|
Offseason 2008
posted January 14, 2008 - print me!
updated June 4, 2008 8:31pmCST neworleansprofootball.com
2008
1 (7). USC
DT Sedrick Ellis
2 (40). Indiana
CB Tracy Porter
5 (144). NC
State DT DeMario Pressley
5 (164). Nebraska
OT Carl Nicks
6 (178). Wisconsin
K Taylor Melhaff
7 (238). Michigan
WR Adrian Arrington
Player Notes and Stories:
6/11 DE Will Smith has been signed to a six-year
extension, ending his holdout of voluntary programs and
preempting what could have been an ugly training camp standoff.
story
6/4 The Saints have terminated top-ranking personnel
evaluator Rick Mueller and promoted Rick Reiprish to the
top of pro scouting. story
6/2 Former Saint DE Renaldo Wynn has signed with
the Giants. The Saints pursued Wynn before he left.
6/2 The Saints signed CB Jerametrius Butler, 29,
after their minicamp. The Saints also signed free agent
tryout C Marquay Love. The Saints waived rookie LB Chris
Graham.
6/1 The Saints cut two rookies, former LSU LB Luke
Sanders and Houston S Rocky Schwartz.
6/1 The Montreal Alouettes signed former Saints
QB Adrian McPherson.
6/1 The Saints tried out defensive back Jerametrius
Butler at their minicamp.
6/1 The Saints signed rookie LB Chris Graham (Michigan)
and street free agents DB Tuff Harris and OL William Kershaw.
5/21 While one starting DE Will Smith is skipping
voluntary workouts to protest his contract, the Saints'
other starting DE Charles Grant is headed to Georgia to
post bail on his involuntary manslaughter charge.
5/20 LB Dan Morgan has retired before ever really
hitting the field for the Saints. The Achilles injury he
suffered last year has frustrated him so far this offseason.
The retirement deals a blow to the Saints' depth at the
position though the Saints still have an experienced starter
in Scott Shanle to man the weakside job. The Saints will
likely look to address competition at the position in free
agency.
5/9 The Saints' rookie minicamp is featuring 64
total rookies and first year free agents, more than half
in town for a tryout without a contract.
5/8 The Saints' rookie salary cap space is limited
to $4,295,240.
5/8 The Saints' rookies are reporting for minicamp
tonight.
5/8 Shaun Alexander visited the Saints and left
without a contract.
5/5 The NFL Network has linked the Saints to free
agent RB Shaun Alexander (Seahawks). story
5/3 Late-breaking undrafted rookie tryout for the
rookie camp is South Carolina State QB/WR Cleve McCoy, who
has a CFL quarterback contract in hand, but who will work
as receiver for the Saints.
5/1 The Saints have cut four players: DE Josh Cooper,
DT McKinley Boykin, WR Carlton Brewster, RB Jamaal Branch.
story
5/1 The Saints have announced their undrafted free
agent class of 2008. story
4/30 The Saints were set to invite UTEP WR Joe West
to thier rookie minicamp on a tryout basis without a contract,
but Dallas signed him to a rookie free agent deal. Removed
him from our list of Saints UDFA's.
4/29 More undrafted rookies signed, and more news
on tryouts at the rookie camp.
UDFA's
4/28 Sean Payton discusses his draft class. transcript
4/28 The Saints have reportedly signed a number
of undrafted rookie free agents.
UDFA's
4/27 The Saints traded four times with picks involving
the 2008 Draft. story
4/27 The Saints have begun to sign undrafted rookie
free agents.
review
4/27 The Saints have selected Michigan WR Adrian
Arrington in the final round of the NFL Draft.
4/27 The Saints have traded back into the draft,
acquiring a late seventh round pick, #238 overall, from
the Packers. The Saints gave up their sixth round pick in
2007.
4/27 With the 178th pick, the Saints drafted Wisconsin
kicker Taylor Melhaff, the diminutive left-footed four-sport
star from South Dakota.
4/27 With the 164th pick, acquired from New England
in yesterday's trade, the Saints have taken more beef: Nebraska
OT Carl Nicks.
4/27 The Saints have selected NC State DT DeMario
Pressley. Pressley had an awful season riddled with injuries
but like Ellis, is athletic and disruptive. Pressley outplayed
and started ahead of DeMarcus "Tank" Tyler, a
third round pick last year.
4/27 The Saints traded up two spots in the fifth
round, moving from 146th to 144th. The Saints leapfrogged
the Bengals at 145th to steal a second defensive tackle
from them in as many days. The Saints gave up their seventh
round pick, 218th overall. The Bengals selected Fresno State
DT Jason Shirley at 145 and the Lions selected Furman RB
Jerome Felton at 146.
4/27 DT Sedrick Ellis is the 16th USC player drafted
by the Saints. Those 15 previous picks have generated two
Pro Bowl appearances: one from LB Jack Del Rio, one from
TE Hoby Brenner. Ellis, following seventh round flier Ennis
Davis in 2001, is only the second defensive lineman from
USC taken by the Saints.
4/27 Tracy Porter is only the second Hoosier drafted
by the Saints, following first round pick Vaughn Dunbar
in 1992, who played in only 14 games. He is the 10th defensive
back taken by the Saints in the second round.
4/27 A run on Louisiana boys in the third round,
including LSU's Chevis Jackson (Atlanta), Jacob Hester (San
Diego) and Early Doucet (Arizona), and McNeese State's Bryan
Smith (Philadelphia).
4/26 Transcripts: Sean
Payton, Mickey Loomis,
Sedrick Ellis, Tracy
Porter, Ed Orgeron
4/26 The Saints select Louisiana native, CB Tracy
Porter from Indiana, with their second round pick. The 40th
overall selection was tightly linked to potential trades
for veterans Shockey or Sheppard.
4/26 The Saints gave up the 1st and 3rd round picks
(78) and received the Patriots' 5th round pick (164th) and
the 7th overall pick.
4/26 With the seventh overall pick, the Saints have
selected USC DT Sedrick Ellis.
4/26 The trade has been made. The Saints moved up
three spots to #7 with the Patriots.
4/26 The Saints reportedly offered a king's ransom
for Glenn Dorsey: this year's #1 and #2 picks and next year's
first round pick as well, but Kansas City rebuffed New Orleans
and took Dorsey for themselves at 5. This means that the
trades for Jeremy Shockey or Lito Sheppard are alive and
well.
4/26 Consensus television reports indicate that
the Draft will go: Jake Long, Chris Long, Matt Ryan, Darren
McFadden, leaving prized DT Glenn Dorsey on the clock at
#5 when the Chiefs are on the clock.
4/26 According to the NFL Network, the Saints decided
that the Rams' asking price for the #2 overall pick was
too high.
4/26 We are expecting the Saints to not make a trade
for TE Jeremy Shockey or CB Lito Sheppard until they are
close to being on the clock at #40. They will first try
to use their 2008 2nd round pick to move up.
4/26 ESPN and NFL Network are reporting that the
St. Louis Rams will select Virginia DE Chris Long, Howie's
son, not LSU DT Glenn Dorsey. That makes a trade for Dorsey
marginally more likely.
4/26 In his Saints-only mock draft, NFLDraftScout.com's
Rob Rang forsees a Trojan in the Saints' future. mock
Thanks again to Rang for his exclusive work with NOPF this
year, including us alongside his rising success by being
picked up by numerous media outlets and nfl.com.
4/25 At this point Friday night, it seems likely
that the Saints will end up with one of LSU DT Glenn Dorsey,
Giants TE Jeremy Shockey or Eagles CB Lito Sheppard. It
is very unlikely they will end up with more than one of
them, and also entirely possible the Saints will end up
with none of them.
4/25 More reports out of New York indicate that
the Saints have increased their offer to their second round
pick and their fifth round pick for TE Jeremy Shockey, though
other reports indicate that parts of the Saints front office
don't want to give up more than a third round pick. The
battle is likely between Sean Payton, in favor of bringing
in his former student, and Mickey Loomis, who is hesitant
to give up part of an already small draft class for a player
who has been problematic in the past.
4/25 Published reports out of Philadelphia indicate
that the Saints have made the best offer for trade-hungry
CB Lito Sheppard. The Saints have offered their second round
pick. The Saints are competing with divisional rival Tampa
Bay, who has offered WR Michael Clayton and picks for Sheppard.
4/25 Rumors are intensifying around Giants TE Jeremy
Shockey crossing paths with the Saints' second round pick
on Saturday. The trade could be announced very soon, or
could be announced while the Saints are on the clock at
#40. We're guessing the latter.
4/25 Trade rumors are swirling and news of a move
could break at any time between now and the 10th overall
pick. The Saints might move up, move down, or move for a
number of veterans including Eagles CB Lito Sheppard and
Giants TE Jeremy Shockey.
4/24 The Saints are reportedly shopping left tackle
Jammal Brown in trade talks to the St. Louis Rams, who own
the second overall pick. The Saints have draft picks Zach
Strief and Jermon Bushrod in line to replace Brown at left
tackle. Brown has struggled and dominated at times at left
tackle for the Saints, but for the most part has been solid.
4/22 Published reports indicate that head coach
Sean Payton personally attended a workout by Troy CB Leonis
McKelvin in Alabama.
4/22 While we cannot deny the reports of a trade
up in the Saints' future, we cannot predict it for our mock
draft. So the Saints stay and stay put at #10 in NOPF's
fourth mock draft. story
The latest mock draft makes use the Saints' top
of the first round Draft Board, via NOPF. draft
board
4/17 Details on McAllister's restructuring deal
have been published by ESPN. The new negotiation secures
his 2008 season in New Orleans but likely not his 2009 season.
story
4/16 NFL Network is reporting that the Saints and
the St. Louis Rams are discussing a trade, for New Orleans
to move up to the #2 overall pick. We here think that former
Saints coach Jim Haslett would blow a gasket if his team
traded the opportunity to pick Glenn Dorsey away to the
Saints. On the other hand, the Saints likely covet Dorsey,
for need, value and local star power, more than any other
prospect.
4/16 Published reports indicate the Saints have
met with USC TE Fred Davis and UNC DT Kentwan Balmer. Both
are early-second round possibilities for the Saints. NFL
teams cannot have private workouts with prospects after
this Friday, April 18.
4/14 The NFL's 2008 regular season schedule will
be released April 15 at 1pmCST.
4/14 RB Deuce McAllister has reportedly agreed to
a new, restructured contract in light of his injuries. He
will remain with the team past his April 15 roster bonus.
story
4/13 More prospects with private workouts in New
Orleans: Miami LB Tavares Gooden, Louisiana-Lafayette DT
Korey Raymond, Rutgers OT Jeremy Zuttah, Hawaii CB Ryan
Keomaka, Michigan G Adam Kraus, UNLV MLB Beau Bell, TCU
LB David Hawthorne, San Jose State CB Dwight Lowery, A pair
of McNeese State brothers, defensive backs Bryan and Marcus
Brown, also worked out for the Saints. NFL teams are limited
to the number of private workouts they can perform each
draft season, but they are not limited to the number of
local prospects.
Offseason 2008 Archives
|
Trade
2008 4th round pick (113th overall) to NY Jets as
part of Jonathan Vilma trade. 
