Reports Say Saints Still Want a Piece of Giants TE Shockey

The Giants and Saints worked hard to try and work out a deal on draft day for tight end Jeremy Shockey, and even though it didn’t happen, reports from the New Orleans Times-Picayune today says the deal may still be worked out.  Jimmy Smith wrote today that Saints coach Sean Payton would love to have Shcokey in his offense, and that he is still the main force trying to get the Saints to make a deal with the Super Bowl Champs for Shockey’s services.

Shockey is not due to break the bank this season, making just $1.9 mil, so the Giants really don’t have any pressing need to get rid of him, unless New Orleans makes them a deal they feel is fair.  Plus if the Giants move Shockey, they would hurt their depth at the TE spot, as Kevin Boss would take over as the starter, leaving them with backups Jerome Collins, Darcy Johnson, and Michael Matthews.  The Giants are going to want a lot, it’s likely going to come down to just how bad the Saints truly want the brash TE.

Saints Select DT Sedrick Ellis With The Seventh Pick

Saints Select DT Sedrick Ellis With The Seventh Pick

Saints Move Up in First Round; Grab USC’s Ellis

The Pats moved their 7th pick of the draft to the Saints, and in a move that was expected, the Saints jumped right into the mix, grabbing USC DT Sedrick Ellis with that pick.  Ellis is a beast that some think is better than Glenn Dorsey, who went to the Chiefs two picks before Ellis.  Last season with USC he had 58 tackles in 13 games to go along with 12.5 tackles for losses and 8.5 sacks.  A great move by the Saints, and a guy who can be a playmaker in their defense, which needed to be upgraded.

Here is a scouting report on Ellis from NFLdraftcountdown.com

Strengths:
Very quick with a great first step…Very strong and powerful…A terrific pass rusher with the burst to close…Athletic with good speed…Instinctive…Sheds blocks well and is able to beat the double team…Is technically sound when it comes to using his hands and understanding leverage…Has a non-stop motor…Tough and a very hard worker with top-notch intangibles…Has experience at both tackle positions.

Weaknesses:
Doesn’t have the ideal height or bulk that you look for…Has some minor durability issues…Might have some trouble holding his ground at the point against massive blockers…Limited schematically and probably won’t be a perfect fit for every team.

Notes:
Could be a prototypical three-technique at the pro level…Redshirted in 2003 after breaking his left ankle and missed some time in ‘06 with a knee injury..Productive, disruptive force in the middle..A better prospect than Mike Patterson was in 2005.

Giants TE Shockey Set to Become a Saint?

One of the big questions of today’s draft is will Giants TE Jeremy Shockey be in blue at the day’s end?  I would at this point have to say - no.  Shockey is getting offered by the Giants to the Saints, who are offering a second-round pick and a sixth-round pick this year or a second-round pick and a fifth-rounder in 2009 for the loudmouth and often hurt TE.  Why would the Saints want Shockey?  Sean Peyton was with the Giants staff in Shockey’s first year, and he feels a change of scenery would do him good.

The Giants have had enough of Shockey’s mouth, attitude, and lack of production when he’s on the field.  Plus they have young and up and coming tight end Kevin Boss, who can easily lead the Giants TE position.  ESPN is reporting that the Saints only want to offer a number two pick, but that in the end, the deal will likely get done.  Shockey was hurt last season in a game vs the Redskins, and on the season had 57 catches with three TD’s.  Look for this deal to get done as the draft gets closer.

CB Glenn Marches In With Saints

14-year veteran CB Aaron Glenn signed with the New Orleans Saints last week. Glenn, who’s had experience starting for the Jets, Texans, Cowboys and Jaguars, will bring depth and another experienced defender to the Saints’ D. So far, the Saints have added MLBs Jonathon Vilma and Dan Morgan, CBs Randall Gay and Aaron Glenn, and DE Bob McCray.

New Orleans Saints On the Clock

Colston Says He’ll be 100 Percent in 08

Saints wide out Marques Coltson says he’ll be ready to go for training next month despite having arthroscopic surgery on the left knee that bothered him last season. The former Hofstra receiver is looking to come back strong in 2008 despite having a better 2nd season than his first, as he had 98 catches for 1202 yards and 11 scores last year, as compared to 70 catches for 1038 yards and 8 TD’s his rookie year.

“Unfortunately I’m a vet to the surgeries, so I know exactly what it takes. I’ve just got to be patient with it,” said Colston “I had a lot of irritation going on in there throughout the season. Now’s the time to clean it up and get healthy.”

After somewhat of a slow start, which was the case for many of the Saints, Coltson caught fire down the stretch, catching 28 balls his last four games, scoring five times. He had his biggest game in week 9 against the Jags at home when he pulled in 10 passes for 159 yards. He will be counted on to be a big part of the Siants attack in 2008, and having him as close to 100 percent as possible is a key to to the teams success.

Saints Offer Contract to FA Guard/Center Matt Lehr

The Tampa Tribune is reporting that the Saints have offered a deal to unrestricted free agent guard/center Matt Lehr to a contract. Last season Lehr didn’t start with the Buccaneers, but did appear in every game. He was a 5th round pick by the Cowboys back in 2001, and is 6-foot-2, 304 pounds. It’s being said that the Browns and Broncos both also showed interest in Lehr.

Bush Vows to be Better Prepared for 2008

Being a big-time NFL celeb, running back Reggie Bush is telling the media that he is going to commit himself more to his profession this year, and that he plans on spending a majority of the offseason training with his Saints teammates. “I feel like I’m maturing and I feel like that’s what it’s all about,” Bush said. “Maturing and learning. Going through life’s experiences and football, it’s the right thing to do is to be here and working out with my teammates. I’m going to be here as much as possible, as much as I can.”

Bush was on the run quite a bit in the offseason last year, not doing as much training, but instead going around doing commercials and flying across the country. This year is going to be different if you listen to what Bush says, and he says that the focus will be on the field, not making money off of it. It is something that pleases his coach, Sean Payton. “He plans on being involved in all of our offseason, which is encouraging and good,” Payton said. “I think it’s important for him, especially running backs the pounding they take, to be real diligent in the weight room. That’s his plans.”

The plans are for Bush to have a much better season than he did in 2007, when he had to take the brunt of the carries after Deuce McAllister went down. Bush ended the season with 581 yards and four touchdowns, but the 3.7 yards per carry average was well below what he and the Saints would like to see out of him.

Saints Re-Sign TE Johnson

The New Orleans Saints added depth to the tight end position when on Tuesday, according to the team’s website, they re-signed TE Eric Johnson to a one-year contract; as per custom, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.  Johnson played 14 games for the Saints last season, catching 48 passed for 378 yards and 2 touchdowns.  After spending his first 6 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, he was expendable as the team drafted Vernon Davis in the first round of the 2006 draft; he signed with New Orleans last March