Saints Sideline Blog

RUSH TO JUDGEMENT

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011      Email Print

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METAIRIE, LA 8/2/11 (In case you missed it.....)

OK, I understand. You're a Saints fan but you've been busy. Busy possibly getting the kids ready for school. Busy with a vacation or work or????? At any rate, this blog is for you-- the busy Saints fan who knows the lockout is over but hasn't had time to check out things at camp so far. The early stages of training camp you should always precede with caution. Its easy to fall into the trap of hyperbole and forget no matter how many great plays an up and comer makes at the end of the day they don't have much chance of making a team, especially a veteran team like these Saints. The always interesting thing about Sean Payton's camps though is that have been the exception in that regard. I give you the following examples:  Marques Colston, Jahri Evans, Pierre Thomas and most recently Chris Ivory who nobody knew at the beginning but were rising stars at the end.

With that said, in celebration of the Saints first day off this camp (we never take a day off!!)--I give to you our early camp highlights and awards. C'mon, everybody loves lists these days and while many things will change in the next month we simply couldn't find a single rule in the newly negotiated CBA against rushing to judgment?!! So here goes-- your early Saint Superlatives after four days and four practices.

TEAM MVP---MICKEY LOOMIS--Easy choice here where we haven't heard much form the Saints GM in the first four days and there's good reason for that. Loomis has been busy with three phones in his hand and plenty of coffee. I'd like to know how much sleep Mickey's had the past week where he's traded Reggie Bush, signed the entire draft class (yes first rounder Cam Jordan finally inked a deal on Tuesday) and for good measure has kept many key pieces in the building (see Roman Harper, Lance Moore, Scott Shanle, Jermon Bushrod and Carl Nicks) He won't comment on a new deal for Drew Brees but I expect David Thomas and Jonathan Goodwin to be the next items on his busy agenda.

STANDOUT SAINT-MALCOLM JENKINS---He's healthy and already looks like he's ready to take another step to being an All-Pro. The third year safety has picked Brees twice and has been all over the football field. A year ago we all saw him grow up and quickly make many forget about Darren Sharper which was quite a feat. A year later we are all anxiously wondering how much better he can be which is scary for the rest of the league.

STEADY SAINT: MARQUES COLSTON---Its hard to believe its already his sixth season but the former seven round sleeper has looked great so far and continues to have better chemistry with Brees than any other receiver. I don't think he's dropped a pass and seems poised to be the leader of arguably the best group of receivers in the league.

BIGGEST SAINT: SHAUN ROGERS----He stands 6'4 and 350 pounds and despite a few early jumps on the line, the big guy has potential to make the middle of the Saints D-Line that much better. Its his 11th season in the league and he's never played in a playoff game---his hunger to play for a winner is evident when you talk to him where he told me after playing for some terrible teams in Detroit and Cleveland, he is happy to be with a contender.

JUMP THE GUN STORY- MATT TENNANT- I like the Saints starting center in this camp where he appreciates the reps he's getting so far but I'm confident this team will bring incumbent Jonathan Goodwin back in the coming days. Sean Payton seemed to take exception with a question this week that the team is ready for a new start at center and while Brees likes Tennant he seems optimistic Goodwin will be back and so am I.

FLAVOR OF THE WEEK: JARRED FAYSON: OK its gonna be tough for the rookie free agent to crack a receiving core with Colston, Devery Henderson, Lance Moore, Robert Meachem and possibly Adrian Arrington but Fayson has nice size at 6'0 and 215 pounds and has caught everything in camp. Coming out of high school he was signed by Florida as a higher ranked recruit than some guy named Tebow but things didn"t work out---time will tell in this camp if the story ends the same way.

CARPE DIEM AWARD: HAROLD BEILBY: Wednesday will be the last day the rookie free agent will be running with the first team offense (enter Jermon Bushrod on Thursday) but whatever happens to the first year lineman from Marian college he can tell his grandkids one day that he protected Drew Brees' blindside for the first week of the 2011 camp.

NEWEST SAINT: AUBRAYO FRANKLIN: Who says we don't have breaking news in this segment. I told you Mickey Loomis is busy as he signs DT Franklin ,a 317 pound run stuffer who has spent the past four seasons in San Francisco this after a  four year stint with the Ravens. This could be a BIG deal for the Saints in more ways than one.

HE'S STILL GOT IT AWARD: SEAN PAYTON; Providing the idle Saints some "Shirley Temple's" on the practice field over the weekend, provided levity during another hot training camp practice and proved the Saints Head Coach who is always creative in his motivational tactics hasn't lost his mojo.

UNTIL NEXT BLOG,
Mike Nabors
CST

By: Mike Nabors

An Emmy award winning sports reporter who covers a wide variety of events for CST. Primarily, Mike serves as the network's reporter for Saints coverage.

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