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.@carrieunderwood, who sang the National Anthem at SB XLIV, is the new singer for the Sunday Night Football intro twitter.com/Saints/status/…

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) May 7, 2013

I got everything situated for #WhiteProject2 now I need everyone to come out and TurnUp. It’s my bday but this one for y’all. See you there!

— Corey White (@CoreyWhiteJr3) May 7, 2013

.@thomasmorstead talks to @fox8nola about @pancan PurpleStride New Orleans purplestride.org/neworleans twitter.com/Saints/status/…

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) May 7, 2013

Every Champion was once a contender that refused to give up. #Persistence

— Roman Harper (@Harp41) May 7, 2013

Just ate lunch with a bunch of the skill guys at Zea. Thank you @drewbreesGood times.

— Joseph Morgan(@jmthegreat) May 7, 2013

Just got done with my 1st Workout Time To Go #Train Now @ The #BOOM and Im Blasting This Lets Go! twitter.com/JuniorG93/stat…

— NuLa C.E.O. (@JuniorG93) May 7, 2013

Guess I’m the only one who likes #BRYAN #ADAMS #SUMMEROF69

— NuLa C.E.O. (@JuniorG93) May 7, 2013

On behalf of coach @tdespn the 5th Golden Ticket to the @elite11 Finals goes to fellow TX QB @david_blough10 Welcome to the fraternity David

— Drew Brees (@drewbrees) May 7, 2013

Drew Brees is No. 79 in ProFootballFocus’s 101 Best NFL players list.

— WWL-TV Sports (@wwltvsports) May 7, 2013

Personally, I think that’s bunk. There were not 78 players better than Brees during 2012. Was it a down year for him? Sure. But

— WWL-TV Sports (@wwltvsports) May 7, 2013

Brees was still better in ’12 than he got credit for. And yes, the PFF list is for 2012 only. Still think it’s too low for him

— WWL-TV Sports (@wwltvsports) May 7, 2013

RIP Ray Harryhausen. May a group of stop-motion skeletons and mythological creatures serve as your pallbearers.

— Held Over (@hakimdropsball) May 7, 2013

Ready to play some ball again… Can’t wait to put that black and gold on. WHO DAT

— Kenny Dwayne Vaccaro (@KennyVaccaro4) April 28, 2013

That HAW got me here and it’s gonna keep me here.

— Kenny Dwayne Vaccaro (@KennyVaccaro4) April 29, 2013

Puttin in some work this morning then relaxing for the day..

— Kenny Dwayne Vaccaro (@KennyVaccaro4) May 2, 2013

Bout to take momma house shoppin..

— Kenny Dwayne Vaccaro (@KennyVaccaro4) May 7, 2013

“@panthers: Kasay’s impact went beyond the field. pnth.rs/10l53xq“Blessed so much to play one year with this man…

— Thomas Morstead (@thomasmorstead) May 7, 2013

#NOLA was founded 295 years ago today. Proud to call this place my home. #WhoDat

— Roman Harper (@Harp41) May 7, 2013

No practice access RT @allenk_81: @larryholder @miketriplett – Will you guys be tweeting/reporting from Saints Rookie minicamp this weekend?

— Larry Holder (@LarryHolder) May 7, 2013

Kasay may be retiring as a Panther, but he had an impact w/ the Saints. Went 28 of 34 & made 63 straight PATs in 1 yr in New Orleans.

— WWL-TV Sports (@wwltvsports) May 7, 2013

“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily”-Mike Murdock#PositiveFocus

— Jedidiah Collins (@JedCollins45) May 7, 2013

Was really just on my way to work and saw a chicken walking around in someone’s front yard. Must mean today’s gonna be a great day! Lol

— Lance Moore (@LanceMoore16) May 7, 2013

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Who dat talkin’ ’bout dem Saints?

PFF ranks Saints’ Brees 79th best player in 2012 | wwltv.com New Orleans
Drew Brees, according to ProFootballFocus, was the 79th-best player in the NFL in 2012. That would make him the eighth-best player in the NFC South.

Saints’ Drew Brees Comes In At No. 79 in PFF’s Top 101 – Who Dat Dish – A New Orleans Saints Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and more.
Dec 23, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory

Saints WR Stills may have to carpool with Brees | The News Star | thenewsstar.com
“I’m going to be the first one in the building and the last one to leave,” Stills said last week after being selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft out of Oklahoma. “I’m going to go out there and work my tail off every day.”

Saints’ Sean Payton lauded with honorary degree | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA
New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, a graduate of Eastern Illinois University, received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree Satur…

New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees lands on Forbes’ most influential athlete list | NOLA.com
Tim Tebow ranks No. 1 on this list

Drew Brees’ influence, the Saints’ running back battles, reader comments and more highlight ‘Black and Gold Today’ | NOLA.com
How influential is Saints quarterback Drew Brees? And which running back will help him most next season?

New Orleans Saints question of the day: How do you see Kenny Vaccaro fitting into the secondary? | NOLA.com
With all of Kenny Vaccaro’s versatility, where do you see him fitting into the secondary?

Saints Nation: The Top 10 Most Valuable Saints in 2013

PGATOUR.com – Jim Nantz Q&A, Part II: Broadcasting career highs, lows
NANTZ: When the Saints won the Super Bowl, the game didn’t come down to the last play, but it was the first one I called after I lost my father. The first game I ever attended was with my dad. It was in New Orleans, it was Game 1 of the New Orleans Saints franchise, November of 1967. My dad had been transferred to New Orleans, and he took his 8-year-old boy to watch the Saints, a football team that really is important to that community. So to be there for the first game in the history of the franchise and then in later life to declare that the New Orleans Saints have won the Super Bowl on national television, that one meant a lot internally to me.

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Other NFL News

Former New Orleans Saints kicker John Kasay to sign, retire with Panthers | NOLA.com
John Kasay helped Saints out of a jam in 2011 with 147 points

Packers bring back throwbacks, to Aaron Rodgers’ delight | ProFootballTalk
“The pants are the most comfortable pants I’ve ever worn. You ask Donald [Driver]. It had something to do with that touchdown [against San Francisco in 2010, a 61-yard catch-and-run]. The greatest play in his career, one of the greatest I’ve ever been a part of. The pants definitely had something to do with it. I mean, I don’t know what the other material is. They’re so comfortable, definitely a lot freer than the yellow ones we wear.”

Charlotte City Council admits Richardson had access to closed meetings | ProFootballTalk
Open meetings laws aren’t about negotiations, they’re about transparency in government. Richardson found a way to force his way behind the curtain, at a time when the public otherwise was kept out.

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Just wanted to take a moment to wish the wonderful city that many of us call home a very happy birthday. New Orleans turns 295 years young today.

The city was founded May 7, 1718 by the French Mississippi Company, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, on land inhabited by the Chitimacha. It was named for Philippe d’Orléans, Duke of Orléans, who was Regent of France at the time.

Since then it’s developed into the most kick ass city on American soil and become the home to the best football team ever, the New Orleans Saints.

We love you, New Orleans. Thanks for being you.

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Pick one position on the off. and one on the def. as your “Most anticipated training camp battle to watch” and tell us who you would like to see make it to the final team roster and why. (Consider the s.t. players on the off.) - Tac H.

Great question but an easy one to answer. On offense I’m most looking forward to watching the wide receivers. Colston, Moore and Morgan (probably) are locks but after them it’s anyone’s guess. Also very anxious to see what Nick Toon does his sophomore season. On defense it’s definitely got to be linebacker. There are a lot of players in the mix and a couple of spots are wide open for the taking. Because of the switch to the 3-4 defense, I am incredibly excited to see how this position develops.

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Will J Jenkins play any defensive end? – Russ T.

No, I don’t expect that. He’s just too big.

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Jimmy Graham’s contract. whats the Saints other option if not to tag our boy? – Fog Leg

Well, we know the Saints like to wait until the last minute to make these decisions so whatever they decide, we should all be prepared for that. Graham is certainly a likely candidate for the franchise tag next season as you mention. But if the Saints really view Jimmy as their future tight end for years to come, it would be classier if they gave him a big fat contract extension and paid him what he was worth. That’s not out of the question despite their current crappy financial situation. Next off-season will provide new opportunities to create cap room.

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Do you think we will have a snag in the running back spot since Chris Ivory is now off the roster? – Chris O.

I’m not exactly sure what you mean by snag in this situation but I certainly do not expect the Saints running game to suffer now that Chris Ivory is gone. Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram need only to keep doing what they’re doing. The Saints have everything they need in those three. The only potential snag would be a rash of injuries. but even then we can’t forget about Travaris Cadet as a potentially adequate replacement. No, I think the Saints are set at running back.

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Can you envision Smith and Armstead starting at the tackle positions when Payton reopens the Dome vs. theFalcons in September? – Hans P.

No. I can envision Jason Smith starting because he’s a veteran. Everything I’ve read on Terron Armstead suggest he’ll need a year to get acquainted. That being said, I would love to see Charles Brown finally develop into the tackle we were all expecting and earn a starting spot. I’d say it’s a make or break season for him. Zach Strief is obviously in the mix for potential starter in Week 1. I’d say it will be some combination of Strief, Brown, and Smith.

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Since our beloved Coach Payton has been out a year, how do you feel our offense will react this coming season? Will he set the football world ablaze with The Absolutely Positively Greatest Ever Show on Turf? Or will there be a few bumps in the road and kinks to work out getting back into the groove of things. I don’t see much of a drop from previous years and reaching for a 2011 or better type of season…. and for shiz and giggles throw a guesstimation number at me for Average points per game if you dare. All in good fun of course. – Jacob D.

My heart says they’re going to tear the NFL a new butthole in 2013 but my mind says it won’t be that easy. It never is. On paper I love what I see on this offense, but as you mentioned there always seems to be a few bumps in the road. We’ll probably see some incredibly high-scoring games with a few disappointing ones mixed in to keep us humble. I’ll say 27 for my average points per game prediction.

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Will the Saints be at the top of the salaries by team list at week 1? – Stu J.

Honestly, I don’t feel I have a legitimate and accurate source of information to be able to answer this question correctly.

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Toughest road game: Atlanta, New England or Seattle. – Ben D.

Woah, tough question. I could come up with legitimate reasons why each of those game could be the toughest. But I think we can scratch Atlanta off the list immediately. It’s really between New England and Seattle. The difference to me is that the New England game is in October while the Seattle game falls in December. And of course theSeahawks have an impressive home field advantage thanks to their stadium and fans. Gotta go with Seattle on this one.

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Where will the following players be to open the season? (Choices being starter, reserve, practice squad, off the team. Feel free to elaborate, would like to know your opinion) – Ryan E.

Will Smith – Backup at either defensive end or linebacker.
Roman Harper – Starting at strong safety. Deal with it.
Jonathan Vilma – Backup inside linebacker. I’m hoping someone younger steps up.
Jason Smith – Backup offensive tackle but potentially a starter.
Kenny Stills – Injured Reserve. Rookie receivers always red shirt in Payton’s offense.

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In 2012 the Atlanta Falcons ended the season with a 13-3 record and the NFC South division title. Atlanta was 3-3 in division games including a 1-1 record vs. the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons had the 8th ranked offense and the 24th ranked defense (both in yards) in 2012. Head coach Mike Smith and starting quarterback Matt Ryan return for their sixth season in Atlanta respectively.

Free agent acquisitions:

RB – Steven Jackson

DE – Osi Umenyiora

Undrafted free agent signings (courtesy of The Falcoholic):

QB – Seth Doege – Texas Tech

RB – Ronnie Wingo – Arkansas

RB – Donald Russell – Georgia St.

WR – Darius Johnson – SMU

WR – Martel Moore – NIU

WR – Rashad Evans – Fresno St.

OG – Theo Goins – UCF

C – Corey Howard – Central Arkansas

C – Matt Smith – Kentucky

DE- Cam Henderson – UCF

DT – Adam Replogle – Indiana

LB – Joplo Bartu – Texas St.

LB – Nick Clancy – Boston College

LB – Paul Worrilow – Delaware

CB – Momo Thomas – Colorado St.

CB – Saeed Lee – Alabama St.

S – Troy Sanders – Appalachian St.

K – Casey Barth – UNC

P – Sean Sellwood – Utah

Draft Selections:

CB – Desmond Trufant – Washington (Round 1)

CB – Robert Alford – SE Louisiana (Round 2)

DE – Mallicah Goodman – Clemson (Round 4)

TE – Levine Toilolo – Stanford (Round 4)

DE – Stansly Maponga – TCU (Round 5)

S – Kemal Ishmael – UCF (Round 7)

S – Zeke Motta – Notre Dame (Round 7)

QB – Sean Renfree – Duke (Round 7)

Here’s how ESPN graded the Falcons on their draft:

Atlanta Falcons

Top needs: CB, G, LB, DE, TE

Summary: Thomas Dimitroff isn’t afraid to make aggressive moves on the draft board. The Falcons were extremely desperate for help at cornerback, and once the Raiders had taken D.J. Hayden at No. 13 overall, I think the Falcons felt there was a chance five cornerbacks could be off the board by the time they drafted at No. 30 (Indianapolis, Denver and New England were among teams who needed a CB). So they moved up to No. 22, giving up a third-round pick to get Desmond Trufant. I thought it was a reasonable price to pay for an immediate starter, which is what they need. Trufant lacks elite traits, but he’s very good in all areas. The great get for Atlanta was a second-round double down, when the Falcons took another corner. Robert Alford was a CB I had rated higher than Darius Slay and David Amerson, so he was a steal on my board all the way down at No. 60. The loss of the third-rounder hurt, however, because the Falcons have a need at guard, and that’s a great range to get one who can help early (the Jets got a really good guard in Round 3 with Brian Winters, for instance). The pick of Levine Toilolo makes sense as another red-zone threat and a big target to develop behind Tony Gonzalez. The guy is basically a power forward in pads. Malliciah Goodman was my No. 12-ranked defensive end, and he has the upside of a starter. Stansly Maponga also could stick. The Falcons get a good mark for really crushing that huge need, but it’s hard to assume a great deal of impact after that.

And here’s how The Falcoholic viewed the Falcons draft:

Personally, I’m cautiously optimistic about the class from top to bottom. The Falcons added talent and depth to the secondary, grabbed a guy Thomas Dimitroff envisions as an immediate starter at left defensive end, added an intriguing tight end and snagged one more pass rusher with some upside. I was thinking we might get some more depth at linebacker or a project receiver, bu the Falcons may have taken some real strides at positions of need. If the UDFA class can add one or two valuable players, we’re on our way.

2012 was a banner year for the Falcons. They were the top seed in the NFC for the second time in three seasons and won their first playoff game under Smith/Ryan. The playoff victory against Seattle was eerily reminiscent of most home victories for the Falcons in 2012. Atlanta down by less than a field goal or tied with a minute left, Matt Ryan completes a couple of deep passes, Matt Bryant hits a long FG as time expires, game over. Atlanta won ugly and often in 2012, but a win’s a win, right?

Through free agency, Atlanta has replaced veterans with veterans in an attempt to upgrade or, at least, stay at the same level. Starting RB and unrestricted free agent Michael Turner has been replaced by free agent RB Steven Jackson, while DE John Abraham has been replaced by free agent DE Osi Umenyiora. These moves clearly indicate that Atlanta is in “win now” mode, sseing as how they did not attempt to get younger at these positions.

They did get younger, but not necessarily better, at another key position, cornerback. Through free agency, Atlanta lost cornerbacks Chris Owens, Dunta Robinson, and Brent Grimes. Atlanta has attempted to fill those positions through the draft by using their first two draft picks on cornerbacks, most notable is their first round pick Desmond Trufant out of Washington. Trufant was a top five CB prospect in this years draft and he will likely be slated to start opposite Asante Samuel.

How this affects the Saints:

The Saints split with the Falcons in 2012, a nail-biting win at home and a disappointing 10 point loss in Atlanta. The Saints-Falcons rivalry is as vibrant and bitter as it’s ever been, and the stakes are as high as they’ve ever been. These two franchises are the class of the NFC South, and despite their best efforts, Tampa and Carolina aren’t close. 2013 should come down to one of these two teams winning the division once again.

Working against the Falcons in 2013 is the fact that they won the NFC South in 2012. Since its formation in 2002, no team has succeeded in repeating as NFC South division champion. Hopefully this trend continues for one more season. The Saints and Falcons are expected to have a tight battle for the division title as always.

On offense, Sean Payton and Drew Brees will need to attack the rookie cornerbacks and exploit any mismatches that will occur should the Atlanta safeties be asked to cover more of the field opposite Samuel. On defense, Rob Ryan and his 3-4 scheme will need to keep Julio Jones and the Atlanta passing attack at bay. Tony Gonzalez (on his annual retirement tour) will be key for the Falcons offense once again, and that is what Kenny Vaccaro was drafted for. Hopefully the young safety is ready for the challenge.

The Saints and Falcons know each other as well as any rivals in the NFL, and that familiarity has bred contempt. The Falcons will be good once again, but not 13-3 good. I predict a 10-6 season and a second place finish for Atlanta in 2013, second to the Saints.

Who Dat!

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Tweets

Sean Payton Receives Honorary Doctor of Public Service Degree at Eastern Illinois University bit.ly/13ddJFE #Saints

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) May 6, 2013

Everybody make sure to get your tickets to the Black n Gold Hoops Challenge May 8 w a bunch of your favorite who dats bghoops.eventbrite.com

— Lance Moore (@LanceMoore16) April 29, 2013

Titans are discussing the possibility of signing former Falcons DE John Abraham to a deal that could be done this week.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 6, 2013

Tony Romo’s cutting back on his golf schedule wp.me/p14QSB-8GRS

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 6, 2013

Cue the Cowboys fans:”So Tony Romo can’t play golf, but Aaron Rodgers can make a cameo on The Office?” wp.me/p14QSB-8GSd

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 6, 2013

Happy Birthday to 2 of the most important ladies in my life! My wife AND daughter. So much beauty born on one day! “Daddy” loves you both😘

— Benjamin Watson (@BenjaminSWatson) May 6, 2013

Been asked a lot about the #Saints signing K Jose Carlos Maltos. He’s only been invited to rookie camp for a tryout. Not under contract.

— Larry Holder (@LarryHolder) May 6, 2013

No one has ever accomplished a goal without taking action towards achieving it.#GoForIt

— Roman Harper (@Harp41) May 6, 2013

#Saints rookie minicamp is this weekend. No media allowed, but there’s always at least 1 guy who stands out, makes roster.

— WWL-TV Sports (@wwltvsports) May 6, 2013

PDF of 2013 #Saints Schedule: bit.ly/ZvDcbT PDF with result boxes: bit.ly/13YtuPn

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) May 6, 2013

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Who dat talkin’ ’bout dem Saints?

Stanford’s Thomas prepared to ‘chase’ NFL success with Saints
“I like the 3-4 defense. I knew that they needed outside linebacker depth, and I liked how Rob Ryan attacks the offense with multiple, aggressive blitz packages. I am willing to be involved in any special teams.” Thomas admitted to checking out past Dallas Cowboys games, focusing on key components of the Ryan defense. He talked to Ryan following the draft and learned how his talent could afford him opportunities in New Orleans to utilize his pass rushing and blitzing skills.

Passion, versatility marked New Orleans Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro’s tenure at Texas | NOLA.com
Texas Coach Mack Brown and secondary coach Duane Akina knew Vaccaro would become a great player after observing his passion early on

Sean Payton Receives Honorary Doctor of Public Service Degree at Eastern Illinois University
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Eastern Illinois University at commencement exercises on Saturday in recognition of his generosity and service to society. SATCH NOTE: Suck on that, Roger!

Malcolm Jenkins will not pull a Reggie Bush with Saints | National Football Post
Unlike running back, he welcomes competition to roster

NFP Sunday Blitz – Yahoo! Sports
MLB/ILB—Kevin Reddick, Saints. It wouldn’t have been a surprise to see him picked as high as the third round. He was a pretty good college player and he has the skills to translate.

Malcolm Jenkins didn’t want to be like Reggie Bush – NFL.com
Jenkins didn’t want to create tension, so he decided to tweet Vaccaro a welcome message. It was opposite from the way Reggie Bush handled the same situation after the Saints drafted running back Mark Ingram in 2011. Bush infamously tweeted, “It’s been fun New Orleans.”

Saints Nation: Only One Saint Makes Pro Football Focus’ Top 101 in 2012

Drew Brees and the Saints’ backup QB battles, examining unlikely 6th-round pick Rufus Johnson, and more on ‘Black and Gold Today’ | NOLA.com
Drew Brees‘ spot is safe, but how will a Rob Ryan-led defense and a Chris Ivory-less backfield impact Brees’ offense?

New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton honored with honorary doctorate at Eastern Illinois University | NOLA.com
Payton joked that he won’t make assistant coaches call him “Dr.” — except on special occasions

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Other NFL News

Jacksonville fans ask Obama to get the Jaguars to sign Tebow | ProFootballTalk
The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced on Friday that 165,000 new jobs had been added to the American economy in the last month. But it would have been 165,001 if Tim Tebow had been able to find work. Some fans in Jacksonville want President Obama to do something about that.

Why can’t John Abraham get a job? – NFL Videos
Eric Davis and Mark Kriegel discuss why John Abraham is still without a job at this point in free agency.

Veteran tackle pool becoming more shallow | ProFootballTalk
The Dolphins have signed one of the top offensive tackles left, agreeing with ex-Falcon Tyson Clabo Sunday. And Clabo off the market, it was time to add another tackle to PFT’s All-Unemployed Team.

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An advertisement for a Phoenix smoke shop called Bud’s Glass Joint, featuring the Arizona Cardinals defensive back “Honeybadger” Tyrann Mathieu, has gone viral thing morning thanks to Scott Berger and some help from Darren Rovell. The advertisement was printed in the Phoenix New Times, a local Arizona publication.

As a business owner, I applaud Bud’s Glass Joint for their clever guerilla marketing tactic. Love it or hate it, everyone in the country will be talking about this advertisement today, which should help Bud’s Glass Joint smoke the competition.

I’m sure the Cardinals are hoping Mathieu stays far away from shops like this. Very, very far away.

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Just what position will Kenny Vaccaro be playing for the Saints?

I thought we were all pretty much in agreement that Vaccaro would be playing strong safety. Everything I’ve read since he was drafted 15th overall by the Saints last month says he’ll be playing strong safety. Not free safety.

But maybe we’re all wrong.

Malcolm Jenkins sure isn’t sold. Speaking at a Lemonade Day Louisiana function this past Saturday, Jenkins admitted the drafting of Vaccaro meant his job was in jeopardy, not necessarily Harper’s.

Both The Advocate and NFL.com had the story.

When the New Orleans Saints used their first-round draft pick last week to select free safety Kenny Vaccaro, Malcolm Jenkins knew he had been put on notice.

How could he not? Jenkins was the Saints’ starting free safety last season. Vaccaro’s arrival was a clear sign that Jenkins was heading to a backup role…or worse.

Malcolm Jenkins said he embraced the Saints’ first-round selection of Kenny Vaccaro – despite the threat to his job security at free safety – after recalling Mark Ingram’s less-than-cordial welcome to the franchise by former teammate Reggie Bush.

So does that mean Vaccaro will be playing free safety instead? What will happen to Jenkins? And is Roman Harper’s job safe? I’m so scared and confused. Hold me!

At this point I think anything is possible so we shouldn’t allow ourselves to get boxed into one scenario or another. We could potentially see a few different looks for the Saints secondary in 2013.

In their base formation the Saints could have Vaccaro play free or strong safety, meaning Jenkins and Harper are both at risk of becoming the odd man out. In the nickel formation, I expect to see all three of them out there at the same time because both Jenkins and Vaccaro have the ability and experience to defend in the slot.

Payton likes that Vaccaro has shown the ability to defend slot receivers as a nickel back, as he often did against spread offenses in college. This past week, general manager Mickey Loomis addressed the possibility of having Jenkins, Vaccaro and strong safety Roman Harper on the field simultaneously.

Before the draft, when we were talking about different scenarios,” Loomis said on WWL Radio, “one of the scenarios was that Malcolm could move into the nickel position because he has done that before and he does have good coverage skills.

So I wouldn’t throw that going away party for Roman Harper just yet. He may have his flaws but he’s also got his talents. He’s a thumper and he’s great on the blitz. And when Roman Harper is doing Roman Harper things, he can be a valuable commodity. It’s simply a matter of maximizing those opportunities.

But both he and Jenkins should definitely be on high alert. Because we know for certain that Sean Payton and Rob Ryan will put the best 11 players out there on the field. So if Kenny Vaccaro shines, then Jenkins and Harper could both be at risk of seeing their playing time reduced.

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The New Orleans Saints have signed kicker/punter Jose Carlos Maltos from Monterrey, Mexico to a three-year contract.

At least that’s what we’re being led to believe.

The official NFL Mexico twitter account made the announcement yesterday afternoon and Mexican website MedioTiempo.com confirms the signing with Maltos himself.

NFL México felicita a José Carlos Maltos por su llegada a los New Orleans #Saints. ¡Mucho éxito! #VamosMaltos twitter.com/NFLMX/status/3…

— NFL México (@NFLMX) May 4, 2013

Mexican Jose Carlos Maltos, former kicker for the Tigers Authentic Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, migrate to the NFL to play for the New Orleans Saints, as the player himself confirmed in a telephone interview with Mediotiempo.

There hasn’t been any official confirmation of the signing yet by the Saints or by any local media outlet. He is not listed on the roster at the Saints official website. The announcement could be pending Maltos securing a proper work visa in the United States.

Maltos is the former placekicker and punter for the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, He will get a chance to compete with both Garrett Hartley and Thomas Morstead for a roster spot but I’m sure he’s being brought in more for his placekicking.

The New England Patriots had also expressed interest in Maltos but the Saints apparently wanted him more.

Maltos is the 16th Mexican to make it to the NFL, most of whom have also been kickers. Mexican kicker Eddy Carmona signed a one-year contract with the Oakland Raiders last Wednesday.

Here are some Jose Carlos Maltos highlights for your viewing enjoyment:

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It would appear that former Saints linebacker Scott Shanle took a bit of a cheap shot at former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on Twitter earlier this evening.

While retweeting news that Spagnuolo had been hired as a defensive assistant in Baltimore, Shanle couldn’t help himself from taking a jab at his former coordinator, saying the Ravens would be a “good team 4 him 2 learn defense.”

Saints News:Steve Spagnuolo hired by Ravens as senior defensive assistant – bit.ly/125n9QY #saints” .good team 4 him 2 learn defense

— Scott Shanle (@scottshanle) May 6, 2013

Shanle’s tweet obviously implies that he’s not impressed with Spagnuolo’s defensive knowledge, surely an insult to someone who has spent their entire career coaching defense.

Not that any of this should be much of a surprise to Saints fans. This past January an anonymous player admitted to Larry Holder that every defensive position group was frustrated with Spagnuolo and wanted him fired.

He does have that good-guy persona, but he is a control freak and treats people like crap,” the player said. “(Spagnuolo has) no patience and zero personality. (He) has a way of pissing players and our defensive coaches off with how he says and does things. (I) think it’s even harder after having (former defensive coordinator) Gregg (Williams), who guys enjoyed.

Shanle has staunchly denied he was the anonymous source but I think it’s clear he wasn’t fond of Spagnuolo during his time in New Orleans, at the very least.

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It’s always a monumental day for an organization when they have to cut two unknown practice squad players who have never played a single down for the team.

That’s a joke, of course. I would be incredibly surprised if many Saints fans even remember wide receiver Biren Ealy or tight end Kolomona Kapanui being on the roster in 2009.

So why is it such a big deal that these two losers were cut by the Saints on May 5th, 2009?

It’s not.

But the reason why they were cut sure is funny as hell and gives me a chance to make a lot of bad puns. Let’s just say it’s a “touching” story. They were literally caught with their pants down but I doubt this was the kind of “exposure” these players were looking for to help them make the final 53. This is too easy.

Here’s what happened two days prior that led to the pair’s release on May 5th:

Two women had just pulled up to the Palmetto Creek apartments in the 5100 block of Citrus Boulevard when one of the women saw two men urinating in the parking lot, Fortunato said.

The woman who was the passenger told the men, who appeared to be drunk, to stop. At that point, Ealy allegedly turned around and exposed himself to the woman and started making “lewd” comments, Fortunato said.

A few moments later, Kapanui also turned around, facing the woman driving the car, and started to fondle himself while making comments, as well, police allege.

The women started screaming for help and called 911.

That’s embarrassing. Imagine having to tell your children years from now how you pissed away a potential NFL career. See what I did there? Last one I promise.

In all seriousness, it was nice to see the Saints handle this matter quickly and show that crap like this would not be tolerated. Only high character players have been welcome in the Saints locker room during the Payton era. I strongly believe it’s that dedication to top quality off-the-field personalities that helped the team earn a Super Bowl championship the following season. And for that, Saints fans should be thankful.

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