The Saints have signed fullback Zak Keasey to a one-year contract. Keasey, 6 foot, 237 pounds, didn’t play in 2009, but was with the 49’s from 2006-2008 and the Redskins in 2006. Veteran Saints fullback Heath Evans went out last season with a torn ACL and the team signed Kyle Eckel, who didn’t last the season either.
The Times-Picayune reports today that the Saints have offered a second-round tender to OT Jermon Bushrod:
The New Orleans Saints have offered a second-round tender to restricted free agent offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod, according to his agent Richard Rosa. By making the qualifying offer of one year and $1.684 million, the Saints will have the right to match any deal Bushrod might sign with another team. And if they choose to let him sign with another team, they would receive a second-round draft pick as compensation.
Of the many free agents that the New Orleans Saints have going into the off-season, running-back Pierre Thomas is one of them. It is always tough making decisions when you’re the Super Bowl winner and you have to choose who goes and who stays.
Other key players that are entering the free agency for the Saints are: Will Smith, Mike Bell, Darren Sharper, Scott Fujita, Jahri Evans, and Roman Harper. Thomas has become the Saints featured back in the last two years and many are asking if the star will return. Many like Thomas’ ability to break tackles and make plays in the open field using his blockers well.
Since he’s coming from the team that won Super Bowl XLIV, Pierre will likely get offers but he is a restriced agent. This means that if Thomas does decide to go with a new team, the Saints franchise gets a chance to counter-offer in hopes of keeping the player.
The question, though, is; should the Saint keep Pierre Thomas? This year, Thomas started in his most games as a Saint, got more touches, and yards. The back missed a few games due to injuries but had a career-high 793 yards (5.4 a pop) on 147 attempts.
In his best season Thomas didn’t have as many touchdowns this year (8, including receiving) as last season (12, including receiving). So, are the Saints more worried about keeping other players than Thomas or will the back stay. Other top running backs that hit the free agency in 2010 are: Leon Washington, Chester Taylor, Ronnie Brown, and Willie Parker. Something people may or may not have noticed is that Thomas handles and controls the ball well. In the 2009 season, Pierre Thomas fumbled the ball twice and lost only one fumble.
Personally, I think the running-back will stay. Thomas really is great through the tackles, and he is only in his third season. Especially since he is now becoming more featured this past season as compared to 2007 where he only had 52 snaps. Thomas is also great as a receiver and does a beautiful job following his blocks on a simple screen. Although Pierre Thomas will be at looked by other teams, there is no reason that Loomis shouldn’t counter-offer and keep the back for at least 2 more seasons.
7. @ Miami Dolphins: W 46-34
Who Dat? Well, the Dolphins came pretty close. In the first half of play, the Saints almost went into the locker-room down 24-3, but a literal last second QB sneak ended the second quarter 24-10. It was the first time the Saints had to play from behind all season! How would they handle it? Well, Drew Dat was picked off three times but Captain Henne had a worse day as two of his passes were intercepted and brought to the house. Yep, the Black and Gold bruising defense played another great game. The Saints opened the second half with Darren Sharper getting his third pick-six for 42 yards. Brees had 298 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions. Bell was the hot Saints rusher with 12 touches for 80 yards, and Shockey was the big receiver with 105 yards. The Saints outscored the ‘Fins 36-10 (23-0 in the final quarter) in the second half as the game was wrapped up by Tracy Porter taking a pick for 6 points and 54 yards. So, the Saints fell 21 points at one point and still won by 12. Wow, are these guys real Saints?
8. Atlanta Falcons: W 35-27
Ah, the Saints first division game on Monday Night Football (Are you ready for some football!!). These games are always those anybody can win kind of situations. So, how would the Saints hold the 4-2 Falcons who don’t want to fall too far behind in the division race? Drew finally broke 300 yards again and threw for 2 touchdowns. The aggressive Saints defense intercepted Matt Ryan three times and Jabari Greer took his first interception 48 yards to the house with less than one minute to play in the second half. Pierre Thomas had 98 yards on the ground with 1 touchdown and Colston had 85 yards receiving with 1 touchdown as well. The Saints played a sloppy second half but still overcame the Falcons and improved to 7-0 matching the previous record of the undefeated streak.
9. Carolina Panthers: W 30-20
The 3-5 Panthers come to New Orleans to take on the undefeated Saints. The Saints played their second straight division game against a less than average Panthers club. Second play from scrimmage, Williams could go all the way! 66 yards to the end zone and the Panther are up 7 really early. The Panthers played their hearts out as the first half ended 17-6! The Saints didn’t even score a touchdown (first time this season). Brees threw for 330 yards with an upsetting interception in the red zone. His big target was Meachem who had 98 yards and a touchdown. The Saints defense also picked up a touchdown on a fumble recovery for their third straight game. Thomas only gained 50 yards on the ground with 1 touchdown as the Black and Gold rallied a 24-3 second half comeback against Carolina.
10. @ St. Louis Rams: W 28-23
What! The 1-8 Rams give the Saints their closest game so far! Do the Saints need to get things back together? Drew Brees was picked off twice as he only threw for 223 yards with 2 touchdowns. Reggie Bush gained 83 yards on 6 touches with one touchdown and another receiving touchdown. Courtney Roby got the Saints their first kickoff return of the season as he opened the second half. The win was the Saints closest margin of victory and not by double digits.
11. @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: W 38-7
There it is! The Saints play their first away division game and give the Bucs quite a beating. In the Saints largest margin of victory this season, Drew Brees didn’t throw for 200 yards but he did get 3 touchdowns. Colston caught 5 passes for 74 yards and Thomas picked up 92 yards on the ground while Bell got 2 touchdowns. Freeman fumbled and was intercepted 3 times by the Saints defense as the old Black and Gold get to 10-0. The last NFC team to go 10-0 was the 91’ Redskins and the Saints also matched the longest win streak franchise record.
12. New England Patriots: W 38-17
Many wondered how Brees and Company could handle the Brady Bunch. After a big win last week, so many analysts and pundits doubted the Saints could handle one of the biggest games of their season. What made it worse was that it was Monday Night Football. The Saints had no problems as the main man, Drew Dat Brees, threw for 5 touchdowns, no interceptions, and 371 yards (a near perfect QB rating)! Brady was stuffed. He threw no touchdowns and was picked off twice (McKenzie and Sharper). Colston had 121 yards and Henderson had 116 yards receiving. The big highlight was the blown coverage on Henderson who took a pass 75 yards to the house with no one within 20 yards of him. What a great night as the Patriots rest starters in the fourth quarter and the Saints go to 11-0!
13. @ Washington Redskins- W 33-30 (OT)
“Whew Dat!” was the headline as the New Orleans escape a loss in D.C. The Redskins played their best football of the year against the Saints, but miraculously the Saints go to 12-0. It seemed that the Black and Gold would easily get their first loss as they trailed by 7 points, and Suisham was getting set-up to kick one from 23 yards to have the Redskins up 33-23 with less than 2 minutes to play. He missed it and the Saints would get their miracle drive! Robert Meachem was the Saints star of the game with an interesting play and 142 yards receiving. With time running out in the second half, Brees launched the ball and it was intercepted, but then Meachem stripped it and took it 44 yards to the house. Meachem also caught the touchdown pass that tied the game 30-30 for 53 yards. After a controversial Redskins fumble, the Saints would get the ball and Hartley would kick an 18 yard field-goal to win in OT. The Saints clinched the NFC South and Shaun Suisham was fired.
The Times-Picayune says today that Darren Sharper thinks he will be back with the champion Saints in 2010:
Free safety Darren Sharper, who’ll be one of the Saints’ nine unrestricted free agents, said he expects to return to the Saints next season. While it has been widely speculated that the Saints will use the franchise tag on Sharper, the safety said he prefers a multi-year contract. If the Saints use the franchise tag, he’ll be guaranteed about $6.455 million for the season before becoming an unrestricted free agent again in 2011. “I would want a longer-term deal, ” Sharper said. “I hope both sides can reach a deal. If I have anything to say, I definitely want to come back. I don’t want to spoil my fans because they have got a lot of great fans in New Orleans. So hopefully, I can get back for a couple more years to keep doing the Sharper Shake for them.”
ProFootballTalk.com reports today that it appears more and more that the Saints will franchise safety Darren Sharper:
We pointed out yesterday, tongue partially in cheek, the existence of a conflict between two of the many ESPN employees who report on all things NFL regarding whether the Saints will apply the franchise tag to safety Darren Sharper.
Len Pasquarelli says they won’t, and Adam Schefter says they might.
Now, Steve Wyche of NFL.com (one of the truly great guys we met during Super Bowl week) resolves the dispute.
Wyche said on Monday night’s edition of NFL Network’s Total Access (here’s the video, via NFL.com) that the Saints will apply the franchise tag to Sharper.
It means that Sharper will be tendered a one-year contract with a guaranteed salary of $6.445 million, if/when he accepts the franchise tender.
I’ve helped make football trivia game called Red Zone for iPhone or iPod Touch! It’s called Red Zone. They are available in Apple’s AppStore (in 77 countries world-wide). Just follow the links for the New Orleans Saints or Indianapolis Colts. Please buy them and rate them 5 stars! The game will be updated in a couple weeks with questions from this year’s Super Bowl. Thanks!
Indianapolis Colts:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/red-zone-ind-colts-trivia/id352608362?mt=8
Saints:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/red-zone-no-saints-trivia/id352607341?mt=8
1. Detroit Lions: W 45-27
Drew Brees and Company started the season hot as they played a great game in their opener at the Superdome. Drew threw six touchdowns and passed for over 350 yards. Although Shockey caught two touchdown passes, Devery Henderson was the hot receiver with five catches for 103 yards, and Mike Bell was the big runner with a career-high 143 yards. Sharper picked off Stafford twice as the Saints rolled through game number one.
2. @ Philadelphia Eagles: W 48-22
Many people wondered what kind of away team the Saints would be this year. Last season, the Saints lost nearly every away game and Philly wasn’t exactly an easy road test. The Black and Gold received an A+ and all of a sudden became a team to watch. Drew threw another 300 yard game and got three more touchdowns added to his season total of 9. Colston picked up 98 yards on 9 catches and Bell rushed for 86 yards in the big defeat over the Eagles. Darren Sharper got another interception that he brought 97 yards to the house.
3. @ Buffalo Bills: W 27-7
Whoa, hold on! The Saints can play defense too? Yeah the Bills have a sorry offense but their only touchdown was on a fake field-goal. With four sacks, a fumble, an interception, and Terrell Owens playing a catch-less game, the Saints defense was stout, and defense wins championships as the Saints roll through their second straight away game. Drew Brees didn’t even throw a touchdown and didn’t even hit 200 yards after his amazing first two games. On the plus side, Pierre Thomas made his debut with 2 touchdowns and 126 yards all gained in the second-half.
4. New York Jets: W 24-10
Drew plays another bad game, but the new, aggressive Black and Gold defense eats rookie Mark Sanchez alive. 2 of the Saints 3 touchdowns came from a fumble recovery and Sharper taking another one to payday for 99 yards. The fumble recovery came from an aggressive hit to Sanchez in the end zone. Pierre Thomas was the Saints’ number one receiver and rusher with 132 total yards.
5. Bye Week
Will the Payton’s new strategy of just giving the players the bye-week off work?
6. New York Giants: W 48-27
Yes! The Saints beat the daylight out of the 5-0 Giants and the Saints big, powerful offense is back as they put 493 total yards on the Giants’ defense. Brees gets back into his swing, tossing 4 touchdowns and breaking his streak of two games without one. Colston was the games top receiver with 166 yards. The Saints still haven’t trailed this year and have beaten every opponent by 14 points or more. Are the Saints the new elite team? Will they be this year’s champions?
The Saints first six weeks proved to Louisiana and the country that the Saints are a new team. They proved that they have a powerful, aggressive defense that can make huge plays and score points. How much longer can the 5-0 Saints keep this up?
Rachel Nichols on the devastation still affecting the Lower 9th Ward.
Could Charles Grant be on his way out of New Orleans if he doesn’t take a pay cut? It could happen:
Defensive End Charles Grant is the one starter who might be released by the Saints unless he agrees to a pay cut. Grant, 31, is coming off a second major triceps injury in two years. His production has declined recently and his base salary is scheduled to jump to $4 million this year.
