|
Saints Sign Four From Rookie
Camp, Cut Four
Payton swaps camp arm Ostrander for camp arm Lulay;
LSU OL Carnell Stewart signed
posted May 14, 2008 - print
me!
neworleansprofootball.com
 |
DE Will Smith |
The Saints added four players after the rookie
minicamp, all of whom tried out for the team this past weekend
at the Saints' rookie minicamp.
Numerous players worked at the minicamp on a tryout
basis, without contract, in addition to the Saints' six draft
picks and a host of signed undrafted rookies. Two of the new players
are rookies, two more are street free agents.
LSU OL Carnell Stewart is from John Curtis high
school and was raised in River Ridge, Louisiana. A bookend right
tackle for the national champion Tigers. He played only two years
of offense at tackle, starting as a senior, and spent the first
three years of his college career at defensive tackle. Stewart,
6'5, 290 pounds, originally signed with the Giants after the draft
but failed his physical and was cut. The other rookie is Troy
DT Marcus Pittman, 22, 6'4, 285 pounds, was a part-time starter
and a juco transfer.
The street free agents are former Montana State
QB Travis Lulay and former Grand Rapids Community College WR Carlos
Robinson. Lulay replaces rookie QB TC Ostrander on the roster,
who was cut to make room for him. Lulay, 6'2, 218 pounds, is two
years out of college and played in the now-defunct NFL Europa
league, and had been an offseason member of the Seahawks until
this past April when he was cut. Lulay is a great athlete and
runs well. Robinson, 6'1, 180 pounds, is two years out of community
college with a 44" vertical.
The Saints waived Ostrander along with other undrafted
rookies OL Akim Millington, OL Nate McManus and WR Evan Moore.
In other free agent news, former Millsaps wide receiver
who worked with the Saints during their training camp last year
at the school, has signed in the Canadian Football League with
Calgary.
Rookie Cap: The Saints have been given $4,295,240
to sign their rookies, including seventh overall pick DT Sedrick
Ellis.
This will be the first year the Saints have negotiated
their rookie contracts without Russ Ball since 2001. The last
first round pick to sign without Ball on staff was Deuce McAllister.
The Saints' top pick Ellis is represented by the
same agency that represents the Saints' second round pick, Maximum
Sports.
Smith Not Happy: DE Will Smith has yet to
report to the team's offseason conditioning program because he
wants a new contract, and his agent Joel Segal isn't unfamiliar
to the Saints. He negotiated deals for Reggie Bush, He'll be negotiating
new deals for Smith and WR Marques Colston soon. The two sides
are in talks, and the deal is expected to be boxed in by the six-year,
$63 million contract signed by teammate Charles Grant and the
six year, $74 million deal just signed by Vikings DE Jared Allen.
Smith, 26, was the consummate teammate last year,
playing through the season despite his teammate Charles Grant
having just signed his new contract. Smith earned only $695,000
in 2007, part of his rookie contract signed in 2004. Smith outplayed
Grant over the past two seasons and is the team's best defensive
player. He has earned more than $20 million in his contract so
far and is scheduled to make $1.3 million in 2008.
This weekend Smith is hosting a free football camp
at his high school, Thomas R. Proctor High School, in Utica, NY.
Notes: Former Saints MLB Ronald McKinnon
has been elected to the Divisional Class of the College Football
Hall of Fame. McKinnon starred at North Alabama University from
1992-1995... Drew Brees was in the Hive for Game 5 of the playoffs
last night and tossed a signed football into the stands. A number
of Saints and owner Tom Benson have been guests at the Hornets
games...
Home
Back
|
