Not so free agents

The following are free agents that the Saints re-signed this year

• Jonathan Goodwin
• Martin Gramatica
• Devery Henderson
• David Patten
• Mark Simoneau
• Aaron Stecker
• Brian Young

Fantastic retention rate.  The only one I have questions about is Devery, and we just need to get him some firm-grip.

The following are unsigned free agents that played for the Saints last year

• Jay Bellamy
• Steve Gleason
• Eric Johnson
• Jamie Martin
• Billy Miller
• Fred Thomas
• Renaldo Wynn

On this list, I think Wynn is toast with the signing of Bobby McCray of the Jaguars.  Bellamy is probably gone, as is Jamie Martin.  Fred Thomas may cost too much to be a nickel back.  Billy Miller is worth another one year contract.  I hope that Gleason makes the team...I really do.

New signings: Randall Gay - CB from the Patriots/LSU.  Unlike Jason David, Gay will make a difference positive difference.  Bobby McCray, a 6'6" DE from Jacksonville, may have Charles Grant looking for a job next year.  Will Smith, Pierre, and Colston will get long term contracts before next year.  Also, expect a new backup QB -- Trent Green is trying out, and as long as he knows his role, I'm fine with that.

I say we bring in Morten and Carney and have them duke it out with Gramatica.  Last man with 4 working ligaments per knee wins.   

Comments

[jeffrey]

So far I like what's happening with the defense. McCray will help and I really really like Wilma... provided he's back to full speed and Fred doesn't get too jealous.

The secondary will need help... especially with McKenzie a question mark. And I'm not sure Blue Gay is the answer there. Look for a high draft pick or two to be spent on DBs

Still... I think we need another running back... and McFadden is slipping.

Oh and Matt Forte is going to be a stud.

Too bad Reggie bush is bupkis as trade bait.

[ashley]

Another running back?

Here's what I think will happen: Coach finally realizes, after getting burned by Devon Hester, that it is very important to have a good PR/KR. This is the only thing Reggie Bush is good at, and expect him to return every punt, every kickoff.

Bush will be a flanker, used every 3rd down or so, with a drastically simplified playbook for him.

With the emergence of Pierre, expect to see a rotation of the 3 RBs: Dulymus, Frenchie, and Steck, with appearances by Karney when necessary. We're fine at RB. We need a 3rd WR or a TE with hands.

[GW]

Gonna have to go ahead and disagree just a bit, Dr. Morris.

The Return of Dulymus, unfortunately, I don't think is necessarily a foregone conclusion. I mean if there's one guy, just one guy, who deserves not to be given the "it's just business" treatment, it's #26 in the program, #1 in our hearts. But at the end of the day, you have to figure that in the NFL, there ISN'T one guy considered deserving of that treatment. Not even one.

I also think The Old Man might have something to say about giving up the Reggie-as-Gale-Sayers Dream just yet.

I'd love to have Forte on this team, but if he goes anywhere near where he's supposed to go, I think he'll be long gone before the Saints could justify a RB. Let alone McFadden, sorry jeffrey.

I've got a big problem with the apparent categoric dismissal by the masses of Eric Johnson. Nothing against Billy Miller, who's fine I guess, or everybody's flavor of the week, Ben Troupe. If it shakes down that way, I'm fine. But Eric Johnson is better than either of 'em, yet for some reason you can't shoot off a cannon without hitting somebody who thinks he sucks and has no place on this team.

I'm fine with Trent Green over Jamie Martin, and I'm definitely fine with bringing in any kicker not named Marteen. Or several. It boggles the mind how much false cred Marteen bought himself with a handful of kicks and not being Orlando Mary. I think the Saints need to draft a kicker late. Art Carmody or Alexis Serna.

Love the idea of putting Little Superstar on full-time KR/PR duty. Assuming they don't draft a DB who's better at it (Antoine Cason?)

[jeffrey]

I think you can never have enough good young playmakers in the bakfield. And while we all love Deuce he might be finished medically. And since Bush is the most craptastic Saint since Steve Walsh, that leaves the solid Stecker and the young Frenchy. They need another guy.

I think Miller outplayed Johnson last year. Top-of-the-line TEs are hard to find, though.

[ashley]

Hey now, I thought that "Cliffs of Dover" was a fine song, but that doesn't mean Eric Johnson is an afterthought. Billy Miller is going to be cheaper than EJ, and I'd certainly like to keep them both.

However, I still remember Johnson's stone-handed drop in the end zone. Deveryesque.

I know that it isn't a foregone conclusion that Dulymus will return, but I don't think his pride would allow him to come back unless he knew he could still do it. So I think the running back by committee can work this year, assuming Forte isn't available. Just think about those draft picks we blew on Pittmon last year.

Frenchy and Steck reminded me of the glory days of Mayes and Hilliard. I have no problem reliving that part of my past.

[jeffrey]

Frenchy runs a bit like Hilliard