ssmitty

SHOCKEY TO THE SAINTS?

Right now, the New Orleans Saints seem to be in the middle of the aggressive trade rumors that occur at draft time. Many times these items are leaked to the press to throw off the real deals and decisions done in the league, but in my opinion, the Saints have interest in moving up in the first-round and in acquiring New York Giants former All-Pro tight end Jeremy Shockey. I know that the Giants would deal off Shockey, but they won’t take a cut-rate price for him and they want something of quality in return for him.

The former Miami (Fla.) All-American is still in the prime of his pro career (he won’t turn 28 years old until Aug. 18). He is also still a quality performer. There isn’t a tight end in this draft class, unless you reach for one, that is worth a first-round draft choice.

And the Giants know it.

Pro scout Mark Kelwell, who has scouted and coached in the NFL and the Canadian Football league for over 25 years, feels the same way and says that the Giants would be foolish to do a bad deal just to get rid of a player that has shown a tendency to shoot his mouth off at different times.

“Jeremy is still a Pro-Bowl player in this league and if I were the Giants I wouldn’t send him packing for an average player and a low-round choice,” Kelwell said. “This is a guy that has caught 188 passes for over 2,100 yards and 17 touchdowns over the past three seasons in the NFC. Other than Jason Witten in Dallas and Chris Cooley in Washington nobody else in the NFC has caught more passes and been as productive, receiving wise.

“Shockey will drop an easy pass or two and he is a bit of a live-wire in the locker room, but he is still someone you have to scheme to stop on defense. As a former assistant coach I can tell you that Jeremy has great size for a tight end and safeties don’t match up well against him one-on-one downfield and he is too fast for most linebackers. He is a ferocious open-field runner and a very sharp route-runner. He isn’t a great blocker, but neither is Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, Kellen Winslow, Dallas Clark or Todd Heap, who are the best tight ends in the AFC. I know that Drew Brees would really love to work with him in New Orleans. Sean (Payton) is a brilliant young offensive mind and he would pump him the ball 75 to 80 times a year, provided he stays healthy. If I were running the Giants I would demand at least a second round pick for him and something extra.”

Kelwell also believes that the addition of Shockey would be a lift to the Saints’ offense in the same realm as the Patriots acquisition of wide receiver Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders last spring.

“I firmly believe if the Saints could acquire Shockey, they would add someone that would rearrange opposing defensive schemes just like Moss did for the Patriots. He isn’t a deep threat like Moss is, but in the Saints offense they don’t throw a lot deep downfield. Payton likes the short rhythm passes and this is where Shockey excels. If you are a defense and you have Marques Colston, Reggie Bush, a healthy Deuce McAllister and Shockey to defend against, that will leave you thinking quite a bit on how to slow that offense down. I have been involved with four NFL teams and three teams in the CFL and while I know the opinions about current NFL players and draft choices vary across the board on talent, the acquisition of Shockey by New Orleans would be huge and they haven’t had that sort of receiving talent at tight end on that team since maybe Henry Childs back in the late 1970’s.”

NFL analyst Mike Detillier is based in Raceland.