Saints sign yet another QB!
 

http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...10/1001/SPORTS

Finlen gets 2nd chance at NFL

Chris Finlen is getting a second shot with the New Orleans Saints.

The former Rockton Hononegah and Northern Illinois University quarterback signed a two-year non-guaranteed contract with the Saints. Finlen originally signed with New Orleans in 2003 and was allocated to the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe, where he completed 25 of 45 passes for 197 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.

Finlen later was released by the Saints after injuring his shoulder in September 2003. Going into training camp in 2003, Finlen was ranked fifth on the depth chart. With his signing, he is now third behind starter Aaron Brooks and veteran backup Todd Bouman.

"I've been trying to get on with Miami and New York (Jets) for a while, and all of a sudden New Orleans called and told me the situation," Finlen said. "I'm currently third on their depth chart, and I'm excited for the opportunity."

Finlen was signed by the Jets last season, but never cracked their roster or practice squad.

Finlen will report to Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 25 and compete in a training program before being sent to NFL Europe in March. He most likely will play for Berlin, where he has a good rapport with head coach Rick Lantz.

Lantz was the defensive coordinator at Barcelona when Finlen was there.

"Last year going to New York, I felt good with the situation I was in, but I feel a lot better with this (situation)," Finlen said.

Finlen believes the Saints will bring in more quarterbacks in the coming months, but he feels comfortable working with a system he knows.

"Two years ago, I got along great with the quarterbacks coach (Mike Sheppard), and he just got promoted to offensive coordinator on Friday," Finlen said. "He runs a West Coast offense, and that's a system I'm real familiar and comfortable with. New York ran the exact same offense, which gave me a good grasp of the playbook."

Contact: 815-987-1380; sports@rrstar.com

Saints sign yet another QB!
 

OK, so he\'s probably just a camp body, or Horn\'s personal warm-up boy.

I\'m hoping we replace AB just so I don\'t have to read any more freakin\' AB post-counterpost. :casstet:

Saints sign yet another QB!
 

I\'m thinking he\'s far better suited to run our offense. We should trade Brooks NOW so we can get all we can for him and turn the team over to this Finlin kid. Afterall, he\'s played in NFLE so he\'s bound to be a star. :soleil:

Saints sign yet another QB!
 

This article says he\'s third. Fox\'s website posted an article about Klingsbury challenging for the number 2 spot and possibly becoming a starter one day. Who doesn\'t have their sh-t straight?

Saints sign yet another QB!
 

Do you guys think they\'re bring in these extra QBs to avoid having to draft one in the later rounds this year?

Thanks for the info Danno. Excellent, as always.

Saints sign yet another QB!
 

or they feel like the guys that late might not have the potential to improve. I think their are 3 decent qbs in the draft the rest look like career backups.

Saints sign yet another QB!
 

baron, I am of that view as well. Thus, bringing in these other guys is a way to not expend a draft pick on a QB (unless it will be our first rounder), IMO.

Saints sign yet another QB!
 

plus they all have experience in our offense as well as against nfl defense and were sent away with \"here\'s what you need to work on\" so they are ahead of the game..and not so much unproven.

Saints sign yet another QB!
 

Good point.

Saints sign yet another QB!
 

I think it might help if Brooks had someone behind him that would push him. Although, it could just as easily shake his confidence.

In any event, I\'m all for having a back-up QB that could step in and carry the load. Or even a back-up QB that could step in and be the starter. If he\'s good enough, that is...


When a team is losing, the most popular guy on the team becomes the back-up QB.

Parcells faced an interesting dilema this past season. The Cowboys offense was really struggling. No running game, poor blocking by the O-line, and Vinny Testaverde was throwing more than his fair share of interceptions...

Well, the Cowboys\' fans were screaming for Testaverde to be replaced by Drew Henson.

Now, I don\'t know how good of a coach Bill Parcells is, but, Parcells said he didn\'t want to start a rookie QB because there were too many problems with the Cowboys\' offense that had nothing to do with Testraverde.

Parcells said it wouldn\'t be fair to put Drew Henson in because he thought he would really struggle and he thought he might ruin Henson\'s confidence and he might never recover from it.

That\'s what Parcells said.......not me.

Parcells did eventually insert Henson and Henson played terrible.

Folks like to point to a few QBs that have come out of nowhere to enjoy some success. But for every ONE that has done well, there are FIVE (or more) who have flopped!!

QB is the toughest position to play. I suppose you never know about a guy until he\'s put to the test. But that\'s a mighty big risk sometimes....