blacksaint

SAINTS NOTEBOOK

By LARRY HOLDER


METAIRIE, La. --It appears Antwan Lake and Kendrick Clancy will be the New Orleans Saints' starting defensive tackles ahead of Brian Young and Hollis Thomas. Both Lake and Clancy have been with the first-team defense almost since the beginning of camp.

Saints coach Sean Payton said it still may be too early to qualify both players, especially Lake, as starters. Payton hinted that Young may be healthy enough to return from a fractured foot he sustained before training camp.

"It would be a little early to say that," Payton said. "(Lake will) have a chance to play, but whether he will start or not - Brian Young is coming back pretty well off of the injury and we anticipate Brian being ready for that first game.

"He's come along real well and he's ahead of schedule with his rehab. We'll see where we are two-and-a-half weeks from now, but Antwan is certainly getting a lot of experience and playing time now and I think that will serve him well."

Lake said he knows he's a starter right now because of Young's injury. He does hope to make an impression that will get him inserted more into the rotation than he was last season.

Lake has played solid during the first three preseason games and during training camp practices. He picked the Saints' lone turnover of the preseason recovering Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer's fumble during the first quarter last Saturday.

"Last year I came in late in the preseason and I don't think they knew much of what I can do," Lake said. "As they see me play, they've seen that I can play a lot more and contribute more to the team. As the year went on, they put me in more nickel situations. This year, I think they are going to take the responsibility and put me in more on first, second and third downs."

Clancy's spot may be more secure. The Saints had a weigh-in Tuesday and Thomas was still overweight.

SunHerald.com : Lake, Clancy make most of preseason opportunity

saint4life
(504)