Coaches are looking at the offensive line as one of the main strengths of the team. The only real change of note is not a new player, but the move of starting center Jerry Fontenot to the bench in favor of Pro Bowl right guard LeCharles Bentley. This will allow Montrae Holland, a second year player from Florida State whom coaches love, to take over the starters role at left guard, and move the former starter there, Kendyl Jacox, to right guard. Holland started seven games last year at right guard when Bentley went down with an injury, and he saw time in all sixteen games.
Defense (Or smoke and mirrors)
Another unit the coaches are high on is the defensive line. After watching divisional foes Tampa Bay and Carolina win with dominating defensive lines, the Saints decided this could be a key to their success in 2004. Additions Young and Smith will platoon with franchise defensive end Darren Howard, third-year standout Charles Grant, and last year's first-round draft pick Johnathon Sullivan. Sullivan did draw the ire of coaches during the recent mini-camp by showing up 35 pounds overweight, following the path of former Saints defensive tackles Grady Jackson and Norman Hand, both of whom ate their way out of playing time and eventually out of town. Sullivan did drop twelve to fifteen pounds during the mini-camp, but still needs to get down to his playing weight of three hundred fifteen pounds or risk being fined $366 per pound per day due to the Jackson/Hand clause in his contract.
The Saints coaches are stacking their chips in favor of this defensive line overpowering opposing offenses and allowing them to mask the glaring shortcomings at linebacker and cornerback. We will see if this gamble will pay off. I haven't taken a sip yet from this particular cup that has been passed around to the media.
Many outside of the coaching staff and organization see linebacker as one of the main areas of weakness for the team. Coaches and GM Mickey Loomis feel their decision not to overpay for players during free agency and not to reach for players in the draft will be vindicated by they group they have in place. Coaches have said they have been impressed in mini-camps by the play of second-round draft choice Courtney Watson and last year's third-round draft choice, Cie Grant from Ohio State. Both will battle to be the starter on opening day at the middle linebacker position, with the loser possibly taking over the weak-side linebacker position currently manned by Sedrick Hodge. Derrick Rodgers remains the starter at strong-side linebacker due to a surprisingly strong and consistent performance at this position last year. The coaches feel this unit will be very productive and active on the football field. Pardon me as I put my glass down.
Another free agency signing period, another draft, no solid corners grabbed by the Saints. Fans clamored all off-season for an answer to this obvious hole in the Saints' defense, a hole as big as the sun, but unable to be seen by those within the organization whom have fallen victim to their media spin on the situation. Much to the dissatisfaction and disbelief of many long-time fans, and also football followers who may not be fans of the Saints, no significant move was made.
Coach Haslett is holding the line that he is satisfied with the group he has, which consists of starter Fred Thomas and proposed starter Jason Craft, 13-year veteran and nickelback Ashley Ambrose, and fourth and fifth corners Fakhir Brown and Keyou Craver. Coaches put out to the media during mini-camps that Brown has been the most improved player on the team, and may battle Ambrose for the nickel-back position. On the opposite side of the coin, Craver was dismissed from mini-camps because of what coaches described as a lack of focus and lack of conditioning. On the Saints team? No way!
