iceshack149

John Clayton says that Norman Hand may be going to the Seahawks. I'm looking for the info....

iceshack149

http://foxsports.lycos.com/content/v...tentId=1233362

Saints trade Hand and finish draft


Associated Press
Apr. 27, 2003 2:42 p.m.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)—
The New Orleans Saints traded nose tackle Norman Hand to Seattle for a sixth-round pick Sunday, one day after selecting Georgia tackle Johnathan Sullivan with the sixth overall choice in the draft.
Hand struggled last year as he was unable to keep his weight down and stay in shape. He and defensive tackle Grady Jackson, who also struggled to stay in shape, were blamed in part for the Saints\' inability to stop the run up the middle and contain the mobile quarterbacks they faced.

\"After we got Johnathan on the first pick, it made one of those guys odd man out,\" Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said. \"Ultimately, we decided with the salary and with the situation that we had that it would be good for Norman and our team that we would move him.\"

The move will save the Saints about $1.2 million in salary cap money.

In the fourth round Sunday, the Saints picked Montrae Holland, a 6-foot-1, 333-pound offensive guard from Florida State.

The Saints added Kansas State defensive end Melvin Williams in the fifth. With the pick they got from the Seahawks, they chose Southern California receiver Kareem Kelly.

Their final pick was receiver Talman Gardner from Florida State in the seventh. Gardner, originally projected as second- or third-round pick, fell to the last round after he was charged with marijuana possession and having a concealed and loaded handgun in April.

"...it's good to have friends, no matter where they are."--JOESAM2002

iceshack149

Here\'s a litlle more...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/columnist?id=1545487

Addition of Sullivan made Hand expendable
By Len Pasquarelli

It took a day for the ripple effect to impact veteran Norman Hand, but just more than 24 hours after New Orleans moved up in the first round to snatch Jonathan Sullivan on Saturday afternoon, the gambit was more than enough to move the eight-year defensive tackle off the Saints roster.


The Saints, weary of Hand\'s perennial battle of the bulge and insistent that his inability to stop the run in 2002 was one of the primary causes of their defensive collapse, dealt him to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday for a sixth-round draft choice.

New Orleans used the sixth-round choice, the 203rd selection overall, to take wide receiver Kareem Kelly of Southern California. And the Saints will use Sullivan, a University of Georgia standout, to supplant Hand in their lineup.

\"After we got Jonathan Sullivan on the first pick, it made one of (the team\'s veterans) the odd-man out,\" said Saints general manager Mickey Loomis. \"Ultimately we decided that, with the salary and the situation we had, that it would be good for Norman and our team if we moved him.\"

The Saints surrendered two first-round draft choices on Saturday, dealing them to Arizona, to move up 11 spots on the draft board and grab Sullivan. The first-rounder will join Grady Jackson, another underachieving tackle who has battled weight problems throughout his career, in the lineup.

Jackson has not been participating in the New Orleans conditioning program this offseason, and until he phoned head coach Jim Haslett on Sunday, the club had not heard from him. With both Jackson and Hand out of shape last season, the Saints struggled mightily to stop the run, and statistically ranked No. 19 in defense versus the rush.

Hand is listed at 310 pounds, but the suspicion around the league was that he was more in the 360-pound range, and perhaps even more.

There have been rumblings for weeks that the Saints would likely jettison one of their two starters. The deal for Sullivan, the sixth choice overall on Saturday, all but secured Hand\'s exit. The Saints began phoning some other teams on Saturday evening and finally found a buyer.

Seattle must assume the final two seasons of Hand\'s contract and he has base salaries of $3.9 million for 2003 and $4.5 million for 2004. The Saints will realize a salary cap savings of about $2.725 million in the transaction. New Orleans coaches and team officials feel that, even with the departure of Hand, they still possess sufficient defensive tackle depth.

\"There\'s a reason we drafted (Sullivan) so high,\" said Haslett, who many observers felt would choose a cornerback in the first round. \"I think that he has first-round talent, starting talent.\"

In eight seasons, Hand, 30, has played with Miami (1995-96), San Diego (1997-99) and New Orleans (2000-2002). He signed with the Saints in 2000 after the Chargers rescinded the \"franchise\" designation from him. He has played in 98 games and started 72 times.

Hand has 257 tackles, 20½ sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and 15 pass deflections for his career.

"...it's good to have friends, no matter where they are."--JOESAM2002

WhoDat

I can\'t say that I am at all happy about Grady Jackson being MIA. It\'s not like he doesn\'t need to be hitting the weight room and TRACK more than anyone else on the team. What do you think the odds are that they make try to sign another DT like McGlockton, or one that comes available after June 1?

iceshack149

Someone who actually cares about being a better player? I sure hope so.
Funny how they don\'t hear from Grady until they draft a DT in the first round.
Now they have a little extra money. They should find a treasure with free agency whether it\'s another DT or LB. It\'s been a weird off season for this team.
They\'ve got to see that the defense needs more than Sullivan and Cie.

rusta

all we can hope is that someone gets cut june 1st and loomis isn\'t afraid to open the wallet to get them, as disappointing a year as hand had i think we got short changed on the deal, a 6th rounder?

JOESAM2002

You\'re right. It\'s not much but it beats nothing.

LordOfEntropy

I agree, sufficient pocket change should now be available to sign a difference maker, assuming one can be found.

June 1st needs to get here......

pakowitz

geez guys... you want more for hand than a 6th round pick when he most likely would have been a june 1st cut anyway..... give me a break.. u want it all.. but dont want to give anything in return.... :exclam:

JOESAM2002

You\'re right Pak. I want it all! It\'s mine all mine! hahaha LOL