PERSONNEL ANALYSIS: Will Smith's contract holdout came a little earlier than expected, but it wasn't a surprise by any means. The Saints' best defensive player has one year left on his contract, and he has made it clear that he wants to change that this summer. He is the only player on the roster who has not reported for the team's offseason conditioning program.
So far, this doesn't have the makings of a bitter dispute. The Saints have a ton of respect for the 26-year-old defensive end, who has 33.5 career sacks, went to the Pro Bowl in 2007 and has grown into a team leader. The problem is that Smith will demand a huge contract -- larger than the seven-year deal the Saints gave fellow defensive end Charles Grant last year, worth up to $63 million. In today's market, Smith is probably worth that kind of money. The Saints would have trouble finding a replacement of Smith's caliber at a cheaper price. But they do always have the option of sticking the franchise tag on him next year. The Saints need to decide if they want to turn this into a calculated business decision at the risk of angering one of their most valuable building blocks. Chances are, with the investments they have been making to improve their defense this offseason, the Saints will try to get something done with Smith.
The team has a pretty good recent track record of locking up its valued players to long-term deals. And New Orleans has been fiscally responsible enough to afford this kind of move.
HARD TRUTH: Cornerback Jason David's grace period is officially over after his disappointing debut season in New Orleans last year. The 25-year-old struggled to adjust to his new defense last year after spending his first three NFL seasons in Indianapolis' cover-2 scheme, and he was burned over the top repeatedly throughout the year.
The Saints have already added high-priced free agent Randall Gay to compete with him for a starting job. They also have second-year pro Usama Young ready to take a step up. And there is a great chance they will add another cornerback with their first- or second-round draft pick. Throw in veterans Mike McKenzie and Jason Craft, and the math tells you that one or two incumbents will be out of a job come August.
David (5-8, 180) might be the biggest wild card of the bunch. He is a gifted, young athlete and an eager student of the game, so there's a good chance the light bulb will turn on for him this offseason, and he could hold on to a starting job (especially if McKenzie is slow to recover from his torn ACL). But if David keeps repeating some of his mistakes during the preseason (getting caught peeking into the backfield and letting receivers get behind him in single coverage), he might not last into Year 2 of his four-year deal with the Saints.
SCOUTING REPORT: Wide receiver Marques Colston is also set to become a restricted free agent after this season, but he has insisted that he isn't concerned about his contract status. It's hard to doubt the third-year marvel, who showed great focus and consistency last year under a new level of scrutiny.
Many were expecting a sophomore slump from Colston, who came out of nowhere as a seventh-round pick from Hofstra in 2007. Instead, Colston was even better as he replaced Joe Horn as the Saints' No.1 receiver. Even when the Saints got off to their 0-4 slump, Colston was their most reliable offensive player, and he finished the year with 98 catches for 1,202 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The 6-4, 231-pounder is a big, physical target who is equally effective in short yardage, in the red zone and as a downfield threat. But despite his unusual combination of size and athleticism, his best attribute is his hands. He consistently makes tough, awkward catches behind him or across his body.
Quarterback Drew Brees clearly trusts Colston as a go-to target. The 24-year-old had arthroscopic surgery in January to clean up a nagging knee injury, but he expects to be full speed in time for the start of organized team activities and training camp in May and June.
OFFENSIVE ADJUSTMENTS: The Saints' offense lost its identity last year when tailback Deuce McAllister went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 3. They moved Reggie Bush into a traditional tailback role, which eliminated some of the element of surprise and misdirection. And they lost the 1-2 punch of power and speed that left defenses so confounded back in 2006.
This year, the Saints are hoping McAllister can make a healthy recovery. But even if he can't, expect the Saints to replace him more often with backups Aaron Stecker and Pierre Thomas, so Bush can remain in a more versatile runner/receiver role. No matter who is carrying the ball, the Saints need to be a better short-yardage running team, and that starts with a more consistent effort on the offensive line.
The Saints replaced only one starter on their entire offense this year -- promoting backup center Jonathan Goodwin to replace Jeff Faine. The line sometimes struggled in '07, especially early, but they are talented and deep enough to correct that this year.
Brees is one of the NFL's very best passers and game managers, so the passing game is in great hands. If Bush can become a more reliable pass-catcher and second-year receiver Robert Meachem can emerge into a No. 3 option, the Saints' passing game should be even more threatening
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