Wide Receiver is the Toughest Battle on the Depth Chart

posted August 2, 2007 - print me!
updated August 28, 2007
neworleansprofootball.com

Kudos to Robert Meachem, his agent, and Russ Ball for getting the Saints' first round pick into camp on time. It makes the most contentious battle of the depth chart even better.

There are other battles on the depth chart this year, including free safety (Bullocks, Kaesviharn), middle linebacker (Simoneau, Simmons) and backup runnigback (Stecker, Pittman, Branch). But wide receiver is not only the highest profile battle in the best offense in the league, but it is absolutely loaded with talent. We wouldn't be shocked to see the Saints thin the herd by making a trade during training camp to move one of last year's contributors. We've already see them cut one rookie hopelessly buried on the depth chart, Rhema McKnight.

Devery Henderson, whom Payton inherited, might be the most attractive trade bait, but likely only to a team the Saints don't play this season. The Saints play five AFC preseason opponents that they won't see in the regular season, look for them to give Henderson a lot of preseason time to audition him to prospective trade partners the next week. That would open an active roster role on regular season Sundays for first round pick Robert Meachem.

And don't forget that for as many receivers as the Saints stockpile on their active roster: one of the best wideouts they have is listed at runningback.

Key figures in the battle come from different places. They have different pedigrees, different games, and widely varied track records. Lets take a look.

We'll update this list after each preseason game.

	Marques Colston	24	6'4, 231	Strengths: Hands, power, possession and sideline skills	Weaknesses: Inexperienced with burden of being #1	Projected: #1 receiver	Arrived: 2006 7th round draft pick
	Updates:	Knee injury is starting to worry, but Payton is confident he'll be good. Colston's strength isn't raw speed anyway.
	David Patten	32	5'10, 190	Slot WR, Veteran guile, versatility	Age, speed, durability	Slot receiver, trick plays, special teams	Unrestricted free agent signing in 2007
	Updates:	Patten and Brees played like they've been teammates for years, not months. He showed so many good things in Kansas City, he starts if Henderson can't.
	Devery Henderson	25	5'11, 200	Speed, speed, and more speed; former RB, good in the open	Overall consistency; hands, concentration, route-running	Starting candidate	2nd round pick of Haslett regime in 2004
	Updates:	Hamstring problem has potential to limit his season and stamp a big injury-prone label on his forehead. Really needs to turn it back on and start if he wants to make any money on the free agent market, not to mention helping the Saints in 2007.
	Terrance Copper	25	6'0, 200	Familiarity with Payton and his system, possession skills	Hands, fumbling, faster this year but not very fast	Starting candidate	Claimed on waivers by Saints after preseason 2006
	Updates:	Starts if Patten or Henderson get hurt, and that's not a long shot. Copper is serviceable and solid and playing as well as he ever has.
	Lance Moore	23	5'9, 177	Speed, kick return ability	Substandard size, frame	Kick returner, special teams captain	Signed to practice squad in 2005
	Updates:	Where did this guy come from? Hands like velcro, silky fast moves and speed to return kicks and punts. That he hasn't broken one open this preseason is more of a curiosity than a concern. Remember that special teams units are in major flux this season, Moore won't be getting the same blockers that Beerman did.
	Robert Meachem	22	6'2, 214	Speed, athleticism	Inexperience, injury woes	Inactive on Sundays	First round pick in 2007
	Updates:	Isn't even playing much in preseason. Had the Saints known that Lance Moore was going to explode, would they have drafted Meachem? The Saints might put Meachem on injured reserve if they really think he's not ready to contribute, and blame the offseason knee surgery.
	Tramain Hall	25	5'10, 190	Super athlete, return skills	Unrefined, durability	Practice squad candidate	Unrestricted free agent signing in June 2007
	Updates:	Could stick on the practice squad but won't make the active roster with Lance Moore here.
	Derrick Doyle	23	5'11, 175	Hands	Speed, frame	Practice squad candidate	Unrestricted free agent signing August 8
	Updates:	Somehow managed to make it this far, further than thought. Should be in for a lot of playing time against Miami.
	Jamal Jones	26	5'11, 212	Special teams, work ethic and maturity	Strength, separation	Cut	Unrestricted free agent signing in 2006
	Updates:	Cut.
	Aaron Hosack	25	6'5, 210	Size, toughness	Route running, quickness	Practice squad candidate	Unrestricted free agent signing in June 2007
	Updates:	Cut.
	Dante Ridgeway	23	6'1, 200	Possession skills, toughness	Separation, speed	Cut, August 8	Signed to practice squad in 2006
	Updates:	Cut
	Chris Jackson	23	6'2, 205	Special teams, returns, hometown draw	All experience is in DIII football	Cut, August 7	Undrafted rookie in 2007
	Updates:	Cut, claimed by Jacksonville.
	Rhema McKnight	23	6'2, 207	Circus catch, pedigree	Attitude?, speed	Cut, August 2	Undrafted rookie in 2007
	Updates:	Cut, claimed by San Diego.

Home  Back