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NewOrleansSaints.com
Friday, July 20, 2007 - 1:00 PM

TIGHT ENDS

Mark Campbell: 9th Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints
Eric Johnson: 7th Season in the NFL; 1st in the Saints
Billy Miller: 8th Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints
John Owens: 5th Season in the NFL; 2nd with the Saints

Campbell enters his ninth season after a solid 2006 where he was the Saints’ top performer at tight end. He started 11 of the 14 games he appeared in, helping move the chains with his rugged blocking in the rushing attack and as a sure-handed target in the passing game. He hauled in 18 passes for 164 yards – including a career-long 33-yard grab last season, and added three catches for 29 yards in the postseason while starting both playoff contests. Campbell opened his career with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent before being traded to Buffalo in 2003. He started 33 games for the Bills and notched career-bests with 34 catches for 339 yards in 2003 and having five touchdown grabs the following season. In his career, he has opened 74 of 102 games and has recorded 134 catches for 1,235 yards (9.2 avg.), with 10 touchdowns,

Johnson is an extremely productive target with sure hands and the ability to find open seams in the coverage, Johnson was signed early in the free agency period and is expected to be a solid addition to the club’s passing attack. Entering his seventh season, he had played for the San Francisco 49ers since 2001 and has recorded 192 receptions for 1,800 yards and seven touchdowns in his career. Johnson had 34 grabs in 2006 while starting nine of 13 games. His top season came in 2004, when he hauled in a career-best 82 passes for 852 yards – the highest totals for a tight end in 49ers history – with a pair of touchdowns. Familiar with an offensive system similar to that which the Saints feature, Johnson has always been proficient at moving the chains. In his career, 94 of his catches have gone for a first down. He has also started 47 of 57 NFL contests.

Miller proved invaluable down the stretch for the Saints in 2006, hauling in 14 passes for 129 yards over the last 10 games after signing with the club on Oct. 24 following injuries at the position. He also had a memorable performance in the NFC Divisional Playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, catching four passes for a team-high 64 yards, including 56 in the second half. Miller, who started the final three games last year, is known for running precise routes and he adds depth and experience to the tight end corps. He went to training camp with the Saints after seeing limited action with Cleveland in 2005. From 2002-2004, he played for the Houston Texans, where he posted 108 receptions, including a career-high 51 in 2002. The former USC standout has played in 83 NFL games (25 starts) and has notched 128 grabs for 1,341 yards and seven touchdowns in his career.

Owens found a home late last season in the Saints’ rotation at tight end, providing solid blocking and also hauling in four catches for 44 yards during the regular season and a 21-yard grab in the NFC Divisional Playoffs vs. Philadelphia. Originally drafted by Detroit in the fifth-round in 2002, the veteran has also had stints with Chicago and Cleveland.

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