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Saints IDP report


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I liked Darin's format so I borrowed it from him. Hope y'all enjoy. If you have any questions regarding particular players or info let me know & I'll try to add it in.

*updated 6/1/05*

Hot n' Not

 

Since we're still in the off-season, I'll use this section to give a brief rundown of which Saints IDP's you should be targeting in your upcoming IDP drafts. Feel free to offer your comments.

 

Linebackers – The Saints starting linebackers are still far from being decided. The official depth chart still lists Derrick Rodgers at WLB, Courtney Watson at MLB and James Allen at SLB even though toward the end of the season most knew that wasn’t the case. This year going into camp it’s obvious to most that they will keep Watson and Allen at their respective positions for now, but knock Rodgers down a notch in favor of 2nd year player Colby Bockwoldt who played very well down the stretch at WLB. For the time being I see this as the starting lineup on day one, but to tell the truth I think all 3 positions could be up for grabs in camp and I believe it’s the Saints intent to put their best 3 LB’s on the field regardless of where they’re playing. I’ll take each one individually and try to break it down.

 

MLB – Watson obviously has a good hold on this position and rightfully so given his play last year. Where the problem comes in is Watson’s versatility. Watson can play all 3 LB positions & with the drafting of Alfred “Doberman” Fincher it could signal that the Saints would like to move him outside. In addition the Saints look to be very close to signing veteran MLB Ronald McKinnon. If they do it’s a possibility McKinnon could start right away in the middle and provide tutelage to young Fincher. The big question here is what to do with Watson in this case. As expected Orlando Ruff was a casualty of June 1st cuts.

 

WLB – Right now it’s believed the best options we have at WLB are Watson and Bockwoldt. If Watson plays the middle then Colby will definitely have the inside track to securing the WLB and will bring a tenacity the Saints have long missed at the position. If Watson does move outside I think he’d be better at this position, but unfortunately for IDP owners I don’t think they would move him here because of the Saints needs as well as the skill set of the other LB’s. The biggest competition here I believe will be from Levar Fisher. Fisher never really lived up to expectations while in ARZ, but he’s still better than Rodgers and if Colby shows his inexperience he could take the job. Another dark horse could be the oft injured, but extremely talented Cie Grant. The Saints are making an attempt to keep him healthy this year by moving him to WLB. This move should allow him to drop some weight & save some of the wear & tear on his body. If Grant can stay healthy it could spell the end for Derrick Rodgers in the Black & Gold and give them another competing WLB.

 

SLB – Here’s where the big questions lie. Last year the Saints tried just about everyone who could play this position and finally settled on Allen toward the end. Allen has always been a tease for the Saints showing great athletic ability but always ends up blowing it with either injuries or missed assignments. Sedrick Hodge is listed as the backup, but has shown that he cannot or will not push for the job. You also have Roger Knight who, unless depth dictates otherwise, looks like a cut as well. Outside of those three it could be anybody’s guess who mans this spot. If Watson moves outside he certainly would be the best for the position, but if the Saints can find a way to put him at WLB they will. It’s been rumored that Bockwoldt has been a regular in the weight room this offseason and has added some strength & bulk, which is why he wasn’t a fit there last year. It’s also been suggested that Fisher could be a candidate for the position as well. One more outside chance is undrafted rookie DE/LB Russel Rabe. Rabe holds a 4.6 time in the 40, logged 8 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and an interception as a senior as well as 29 sacks total. It's more likely though he’ll go to the practice squad. I think a lot of what happens at this position depends on if they can pick up a starting veteran & which position they will play.

 

Overall, given the current outlook the best scenario would be if they pick up McKinnon and play him in the middle with Fincher the future there backing him up, put Watson at WLB & Bockwoldt at SLB. The more likely scenario is Watson in the middle, Bockwoldt/Fisher at WLB & Allen/Hodge at SLB.

 

Fantasy Outlook – Your best bet in IDP leagues is Watson who is probably our best LB. Bockwoldt and Fisher are worth a flyer, but not much more until the WLB position is settled. In deeper leagues Fincher could end up being the best of the bunch, but it will be a year or two down the road. If McKinnon or another veteran LB is signed before training camp keep a close eye on the situation. The key is whom the Saints will end up with at SLB.

 

Defensive Line - The Saints arguably have the best set of DE’s in the league. After failing to pick up a LB via trade for Darren Howard the Saints decided to keep him for the season & utilize him in the same fashion as the end of last year. He and Charles Grant will continue to man the outsides with Will Smith rotating into both positions. The fun will be on obvious passing downs when Howard will be moved in as a rush DT :stealingaquotefromsarge: leaving Smith one-on-one with the OT to rush the QB. Playing in spot duty will be Tony Bryant who was a very nice surprise last year in Howard’s absence and could probably start for many teams as well and rookie Jimmy Verdon. Verdon, who is a great pass rusher but very weak against the run, will likely end up with the practice squad.

 

Inside it looks like for the time being you’ll see a similar rotation of players depending on the situation. Brian Young will be the only likely starter while Jonathan Sullivan will battle his gut for the other. Luckily for us it looks like Sullivan is doing all the right things this year. He’s reported to be working very hard & has already gotten his weight down. Still not at playing weight just yet, but should be ready and in shape, for once, when training camp opens. One thing of note with him is that he hasn’t been able to hit the weight room as much as you’d like due to a cut tendon on his hand. Rumor has gotten out that it was caused when Haslett swiped a cheeseburger from his hand just as he was about to take a bite.

 

Filling out the remainder of the DT rotation will be Howard Green, Rodney Leisle, Willie Whitehead and rookie Jason Jefferson. Green picked up the most time while Sullivan warmed the bench, playing fairly well. The player to watch though is Leisle, it’s been reported that he’s been a regular in the weight room this offseason and looks “lean & fit”. Whitehead may be past his prime & could get cut and the rookie is considered a long shot to make the final roster.

 

Fantasy Outlook – No secret here, Charles Grant is one of the top two DE’s in the league if not the no. 1. Darren Howard is no slouch either & should be around the middle of the top 10 with a full, healthy season under his belt. Smith, who looked like a future stud last year, will likely drop some production with Howard back full time. But, next year if Howard leaves for greener pastures then Smith will step right into his shoes. Sullivan could be a force in the middle, but I don’t think he is worth the risk unless you’re in a really deep league.

 

 

Defensive Backs – Last year the Saints had one of the worst backfield’s in the league. But, this year I think they’ll be much improved. Much like the LB position I believe all the positions could be up for grabs so I’ll break them down as I did the LB’s.

 

SS - Jay Bellamy returns as the starter at SS, but could finally give way to Mel Mitchell who was slated as the starter two years ago before tearing his ACL. Mitchell is a fantastic athlete and could take the job by the end of training camp. The coaching staff has been hush about this one, but I think they will give Mitchell every chance to win it.

 

FS – One of the biggest acquisitions this offseason was standout FS Dwight Smith. He will be replacing TeBaggy Jones and brings something in the middle that the Saints sorely missed last year…someone who can tackle. There is some question however if Smith will remain at the FS position. Smith, as some may have forgotten, can also play CB and may actually be better there than at FS. If that is the case then look for rookie Josh Bullocks to get the starting nod right away with special teams ace Steve Gleason backing him up.

 

CB – Returning at LCB this year will be Mike McKenzie. McKenzie last year turned out to be the shutdown corner the Saints have been looking for. The RCB position remains in question though. Last year’s eventual starter Fakhir Brown seems to have taken a page from the Rosenhaus book and has decided to hold out from camp for a new contract. He played well last year toward the end of the season, but not well enough to warrant a holdout. With looming contracts for McKenzie, Deuce & Bentley (3 of our premier players) don’t expect the Saints to budge one bit. Surprisingly enough, despite the others contract situations, Brown is the only holdout. If he does continue to hold out Jason Craft and Fred Thomas will likely battle it out for the RCB spot or as mentioned above, Smith could be moved over. For Smith owners it bears watching.

 

Fantasy Outlook – Dwight Smith, for now is the player to have in the Saints backfield. Last year Jones did very well for fantasy owners & that’s with very few interceptions and many missed tackles. Smith is a ball hawk & misses few tackles so you do the math. In the event he moves to CB his stock will drop quite a bit. Bellamy is also a good option at SS, but as stated watch Mitchell closely in camp. Both CB’s will be serviceable as backups on your squad, but neither should be considered a fantasy starter unless a CB is required.

 

 

Start / Bench

 

Charles Grant, Darren Howard & Dwight Smith…start them if you have them week-in-week-out.

 

The Infirmary

 

Jonathan Sullivan (hand) – Sullivan is currently hindered by a cut tendon on his left hand. It is expected to keep him off the weights for another few weeks although he is still training. It should have no affect on him for the season.

 

The Water Cooler

Edited by rajncajn
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Up-and-coming Bockwoldt getting stronger in offseason

"He's doing great," coach Jim Haslett said of Bockwoldt's offseason work. "He's a lot stronger than he was before he came in last year. It's not even close."

 

Strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson said Bockwoldt went from 232 pounds to 248 during the eight weeks of conditioning that preceded the coaching sessions that have taken place the last two weeks.

 

"Two pounds a week is about the upper limit as far as what you think a guy can put on in muscle weight," Gullickson said, "but his body fat went from 11 to 12 (percent). He didn't really change all that much so most of it was good weight.

 

"He's in his body-fat range, he's moving well, he's in good shape. He became much more explosive. I was really impressed with his lower body. He's very determined, very aggressive."

Fantasy Take - With the added weight it's looking more likely Bockwoldt is a likely candidate for SLB. Still, no word of affirmation on that from Saints camp so for now consider him the WLB. However, in the event he does move over look at Levar Fisher to step in on the weak side.

 

Also in an interview last week Haslett speculated that Cie Grant, one of the fastest players on our defense & a brutal hitter, may be moved to SS. Cie played several positions in college including both safety positions as well as LB & CB, so the question is not whether he can make the switch but if he can keep healthy enough to stay on the field. If moved he would compete with incumbent Jay Bellamy & Mel Mitchell. Grant IMO has the ability to supplant either one, but again, he has to stay healthy to do so.

Edited by rajncajn
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Saints | Ruff to be Released

Tue, 31 May 2005 23:15:45 -0700

 

Mike Triplett, of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, reports the New Orleans Saints are planning to release LB Orlando Ruff, according to head coach Jim Haslett. Ruff was in the final year of a three-year contract. After he is released, he will count $125,000 against the Saints' salary cap, one-third of the signing bonus he received in 2003. Ruff's release had more to do with him making the roster than it did money.

 

The Ruff release was expected. With the drafting of MLB Fincher Ruff became expendable. He is still a good run stuffer & should continue his career with another team.

 

Saints | No Other Cap Cuts?

Tue, 31 May 2005 23:19:21 -0700

 

Mike Triplett, of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, reports the New Orleans Saints do not plan to release any veteran players for salary cap purposes after June 1, according to general manager Mickey Loomis.

June 1st may have not brought any more cuts other than Ruff, but that doesn't mean a couple more players could be gone.

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Saints | More on Bullocks - from www.KFFL.com

Sun, 5 Jun 2005 00:02:50 -0700

 

Updating an earlier story, Jeff Duncan, of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, reports New Orleans Saints rookie S Josh Bullocks continued to impress the coaching staff at the team's coaching sessions last week. He has shown great speed and instincts in center field, while impressing coaches with his aptitude for the team's playbook.

 

 

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Saints | Bullucks may push to Start - from www.KFFL.com

Fri, 3 Jun 2005 17:42:57 -0700

 

Pete Prisco, of SportsLine.com, reports New Orleans Saints rookie S Josh Bullocks has impressed the Saints coaching staff during offseason workouts. There is a chance he could be the opening-day starter at strong safety. He'll need to beat out S Jay Bellamy to garner the starting job.

 

Fantasy Take

For right now I don't think Bellamy's job is in jeapordy, but if Bullocks continues to impress he may start out splitting time & possibly supplant Bellamy before the season is done. Very good news for Dynasty owners who picked up Bullocks in their drafts. If you haven't had yours yet bump him up a notch. But not what you want to hear if you're relying in Bellamy to continue his performance from the past two seasons.

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