Rookie Mini Camp Starts on Friday

News: According to NewOrleansSaints.com, the newest members of the Saints will get their first taste of action as members of the NFL when they participate in a three-day rookie and first-year players mini-camp at the team's Metairie headquarters this coming Friday. The Saints' six draft choices from the 2008 draft will be joined by 16 rookie free agents and 36 players that have been invited by the team for a tryout.

Who Dat Say: Competition is always good, and bringing in 58 new faces will provide much needed competition. Although nothing is guaranteed in the NFL, historically speaking, Sedrick Ellis and Tracy Porter are virtual locks to make the team. According to recent reports,the Saints plan to deploy both defensive tackles taken in this year's draft in their new and upgraded defensive line rotation, so it appears that Demario Pressley is also a very good bet to make the final roster. The other 55 players will have to impress the coaching staff in order to wear the Black and Gold in the fall. It looks to be an uphill battle for most of these players, even the ones who were drafted, as this coaching staff has shown a tendency to disregard draft position in favor of production. Following the 2006 draft, the Saints cut receiver Mike Hass (2006 6th round) and Chase Lymann (2005 4th round), both picked ahead of seventh round long-shot Marques Colston; and last season, the Saints draft picks fared even worse. Not even fourth rounder Antonio Pittman, who appeared to fill a need as insurance for Deuce McAllister, made the squad. The message seems to be "work hard and earn it, or we will find someone else willing to." While most of the undrafted class will be quickly cut down, this coaching staff will certainly be scouring the practice fields for the next diamond in the rough -- any one of these guys could be the next Marques Colston or Pierre Thomas.

Who Dat Fantasy: The Rookie Running Back Gems?

We at WhoDatSay don’t know too much about superdelegates, economic stimulus plans, the crisis in Darfur, or even life in general. But, if there is one thing other than Saints football that we do know something about, it’s fantasy football. It’s never too early to start thinking about that day in late August when you and 10 or so other dudes will gather at Hooters, with the last place finisher from the year before dressed in a full suit to announce each pick in his best impression of Roger Goodell. Likewise, it is never too early to think about how the NFL draft affected the stock of your favorite rookie running backs.

The Rookies as a Class

Going into the draft, I was excited about one, and only one, rookie running back. This guy has speed and athleticism to burn. He has big play ability. He can cut on a dime. He showed so much fantasy promise – and then he was drafted by the Steelers. That’s right. I’m not talking about Darren McFadden. I’m talking about Rashard Mendenhall. Unfortunately, the guy went to a team that already has a solid starting running back and a solid fantasy football option, Fast Willie Parker. I had dreams of getting this guy on the cheap while other teams were drafting big name rookies like McFadden or proven, reliably mediocre guys like Willis McGahee. Not anymore. True, Mendenhall still has some value, and has even more in a keeper league. The Steelers have always been a traditional, pound-the-rock football team, and Mike Tomlin will not stray far from that mentality. But are you willing to wait for Fast Willie to be phased out?

This was the theme of the entire rookie draft class. All the running backs I was excited about before the draft seemed to go to teams where they will be in a bad situation or will be under-utilized due to a widespread trend of teams’ moving to committee back systems. And the one team, the Jets, that I thought would present a great situation for a running back, did not draft one. What if McFadden or Mendenhall were running behind D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Alan Faneca, and Nick Mangold? No such luck. If there is a silver lining, though, it’s that the moron in your fantasy football league, who severely over-drafted an over-the-hill, 31-year old Curtis Martin and watched as he became a top-5 running back, won’t blindly stumble upon one of the gems of this draft class. Those of you looking for help in keeper leagues won’t find too many gems here:

Buddon’s Top 10 Rookie Running Backs

1. Kevin Smith, Detroit

I cannot tell you how much it pains me to pick a Detroit running back as the top back of this class. I am well aware of the history of flops at running back Detroit has witnessed, Kevin Jones chief among them. But look at his situation: a defense-minded head coach with a new offensive coordinator committed to running the football, two stud wide receivers to prevent the defense from loading the box, and a new first-rounder on the offensive line. The best part: he only needs to beat out Tatum Bell for the starting spot. Smith is the only rookie worth taking in the top 20 running backs.

2. Darren McFadden, Oakland

This is a guy whom I would never draft because he will, without a doubt, be over-drafted. I do not see Adrian Peterson in McFadden. I see Reggie Bush. He will make his team better overall in a way similar to what Reggie did his rookie year, but his fantasy numbers will never live up to the hype. He has speed and explosiveness, but he has a tiny lower body and doesn’t break many tackles. He is not going to get the goalline carries, and he’s on a team without much of a passing threat. That said, his production in college can’t be ignored.

3. Matt Forte, Chicago

After Cedric Benson gets cut for doing something all red-blooded Americans do (drinking beer on a boat), Forte will be the feature back in Chicago. With newly drafted first-round left tackle, Chris Williams, that could be a good thing. But that’s only if Rex Grossman can get the oh-so-tricky center-quarterback exchange down pat.

4. Jonathan Stewart, Carolina

For the first time in 6 years, I actually do believe in the Carolina running game. They have recently invested a great deal in the offensive line, addressing it in the first and second rounds of the draft the last two years. Steve Smith’s big play ability has always made it difficult to load the box and Muhammad, although old and slow, is a reliable and steady target who will further open up the box. Stewart has the workout warrior numbers, but will he be able to unseat Deangelo Williams as the starter? If there’s one thing John Fox has done, he’s stuck with veteran running backs (see Stephen Davis and Deshaun Foster) longer than he ever should have. Expect numbers about 10-20% better than Williams’ rookie numbers.

5. Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh

Mendenhall simply has too much talent to be held down. A little bit like Peterson last year. Everyone said Chester Taylor would be the starter, and that Peterson would get, at most, half the carries. People will say the same about Mendenhall. Mendenhall would have had a Peterson-like impact if he had gone to Minnesota last year. He’s that talented, in my opinion. However, overtaking Willie Parker will be more difficult than overtaking Chester Taylor. Expect Peterson-lite.

6. Steve Slaton, Houston

This guy is the sleeper of the draft class. His skill set is perfect for new offensive coordinator Alex Gibbs’ zone-blocking scheme. With Kubiak and Gibbs, the Texans now have the two masterminds of the Broncos’ plug-in-the-supermarket-clerk-and-generate-100-yard-rusher offense of previous years. With old-timer, Ahman Green, and fat guy, Ron Dayne, as the only competition, expect Slaton to take over the starting job in midseason and to put up 1,000 yards rushing.

7. Ray Rice, Baltimore

As I alluded to earlier, Willis McGahee is consistently mediocre. If you pick McGahee, you better follow up quickly with Ray Rice. The Ravens, who drafted Ray Rice in the 2nd round and Allen Patrick in the seventh, obviously aren’t overly enamored with McGahee. As far as talent goes, Rice is one of the more underrated running backs in this draft class. As a smaller back who runs with power, he could end up being a nice sleeper on the level of Maurice Jones Drew.

8. Felix Jones, Dallas

Jones was an enigma for me. He’s fast and can hit the home run, but how many carries will he get? I would expect some big games from Jones and some very poor outings as well. He will be the kind of fantasy running back who is good enough to keep around, but inconsistent enough to dash your hopes at the most inopportune time.

9. Chris Johnson, Tennessee

We’re really starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel here. Johnson has incredible speed at 4.24 in the 40, but he doesn’t seem to fit the smash-mouth philosophy Jeff Fisher employs. I think he will see some spot duty, but will not win the starting job from Lendale White or Chris Henry, both of whom the Titans drafted in the second round of the two previous drafts. At best, he will get 12 carries per game with about 8-10 going to each of Lendale White and Chris Henry. I wouldn’t draft him.

10. Ryan Torain, Denver

Picking Torain is like a box of chocolates -- you never know what running back Denver will strut out as the starter. And then again, you never know if that guy is the next Terrell Davis or Reuben Droughns. As a fantasy football manager, I don’t trust Mike Shanahan, but that might be exactly why you pick Torain over Travis Henry. If you pick Torain, make sure you have 3-4 better options already on your roster.

Deuce Says He Feels Good

News: According to the New Orleans Times Picayune, Deuce McAllister said he feels good about his recovery timetable. McAllister, who is coming back from surgeries on his knees has been running and doing some cutting and planting for about three weeks, and was able to run full-speed pass routes with teammates for the first time on Monday.

Who Dat Say: We can choose to be cautiously optimistic about this, or we can look at it as just another case of a player saying he will be ready to go. Section123SaintsFan's 56-year old father needs a knee replacement, and much like Deuce, he can also run and cut -- he's also hoping to get a few carries here and there this season. We're not trying to make light of the unfortunate situation of one of our favorite players to ever don the Black and Gold, but frankly, a player saying he feels good about himself and that he can play doesn't mean much to us. Josh Bullocks seems to think he can play too, and clearly there is something wrong with him, although I'm not sure the Saints have doctors on staff skilled enough to cure being slow and out of position all the time. If the coaching staff wasn't concerned about Deuce's health, and specifically his knees, would they be bringing in Shaun Alexander as potential insurance for Deuce? Probably not. McAllister will, however, participate in a limited capacity when the New Orleans Saints begin their organized team activities later this month. While we firmly believe Deuce's best days are behind him, this news does provide us with some hope.

Tuesday's Reader Rant

Every Tuesday we want you to "go off" on whatever Saints-related topic is bothering you. Tell us how you feel and don't spare any expense. To submit your rant, send an e-mail to whodatsayteam@gmail.com. We will sift through the garbage and post the best stuff every Tuesday. If we get 5 good ones, we'll post them all. Happy complaining.

By reader Red Dodge Charger, California

You guys want a rant…here is a rant. I enjoy your website and I read it everyday, but all of you mentioned before the draft that we should have drafted a running back in the draft. Over time, you have mentioned Matt Forte, Jonathan Stewart, Ben Jarvis Green Ellis, that Lumpkin guy from Georgia, etc. Honestly, I think the Saints are in good position where they currently are as far as running backs on the team. I'm not going to say Deuce is ever going to be the same player because I don't think he will. But he is back with the team, which tells me he's going to give it a go. I'll keep my fingers crossed on this one.

When our dynamic duo of Deuce and Reggie went down, Pierre Thomas and Aaron Stecker filled in just fine. Thomas rushed for 105 yards vs Chicago and Stecker rushed for 95 years vs Arizona. Although Stecker is getting old, he can still get the job done. As far as Pierre Thomas, who was his backup for 2 straight years at Illinois??? Yep, Rashard Mendenhall, who just got drafted in the 1st round by the Steelers. Pierre Thomas also beat out our 4th round pick Antonio Pittman last year…doesn't that tell you something? The dude can flat out play. So I don't think it was necessary for the Saints to draft a running back this year. Let's give these 2 guys a shot and see what they can do. They deserve it.

- Craig

P.S. This better get posted.

* We would like to make note that this rant was received last Thursday, May 1st, which was before the atricle "Saint Pierre the Feature Back" was written and posted by Section123SaintsFan.

Who Dat News: Tom Benson Banking On the Big Easy

News: According to the New Orleans Saints official website, Saints owner Tom Benson has purchased the local FOX affiliate in New Orleans for a reported $41 million on Monday.

Who Dat Say: The move can really be seen in 2 different ways: Either Benson is reconfirming to the city of New Orleans that the Saints will remain for the long run or he is doing everything in his power to shape public perception that he wants to stay in New Orleans by actively investing in the city. Why would Benson want to do such a thing? Well, for one, Benson is still not wholly loved by the public in New Orleans, and investing in a community is always a good move from a PR standpoint. At the same time, if Benson does see the team's future in another city, then this move will give Benson even more leverage with Commissioner Goodell and the other owners. When the time comes for Benson to request a move, he will truly be able to say he did everything he could to help save the city of New Orleans. He will have in essence, paid his dues, and thus be more deserving of a favorable move. We, as *New Orleans* Saints fans, would like to believe that the Saints will, in fact, be staying in New Orleans for the long run, and Benson is simply making a smart business decision. But in the high stakes world of NFL ownership, it is simply impossible to truly know what is going on behind closed doors without being in the room yourself.

Who Dat News: Shaun Alexander Visiting the Nolia

News: According to NFL.com, Shaun Alexander will visit New Orleans on Wednesday on a free agent visit. Alexander also visited Cincinnati onMonday.

Who Dat Say: Given the interest we have shown in bigger, physical backs like Jonathan Stewart, Matt Forte, Lynell Hamilton, and Olayani Sobomehin, the Saints are likely looking to upgrade their between-the-tackles running game and could be hinting that Deuce’s knee problems might be worse than we have been led to believe. Regardless, it is hard to believe that the Saints would be interested in Alexander as a feature back. Therefore, Loomis and company probably will not offer the kind of money that Alexander might be seeking initially. However, in testing the free agent market, Alexander should quickly find that his 3.5 yards per carry of the last two years will net him only a backup's salary. I tend to think Alexander is just old, soft, and slow; but he might have a little left in the tank if used in a specialized role. At the right price, I wouldn't mind seeing the Saints take a flier on Alexander and installing him in a Marion Barber or Brandon Jacobs-type role in red zone situations. If he could produce in the red zone anywhere near his 2005 level, when he scored 27 touchdowns… Well, then again, that is probably as likely as Josh Bullocks making a tackle on Joey Galloway.

Who Dat Say News: Shockey Still on Saints' Radar

News: Although the New Orleans Saints weren't able to complete a trade prior to or during the 2008 draft with the New York Giants, the Saints remain interested in tight end Jeremy Shockey, according to the Times Picayune. The Times Picayune also mentions that coach Sean Payton still believes Shockey is the perfect fit for the Saints' offense.

WhoDatSay: We may be starting to sound like a broken record with this, but we believe the disgruntled tight end would be a huge addition to the Saints' offense. Shockey can stretch the field and is a mismatch for any linebacker or safety trying to cover him. He is a very precise route-runner and would provide a third consistent target in Payton's short-range passing attack which, outside of Colston and Bush, was nonexistent last season. We don't expect rumors of Shockey wearing the black and gold to die until October 16, the NFL trade deadline.

Who Dat Say News: Saints Call McCoy to Camp

News: Despite a contract offer as a quarterback from the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Cleve McCoy has chosen to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL and will report to the Saints' rookie minicamp beginning May 9th where New Orleans will offer him a chance to tryout at receiver, according to blackathlete.net.

WhoDatSay: Some of you may remember that we reported about McCoy before the draft -- http://saintsgomarching.blogspot.com/2008/03/08-saints-draft-player-news-cleve-mccoy_26.html. And it seems the Saints have indeed pursued their interest in him. The South Carolina State product joins 7th-round pick Adrian Arrington and undrafted free agents Todd Blythe and Evan Moore as receivers hoping to make it to training camp. Arrington will most likely be there and we figure one spot is left for the remaining three. Even if McCoy makes it to camp, he will face an uphill battle to be a part of the final 53-man roster.

Saint Pierre the Feature Back

In his time with the Saints, Pierre Thomas can really claim only one accomplishment: exceeding the expectations of his fellow players, coaches, and the fans on every given opportunity, including his one opportunity to fill the role as feature back for the New Orleans Saints. If anyone has earned another shot at the feature back role for the 2008-2009 campaign, it’s Saint Pierre.

A History of Defying the Odds

Pierre Thomas was highly recruited out of high school by the University of Illinois, where he started as a true freshman. Thomas held that position of starting running back for the Illini for all four years of college, fending off challenges from Rashard Mendenhall, recently picked #23 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mendenhall, at 5’10½, 225 pounds with a 4.45 forty time, is both bigger and faster than Thomas, but watched Thomas, voted team MVP and team captain, get the greater share of the carries during both of Mendenhall’s years playing with Thomas.

Due to Thomas’s not fitting the NFL mold for a running back, he went undrafted in 2007, and signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent, where it looked like he would be nothing more than a body at training camp. Antonio Pittman, fourth round pick of the New Orleans Saints in last year’s draft, was simply better than Thomas… in the weight room, on the track, at the combine, and on draft day. As a matter of fact, the only measurable trait Saint Pierre could claim over Pittman was production, and fortunately for Thomas, the Saints’ coaching staff and front office had the good sense to focus on that one category and disregard everything else.

The preseason ended with Pierre Thomas showing he could play in the National Football League and Antonio Pittman collecting his final paycheck from the Saints, who had decided to go another direction with that last roster spot reserved for a running back.

Doesn’t Matter Where You Put Him

Pierre Thomas barely saw the field in 2007 until game five against the Seattle Seahawks, where Thomas, who never stopped hustling after a botched punt, even after it looked like the Saints had the ball, corralled a loose football and scored a touchdown. As the perennial underdog who just refused to quit, the fans already loved Pierre Thomas, but this play seemed to really wake the coaching staff up to the fact that it was time to get Thomas in more games.

Pierre Thomas began to see the field more and more in spot duty from the running back position and also began returning kicks for the Saints. Thomas was always good for a burst of energy, a hard run, and a broken tackle from the running back spot, and improved the Saints’ kick return average to over 24 yards per return on 36 returns. He also proved to be accomplished at a skill necessary for any good Saints running back -- plowing over Falcons, a skill he was happy to demonstrate on October 23, 2007 when he took a handoff 24 yards to the house right through the Falcons defense.

However, Pierre Thomas never really got his time to shine until the last game of the season in 2007 against the hated Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. To say that Thomas did well with his opportunity on that day would be an understatement as severe as saying Reggie Bush was a bit overrated coming out of college. Thomas set a Saints’ team record for being the first running back in Saints history to compile 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in one game. And that was his first career start…

Thomas, the Saints in 2008, Reggie, Deuce et al

Thomas’s production in 2007 is undeniable, but he has yet to truly silence the doubters. Reggie advocates, including much of the staff at WhoDatSay, will tell you that Thomas lacks size and speed, can’t hit the homerun, produced because his legs were fresh, the other team wasn’t, the game didn’t matter, the line didn’t block for Reggie, and on and on and on. There are those Saints fans who believe that Deuce McAllister will be back to 2006 form this season. There are probably even those Saints fan that think Aaron Stecker deserves a chance. And to all those people, I ask, why not Pierre?

When are we going to stop writing off Pierre’s production last season (52 carries for 252 yards, or 4.8 yards per carry)? When are we going to stop making excuses for Reggie, who averaged a dismal 3.7 yards per carry last season and barely broke the 1,000-yard mark for rushing and receiving combined? Thomas started one game for the Saints at running back and rushed for over 100 yards; Reggie started 12, played in 3 others, and rushed for only 581 yards all season. It’s time for the Saints to accept the reality of the situation, broken down into 3 parts below:

1. Deuce McAllister’s career, as we know it, is likely over. There is no better clue from the team regarding Deuce's status as the fact that he took a large pay cut just to remain with the team. Without that pay cut, Deuce would almost certainly have been cut. Expecting Deuce to return to his once dominant form, taking into account his age and his two torn ACL’s, is like expecting Bear Bryant to come back from the dead and instantly revive the Crimson Tide from its current status as SEC West doormat;

2. Reggie Bush is not cut out to be a feature back in any NFL offense. Depending on who you ask, he is too small, his legs are not powerful enough, he doesn’t run hard enough, etc… [Insert your favorite excuse for Reggie’s performance here -- if you’re really a Saints fan, then you have one by now]. Reggie needs an important role in our offense, but that role should not involve more than 5-10 carries per game;

3. Pierre Thomas may not be Mel Kiper’s wet dream, but he produces. It’s time to get away from forty times and agility tests, from college highlight reels and jaw-dropping potential and look at that which matters: production. Reggie Bush has had two years to show he can play running back for the Saints. Am I the only Saints fan who thinks it’s strange that after two years, we’re still talking about what Reggie can do and not what Reggie has done?

The Solution

In 2008, Pierre Thomas should serve as the Saints feature back, receiving anywhere from 10-20 carries per game, depending on how our defense is holding up. Reggie Bush should also get 10-15 touches per game, split equally among rushing, receiving, and special teams. Reggie’s value to our offense can’t be denied, but neither can Thomas’s production and ability to run the ball up the gut, something Reggie simply can’t do.

This formula would bode well for a successful 2008-2009 campaign because it would prevent the Saints from forcing the ball to Bush. With Thomas’s ability to get the hard yards, Bush can be used as a decoy who will always draw heavy coverage, a wide receiver with the ability to house every ball he catches in space, and a running back who won’t have the bead focused on him the entire game because we will be able to move the ball with Thomas. The coaching staff seems to agree with this formula, as seen by their decision not to draft a running back in this year’s draft and give Pierre Thomas an opportunity to play. And Thomas, as much as anyone else on the team, has “earned it."

Who Dat News: Horn Out, Arrington In

News: Jersey numbers have been handed out to the New Orleans Saints' drafted and undrafted rookies, and Adrian Arrington will wear the infamous number "87." The jersey numbers for the Saints' 6 draft picks are as follows:

#90 -- Sedrick Ellis
#22 -- Tracy Porter
#72 -- DeMario Pressley
#77 -- Carl Nicks
#5 -- Taylor Mehlhaff
#87 -- Adrian Arrington

To see the entire new team roster including the 2008 UDFA's, visit the Saints website at: http://www.neworleanssaints.com/Team/Roster.aspx

WhoDatSay: The Joe Horn era is offically laid to rest as his #87 has been passed on to rookie Adrian Arrington (aka. Pocket Aces). Hopefully, the 7th-round pick can produce in a similar way to New Orleans' forgotten son... without the cell phone of course. Also, Carl Nicks inherits a former great's number (#77). While we doubt Nicks will ever anchor the Saints offensive line at left tackle as Willie Roaf did, we are just hoping for him to replace an unnamed lineman on the right side.