Danno

1. On a team with weak LB's, it appears our two best LB's are competing for the same spot. Why not pick one to play MLB and move the other to WLB or even SLB? That way we'd have our two best LB's on the field at the same time? Doesn't that seem logical?

2. If Jonathan Sillivan was a 4th round pick would he still be on this team?

3. Why was Donte Stallworth returning punts at practice the other day? Could it be that Michael Lewis is on the way out (trade or cut) and they want to cover all their bases just in case. What do Stecker, Stallworth, Craver, Henderson, Jenkins, Gardner and Pathon all have in common? They can all return kicks and/or punts pretty well.

4. Why did Haslett claim everyone's job is up for grabs except Deuce's? That appears to be playing favorites even if it is true. Is Deuce's psyche/ego too fragile to be called out?

5. Do Deveron Harper and Monty Montgomery have a better chance of making this club because they both can play CB and Safety? Will one of them take Steve Gleason's spot?

6. Lamont Hall is an excellent blocking TE and an excellent special teams player. If we keep him (4 TE's) we'll only keep 6 WR's. If Crowell has truly returned to form its a no-brainer he makes this team.
Who's the 6th WR? Michael Lewis, Talman Gardner, Derrick Lewis?
Or do we cut Hall and keep 7 WR's?

7. Is the 3rd RB battle truly just between Lamar Smith and Ki-Jana Carter? What about Ronnie Jenkins and Tavian Banks? Do they have a shot? How about Dan Curran as a RB?

8. Will this new turf we're getting this year give Carney the same problems he had last year.

9. If we keep 7 LB's, will Bockwaldt make the cut? Or will they keep the aging veteran Darren Smith?

10. If we keep 8 DL, who gets cut? I assume we'll keep 4 DE and 4 DT.
Last DE- Melvin Williams, Willie Whitehead, Tony Bryant?
Last DT- (assuming Leisle makes the team) Kenny Smith? Kendrick Allen? Howard Green?

ScottyRo

1. Don\'t confuse potential and results. Right now, our two best LBs are Rogers and Hodge. Grant and Watson may prove to be better in time, but right now they are still projects.

2. Yes, but only until the last round of cuts this year if he doesn\'t improve.

3. M. Lewis is on his way out and will be cut rather than traded (what\'s he really worth?) With the competition at WR being as good as it is, he has got to be a quality WR to remain on the team. Plus, his return skills seemed to diminish last season. That\'s likely a result of being less hungry than he was the previous year. All this adds up to him being cut.

4. Deuce is simply that far ahead of everyone else at his position. This isn\'t about head games...it is the simple and plain truth.

5. One of them may be kept over Gleason, but it will be because of special teams play rather than on position play.

6. I\'ll take D Lewis over M. Lewis and Gardner. Gardner would go back to the practice squad. I\'ll keep Hall over a 7th receiver with injury always seeming to be a problem for the Saints at TE.

7. Yes.

8. Yes and it\'ll cost us a game unless it is installed better than last year. It was much too soft last year. Hopefully, they\'ve had time to get it into shape now.

9. Bockwaldt will be on the practice squad regardless of keeping Smith or not.

10. Tony Bryant is gone unless Whitehead\'s injury doesn\'t heal well. Smith or Allen may be the other casualty if Green continues to play well. Probably cut Allen since Smith has more starting experience.

Memnoch_TP

4. In addition to being so far beyond his competition, I think saying Deuce\'s job was up for grabs would be both insulting to Deuce and blatantly hypocritical.

It\'s a message to Horn to reign in the attitude. It\'s a message to Brooks to shape up or ship out. Why would you want to send a message anything close to that to a guy who performs every week. No attitude, no ego, no disruptions, no off-field problems. He will play through a little pain without complaint, and play well at that. Tell him his job is up for grabs? No. Not unless our #2 back was Ladanian Thomlinson, or unless we had Duce instead of Deuce...

Plus, that would ring so hollow that every Sports show would have a clip of Haslett saying EVERYONE\'S job was up for grabs, and then laughing at him and daring him to start anyone but Deuce.

"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so." -- Douglas Adams.

dberce1

Memnoch:

Please do us one favor, and do not EVER compare Duce Staley to Deuce McAllister. They\'re not even close to being on the same level. Duce Staley is overrated, where as our Deuce is a

MANIMAL!!

no_cloning

1. Well said, ScottyRo
2. No idea
3. Look at news from other training camps. This time of year a lot of players try out as punt returners so you have a backup who at least has returned punts in training camp if the starter is injured.
4. a) Deuce is simply so much better than all our other RBs
b) Do you really believe there is a battle for the starting QB spot? Haslett just wanted to make a point that everyone better work hard in camp. However, some players have their startin spots locked up. Deuce, Aaron, Horn, Bentley and on the defensive side only Howard.
5. I don\'t think so.
6. We\'ll keep 6 WRs and 3 TEs.
7. Yes (to the first question).
8. Yes, but it may be handled a bit better. I don\'t know if I remember it correctly, but in the first game in the Dome after the new surface was put in, Carney told Haslett that he lost 5 yards because of it and Haslett still called on him to make a long field goal late in the game. The worst thing about it was that we didn\'t have any home field advantage, Carney kicked on it for the first time on game day.
So even if it creates problems for Carney, opposing kickers should have even more problems.
9. Both are toast.
10. I hope Whitehead recovers quickly.

WhoDat

Now why would you ask anyone else to straighten you out when I do it so often and so well?? :P

1. Yes, it does. I think the only LB who should feel even remotely confident about keeping his job is Rodgers and even he should be pushed to perform.

2. Yes, b/c his salary would be 5% of what it is now and he would be a \"project\" not expected to start right now. He\'s playing like a fourth round pick and being paid like a top 10 pick - if that doesn\'t get him fired nothing will.

3. Agreed - Lewis is a long shot to make the roster. Like I said before, it was one thing when he seemed fearless and was faster than any guy on the field. Now, with all the blazers we\'ve got he\'s not even considered really fast at his position. Their isn\'t a lot of room in the NFL for a 165 lbs. WR or a return man who doesn\'t want to get hit.

4. C\'mon Danno. That\'s like KC saying Holmes\' job is up for grabs, or SD saying Tomlinson could be unseated. You don\'t question a guy who could be league MVP.

5. Nope.

6. 3 TEs is my guess - and 6 WRs. We\'ll have so much talent at those spots it\'s all we\'ll need. At WR my guess right now is Horn, Stallworth, Pathon, Henderson, Crowell, D Lewis - Gardner will be PS. The rest are done.

7. I would think Tavian Banks has to have a real shot unless his knees are jello. The guy was real good in college, even if it was in Iowa. I like him, but I also thought Carter played real well when asked last season.

8. I hope not. No way to know, but if so, he better buy some himself, put it down in his back yard, and kick about 500 balls a night.

9. Smith stays - veteran leadership and the guy finds a way to be on the field. You\'re wondering if he\'ll make the team, I\'m wondering if he won\'t be a full time starter by midseason again.

10. Green at DT no question. I hope that Whitehead is OK. If he is, there is no question there either. The guy is a manchild. If he can\'t go, that\'s a tough one.

\"Excuses, excuses, excuses. That’s all anyone ever makes for the New Orleans Saints’ organization.\" - Eric Narcisse


\"Being a Saints fan is almost like being addicted to crack,\" he said.[i]\"You know you should stop, but you just can\'t.\"

GumboBC

Danno --

I really don\'t think you need me to point any of this out to you. but anyway....

Don\'t even entertain the idea that Sullivan is a bust. Now, he could be, but it\'s way premature to even think like that right now. It wouldn\'t surprise me if Sullivan had a monster year. At the same time, it wouldn\'t surprise me if he didn\'t.

Cie Grant and Watson are battling it out at MLB because that position is a CRITICAL one and we need the best one to step foward. I\'ll bet anything that Cie Grant wins that job. It\'s too risky not to try both because if the ONE didn\'t work out where would we be at the MLB position. There\'s success in numbers.

Now I\'m through with this. You already knew the answers before you asked the questions.

Pease!! Peace? Nah.........Pease!!

CheramieIII

1. I agree, the best should play.
2. No.
3. I think Lewis will make the roster as our return man, Gleason will be cut instead.
4. Cuz he\'s the Deuce.
5. Yes to both.
6. Keep four TE\'s (1 on the PS), D. Lewis takes the 6th WR spot.
7. 1 or 2 of these guys may make the PS.
8. I reserve judgement until he kicks on it first.
9. Smith makes it and Bockwoldt to the PS.
10. Bryant and Allen are gone, if everything that we know today remains the same.

vulture

Cie Grant wins the MLB job with Watson in on passing downs.