JOESAM2002

Saints corners get job done

Despite no stars, unit among best



By SHELDON MICKLES
smickles@theadvocate.com
Advocate sportswriter



METAIRIE -- After years of being picked on by opposing quarterbacks and ridiculed by media and fans, the New Orleans Saints' cornerbacks are carrying a large chip on their shoulders this summer.
All they heard during the offseason was how the Saints were in need of a shutdown cornerback to insert into the lineup. But most of the top-notch free agents were not available or extremely pricey, and the best collegians were long gone by the time the Saints made the 18th pick in the first round.

Through it all, Fred Thomas, Ashley Ambrose, Fakhir Brown and Jason Craft had to be wondering what the fuss was about. But instead of worrying about what was being said and written, they worked at becoming a cohesive and productive part of the defense.

Collectively, they're turning heads as the Saints wrap up their second week of training camp and prepare for Friday night's exhibition opener with the New York Jets in the Superdome.

"We're just a group of guys out there," said Thomas, a nine-year veteran who is considered the team's top cover corner. "We don't have a lot of big names and we're not the kind of cornerbacks the fans come to see. But we go out and work hard and do what it takes to win."

Yet, anonymity seems to suit this bunch just fine. Thomas, Ambrose and Brown were all part of a defense that ranked eighth out of 32 teams against the pass a year ago. Craft, whom the Saints tried to sign as a restricted free agent three years ago, came to the team from the Jacksonville Jaguars this spring in a trade for a fifth-round draft choice.

"I feel like we have to go out and make a point every day," said Thomas. "That's my chip. It doesn't bother me at all. I'm not complaining because I'm just a guy who wants to come in and help get us over the hump."

Which is just what secondary coach Greg Brown, who is in charge of the cornerbacks, wants to hear after all the talk about going out and getting a cornerback this spring.

"To their credit, these guys have all taken a professional attitude about it," Brown said. "They know that kind of talk is always going to be part of the game. They hear that we're going to go out and get this guy or that guy, but they deal with it."

And, according to coach Jim Haslett, they're dealing with it nicely after 16 training camp practices.

"All four of them are doing a nice job," he said. "If you had to sit down and rate them one through four, the coaches would come up with a different order every time.

"Fred and Ashley are starting now, but Fakhir is pushing the envelope to start and Jason is doing a good job. They're all putting their hands on the ball and making plays."

The cornerbacks believe their play this summer is a carryover from last season when they allowed just 187.1 yards per game. Thomas, who had a career-high five interceptions in 2002, led the team again last season with four while Ambrose came up with three.

But it never seems to be enough.

"Nobody is ever satisfied," Ambrose said. "For us to finish eighth in the league against the pass, that's a tremendous feat. But we're not worried about the criticism because we know what we're capable of."

"I know everybody is on us about our corners, but I like our cornerbacks," Haslett said. "Everyone says you don't have a Champ Bailey. (But) we've got four quality corners, and the good thing is they all play all positions."

Thomas and Ambrose, who have a combined 20 years in the league, are clearly the leaders of the group although Brown, who could have become a free agent this spring, has come on strong the past couple of years.

"Ashley is like a master technician," said Brown. "He's extremely smart and he reads the receiver's body language. Those are the kinds of things that put him in position to make plays.

"Fred is a lot like Ashley, they're survivors," he said. "He's one of the top tacklers in the league at the position and guys don't usually get away from him. It was great to seem him play at a high level last year."

But how they play as a group is what matters most to Brown. The two who don't start will be heavily involved in the nickel and dime alignments, which means he's counting on all of them.

"Those corners are a special breed, they're out there on an island play in and play out," Brown said. "It takes a special kind of person to play there and we like the ones we've got. They all bring something to the table."