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DOn't draft a cornerback

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Saints cornerback wants to get back
Posted By: Presto253 | Apr 7 2005, 12:58 PM

NEW ORLEANS -- When the New Orleans Saints signed Fred Thomas as a free agent back in 2000, they thought they were getting a solid nickel cornerback and a good backup player.

Then Thomas got a taste of starting and he and the Saints both liked him in that role.

Now Thomas is determined to show that the starting spot is still his.

"I feel like I shortchanged this team and my teammates last year," Thomas said on Tuesday. "It's one of those season's you have to bounce back from. One of those years you want to show isn't typical for you."

Thomas only played in 15 games last season and started seven. The year before he had 14 starts and played in every game. He also had a career-high 99 tackles and a team-leading four interceptions in 2003, compared to 52 tackles and no interceptions last season.

"Anybody who knows me knows that was not what you should expect from me," Thomas said.

Personal problems, that Thomas still wants to keep personal, plagued him all of last season.

He also had some nagging injuries that he downplayed during the season. The worst was an injured right foot that was a problem from the second game of the preseason. The injury, to his toes, the ball of the foot and his ankle, left him hobbled all year.

"There were certain times I was limping during games," Thomas said. "And I play on my toes, so it hurt me when I set or cut. I tried to compensate for it, but sometimes it put me in bad positions."

Opposing players were able to take advantage of him at times, Thomas admits.

"Receivers would get a step on me and I couldn't open up the way I wanted on them," he said.

That's why Thomas greets the dawn at Saints camp these days. He's heavily involved in the offseason conditioning program and in rehabilitating his injured foot.

"I haven't missed a day, haven't missed a single work out," Thomas said. "Being a 10-year veteran you'd think I don't have to prove anything. But I know that's not the case. I know I have to prove everything all over again this year."

By 9:30 every morning Thomas has gone through the workout the Saints designed for him, running, lifting weights, and concentrating on his injury.

Thomas' foot and ankle have not completely recovered, but he believes they will before the season. Everyday he does a series of drills aimed at returning the foot and ankle to health.

"I stretch the muscles, pick up things with my toes, things to make it stronger and more flexible," Thomas said.

Optimism this time of year is easy to come by, Thomas acknowledged. You have to have it to play football, he said. It makes the struggle to recover, to rebuild your body and your team worthwhile.

"If you didn't come in with the idea you were going to the Super Bowl you'd never get through the work," Thomas said. "You sure wouldn't be able to be a contender if you didn't have that faith."

Thomas also believes he is hedging his bets with his offseason work.

"I think this year, you'll see a very, very improved Fred Thomas," he said. "I'm sure of that."

from another forum..not sure where they linked it from..but I think that thomas, brown, mm, and craft will be more than competent if we upgrade the talent in front of them.

DOn't draft a cornerback

Aghhh....I love Fred Thomas\'s spirit, but the fact is that he was playing so far over his head for us the past couple of years before 2004. He\'s done in my opinion. I have a gut feeling that the Saints really want C-Wood, but are just playing hard to get. I concur that we shouldn\'t use a first day pick on a CB UNLESS

A. We don\'t get C-Wood

B. Antrel Rolle or Pac-Man drops to us(maybe Rogers).

DOn't draft a cornerback

Dont know what games you were watching but FT looked killer to me, (the 3 years before last year). He was our best DB before we got MM. I hope he returns to form (if so he will be #2 cb), but i would take a cb somewhere because we will need one for the future. ( or injury )

DOn't draft a cornerback

I like FT and we CANNOT afford Woodson, it wont happen

DOn't draft a cornerback

Nice find Baron. That was an interesting report.

I wish we could have the 2003 Freddie back. I agree that it is unlikely. However, it is too soon to say. Even if he does recover to form, he is not a CB of the future for us.

I think that Woodson or Buchannon would be upgrades, but only if we can afford them. I\'m pretty sure, as are most here at B&G, that we cannot afford Woodson. Also, I\'d still rather we get Dat.

DOn't draft a cornerback

I like Thomas, and I always have.

But....

I think he could provide more value to the team in a trade than he could as a nickle or a dime.

Why?

He\'s an older undersized corner recoving from a foot injury (I\'m not mentioning any broken arms). He\'s a fighter, and he\'s got experience and value. So let other teams gamble on the 5 foot 9 inch 32 year old return to form. It might well happen - they might be willing to give up a decent draft pick on that gamble. And I\'m willing to take that extra draft pick to draft a young 6\' inexperienced uninjured CB, as yet another gamble.

Just my viewpoint on it.

DOn't draft a cornerback

ok-but what kida pick do you think we could get for him-what I\'ve thought about is a trade to KC for scott Fujita straight up....

DOn't draft a cornerback

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Ummmm...I said he was playing far over his head, which means he was overachieving, which means he was playing better than he should have been. Yeah he was good but age and reality caught up to him. I\'d even say as a last resort, just cut him. His cap number doesn\'t justify his output, not by a longshot. Yeah he has heart and all, but people forget that this is a business, and you won\'t win in today\'s NFL unless you treat it like one. I can\'t see Thomas attracting any trade at all. He\'s old, undersized....what\'s his upside? He has hear? So do I but no team\'s gonna be calling me any time soon.

If it was impossible for Woodson to come here, I\'m sure the Saints wouldn\'t even be entertaining the idea. I think the Raiders have moved ahead of the Cowboys in the Darren Howard Sweepstakes, based on news and reading the Raiders boards.

Dat is the one that people need to realize isn\'t coming here. The team has outright said that it won\'t happen.

DOn't draft a cornerback

Quote:

ok-but what kida pick do you think we could get for him-what I\'ve thought about is a trade to KC for scott Fujita straight up....

I honestly don\'t know what teams might be willing to offer. But I\'m curious. I do know that Philly was interested in him last offseason (and they seem to gauge talent pretty well, I\'d think), so I think there\'s a chance someone might gamble on him.

Dont\' forget that he\'s also contracted to make over two million this year - that\'s oo much for a nickel or a dime. So something needs to be done.

A trade might be worth looking into.

DOn't draft a cornerback

we would\'nt get hardly nothing out of him . O.K. golden tomb sorry i miss understood. And, i dont think he is the future but i think we can get another good 2 years out of him. (cmon guys his mom was sick that was prob why he did\'nt play good last year) that would mess with anybody. I about guarentee he wont be gone this year, he\'s worked hard for us and has earned another chance. ( he was our best DB for 4 years even that year with the big Q-Tip on his hand.