A Look at The Wide Receivers

papz · 07-20-2007, 02:00 PM

A look at the Wide Receivers

NewOrleansSaints.com
Friday, July 20, 2007 - 3:00 PM

WIDE RECEIVERS (in numerical order from lowest to highest)

Marques Colston: 2nd Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints
Aaron Hosack: 1st Season in the NFL; 1st with the Saints
Tramain Hall: 1st Season in the NFL; 1st with the Saints
Rhema McKnight: Rookie
Lance Moore: 2nd Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints
Robert Meachem: Rookie
Terrance Copper: 4th Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints
Devery Henderson: 4th Season in the NFL; 4th with the Saints
David Patten: 11th Season in the NFL; 1st with the Saints
Dante Ridgeway: 2nd Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints
Jamal Jones: 2nd Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints

In 2006 Marques Colston went from the fourth-to-last player selected in the NFL Draft to a record-setter who was included on every media outlet’s all-rookie squad. Colston, chosen 252nd overall with a compensatory pick, proved to be the steal of the year’s draft class and emerged as the most productive rookie wide receiver in club history. Despite missing two games with an ankle sprain and all but a few plays of another contest, he hauled in 70 catches for a team-high 1,038 yards and eight touchdowns. Like teammate Reggie Bush, Colston earned nationwide attention for Rookie of the Year honors. He is the only rookie in club history to go over 1,000 yards receiving – an NFL-best for first-year players last season – and his 70 grabs ranked second in club history behind the 88 posted by Bush in 2006. Inserted as a starter in the opener, his impact was immediate with touchdown catches in each of his first two NFL games. Colston was named NFL Rookie of the Month for October, a four-game stretch where he had 18 catches for 373 yards and four touchdowns, including a pair of 100-yard performances. Following the Nov. 12 contest at Pittsburgh, he had already posted 869 receiving yards, the highest total in league history for a rookie after nine games. On the season, 51 of his grabs went for a first down, and his 28 third-down catches ranked fifth in the NFL. The 86-yard catch-and-run he recorded in the fourth quarter at Carolina, Oct. 1, is the longest by a rookie in team record books, and the fourth-longest overall in club history.

Aaron Hosack was signed by New Orleans in June after spending the spring of 2007 with World Bowl runner-up Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europa. Hosack recorded nine receptions for 289 yards (32.1 avg.) with four touchdowns in the spring league and earned All-NFLEL honors with the Galaxy in 2006 as he caught a team-leading 36 passes for 473 yards and 4 touchdowns. Hosack, boasting tremendous size, was originally allocated to NFL Europa by the Minnesota Vikings in 2005. He broke into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Vikings in 2005 after a highly productive career at the University of Minnesota.

Tramain Hall was signed by New Orleans on the same day the Saints inked Aaron Hosack. Hall spent the spring of 2007 with the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europa, where he made 16 catches for 273 yards with two touchdowns. Hall also returned four punts for 68 yards, nine kickoffs for 217 yards and had one special teams tackle. A product of NC State, Hall went to training camp with the Tennessee Titans in 2006.

Rhema McKnight, a free agent signing by the Saints following the 2007 NFL Draft, started 31 of 51 games for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he recorded 170 receptions for 2,277 yards and 22 touchdowns. His reception total ranks second in school history, touchdowns are second and receiving yards are fifth. As a senior, McKnight caught 67 passes (fifth in ND single-season history) for 907 yards, and tied a school-record with 15 TD receptions, which ranked second in the nation.

Lance Moore is a speedy wide receiver who has spent the majority of the last two seasons with New Orleans, including a couple of lengthy stints on the club’s practice squad. In 2006, Moore was promoted to the team’s active roster for six games and saw action in four contests, returning six punts for 45 yards (7.5 avg.) and catching one pass for 10 yards. In 2005 he spent three games on the club’s active roster but was declared inactive for each contest.

Robert Meachem, the Saints first round draft choice in 2007, was one of the top playmakers available in the draft, with the tabbing him with the 27th choice overall. He had a breakout season in 2006 after posting 71 catches for a school-record 1,298 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was named All-SEC and also earned All-American honors from several media outlets. In his career, he opened 15 of 37 games and hauled in 125 passes for 2,140 yards (17.1 avg.) and 17 touchdowns. Meachem is only the sixth player in school history to gain over 2,000 receiving yards, and his TD total ranks fifth in school record books.

Terrance Copper, who was claimed off the waiver wire by the Saints on the eve of the regular season, proved to be a shrewd acquisition. He had been a special teams standout through his first two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and was signed primarily to bolster those units in New Orleans. But in his first year with the Saints, he became a viable option at wide receiver, hauling in a career-high 23 receptions for 385 yards (16.7 avg.) and three touchdowns. All but three of his catches came over the final eight games of the season, when he was a consistent part of the club’s top-ranked passing attack. Copper – whose most memorable catch was a 48-yard “Hail Mary” reception at Atlanta while surrounded by a legion of Falcons’ defenders – also returned four kickoffs for 79 yards and added three tackles and a fumble recovery on special teams.

Devery Henderson is a speedy target with size and strength who turned potential into production in 2006 and emerged as one of the NFL’s most dangerous targets, leading the league in average yards per catch and hauling in six passes of 45 yards or more. After two seasons of giving glimpses of his big-play ability, Henderson exploded for 745 yards and five touchdowns on a scant 32 grabs last year. It was the highest yardage total on the fewest catches in nearly two decades in the NFL, and Henderson’s average of 23.3 yards per reception was over four yards clear of his nearest pursuer. He had three 100-yard performances and also took a reverse 11 yards for a touchdown vs. Atlanta, Sept. 25. Henderson, who arrived in New Orleans as a second-round draft pick in 2004 from LSU, played in 13 contests last season, with a career-high seven starts.

David Patten gives the Saints an experienced and productive veteran who looks to bolster the club’s youthful receiving corps. Patten was signed by New Orleans after stints with the Washington Redskins, the New England Patriots, the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants since 1997. In his career, he has started 65 of 126 games and has hauled in 259 passes for 3,761 yards and 20 touchdowns. Patten has posted 35 or more catches four times in his career and has seven 100-yard games. He has been particularly effective at moving the chains, with 168 of his grabs going for first downs, and 56 of Patten’s catches have covered 20 yards or more. During his stretch with the Patriots (2001-04), he was part of teams that won three Super Bowls.

Dante Ridgeway was originally signed by the Saints to their practice squad late in the 2006 season, Ridgeway will compete for a spot on the wide receiver corps. A sixth-round draft choice by St. Louis (192nd overall) in 2005, he has played in seven career games, all with the New York Jets in 2005. In his NFL career, Ridgeway has caught two passes for 26 yards and made a pair of special teams tackles.

Jamal Jones is a sure-handed wide receiver who earned a roster spot in training camp last season and played in 14 games, making one start. Jones recorded nine stops (seven solo), a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on special teams, and added six receptions for 108 yards and a TD. He also returned six kickoffs for 130 yards (21.7 avg.). Jones spent time on Green Bay’s practice squad and had a stint on the Packers’ active roster in 2005 before joining the Saints after initially attending a minicamp on a tryout basis.

ScottyRo · 07-20-2007, 04:32 PM

So, at best we have six spots?

Marques Colston
Rhema McKnight: Rookie
Robert Meachem: Rookie
Terrance Copper
Devery Henderson
David Patten
Jamal Jones

Right now, these are the 7 I am looking at for roster spots. That would mean 1 is out. If I had to guess I'd say it'd be McKnight to the practice squad. I think Jamal Jones beats him out with his KR skills. (I admit I don't know about McKnight's skill there). Maybe some of the others go to the practice squad as well.

The only difference would be if Meachem or Patten really outplay Henderson, the FO might pull a Stallworth type of trade and move him whereby McKnight gets a spot by default. (There's no particular order to my list other than that which was previously used.)

07-20-2007, 02:00 PM	#1
papz Problem? Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Orleans Posts: 11,737	A Look at The Wide Receivers A look at the Wide Receivers NewOrleansSaints.com Friday, July 20, 2007 - 3:00 PM WIDE RECEIVERS (in numerical order from lowest to highest) Marques Colston: 2nd Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints Aaron Hosack: 1st Season in the NFL; 1st with the Saints Tramain Hall: 1st Season in the NFL; 1st with the Saints Rhema McKnight: Rookie Lance Moore: 2nd Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints Robert Meachem: Rookie Terrance Copper: 4th Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints Devery Henderson: 4th Season in the NFL; 4th with the Saints David Patten: 11th Season in the NFL; 1st with the Saints Dante Ridgeway: 2nd Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints Jamal Jones: 2nd Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints In 2006 Marques Colston went from the fourth-to-last player selected in the NFL Draft to a record-setter who was included on every media outlet’s all-rookie squad. Colston, chosen 252nd overall with a compensatory pick, proved to be the steal of the year’s draft class and emerged as the most productive rookie wide receiver in club history. Despite missing two games with an ankle sprain and all but a few plays of another contest, he hauled in 70 catches for a team-high 1,038 yards and eight touchdowns. Like teammate Reggie Bush, Colston earned nationwide attention for Rookie of the Year honors. He is the only rookie in club history to go over 1,000 yards receiving – an NFL-best for first-year players last season – and his 70 grabs ranked second in club history behind the 88 posted by Bush in 2006. Inserted as a starter in the opener, his impact was immediate with touchdown catches in each of his first two NFL games. Colston was named NFL Rookie of the Month for October, a four-game stretch where he had 18 catches for 373 yards and four touchdowns, including a pair of 100-yard performances. Following the Nov. 12 contest at Pittsburgh, he had already posted 869 receiving yards, the highest total in league history for a rookie after nine games. On the season, 51 of his grabs went for a first down, and his 28 third-down catches ranked fifth in the NFL. The 86-yard catch-and-run he recorded in the fourth quarter at Carolina, Oct. 1, is the longest by a rookie in team record books, and the fourth-longest overall in club history. Aaron Hosack was signed by New Orleans in June after spending the spring of 2007 with World Bowl runner-up Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europa. Hosack recorded nine receptions for 289 yards (32.1 avg.) with four touchdowns in the spring league and earned All-NFLEL honors with the Galaxy in 2006 as he caught a team-leading 36 passes for 473 yards and 4 touchdowns. Hosack, boasting tremendous size, was originally allocated to NFL Europa by the Minnesota Vikings in 2005. He broke into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Vikings in 2005 after a highly productive career at the University of Minnesota. Tramain Hall was signed by New Orleans on the same day the Saints inked Aaron Hosack. Hall spent the spring of 2007 with the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europa, where he made 16 catches for 273 yards with two touchdowns. Hall also returned four punts for 68 yards, nine kickoffs for 217 yards and had one special teams tackle. A product of NC State, Hall went to training camp with the Tennessee Titans in 2006. Rhema McKnight, a free agent signing by the Saints following the 2007 NFL Draft, started 31 of 51 games for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he recorded 170 receptions for 2,277 yards and 22 touchdowns. His reception total ranks second in school history, touchdowns are second and receiving yards are fifth. As a senior, McKnight caught 67 passes (fifth in ND single-season history) for 907 yards, and tied a school-record with 15 TD receptions, which ranked second in the nation. Lance Moore is a speedy wide receiver who has spent the majority of the last two seasons with New Orleans, including a couple of lengthy stints on the club’s practice squad. In 2006, Moore was promoted to the team’s active roster for six games and saw action in four contests, returning six punts for 45 yards (7.5 avg.) and catching one pass for 10 yards. In 2005 he spent three games on the club’s active roster but was declared inactive for each contest. Robert Meachem, the Saints first round draft choice in 2007, was one of the top playmakers available in the draft, with the tabbing him with the 27th choice overall. He had a breakout season in 2006 after posting 71 catches for a school-record 1,298 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was named All-SEC and also earned All-American honors from several media outlets. In his career, he opened 15 of 37 games and hauled in 125 passes for 2,140 yards (17.1 avg.) and 17 touchdowns. Meachem is only the sixth player in school history to gain over 2,000 receiving yards, and his TD total ranks fifth in school record books. Terrance Copper, who was claimed off the waiver wire by the Saints on the eve of the regular season, proved to be a shrewd acquisition. He had been a special teams standout through his first two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and was signed primarily to bolster those units in New Orleans. But in his first year with the Saints, he became a viable option at wide receiver, hauling in a career-high 23 receptions for 385 yards (16.7 avg.) and three touchdowns. All but three of his catches came over the final eight games of the season, when he was a consistent part of the club’s top-ranked passing attack. Copper – whose most memorable catch was a 48-yard “Hail Mary” reception at Atlanta while surrounded by a legion of Falcons’ defenders – also returned four kickoffs for 79 yards and added three tackles and a fumble recovery on special teams. Devery Henderson is a speedy target with size and strength who turned potential into production in 2006 and emerged as one of the NFL’s most dangerous targets, leading the league in average yards per catch and hauling in six passes of 45 yards or more. After two seasons of giving glimpses of his big-play ability, Henderson exploded for 745 yards and five touchdowns on a scant 32 grabs last year. It was the highest yardage total on the fewest catches in nearly two decades in the NFL, and Henderson’s average of 23.3 yards per reception was over four yards clear of his nearest pursuer. He had three 100-yard performances and also took a reverse 11 yards for a touchdown vs. Atlanta, Sept. 25. Henderson, who arrived in New Orleans as a second-round draft pick in 2004 from LSU, played in 13 contests last season, with a career-high seven starts. David Patten gives the Saints an experienced and productive veteran who looks to bolster the club’s youthful receiving corps. Patten was signed by New Orleans after stints with the Washington Redskins, the New England Patriots, the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants since 1997. In his career, he has started 65 of 126 games and has hauled in 259 passes for 3,761 yards and 20 touchdowns. Patten has posted 35 or more catches four times in his career and has seven 100-yard games. He has been particularly effective at moving the chains, with 168 of his grabs going for first downs, and 56 of Patten’s catches have covered 20 yards or more. During his stretch with the Patriots (2001-04), he was part of teams that won three Super Bowls. Dante Ridgeway was originally signed by the Saints to their practice squad late in the 2006 season, Ridgeway will compete for a spot on the wide receiver corps. A sixth-round draft choice by St. Louis (192nd overall) in 2005, he has played in seven career games, all with the New York Jets in 2005. In his NFL career, Ridgeway has caught two passes for 26 yards and made a pair of special teams tackles. Jamal Jones is a sure-handed wide receiver who earned a roster spot in training camp last season and played in 14 games, making one start. Jones recorded nine stops (seven solo), a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on special teams, and added six receptions for 108 yards and a TD. He also returned six kickoffs for 130 yards (21.7 avg.). Jones spent time on Green Bay’s practice squad and had a stint on the Packers’ active roster in 2005 before joining the Saints after initially attending a minicamp on a tryout basis.
	Last edited by papz; 07-20-2007 at 02:05 PM..

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07-20-2007, 04:32 PM	#2
ScottyRo 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Williamsburg, VA (ugh, the food here) Posts: 1,704	So, at best we have six spots? Marques Colston Rhema McKnight: Rookie Robert Meachem: Rookie Terrance Copper Devery Henderson David Patten Jamal Jones Right now, these are the 7 I am looking at for roster spots. That would mean 1 is out. If I had to guess I'd say it'd be McKnight to the practice squad. I think Jamal Jones beats him out with his KR skills. (I admit I don't know about McKnight's skill there). Maybe some of the others go to the practice squad as well. The only difference would be if Meachem or Patten really outplay Henderson, the FO might pull a Stallworth type of trade and move him whereby McKnight gets a spot by default. (There's no particular order to my list other than that which was previously used.)