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New Orleans Saints rounding up undrafted free agents
By James Varney, The Times-Picayune

April 26, 2010,

The New Orleans Saints continued to piece together their undrafted free-agent roster Sunday, striking deals with at least five more players, according to various reports.


The team will not comment on undrafted free agents until contracts are finalized, a process usually completed in the first few days after the draft. Coach Sean Payton said he expects more than a dozen undrafted free agents to receive either a contract offer or an invitation to the team's rookie camp, which will be held May 7-9.

As soon as the draft finished Saturday, the parking lot at the Saints complex in Metairie turned into a sort of impromptu commodities trading floor as officials filed out of the building talking to various players on cell phones. Ever since the draft was trimmed to seven rounds, the undrafted market has been mined more thoroughly, and the Saints begin talking to various players they bring in for visits prior to the draft, developing relationships the team hopes to cash in on when it looks for free agents.

On Sunday, reports said Jackson State cornerback Marcell Young, 5 feet 11, 184; Vanderbilt safety Ryan Hamilton, 6 feet 1, 206; East Carolina defensive tackle Jay Ross, 6 feet 3, 313 and Washington State running back Chris Ivory, 6 feet 1, 225, were all said to have agreed to deals with the Saints. It was not clear if contracts had been offered or signed.
In the case of LSU wide receiver Chris Mitchell, his agent confirmed an invitation to Saints rookie camp had been extended, but no contract has been signed.

These players come on the heels of Saturday night developments that reportedly saw LSU safety/linebacker Harry Coleman, TCU long snapper Clint Gresham, Stillman defensive end Junior Galette, UNLV outside linebacker Jason Beauchamp, Stanford defensive tackle Ekom Udofia and Texas Tech offensive lineman Brandon Carter enter the Saints picture. In a post-draft analysis Sunday on ESPN, Mel Kiper Jr. named Greshman one of his five best undrafted players.

Unless academic conflicts arise, these players are expected to join the Saints' six draft picks at rookie camp. Payton said the team is also trying to find a veteran quarterback to add to the mix, and because a running back has not been landed through free agency or the draft, several will get a look as the team seeks a player to pick up the carries handled last year by Mike Bell. A restricted free agent, Bell signed in the offseason with the Philadelphia Eagles.

New Orleans Saints rounding up undrafted free agents | - NOLA.com

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Ashley

Nice, let's hope some of these guys can make it. Who Dat !

Rugby Saint II

I'm a lot more excited about our UDFA's than our draft picks. It's kind of like looking for gold on the beach with a metal finder..........you know there's not much there but if it is you'll find it.

Pete

Coleman was a play maker! Hopefully he can make the transition!