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Saints Team Report

Jeff Duncan /

Key role

The hiring of defensive line coach John Pease should have an immediate effect on the club's young linemen. The club has invested two No. 1 draft picks, Charles Grant and Johnathan Sullivan, and a second-round pick, Darren Howard, on linemen in the past four drafts, and the line hasn't lived up to its potential. Pease is regarded as a no-nonsense, high-energy coach with excellent teaching skills. He'll try to light a fire under Sullivan and Grant. The team is expected to make a strong attempt to sign Bucs free-agent RB Aaron Stecker. The Saints want a young player with speed and special teams ability backing up Deuce McAllister, and Stecker is a perfect fit.

Work to do

Along with Sullivan and Grant, OT Jon Stinchcomb will receive extra scrutiny in the offseason program. Stinchcomb has excellent fundamentals and is smart, but he needs to gain strength and agility to develop into a starting tackle. Coach Jim Haslett wants to hire a speed and conditioning specialist to work with the younger players, in particular WR Donte' Stallworth, on avoiding the pulls and strains that bothered several players this past season.