NFC South: Jason David
Beloved/disliked: New Orleans Saints
Reader comment: " Before the '06 season, this would have been a hard choice for me between Deuce McAllister and Archie Manning, but Drew Brees is the easy choice here. He will always be the man who took us to our first Super Bowl. Not to mention, he is an incredible person who loves the city as much as we love him." ---Tom, New Orleans LA
Runner-up: McAllister. Brees won by more than 40 votes, but McAllister, Manning and Sean Payton all drew some support in this category.
Reader comment: "I'm a diehard Saints fan, most hated/despised would be Aaron Brooks probably. He just seemed to epitomize the Saints, underachieved and seemed to make the wrong move at the wrong time. Snatch defeat from the jaws of victory kind of stuff. " ---Eric, Jackson, Miss.
Runner-up: Mike Ditka. Brooks and Ditka dominated this category, but former cornerback Jason David also drew a fair amount of votes.
Your thoughts on NFC South maligned players
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
On Tuesday, I asked for your thoughts on the most maligned players in the NFC South now that Jason David is gone from the Saints.
I threw out a few candidates -- Jake Delhomme, Jeremy Shockey, Chris Houston and Ronde Barber -- and you responded with some other options. Here's a sampling:
Jesse in McDonough, Ga. writes: You really picked Chris Houston over Jamaal Anderson for the most maligned Falcons player? Seriously?
Pat Yasinskas: Hey, no argument with you on Anderson, who has underachieved in the first two years of his career. But I guess I was looking ahead because I think the Anderson situation will resolve itself. If he doesn't produce quickly this year, he'll be on the bench or maybe even gone.
Nathan in Cary, NC writes: Pat,I agree that Delhomme is one of the most maligned players in the NFC South, and would put him at the top of the list. Since the playoff game against Arizona, he has received far more negative press than good. However, what about Julius Peppers? After the contract fiasco, he seems to be on the short end of a fair number of barbs. Of course, his abilities on the field have not come under question as of late, so maybe he falls into a different category.
Pat Yasinskas: Not a bad option at all. It seems like Carolina fans have welcomed Peppers back after an ugly offseason. But let's say he gets off to a slow start. I can see how all his talk about wanting out of Carolina could come back to haunt him in a big way.
James in New Orleans writes: Hey Pat, Charles Grant's annual weight problem and lack of production in recent years has really ticked off Saints' fans. All this after he signed a monster contract that the team is stuck with. Then you throw in the 4 game suspension. He is skating on thin ice in New Orleans and fans are already hoping that McCray or Hargrove will take Grant's spot atop the depth chart. I'd say he's definitely the most maligned player on the Saints, even more than Shockey. Maybe more than any player in the division.
Pat Yasinskas: Yep, Grant is a prime candidate. Good call. He's got a huge contract and hasn't done much in recent years. If Anthony Hargrove or Bobby McCray play well while Grant's suspended, it's entirely possible that he may not come back to a starting job.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
With cornerback Jason David gone from the New Orleans Saints, the NFC South is in the market for a new most maligned player.
David held that title the last two seasons as fans repeatedly blasted him for giving up plays in the passing game. Without David around as an easy target, the division still has plenty of candidates to take his place.
A few off the top of my head:
Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme: It seems like Carolina fans either love him or hate him. There's nothing in between.
Atlanta cornerback Chris Houston: Atlanta fans like to say the Falcons don't have a true No. 1 cornerback. But the coaching staff keeps trotting Houston out there in that role.
New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey: He's flamboyant, he cost the Saints a lot and he really didn't do much last year. If it happens again, things will get ugly.
Tampa Bay cornerback Ronde Barber: For years, he was a fan favorite. But that changed last year as fans and some media members began suggesting Barber was washed up. As the Bucs cleaned house of old guys in the offseason, Barber survived. The Bucs think he's got something left in the tank. If they're wrong, they're going to hear plenty about it.
Again, that's a list of one guy from each team that popped quickly to mind. You can add your own candidates. Let's hear what you think in the comments section below or hit my mailbag.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
I just finished writing a Camp Confidential profile on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It will pop up early this afternoon. Meantime, here's a quick look at the top stories across the rest of the NFC South.
Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers had been silent since he reported to training camp. He broke his silence after Monday night's game with the Giants. But as you might expect, if you know anything about Peppers, he didn't have much to say.
No practice for the Saints on Tuesday as they travel to Houston to begin joint workouts with the Texans.
John DeShazier writes that the Saints cut cornerback Jason David a year too late. He also points out things were doomed from the moment the Saints first signed David.
The injury to receiver/return man Harry Douglas has created opportunities for a lot of guys in Atlanta's camp. One guy who's making the most of his chance so far is Eric Weems, who's been doing some nice things as a receiver and in the return game.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
The most-maligned player in the NFC South the past couple of years no longer is in the NFC South.
Jason David, the cornerback New Orleans fans loved to hate, has been released by the Saints. David had a tough time in Friday's preseason game against Cincinnati and it was reminiscent of his pass coverage the past two years.
With the arrival of rookie Malcolm Jenkins and free agent Jabari Greer, plus solid play from Randall Gay, David became expendable. The move saves the Saints $1.5 million in cap space.
Keep an eye on that cap space because the Saints may not be done yet. Although they worked out veteran linebacker Derrick Brooks, they haven't signed him -- yet. This is still possible. There's no sense rushing Brooks into camp because he can pick up a new defense quickly and doesn't need to get worn down before the start of the regular season.
Speaking of the start of the regular season, here's something else to consider: The Saints could wait until after the first game to make a move on Brooks. That way his salary wouldn't be guaranteed for the entire season.
Camp Confidential: Saints need D to step up
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| AP Photo/Bill Haber | |
| Jonathan Vilma is excited about playing for new coordinator Gregg Williams. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
METAIRIE, La. -- By all accounts, Jonathan Vilma resurrected his career with the New Orleans Saints last season. After clashing with coach Eric Mangini with the Jets and enduring an injury, Vilma found a home in the middle of New Orleans' 4-3 defense.
He got back to playing middle linebacker the way he was used to playing it and instantly became the leader of the defense. By Vilma's account, that wasn't nearly good enough.
Personal satisfaction has a way of getting watered down when you're playing on a defense that's not very good. Vilma might have been a bright spot, but the rest of the defense was a dark hole. Nine different times the Saints allowed opponents to score at least 27 points and they lost seven of those games.
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In the process, the defense helped squander a brilliant season by quarterback Drew Brees and the offense. Brees threw for more than 5,000 yards, but it didn't mean much because the defense didn't stop anyone and the Saints finished out of the playoffs for the second straight year.
It's critical the streak doesn't reach three seasons because that would put coach Sean Payton very much on the hot seat. That's why Payton brought in coordinator Gregg Williams to run the defense and encouraged general manager Mickey Loomis to reshuffle the defensive personnel.
Williams' impact has been felt from the first moment he entered the building and it's been obvious out on the practice field.
"The X's and O's are pretty much the same," Vilma said. "But it's a different mindset. It's about letting us play. Coach Williams lets us know it's all right to go out there and make mistakes. It's all right to go out there and be wrong. As long as you're doing it 100 miles per hour, as long as you're hitting somebody, it's all right. We'll go into the meetings and make our corrections there."
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ESPN.com fantasy expert Eric Karabell thinks Saints running back Pierre Thomas is "about to become a star." "Everybody's playing with swagger," defensive end Bobby McCray said. "We've got 160-pound cornerbacks looking to knock your head off."
That should be a welcome sight in New Orleans, where there wasn't a lot of hitting last season, and cornerbacks (and safeties) spent most of their time chasing receivers who already had caught the ball. The roles will be different this season.
"It's a lot more man-on-man," said veteran safety Darren Sharper, who was brought in as a free agent to help stabilize the secondary. "You're doing some zone. You're blitzing guys from different directions. That shouldn't be a problem for us. We have no excuses as far as getting to the quarterback. It's a state of mind. You attack the ball. You have 11 guys being aggressive and you make aggressive calls. We're going to be an aggressive, attacking defense."
It's been said that even an average defense might be good enough to get the Saints to the playoffs. But the Saints aren't looking for an average defense. They want more.
"We can be as good as we want to be," Vilma said. "We have the talent. We had the talent last year, but we just didn't make plays. This year, we're focusing on making those plays. The talent is there. It's just a matter of going out and doing it."
Key Questions
Even with all of the defensive changes, isn't the expected loss of starting defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith to suspensions for the first four games going to be very difficult to overcome?
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It's never good to be without your starting defensive ends. But the Saints have had the entire offseason to prepare for this situation.
They brought in veterans Paul Spicer and Anthony Hargrove, and they still have McCray, who might have outplayed the underachieving Grant and Smith last season. The Saints would like to use McCray as a pass-rush specialist once Grant and Smith return, but they believe he can fill a starting role in the short term. They're also very fired up about Hargrove, who appears very focused after having some problems that interrupted his career.
There's even hope that Grant and Smith might be better off in the long run because of the suspensions. Both are very talented, but haven't played up to their ability the past couple of years. The Saints are hoping they'll come back from the suspensions with more motivation than ever.
Can the No. 1 offense be as good as last year?
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| Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images | |
| Quarterback Drew Brees threw for more than 5,000 yards for the Saints last season. |
Heck, it could be even better. Brees' season was remarkable under any circumstances. But a lot of people tend to forget he did all of that with the top three offensive weapons banged up for most of the year. Brees threw for more than 5,000 yards, but didn't have a 1,000-yard receiver or any consistency in the running game.
The 1,000-yard receiver shouldn't be an issue this year. Marques Colston is back at full health and looking absolutely spectacular in training camp. He's the kind of big receiver who should be good for somewhere around 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns. Throw in tight end Jeremy Shockey, who never was at full strength last year, but is healthy now.
Shockey and Brees look to be developing a strong chemistry in camp. When healthy, Shockey can be one of the league's best tight ends. He didn't catch a touchdown pass last year. He's painfully aware of that and wants to prove he still can find the end zone.
Then there's Reggie Bush. He was off to a very good start as a multi-purpose running back last year, but he got sidetracked by injuries and missed six games.
Can Bush ever live up to the hype he carried coming out of college?
If he stays healthy, yes. Bush will never be the kind of back who runs between the tackles 25 times a game. But that's not what the Saints are looking for. They'll let Pierre Thomas handle most of the carries between the tackles. Bush is a threat to score any time he touches the ball and the Saints will look to get him the ball in space as a runner, receiver and a return man.
Market watch
The Saints really were hoping that Dan Morgan or Stanley Arnoux could take over as the starter at weakside linebacker. But Morgan retired in June and Arnoux tore his Achilles tendon in offseason workouts and will miss the season. That means the Saints appear destined to stick with veteran Scott Shanle in a linebacking corps with Vilma and Scott Fujita. Shanle's experienced, but he doesn't make any big plays and lacks great speed. The Saints have been very impressed with young linebackers Anthony Waters and Jonathan Casillas so far in camp. They're raw, but Williams wants aggressiveness and he may take a chance on one of these guys.
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Receiver Devery Henderson, who struggled with drops through much of his career, suddenly started catching the ball last season. But the drops have resurfaced during camp and that's not a good sign. With Colston healthy and third-year pro Robert Meachem showing some signs he might live up to his status as a first-round pick in 2007, Henderson could end up as the fourth receiver.
Former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Rod Coleman ended a one-year retirement to make a comeback with the Saints. Coleman hasn't stood out in camp so far, but the Saints will use the preseason games to determine if Coleman has anything left. They'd like to use him as a part-time player on passing downs because he used to be one of the league's top interior rushers.
Newcomer to watch
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| Crystal LoGiudice/US Presswire | |
| Rookie Malcolm Jenkins has to make up for lost time now that he has agreed to terms on a contract. |
Top draft pick Malcolm Jenkins ended his holdout late Sunday night. Jenkins is a unique talent, but the holdout could have cost him a shot at a starting cornerback spot. The Saints paid big money to Jabari Greer in free agency and he's set at one starting spot. Tracy Porter has picked up where he left off when an injury ended a promising rookie season and has the edge for the other starting role. Jenkins isn't even guaranteed to land as the nickelback because veterans Randall Gay and Jason David have been playing well in camp.
Observation deck
There still are a lot of fans calling for the Saints to bring in veteran Edgerrin James to be the short-yardage running back, but that doesn't appear likely. First off, James isn't the prototypical short-yardage runner. Second, the Saints might already have their answer. They've been letting undrafted free agents P.J. Hill and Herb Donaldson compete with Mike Bell for this role. All three are true power backs and all three have looked good at times. ... Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis showed some promise as a rookie, but injuries kept him from being on the field all the time. Ellis is quietly having a very nice camp and the Saints believe he's ready to really become a force in the middle. ... The Saints used a fifth-round draft pick on punter Thomas Morstead, but there's no guarantee he'll win the job. He's in a battle with Glenn Pakulak and, so far, it's a dead heat. ... Williams' base defense is the 4-3, but he started installing a 3-4 package last week. Don't look for the Saints to use the 3-4 a lot. But you could see a fair amount of it early in the season when Smith and Grant are out and the Saints will deal with a shortage of quality defensive linemen.
Time for Jenkins to catch up as holdout ends
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
The Saints announced late Sunday night that they had come to contract terms with top draft pick Malcolm Jenkins. But that doesn't mean the rookie cornerback will be in the lineup anytime soon.
Jenkins' holdout may very well have cost him a starting spot early in the season. By missing practice since the start of camp, Jenkins has fallen behind as the rest of his teammates have had plenty of practice in the defensive system of new coordinator Gregg Williams.
The Saints have been using Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter with the first-team defense and that's probably how they'll open the season. Veterans Randall Gay and Jason David also have looked good in practice and it might take Jenkins some time to leap ahead of them.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
METAIRIE, La. -- The NFC South tour of training camps continues today with the Saints. I caught their morning practice and will be back out there this afternoon. I'll be gathering stuff for our Camp Confidential profile on the Saints for Monday.
As a matter of fact, I'm going to spend the next few hours working on Carolina's Camp Confidential for Thursday. But, before I jump into that, I wanted to share some quick observations on what I saw this morning.
- All this talk about the Saints being more aggressive on defense isn't just talk. It's real. You can see it instantly on the practice field. We'll have much more on that in the Camp Confidential segment.
- The nicest play I saw Wednesday morning was a fully extended Marques Colston making a catch in the back of the end zone. A lot of people tend to forget how good Colston is because injuries kept him somewhat quiet last year. At full health, Colston can be as productive as just about any receiver in the league.
- Defensive tackle Rod Coleman now is wearing the No. 75 jersey he wanted. He had been wearing No. 72 and Tim Duckworth had No. 75. Not sure yet how it all transpired, but Duckworth probably made a profit on this deal.
- A couple of young linebackers jumped out at me. Anthony Waters and Jonathan Casillas seemed to be around the ball constantly.
- With Colston, Lance Moore, Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson, the Saints have an impressive group of receivers. Courtney Roby could be in that mix, too. Saw him make a couple of nice catches this morning.
- I know Joey Harrington is considered a bust because of his status as a high draft pick. But forget all that and view him as just another guy competing for a job. Through that lens, Harrington looks pretty good. He was throwing the ball well and he could end up moving ahead of Mark Brunell as Drew Brees' backup. You could do a lot worse than Harrington as a backup. He's still got first-round physical talent and he's never been on a team with this kind of offensive talent and he's never been around an offensive coach as good as Sean Payton.
- Malcolm Jenkins is a great talent and the Saints have big plans for him. But the rookie is holding out of camp in a contract squabble and you can't help but wonder how that might impact his career. Starting cornerbacks Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter are looking very good. Randall Gay and Jason David aren't bad backups and Jenkins falls further behind them with each practice he misses.
METAIRIE, La. -- Top draft pick Malcolm Jenkins took part in Saints minicamp Saturday after arriving in New Orleans late Friday night.
Jenkins got some work as a backup cornerback and is part of an overhaul of a secondary that's only just beginning to take shape. The Saints have been giving Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer and Randall Gay work with the first team. The much-maligned Jason David has made some nice plays.
Jenkins, who has met the graduation requirements for Ohio State and will go through the ceremony next week, spent much of the morning practice getting instructions from the coaches.
"They didn't throw the whole playbook in," Jenkins said. "Everything they put in, I'm familiar with so it wasn't too bad."
Anything's possible and injuries can play a role, but I'm guessing the Saints will go into the regular season with Greer, Porter and Jenkins as their top three cornerbacks. Although Greer got a big contract and Jenkins was a first-round pick, I think Porter has a very good chance to start.
Saints look to overachieve, for a change
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| Chris Graythen/Getty Images | |
| Led by Drew Brees and Reggie Bush, the Saints have plenty of firepower on offense. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
METAIRIE, La. -- To understand why the New Orleans Saints have a chance to do great things this season, you have to go back to the lowest moment of last season.
Believe it or not, there was some beauty in early October's 30-27 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the Superdome. Do you need a reminder of the ugliness? Think of the Saints making Gus Frerotte and Bernard Berrian seem like Joe Montana and Dwight Clark just moments after Reggie Bush had made two miraculous punt returns for touchdowns in a "Monday Night Football" game.
As the Vikings kicked the winning field goal with 13 seconds remaining, defensive back Darren Sharper stood on the Minnesota sidelines. In hindsight, he glimpsed something special in the Saints.
"I think the main thing was I saw this team as being on the cusp of not only making the playoffs, but of making a championship run,'' Sharper said.
Cusp of the playoffs? Coach Sean Payton's Saints finished the 2008 campaign 8-8, and that came on the heels of a 7-9 season.
"Three or four games, they let big plays happen,'' Sharper said. "That's the difference between 11-5 and 8-8.''
As crazy as it might sound, Sharper's precisely right. The Saints might be the league's biggest disappointment the last two seasons, but that's also part of the reason they might be this year's most promising team.
They're loaded with names -- Drew Brees, Bush, Jeremy Shockey, Marques Colston and Jonathan Vilma. The flashy marquee has not yielded dramatic results. The Saints were the trendy pick by a lot of media outlets to make the Super Bowl last season, but didn't even come close.
Blame it on bad luck, a rash of injuries or whatever. No matter how you look at it, the Saints underachieved. They're out to make sure it doesn't happen again. Maybe it's better that they're coming into this season without high expectations from the outside, because, on the inside, the Saints are expecting a lot more.
That's part of the reason Sharper decided to sign with the Saints as a free agent. That's part of the reason the Saints brought in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, cornerback Jabari Greer, defensive end Paul Spicer and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins.
"I wanted to go with the team that has the best chance of winning a ring,'' Sharper said. "I think New Orleans has that.''
On paper, the Saints do have that.
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| Chris Graythen/Getty Images | |
| The Saints will need Jonathan Vilma and the defense to improve this season. |
They've got the league's top-ranked offense from last season. Keep in mind, all that happened with Shockey, Colston and Bush each missing significant playing time. Brees threw for more than 5,000 yards in a season when the Saints had little consistency in the running game and didn't get Shockey into the end zone.
"As good as it was last year, No. 1, that's our goal,'' Shockey said. "I think our goal again is to be No. 1.''
How much better than No. 1 can the offense be?
Actually, a lot. If Shockey and Colston can return to anything like they were earlier in their careers and Bush can play like he did in the first half of last season, Brees could end up shattering records. The Saints also are hoping to do a better job controlling the running game with some sort of combination of Bush, Pierre Thomas and a short-yardage back to be named later.
But, more than anything, they need to improve defensively. Funny, but that sounds like the same story from the past two offseasons. The Saints made moves such as bringing in Jason David and Randall Gay to solidify the secondary. They signed defensive line coach Ed Orgeron to get more out of the unit.
Those moves never brought the desired results. The Saints overhauled their defense again this offseason. They spent a small fortune on Greer and still drafted Jenkins in the first round to beef up the cornerback position. They got linebacker Dan Morgan out of retirement and plan to play him on the weak side.
They signed Spicer and Anthony Hargrove to push starting defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith. Orgeron left. Defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs was fired and replaced by Williams, who has a reputation as one of the league's best defensive minds.
They're plugging Sharper in as the free safety and trying to build around Vilma and defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, the only two bright spots from the 2008 defense. They're also getting cornerback Tracy Porter, who showed some promise early last season, back from a broken wrist.
Maybe, like Sharper said, there will be even more big plays on offense and fewer big plays allowed on defense. That formula probably would be enough to put the Saints into the playoffs.
"It's an offense that's been at the top of the league the last couple of years and a defense that can
be a ball-hawking defense and the special teams are explosive when you can put a guy like Reggie out there,'' Sharper said.
"And the camaraderie that guys have. Guys like each other and want to play for each other. That goes for the coaches, too. Whenever you have that great chemistry, that goes a long way. Last year [the] Arizona [Cardinals], nobody expected they would be there at the end. When you have all the pieces in place, you know you have a shot.''
Maybe, with all the new pieces, the Saints will have a shot at more than they've accomplished the last two years.
The New Orleans Saints are next in our tour of team-by-team mailbags.
Jody in Hammond, La writes: Hey Pat! Great Work Man. I Constantly check for your updates every day and i must say i enjoy your enthusiasm... atleast on paper.. anyway big news right now is that LeRoy Hill is now on the market.. Do the Saints Make a play at him?
Pat Yasinskas: I also have been wondering about the possibility of the Saints making a move for LeRoy Hill. It would make lots of sense on the field. But, from a salary-cap view, it might be tough to bring in a player like Hill. Then again, general manager Mickey Loomis repeatedly has found ways to make moves despite limited cap room this offseason, so I wouldn't rule anything out.
Caleb in Ruston, La writes: I'm wondering who the odd man out is as far as CB depth. Greer and Porter on the outside with Jenkins in the nickel? Or do you think Jenkins supplants one of those two by the end of the season? Is Jason David gone? Will Usama Young be given a shot to learn under Sharper at safety? Thanks, Caleb
Pat Yasinskas: The Saints suddenly have a bunch of defensive backs who look decent on paper. The plan is to play rookie Malcolm Jenkins at cornerback and I think he will step right into the mix with Jabari Greer and Tracey Porter. At worst, he'll open the season as the nickel back. At best, he starts and Porter becomes the nickel back. Jason David looks expendable, but the Saints would only cut him now if they feel they need cap room. The past has shown a lot of things can happen as far as injuries and I think the Saints would like to go to camp with as many cornerbacks as possible and let things sort out. And, yes, it sounds like the Saints are moving Usama Young to safety. This is a good opportunity for him. He can spend a year learning from Darren Sharper and that might allow him to find his niche.
Trent in parts unknown writes: Pat, great stuff on the blog. Just wondering why everyone thinks the power back the Saints need has to be a half back, isn't that why they brought in Heath Evans?
Pat Yasinskas: Good point on Heath Evans. One reason the Saints signed the fullback was he can run and catch some passes. Evans could end up getting some short-yardage carries. Undrafted free agents Herb Donaldson and P.J. Hill also are big backs who will get a chance to show if they can handle short-yardage situations. But, keep in mind, there were reasons why they went undrafted. Don't forget Mike Bell, who already is on the roster. He ran pretty well in Denver earlier in his career and could end up being a factor.
Jorge in Ft. Huachuca, AZ writes: Trading up for a punter notwithstanding, do you think that this draft class along with the free agents signed by the Saints will translate into a division crown and a trip deep into the playoffs?
Pat Yasinskas: Well, I certainly like what the Saints have done with their defense throughout this offseason. If this defense can at least be average, the Saints will be a playoff team. I know the Saints are taking a lot of heat for trading up to get punter Thomas Morstead in the fifth round, but I'm going to defend them on this move. If the Saints had taken a player at another position, there's no guarantee he makes the team or contributes. It's the fifth round. There's not much to lose here. Yes, I thought Glenn Pakulak did a nice job at the end of last season, but we haven't seen that much of him. A little competition at punter isn't a bad things.
McKenzie became secondary in Saints' overhaul
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
The New Orleans Saints just released veteran cornerback Mike McKenzie, ESPN's John Clayton reports.
Not a big surprise here after the recent additions of defensive backs Jabari Greer and Darren Sharper. More than anything, the Saints needed some salary-cap move and they've freed up $4.5 million by releasing McKenzie.
Overhauling the secondary has been a major emphasis this offseason and McKenzie, who is coming off his second major knee injury in two years became expendable. The Saints are counting on Greer to start at one cornerback position and they also have Tracy Porter returning after an injury-shortened rookie season. He'll be in the mix for playing time with Randall Gay, Jason David and Usama Young.
The Saints likely will pair Sharper with Roman Harper as the starting safeties.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
The Saints just sent out the official announcement about Darren Sharper agreeing to terms. That gives me an opportunity for a few more thoughts and notes about this move.
First, a couple of numbers. Sharper leads all active NFL players with 54 career interceptions. He's been to four Pro Bowls in a 12-year career that's been split between the Packers and Vikings. He's returned eight interceptions for touchdowns, which ties him for fifth place in NFL history.
Next, a quote from general manager Mickey Loomis, who has done a very nice job of getting free agents despite limited salary-cap room.
"We are pleased to announce the addition of Darren to our team,” Loomis said. "Darren is an accomplished veteran player that brings a wealth of knowledge and ability to our secondary and has always possessed outstanding instincts and playmaking skills.”
Finally, Loomis will have to keep juggling the cap. We don't know details on Sharper's contract yet, but this could prompt the Saints to restructure some veteran contracts or release some players. With the arrival of Sharper and cornerback Jabari Greer, veteran defensive backs Kevin Kaesviharn, Mike McKenzie and Jason David might not be on very solid ground.
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| Getty Images/AP Photo | |
| Aqib Talib, Jabari Greer and Richard Marshall are part of the changing of the guard at the cornerback position in the NFC South. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
In an otherwise-quiet offseason, the NFC South has turned the corners.
If there's one common theme in the division, it's that there will be lots of change and plenty of youth at cornerback. For better or worse, each team is going to have at least one new starter at cornerback and many familiar faces are gone.
Get used to guys like Richard Marshall, Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter, Aqib Talib and Chevis Jackson because they're going to be the new cornerback faces in the NFC South.
Yes, Tampa Bay's Ronde Barber and New Orleans' Mike McKenzie are still around, but that may be more for show and sentiment than anything. The days of big-name cornerbacks in this division are over -- at least until some of these new guys make names for themselves and they're going to get every chance.
Somebody has to step up and guard the likes of Steve Smith, Roddy White, Marques Colston and Antonio Bryant. That may seem like a big task for a bunch of young and unproven cornerbacks, but that's what it's going to come down to.
Every team in the division suddenly needs major production from young or new cornerbacks.
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| Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images | |
| The Saints get a healthy Tracy Porter back after injury cut short his promising rookie campaign. |
Start with the Saints because they could have the most change of all. The entire secondary has been a mess the last couple of years, but the problems have been particularly bad at cornerback. McKenzie's gone down with major injuries in each of the last two seasons and the Saints have been forced to go with the likes of the undersized Jason David and the antiquated Aaron Glenn playing big roles.
It hasn't really mattered how many yards Drew Brees has thrown for the last two seasons because the New Orleans defense has given up just as many. But the plan is for that to stop. Although McKenzie, David and Randall Gay remain on the roster, there's a chance the Saints could end up with Greer and Porter as their starters.
New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams wants to bring an aggressive approach and Greer has been the highlight of New Orleans' free-agency class. He was signed away from Buffalo, where he was a starter the last two years. The four-year, $23 million deal the Saints gave Greer likely means they're counting on him being the No. 1 cornerback.
But don't rule out the possibility of Porter being just as good before all is said and done. A second-round pick last year, Porter got off to a strong start as a rookie. He showed all the physical skills and tremendous confidence before going down with an injury just before midseason.
Tampa Bay also could have two new starters as new coach Raheem Morris takes over. You can pretty much assume that Aqib Talib, last year's first-round pick, will move into a starting role. Starter Phillip Buchanon departed through free agency and Talib showed promise as the nickelback last year. He may have to become Tampa Bay's No. 1 cornerback because nobody knows what the future holds for Barber, who is nearing the end of his career.
The Bucs pursued Greer and several other free-agent cornerbacks. They likely aren't done making moves at this position and that could be a sign that they're considering moving Barber to the nickel role.
Only a year ago, a lot of people thought Carolina had the best trio of cornerbacks in the NFL. But that trio is now just a duo. Chris Gamble remains as probably the division's best cornerback, but he's going to have a new starter beside him.
The Panthers whacked veteran Ken Lucas in a salary-cap move this week. Lucas' play declined late last season. There are a lot of people who believe Richard Marshall, the nickelback the last couple of years, is ready to step in and provide an upgrade over Lucas.
That may turn out to be true, but Marshall's elevation raises another question that doesn't have an obvious answer: Who's going to be the nickelback? All the Panthers have at the moment is C.J. Wilson, who barely has played and veteran Dante Wesley, who may not be much more than a special-teams player. That means there's a good chance the Panthers, who have almost no salary-cap room, will have to draft a cornerback.
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| AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin | |
| Chevis Jackson, a third-round pick in 2008, should have a larger role in 2009. |
That's a route the Falcons may also follow because they have the division's least-defined cornerback situation at the moment. This team unloaded the talented, but troubled DeAngelo Hall before last season and made it to the playoffs with smoke, mirrors
and luck at cornerback last season. But some of that luck already is gone.
Domonique Foxworth, who emerged as a pleasant surprise last season, went to Baltimore after getting a massive deal in free agency. But the Falcons don't seem too worried. They could have made a stronger attempt to keep Foxworth, but didn't.
That makes you wonder whether coach Mike Smith has a higher opinion of his cornerbacks than the rest of us do. Chris Houston returns as a starter, but he hasn't yet shown he can be a true No. 1 cornerback. Smith must be thinking Houston can grow into that role because there aren't any other options on the roster.
In fact, it's far from clear who the other starter will be. Von Hutchins will be back after missing last season with an injury and Brent Grimes, who was a part-time starter last year, also remains a possibility.
But keep an eye on Jackson, a third-round pick last year, who started to show some big-play capability at the end of last season. The Falcons may be looking for Jackson to start or, at very least, be the nickelback.
If Jackson can do that, he'll fill a big void. He'll also be one of the faces of change at cornerback in the NFC South.
Lucas could fit with other NFC South teams
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
In the few hours since the Panthers released cornerback Ken Lucas, I've gotten a lot of questions in the mailbag about him.
Saints fans are asking if Lucas could end up in New Orleans. Bucs fans want to know if Lucas might be a fit in Tampa Bay. And Falcons fans are wondering if Lucas might be able to help the Atlanta secondary.
I see some merit to all those questions and I think there's at least a chance Lucas could end up staying in the NFC South. Keep in mind, Lucas turned down a trade to Detroit because he wants to play for a team that has a chance to win. The Bucs, Falcons and Saints are several notches ahead of the Lions and any of them could be contenders next season.
I'll examine each of these three scenarios and I'll go in order by which team I think might work best for Lucas.
SAINTS
It's no secret the Saints are working hard to overhaul their defense. They just signed Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter will be back from injury. But I think the Saints still would like to upgrade over Jason David and there's no guarantee that Mike McKenzie will return to full health. Lucas isn't the player he was a few years ago, but he's smart and could be a nice insurance policy. The Saints don't have a lot of cap room, but I don't think Lucas is going to command big money at this time. Plus, keep this in mind, coming to New Orleans would be a bit of a homecoming for Lucas, who is from Mississippi.
FALCONS
I know Atlanta fans may not be excited about the cornerback crew of Chris Houston, Von Hutchins, Brent Grimes and Chevis Jackson. But the coaching staff likes each of those guys. That said, it wouldn't hurt to have an experienced corner like Lucas. He's not the type of guy who would be a locker-room leader, but he could be a mentor to some of the younger cornerbacks. Lucas may not be a starter anymore, but he could be a nice third or fourth cornerback for a year or two.
BUCCANEERS
Tampa Bay has spent most of its offseason getting rid of older players and Lucas doesn't really fit their youth movement. He also isn't a real fit in the bump coverage coordinator Jim Bates plans to use. But, then again, veteran Ronde Barber doesn't seem to fit that mold either. In fact, at the current time, I'm thinking there's a chance Lucas might be better than Barber.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.
