tiggerpolice

With sixth-round pick Jason Jefferson in the fold, the Saints were continuing to negotiate with their other six draftees late last week.

The negotiations with tackle Jammal Brown, their first-round pick, and safety Josh Bullocks, a second-rounder, were only in the initial stages -- according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune -- and probably won't be completed until late July.

The lengths of the contracts are expected to be the same as past years with the top pick getting a five-year deal, the second-rounder a four-year contract and the rest receiving three-year deals.

The Saints were assigned a rookie pool of just more than $3.6 million to sign their draft picks. Once again, rookie contracts are being negotiated by various front-office personnel.

Senior football administrator Russ Ball worked Jefferson's deal and is negotiating the contracts for Brown and Bullocks, while General Manager Mickey Loomis is working on third-round pick Alfred Fincher.

Director of player personnel Rick Mueller is dealing with fourth-round pick Chase Lyman, who had knee surgery after being injured in a May minicamp, and fifth-rounder Adrian McPherson; and director of player development Ricky Porter has been assigned seventh-rounder Jimmy Verdon.

--Saints officials did not attend the workout of former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Peter Boulware on Thursday in Tallahassee, Fla.

The Saints have been looking for a veteran linebacker to add some depth at the position, but General Manager Mickey Loomis said Friday the team did not attend the one-hour workout.

--Former Saints coach Bum Phillips is recovering after undergoing triple surgery a week ago.

Phillips, the Saints' coach from 1981-85, experienced chest pains and went to a hospital, where a blockage in his heart was discovered.

"He was getting a little short of breath," Phillips' son, Wade, said. "He had a big blockage ... that was kind of slowing him down."

Phillips coached the Houston Oilers from 1975-80 and then was hired by the Saints in 1981. Since retiring late in the 1985 season, he has lived on his ranch in Texas.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"He looks great to me running around. Physically and athletically, he's doing a great job." -- Saints coach Jim Haslett on the spring workouts of oft-injured linebacking prospect Cie Grant.


http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/teams/report/NO/8652729

along

Loomis need to get long term deal done with our
proven good veteran.
If we was to lose Deuce, Bentliey and McKenzie
they damn AB basher will gave a field day bashing
AB.