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Go-To Guy | Weakest Link | Burning Question | Offseason Movement

Glance Head coach: Jim Haslett 2001: Results 2002: Draft picks Training camp: July 26 at Nicholls St. Univ. in Thibodaux, La.  2002 Schedule Date  Vs.  Time  Sept. 8  at T.B.  4:15 p.m.  Sept. 15  G.B.  1 p.m.  Sept. 22  at Chi.  1 p.m.  Sept. 29  at Det.  1 p.m.  Oct. 6  PIT.  1 p.m.  Oct. 13  at Was.  1 p.m.  Oct. 20  S.F.  1 p.m.  Oct. 27  ATL.  1 p.m.  Nov. 3  Open     Nov. 10  at Car.  1 p.m.  Nov. 17  at Atl.  1 p.m.  Nov. 24  CLE.  1 p.m.  Dec. 1  T.B.  8:30 p.m.  Dec. 8  at Bal.  4:05 p.m.  Dec. 15  MIN.  1 p.m.  Dec. 22  at Cin.  1 p.m.  Dec. 29  CAR.  1 p.m.

By B. Duane Cross, CNNSI.com

While there were several big developments, nothing ever seems to come easy for New Orleans. And the 2002 offseason is Exhibit A for the oft-maligned Aints.

A quick rundown of 2001 key players who ain't Saints entering this season: star running back Ricky Williams (not to be confused with the Ricky Williams who was added in the offseason), defensive tackle La'Roi Glover, defensive end Joe Johnson, tackle Willie Roaf, guard Chris Naeole.

At first glance, that's a lot of subtractions from a team that struggled down the stretch en route to a 7-9 finish. Standing 7-5 and hopeful of a second consecutive postseason berth, New Orleans was outscored 160-52 in its final four games, and scored only seven points in the final nine quarters.

With wholesale changes on the menu, never did general manager Randy Mueller expect to be the main course. However, that was the case as owner Tom Benson opted for better "communication" and named Mickey Loomis the GM.

"It had to do with the management style. If you work for me or I'm working for you, we have to get along and be mutually respectful of each other in order to make the right decisions," Benson said after Mueller's firing. "The decision I made [May 13] had nothing to do with wins and losses, it had to do with the style of management, the style of communication and what we want to do."

The GM change came two months after New Orleans traded Williams to Miami for a first-round pick (No. 25) in the 2002 draft. The clubs also swapped fourth-round picks in April's draft. The Saints will receive a third-round choice in '03 that could become a No. 1 based on Williams' performance with the Dolphins this season.

Head coach Jim Haslett understands the daunting task -- reloading on the fly with less-experienced players -- but says the game plan is being executed.

"After the first handful of practices in our coaching session workouts, I've been most impressed with the improvement that some of our young players have made. I really don't mean our rookies -- it's normal for them to still be learning our plays and figuring out what we expect during practice. But several of our second- and third-year veterans have made remarkable strides since the end of last season."

I can single out a few players who have really stepped up -- Moran Norris, Michael Lewis, Michael Hawthorne, Sedrick Hodge -- but on the whole most of our young veterans have really matured.

"It kind of feels like our first year in New Orleans again, and that is a good thing," Haslett said. "In 2000, we were all working toward a common cause -- to rebuild as quickly as possible -- which created great camaraderie and team chemistry. We lost some of that last year, which is no mystery. But I'm really impressed with the work ethic and effort we are seeing in practice. Guys are flying around and having fun, and it's a good feeling."

Fact Aaron Brooks is the only NFL quarterback to ever have a 400-yard passing game and a 100-yard rushing game in the same season -- and only the sixth player to have both in a career.

Aaron Brooks, QB -- It's been two years since New Orleans traded linebacker K.D. Williams and a third-round draft choice to Green Bay for Brooks and tight end Lamont Hall. In one of Mueller's shrewdest moves, the Saints snared a young passer that the team could develop.

So much for long-range planning. Brooks was pressed into service in 2000 and ended up leading the Saints to the NFC West title and the club's first playoff victory. Last year, Brooks tied a club record with 26 touchdown passes in his first full season as a starter.

But as is common with many young players, Brooks' flashes of greatness were offset by equally depressing fits of immaturity. In the final four games, he threw seven TD passes but also 13 interceptions -- more than half his season total of 22.

Still, if the Saints are going to establish the offense with second-year RB Deuce McAllister, Brooks remains the key. "This is my team," Brooks said. "There is no doubt. I think everybody in the locker room knows, everybody upstairs knows, everybody in this community knows. I'm with all of that and I think it's gotten across pretty well."

Brooks had his moments last season, including six games with a QB rating greater than 100 and eight games with at least two TD passes. Nonetheless, Haslett knows Brooks must continue to improve.

"The last two games [of 2001] he took a step backward, but I think that he is going to be a great quarterback," Haslett said. "He was running for his life the last couple of games."

Offseason additions tight end David Sloan and wide receivers Jerome Pathon and Donte' Stallworth join an offense that returns WR Joe Horn and McAllister to give Brooks a faster, more diverse group of weapons. He'll also be protected by a deeper offensive line after the signings of Victor Riley, Spencer Folau, Bubba Miller and Kendyl Jacox, as well as rookie LeCharles Bentley.

Fact Defensive coordinator is the fourth position that Rick Venturi has held since coming to New Orleans in 1996, when he was hired as linebackers coach. He has also served as head coach (the last eight games of '96) and as assistant head coach/defensive backs coach (1998, 2000-2001).

Defensive line -- With the draft choice obtained from Miami for Williams, the Saints selected DE Charles Grant -- who will see significant playing time as a result of necessity.

With the departure of two 2001 starters, there are indeed spots open along the defensive line; the returnees at end are William Whitehead, Darren Howard and Kenny Smith, a second-year pro who played in only five games last season.

"I'm eager and we're hungry as a group," Smith said. "We've been here since Day 1 of the offseason program. We come in early, we work out together. We're trying to be a group for when the season starts -- the offensive line does the same thing. I think everybody's bonding together."

To bolster the interior, the Saints added free-agent DT Grady Jackson. At 310 pounds, Martin Chase now qualifies as the lightweight among the top trio at defensive tackle. Norman Hand, Jackson and Chase -- a threesome that Haslett calls "The Big Trio" -- look to give the Saints the strength and size in the middle of the line that New Orleans' defense lacked down the stretch in 2001.

"It would be a lie to say [Glover] isn't going to be missed, because he gave us something in the pass rush," defensive line coach Sam Clancy acknowledged. "But we think we'll be better against the run because Martin Chase and Norman Hand are two big bodies that can carry that middle and hold double teams to keep [linemen] off the linebackers. With La'Roi, he was just 280, 275 pounds, and with a double team you can only do so much at that weight. That's just reality in the NFL."

"Everybody just needs to come back with the right attitude and say, 'Hey, the season wasn't great last year. What can I do to make it better?' And that doesn't just apply to the D-line, that needs to happen with everybody."

For his part, Grant is trying to adjust to the pace of the NFL. "They're throwing a lot of different defenses at us, a lot of different checks. I like what the defensive coordinator [Rick Venturi] is doing with the defensive ends, just letting us play as we make plays."

Can Deuce McAllister be an every-down back?

Fact While Deuce McAllister is one of three former University of Mississippi players on the Saints' roster (Norman Hand, Tutan Reyes), the last first-round pick taken from Ole Miss by New Orleans was Archie Manning in 1971.

He's 6-foot-1 and 221 pounds, roughly the same size as Shaun Alexander, Ahman Green, Edgerrin James, Antowain Smith. OK, so he checks out size-wise.

What about his durability? Here's some facts: He carried the ball 616 times at Ole Miss, a school record, while also handling kickoff returns and much of the punt-return duties.

Yeah, but that was college, you say. Well, that's about all anyone has to go on right now. But you don't spend a No. 1 pick on a guy -- a running back, no less, even with Ricky Williams on the roster -- unless you think he can bring something to the table.

As a rookie, McAllister became the first Saints player to rush for, pass for and catch a touchdown during the same year in more than a decade while also piling up 1,372 total yards.

He played in all 16 games last season, but never had more than four carries in a game. Unless the Saints go three-and-out on their first drive of 2002, it's a good bet that McAllister will have four carries in the first series.

"My job hasn't changed," McAllister said. "I don't feel any outside pressure, because I put enough pressure on myself. I expect to go out and play well, whether I'm starting or the No. 2 guy. I expect to be one of the best backs. That's my job, if I touch it five times a game or 25 times."

"One thing I learned is that I can play with these guys," he said. "I didn't play as much as I wanted, but I still got a good feel for the game and learned a lot. I want to dominate. It may not be this year, it may not be next, but I will dominate this game."

Horn believes the offseason changes have been positive. With Williams gone, Horn is eager to see what McAllister will bring to the offense. "The day before the game against Atlanta in December, Deuce was talking about what he was going to do against the Falcons," Horn said. "He told me what he was going to do on Saturday, and on Sunday he ran 54 yards for a touchdown. That showed me what he was made of. It's up to him to prove the naysayers wrong."