blacksaint

Posted by By Jimmy Smith
August 03, 2007

At least two players found their way to the barber shop before taking their first team trip of the season.
Linebacker Scott Shanle, who had his head shaved all of last season but had been allowing his hair to grow out since the start of training camp, found his razor before Friday's practice.
Same with center Jeff Faine. Faine hasn't sported a shaved head before, but his pate was clean on Friday afternoon.

-- Wide receiver Jamal Jones missed practice again on Friday with a sore knee. He's looking rather forlorn. Jones knows the longer he is off the practice field, the longer his odds of making the final 53-man roster become. Jones developed soreness in his left knee on Sunday afternoon. He missed four consecutive two-a-day workouts and Friday's nine in all.

--The Saints finally did something other then work on their own offensive and defensive plays on Friday, working strictly on Steelers plays. "It was all Pittsburgh out there," Sean Payton said.

--If safety Roman Harper and running back Deuce McAllister play Sunday night, and it's possibly they won't, Payton said, the Saints offense and defense will start the same players as each unit did last season. Harper has been bothered by soreness and swelling in his left knee and might be held out, Payton said. McAllister is healthy, but might be rested.

--During one drill, players were wearing green and red stretch caps over their gold helmets to better distinguish certain movements on film. It made players look like Christmas ornaments.

--Quarterbacks Drew Brees and Jamie Martin seemed to be taking their roles as defenders rather seriously. When the two were with other offensive teammates who were taking turns as defensive players while the third team offense ran through some Pittsburgh looks, Brees, playing strong safety, and Martin, playing free, gave the best looks they could. Martin was even into a free-safety-type back pedal.

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