73) University of Southern Mississippi

· Vero Beach, Florida (1974) Dodgertown

· Thibodaux, Louisiana (1975) Nicholls State University

· Vero Beach, Florida (1976-84) Dodgertown

· Ruston, Louisiana (1985) Louisiana Tech

· Hammond, Louisiana (1986-87) Southeastern Louisiana University

· La Crosse, Wisconsin (1988-99) University of Wisconsin LaCrosse

· Thibodaux, Louisiana (2000-02) Nicholls State University

· Metairie, Louisiana (2003-05) Saints Training Facility

· Jackson, Mississippi (2006-08) Millsaps College

NewOrleansSaints.com
Monday, March 30, 2009 – 12:00 PM

The New Orleans Saints learned their 2009 preseason opponents today with four games set to be played against AFC opponents. Dates and times for all four matchups are yet to be determined and will be announced at a later date.

After traveling to Cincinnati in August each of the last two years, the Saints will open their ’09 preseason slate by hosting the Bengals at the Superdome over the weekend of August 13-17. New Orleans has won each of the previous two preseason clashes between the clubs.

In another reverse of the 2008 preseason, the Saints will travel to Houston to take on the Texans in the second week of action (weekend of August 20-24).

Week three of the preseason (August 27-31) will see the Saints return to Oakland to play the Raiders in California for the first time since the 2005 preseason finale.

The Saints will close the preseason schedule with a home game against the Miami Dolphins for the third season in a row and the fifth time in the past seven years. The contest will mark the 20^th preseason meeting between the two teams and will be played during the weekend of September 3-4.

The NFL will announce each club’s regular season schedule in the coming weeks.

New Orleans Saints begin offseason workout program

Posted by Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune March 30, 2009 11:12AM

The Saints begin their offseason conditioning program today – their version of the “first day of school” for the 2009 season.

Players were required to report to the team’s practice facility in Metairie this morning. Starting this week, they will begin their official weight-training and conditioning programs, though most NFL players stay in shape year-round these days. Players aren’t required to stay in New Orleans during the offseason program, as long as they stick to the routine wherever they might be.
Unfortunately, the team has decided to shut down access to the media this year until May, meaning we won’t be hearing much from players over the next two months. Hopefully we’ll still get to squeeze in a few interviews from time to time.

The first actual on-field activity will be the rookie camp May 8-10, which is also closed to the media. The first full-team practices will be May 19, when the Saints begin five weeks of OTAs (organized team activities). The full-squad minicamp is scheduled for June 5-7.

Posted by Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune March 26, 2009 11:27AM

The Saints have agreed to a one-year deal with veteran free agent safety Pierson Prioleau, who will likely compete for a job as a backup and special teams contributor.

Prioleau, 31, is clearly a favorite of new Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. He has spent a total of seven seasons playing under Williams – last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, with the Washington Redskins from 2005-2007, and with the Buffalo Bills from 2001-2003.
Prioleau played in all 16 games last year in Jacksonville with one start, recording 26 tackles and one pass defense. The 5-11, 188-pounder began his career in San Francisco in 1999, where he emerged as a part-time starter. He had his most productive season in Buffalo in 2002, starting all 16 games and recording 89 tackles.

The Saints needed depth at the safety position to join Darren Sharper, Roman Harper, Kevin Kaesviharn and Chris Reis. They’d still like to get younger in the draft, though, and Coach Sean Payton said Wednesday that the free safety spot is still the Saints’ greatest area of need.

Posted by Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune March 24, 2009 1:32PM

Ted Jackson/The Times-Picayune

After a brief hiatus this weekend, I finally hundered down today and answered another round of questions for the Saints Insider Mailbag.

Today’s installment features several questions about the Saints’ current players and roster.

I’ll have another mailbag on Wednesday that will focus on the NFL Draft and the Saints’ possible plans there. Send any new questions to Saintsmailbag@gmail.com. And don’t forget to include your name and place of residence.

Until then, here’s today Q&A:
Q: Jeff, the Saints’ pass rush was awful last year. How can they expect to improve in this area with a front seven that will likely be almost identical to last year’s? Will Gregg Williams make that big of a difference? And, Jammal Brown may become an unrestricted free agent after this upcoming season, depending upon whether a CBA agreement is struck. Do you think the Saints might go offensive tackle at No. 14 to replace Brown, who’ll be crazy expensive if he does, in fact, become a UFA? I love Brown, but Andre Smith would be a whole lot cheaper. Thanks, Robert Recard, New Orleans.

A: To answer your pass-rush questions, Robert, the Saints expect Will Smith and Charles Grant to be healthy for 2009 and they believe that will go a long way toward improving the production from the front seven. Williams’ scheme is going to help but he’s no miracle worker. There’s only so many different things you can do with X’s and O’s. Eventually it comes down to talent and players executing. That said, if given the green light by head coach Sean Payton, I expect Williams to be extremely aggressive with his pressure packages. Williams has never coached on a team with an offense as powerful as the Saints’ current unit. He can afford to take more chances with Drew Brees and company on his sideline. I think the biggest change Saints fans will see out of the defense under Williams is the multiple personnel packages he will employ. He’ll play every card in his deck at some point in the game. And he’ll be much more creative in how he chooses to pressure the quarterback. Williams will send more players from different places in the defensive scheme than Gary Gibbs did. As far as the drafting of an offensive tackle, I’d be surprised but not shocked if the Saints used their first-round pick on one. Brown is scheduled to become a UFA but in all likelihood he’s going to be an RFA because I don’t see any way that the league avoids an uncapped year in 2010. In that scenario, the Saints can retain Brown’s services with a first-round tender in the range of $2 million a season. That’s a bargain for a two-time Pro Bowl left tackle. Given the recent signing of Jon Stinchcomb at right tackle and the retention of reserve Zach Strief, I’m not sure why the Saints would invest more money into the position when they have so many other areas of need on the roster. And finally, you can forget about Andre Smith being a Saint. He’s the exact kind of player that Sean Payton detests. Lazy. Unmotivated. Disinterested in the game. There’s zero chance he plays for the Saints.
Q: Jeff, now that we have addressed our secondary concerns in this off season, I am concerned with our depth and productivity from the defensive end positions. Grant and Smith are making a lot of money, but it could be argued that neither player is living up to the size of their contracts. A lot of our issues with the secondary could have been a direct cause of a lack of a consistent pass rush. Do you think the Saints are looking to add depth to the position if they do not go secondary with the first round pick? Also, is there still a possibility that Grant and Smith could be suspended for the first 4 games next season for the star-cap issue? Best regards, R. Brian Johnson, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

A: Brian, there’s no question that the Saints defensive end position is going to be in the spotlight next season and rightfully so. The Saints invested a ton of money in Grant and Smith and should expect the pair to perform like one of the top tandems in the league given their compensation. I’m not sold on Grant but Smith was a model of consistency before his injury-plagued 2009 campaign. In his first four seasons he averaged 8.5 sacks a year and never had few than seven in a season. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that the sports hernia affected his performance last season. Williams is a big fan of both players and I think he’s going to reach deep in to his bag of motivational tricks to light a fire under both this season. Their production is essentially to the overall execution of the defense. And, yes, I expect Grant and Smith to be suspended for the first four games of next season. And if you read the comments from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell this week you would, as well.
Q: Jeff, I’ve read some very interesting things regarding Mike McKenzie and the notion that McKenzie couldn’t be cut without either a physical or a deal (settlement) to release him. Is this factual? Is McKenzie allowing the Saints to use his cap room to bring in younger talent, then restructuring the deal that would allow him to be brought back to mentor at a decent cap number for his eventual replacement, knowing this might very well be his last stop in the NFL? Rabbi Werber, New Orleans.

A: Rabbi, most likely McKenzie reached some kind of injury settlement with the Saints before being released. It’s a standard league practice. Hollis Thomas worked out a similar arrangement last year. It’s in the best interests of both sides to do this. McKenzie is freed to market his wares to any team in the league and the Saints get the cap they need to make their roster moves. Even though Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said Monday that the team has not entirely closed the door on McKenzie, I think he’s just being politically correct. I don’t think McKenzie is in the team’s future plans. That was obvious when they made the bold moves on Ron Bartell and Jabari Greer in free agency and from the comments Loomis made in the official announcement of McKenzie’s release. If the Saints were interested in keeping McKenzie around they would have just re-worked his contract, that way he could have participated in the team’s offseason program with the rest of the unit. It’s critical for every player on the defense to be immersed in Gregg Williams’ new defensive scheme from the opening whistle. Trust me, if McKenzie were in the Saints’ plans, he’d be a part of their offseason program, which kicks off March 30.
Q: Do you think Dan Morgan will win a starting spot over Scott Shanle and stay healthy for us next season? It would do my heart good to see Morgan deliver some big hits to Deangelo Williams next year. Amit Bajaj, Clinton, Miss.

A: It’s too early to speculate about Morgan and his status for 2009, Amit, but judging by Morgan’s recent comments during a Sirius Radio interview, he has every intention of starting. He has been out of football for a while now and given his injury history it would be foolish for the Saints to count on him at this point. In my mind, he’s essentially lagniappe at the position. I have not seen Morgan play, but colleague Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com is really high on Morgan and I trust his judgment. Pat covered Morgan throughout his career in Carolina and believes he will be a major upgrade for the Saints if he’s healthy. That’s, obviously, a big “if.” Still, Morgan is definitely worth the gamble, considering the Saints don’t have much invested in him at this point.
Q: Jeff, I have seen some questionable remarks made about Jabari Greer’s skills? Is he a Cover 2 guy or can he play man to man? Chris Garrison, Harvey, La.

A: In Greer, the Saints got a solid starting cornerback who should pair with Tracy Porter to give the Saints their best pair of young starting corners in years. If he’s the Saints’ No. 2 corner — which is how I think the Saints view him — then he’s a significant upgrade over the club’s recent No. 2’s. Reports out of Buffalo have been mostly positive on Greer. Greer isn’t a spectacular playmaker but he’s versatile, athletic and solid in nearly every phase of the game, including run support, zone and man coverage. He was generally rated as one of the top 10 corners on the free agent market and the Saints valued him more than other because of his age (27), competitiveness and potential. He’s improved gradually throughout his career so his best years should be ahead of him. Interestingly, he (5-11, 180), Porter (5-11, 186) and Randall Gay (5-11, 190) are nearly identical in size. A former elite hurdler at the University of Tennessee, Greer still carries a track physique, but he’s not afraid to stick his nose in there on run support. Greer spent the first two years of his career in Buffalo in defensive coordinator Jerry Gray’s scheme, which is almost identical to the one Williams will employ in New Orleans so he should be able to make an easy transition on the field.