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Saints sign QB Jamie Martin


myhousekey
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I think this pretty much eliminates any chance of the Saints drafting Leinart and also probably marks the end of Boumans days once he gets beat out in camp.

 

The Saints signed veteran quarterback Jamie Martin on Thursday and also have shown interest in trading for Green Bay Packers receiver Javon Walker.

 

Walker, 27, came to New Orleans for a physical Thursday. The Packers, however, reportedly are very reluctant to trade the former Pro Bowl selection unless some team offers a deal they cannot refuse.

 

Walker, who has one year remaining on his contract, has demanded a trade this offseason and has threatened to retire if Green Bay doesn't let him play elsewhere. Until recently, the Packers refused his request, but this week they allowed him to meet with other teams.

 

Walker reportedly visited the Denver Broncos after leaving New Orleans.

 

"I don't think the odds are in favor of (a trade)," Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on Thursday. "We're just following up on some things. I don't necessarily feel it will end up in anything. We're going through the process."

 

Walker, who played at St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette, is due $1.125 million this season after the Packers declined to rework his deal last summer. He has since switched agents from Drew Rosenhaus to Kennard McGuire.

 

Following those well-publicized negotiations, Walker tore the ACL in his right knee in Week 1 and missed the entire season. He is expected to be healthy by training camp.

 

The Packers reportedly would not settle for anything less than a first-round pick in a trade for Walker. Perhaps they would consider the Saints' second-round pick, (No. 34 overall), but it also is possible the teams would discuss a combination of picks and players.

 

The Saints reportedly have discussed the possibility of trading fifth-year receiver Donté Stallworth, who also is scheduled to be a free agent after this season. Their interest in Walker might be tied to those efforts.

 

Stallworth, 25, and Walker were first-round picks in the 2002 draft. Stallworth was the 13th pick out of Tennessee, and Walker was the 20th pick out of Florida State.

 

Both have shown flashes, but Walker had the best individual season in 2004, when he caught 89 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl.

 

Last season, Stallworth had his best season, catching 70 passes for 945 yards and seven touchdowns.

 

The Saints signed Martin to a two-year deal to compete with Todd Bouman and Adrian McPherson for the backup quarterback job.

 

The Saints were interested in adding another veteran quarterback to the mix, with starter Drew Brees recovering from shoulder surgery performed in January. If Brees is not fully healthy by the start of the season, Martin might be competing for the role of opening-day starter.

 

Martin, 36, started five games for the St. Louis Rams last season after starting one game in his first 11 seasons as a journeyman backup. He compiled a 4-1 record in the role and finished last season with 1,277 yards, five touchdowns, seven interceptions and a completion percentage of 70.1.

 

"I think the Saints, from their perspective, liked that experience," said Martin's agent, Thomas Mills.

 

Martin signed with the Saints for a little more than the league minimum. He previously had visited the Cincinnati Bengals and Seattle Seahawks but took his time trying to find the right fit, Mills said.

 

"He just had a really good meeting with Sean Payton and the assistant coaches and just feels like it's going to be a good place for him to make the squad," Mills said. "He got a commitment from the Saints, and he feels like he's going to get a real fair chance, and he's excited about it."

 

The Saints also brought in free agent defensive tackle Jason Fisk, 6 feet 3, 300 pounds. Fisk started 14 games for the Cleveland Browns last season.

Edited by myhousekey
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