saint5221

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They must of heard you after all Rusta, to bad the Skins did'nt bite.


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Saints News

Chase traded to Redskins

Saints deal away backup lineman for late draft pick


Thursday August 21, 2003


By Jeff Duncan
Staff writer


It didn't take a math expert to figure the Saints had one too many defensive tackles.

Four players had starting experience, and rookie Johnathan Sullivan was the team's first-round draft pick.

With the club expected to keep only four defensive tackles on the final 53-man roster, someone had to go.

Martin Chase discovered Wednesday afternoon that he was the odd man out. The Saints dealt the five-year veteran to Washington for a conditional seventh-round selection in the 2004 draft. The pick becomes a sixth-round selection if Chase is in 40 percent of the defensive plays this season.

"We have an abundance of defensive linemen," Saints coach Jim Haslett said. "Washington was courting a few linemen around the league. . . . We just felt it was a good opportunity for Martin to start, and it also alleviates a problem for us."

Chase is expected to contend for a starting spot in Washington. The Redskins were shopping for a defensive tackle after starter Brandon Noble suffered a season-ending knee injury this past weekend.

"It really hasn't sunk in yet," Chase said Wednesday afternoon after emptying his locker. "Being a part of this organization for the past three years has been great, and it's been a good opportunity for me. . . . I have an opportunity to start there. That's what you come into this league to do and make your dreams come true."

Chase played in 41 games and started four times during the past three seasons. In that time, he had 48 tackles and a sack, including a career-high 23 stops last season.

"Martin was a solid performer for us over the last three years, and this looks like a great opportunity for him," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said in a statement. "We put a priority on building through the draft, and picking up an extra draft choice in this situation made sense. As an organization, we wish Martin the best in Washington."

The deal completed three weeks of negotiations between the clubs. The Redskins initially sought Grady Jackson or Kenny Smith in an exchange for one of two reserve running backs, Kenny Watson or Ladell Betts, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. The Saints told the Redskins that Jackson and Smith were off limits and countered by asking for cornerback Fred Smoot, the Redskins' 2001 second-round pick.


It was the Saints' seventh trade since March 13. They acquired Todd Bouman, Tebucky Jones and Derrick Rodgers in deals with Minnesota, New England and Miami, respectively. They dealt Kyle Turley and Norman Hand to St. Louis and Seattle, respectively, and made a draft-day swap of first-round picks with Arizona.

The deal gives the Saints nine draft picks next season. The club has the St. Louis Rams' second-round pick from the Turley deal.