Sunday, April 13, 2008

Who Dat News: Food Played no Part in Bobby McCray's Signing

News: According to the Times Picayune, newly-acquired defensive end Bobby McCray was not swayed by the coaching staff's attempts to get him to eat a New Orleans favorite, Drago's Charbroiled oysters, on his recruiting visit. The Saints staff did, however, make clear the fact that he would be an integral part of the defensive line rotation. McCray was not sought out as a replacement to Will Smith or Charles Grant, but rather as a much needed “extra-body” along the defensive front in the hopes of keeping all three fresh. Coach Payton has already made clear that he plans to use all three of them. The natural speculation is that McCray, who is very athletic for his 6-foot-6, 261-pound frame, will come in on passing downs, allowing Smith or Grant to move inside to provide the Saints a dangerous pass-rush combination.

Who Dat Say: Fortunately for Saints fans, eating oysters at Drago's is not a prerequisite for positive production on the field. If that were the case, Donte' Stallworth would have already been enshrined in Kenner at the Saints Hall of Fame. It's quite possible, in fact, that Stallworth was taken so high by the Saints because his recruiting visit to Drago's went off without a hitch. Coach Payton and company, unlike former Saints regimes, understand that 40 times and eating habits don't make football players. The addition of McCray, along with Grant and Smith, should give the Saints a Tuck-Strahan-Uminyora type rotation up front.

No comments: