QBREES9

New Orleans Saints' second-year pros Chip Vaughn and Stanley Arnoux eager to return to practice field
By Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune
May 24, 2010, 2:44PM
Stanley Arnoux and Chip Vaughn are probably the two most excited members of the New Orleans Saints this week. The two "redshirt freshmen" will be back on the practice field Tuesday when the Saints kick off a series of organized team activities (OTAs) - the first practice for both second-year pros since they spent their rookie seasons on injured reserve in 2009.
"Seven-thirty meetings, bright and early. I can't wait," Vaughn said before teeing it up at the Saints Hall of Fame Golf Classic on Monday.
Vaughn, a safety, and Arnoux, an outside linebacker, were also teammates at Wake Forest before they were drafted two spots apart in the fourth round of last year's draft - Nos. 116 and 118 overall, respectively.
But then they became linked even more by unfortunate circumstances last offseason. Arnoux ruptured his Achilles tendon during the first practice of rookie minicamp last May, and Vaughn suffered a knee injury during training camp that landed him on I.R.
Both players, however, say they're back to 100 percent and can't wait to get back on the field.
"I'm better than ever, now," said Vaughn, who said he has been working out locally at the Sonic Boom training academy throughout the offseason. "I'm just ready to go play football."
Arnoux said he started feeling "very good" around the time of the Super Bowl - a sentiment he shares with everyone in the New Orleans area. And though he claims that he's even more eager than Vaughn to get back on the field since he never even got to sniff a practice last year, he insisted that his rookie season wasn't a total loss.
"I did make it through all the meetings the whole year, so I've got a good grasp of everything," Arnoux said. "We're not really like rookies since we were here for the whole year last year. It's like getting a redshirt season. We weren't able to practice, but we were in all the meetings learning everything and we know our teammates and they know us. So it was a great experience."

www.sportsshooter.com/johnjcoleman

" Anyone can take a picture Only a Photographer can take a photograph "

Crusader

Imagine getting injured that early and having to sit out what turns out to be a Superbowl winning season. What disapointment that must be.

TheEnigma

Yeah no kidding. I'd be happy and sad at the same time.

SmashMouth

Don't feel too sorry ..... they probably get a ring too! I am looking forward to their contribution this year. We need them to step up.

SBin2009

Same here, I think at least one of them will be a contributor to this team. Which one, I'm not sure.

Danno

Never should have IR'd Vaughn to start with.

Rugby Saint II

Yeah, he wasn't happy about it either if I remember correctly. I wonder if Payton was stashing him on the IR?