With the draft finished and teams beginning to focus on trying to get their rookies under contract and trying to determine which players are going to fill out the remainder of their training camp rosters, we can now begin to focus on the approaching mini camps and eventually the pre-season.  That being the case, now seems as good a time as any to take a quick look at some of the teams that will be competing with the Saints in the NFC.  Below is a list of some of the teams thought to be the top contenders in the NFC this season, along with a few statements about each team.

Carolina Panthers – Carolina as is the case every year could be a challenger for the Saints and the NFC crown.  They have talent on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.  However, as is the case every year with this team, whether or not they can stay healthy will play a key role, along with if their younger players can step in and help the void left by a handful of departing veterans. 

Atlanta Falcons – The Falcons’ season appears up in the air and a lot will depend on what happens with their star quarterback.  While the addition of a new coach and a few new veterans should help this team, they still appear set to go only as far as Vick can lead them.  Expect this rival of the Saints to be a tough opponent this year, but only if Vick is able to play this year and has a solid season.

Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles could possibly be one of the most dangerous teams in the NFC.  With McNabb coming back and the team not having loss really any notable veterans, the Eagles appear ready to make a run.  However, the question becomes if the Eagles have the talent to compete with some of the other big guns. 

Dallas Cowboys – The Cowboys lost their head coach, kept Owens, and will cross their fingers and hope that Tony R. has a solid second season.  Overall just the fact that Owens is on the roster with no true power figure to keep him in check means this could be an explosive season for “them Cowboys.” 

Washington Redskins – Okay, the Arizona Cardinals appear to be the hot pick for the surprise team this year.  However, for me it’s the Redskins.  With a hall of fame coach, solid defense, and a young quarterback who should come into his own this year, the Redskins could be a sleeper pick in the NFC.  While I don’t put them on the Saints level, they could be a disruptive team for a lot of opponents this year. 

Chicago Bears – The Bears had about as good a season as a team could have last year defensively.  However, with a few key pieces gone and a couple of players asking for trades and threatening hold-outs, the Bears appear setting themselves up for a letdown season.  That combined with the fact that Grossman will likely be forced to play more of a vital role could really hurt this team. 

New York Giants – The Giants appear to be a team that has two faces the past few years.  However, this season will all depend on Eli Manning.  This is a team that lost a few key veterans and they need their younger players to step up if they want to be competitive. 

Seattle Seahawks – Overall I believe Seattle could be the Saint’s biggest competition if they stay healthy.  They have a solid defense, balanced offense, and experienced head coach.  If the Seahawks don’t stumble due to any unforeseen problems, then they could be a team the Saints see in the NFC championship game. 

While there will likely be a few surprise teams that step up and try to compete this season, these are a handful of the favorites.  However, keep in mind that as is the case every year, an injury or lack thereof always can drastically affect the course of a team.  Although, considering the Saints moves and depth compared to some of the other favorites, fans and media both would have to agree that the odds of the Saints being one of the favorites is looking good.  

Q & A

Q & A is the question and answer section.  If you have a question you would like answered, email it to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with the subject heading of Q&A and we will try to answer the question to the best of our ability.

A – JB you spoke of Usama as someone to watch but what of the other cornerbacks they signed? The one from Texas and from Rutgers. Do you like there chances to make the squad? – SD Saint Fred

Q – Well Fred, so far they haven’t had too much information creeping out about any exceptional play from the un-drafted corners.  However, I like Joe Porter from Rutgers and hope that he is able to prove himself.  Porter was part of a massive turnaround at Rutgers University and seems like the type of player that really could fit into the Saints mentality.  However, he is a raw prospect and needs to have a solid off-season to earn himself the opportunity to prove himself in the pre-season.  However, this is a position that players can push the veterans for roster spots, with Fred Thomas and Jason Craft both possibly expendable.

Q – Hey JB, thanks as always for the great coverage of our team.  Wonder if you’ve heard anything on the status and plans for Rob Ninkovich?  He seemed like he was coming on gangbusters last year until the knee injury.  There was little to no talk of his presence this year going into the draft (DL needs, etc.)  What’s his progress in recovery, and how does he fit into the defense plans this year?  Thanks! – T.C. in Atlanta

A – TC, don’t be worried about not hearing much about Rob going into the draft.  He wasn’t a highly fought after prospect in last seasons draft so until he gets some tackles on the field it will stay that way.  However, from what I am hearing he is coming along fine and if he can return to form then he should play a key role in the rotation with Grant and Smith. 

Odds & Ends

The Saints added some nice depth this week at the defensive tackle position by adding veteran defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy.  Clancy is a seven year vet that found his time in Arizona cut short when they opted to change schemes.  However, the Cardinals’ loss is the Saint’s gain, which helps add a solid presence that gives the Saints some insurance for Hollis Thomas and Brian Young.  His addition should be yet another key move that continues the Saints effort to strengthen and add more depth to their defense. 

Psycho’s View

Overall the Saints off-season moves have been extremely solid this year and have provided the Saints with some additional weapons on offense, while helping to re-tool the defense.  With a second off-season on Payton’s belt, he is once again proving his ability to recognize and attract talent to the Saints.  Hopefully he can also continue his streak of being able to get rookies into the fold quickly as he was able to last year so that they can contribute immediately this season for the team.

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