Tag: New Orleans Saints
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February 10, 2012
Posted by New Orleans Saints Newsc6ab36 in New Orleans Saints News, Topix - Saints Search
Alpharetta YMCA Helps 'NFL Characters Unite'
Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez uses his experiences overcoming bullying to help a teen deal with a similar situation in a one-hour TV show airing on USA Network Friday at 7 p.m. The Ed Isakson-Alpharetta Family YMCA served as a location for a one-on-one activity between Gonzalez and Jonathan, a teen who has been dealing with his ... (more)
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February 10, 2012
Posted by Guest in Junior Galette, New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Saints News, NFC South, nfl
New Orleans Saints: What Who Dat Fans Can Expect from Junior Galette in 2012
The New Orleans Saints are headed into the 2012 NFL offseason with a new defensive coordinator in Steve Spagnuolo, and I am extremely excited to see what he can do with defensive end Junior Galette.
Galette was an undrafted free agent in 2010, and the Saints picked him up during training camp. Throughout the 2010 preseason, Galette became a fan favorite and solidified his place on the Saints' 53-man roster.
He did not see much playing time in 2010, but last year, Galette began to see the field on a consistent basis.
In 2011, Galette played in every one of the Saints' games, and racked up 4.5 sacks in his first full year in the NFL. Galette played mostly as a third-down pass-rusher, and did very well in that role throughout the season.
He may, in fact, be the best pure pass-rusher on the team. Defensive ends Will Smith and Cameron Jordan are both very good at stopping the run, and Smith has shown glimpses of greatness in pressuring the quarterback in previous seasons.
However, Galette seems to get near the opposing passer every time he is on the field.
As far as a typical NFL defensive end goes, Galette is pretty undersized. He stands at 6'2" and 258 pounds, which is relatively small when discussing professional defensive linemen.
Galette uses his speed to get by pass blockers, and to the quarterback. This is probably his greatest strength, and a big part as to why he is still with the Saints.
The negative part of Galette's game right now is that he does not do very well against the running game.
Galette has difficulty in shedding blockers and making tackles. As a smaller defensive end, it is also tough for Galette to keep containment, and push the runners back inside.
The only thing keeping Galette from being a starter with New Orleans is his inability to play well against the run. However, I expect that part of Galette's game to change greatly with the addition of Spagnuolo.
Galette is currently listed as the third right defensive end, behind Smith and Jeff Charleston, but he is really more of a backup to Jordan on the left side.
In 2011, Galette would normally come in for Jordan in passing situations, and the two would continue to trade out the spot throughout the game.
We have already discussed that Smith may not be back in New Orleans next year, which would leave a vacancy on the Saints' defensive line. Galette will definitely have his chance to prove that he is worthy of a starting spot.
I believe that Saints fans can expect to see Galette bulk up again this offseason, but not so much that he loses his speed. If Galette can gain a little weight, and improve his game against the run, then we may see him starting opposite of Jordan in 2012.
I think that the more likely scenario is that Galette will continue to be a role player on the defensive line, and provide great depth for the Saints.
I expect his numbers across the board to increase during his third year in the league. Spagnuolo loves getting pressure with his four down lineman, and Galette will certainly be used for just that.
Since Spagnuolo expects so much from his D-line, they will need to have good depth, and a solid rotation to keep guys healthy and fresh. Galette will certainly receive opportunities to make an impression on the coaches, and I think that we may see him do that.
Galette's sack total in 2012 should hit the seven to nine range, in my opinion. I believe that a combination of Spagnuolo's system, Galette's growth and the Saints' need for his play will equate to a solid season for this young player.
He is a fan favorite, and most of Who Dat Nation cannot get enough of this talented defensive end. I believe that, in 2012, we will see Galette establish himself as one of the best weapons on the Saints' defense. He will make it impossible for the coaches not to put him in the game.
I think that Galette will use the 2012 NFL season as a stepping stone to a starting job with the Saints in 2013.
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Saints Nation: Saints' Most Glaring Need Is a Defensive Playmaker
I think we can all agree that the Saints need to re-sign Drew Brees, Marques Colston and Carl Nicks. All three of those players are key components to the historically supreme offense the Saints showcase and retaining them has to be of utmost importance. That said, for the second consecutive offseason, the biggest "upgrade" the Saints will have to seek is a playmaker on defense that can change the complexion of a game and that can continually force opposing team's offenses to gameplan around him. This is nothing new. The Saints still haven't recovered from the loss of the 33 year old version of Darren Sharper back in 2009. That's what we're essentially calling for here, a difference maker of that caliber. If this post seems familiar it's because I wrote the exact same thing a year ago. If you read the article I posted 12 months ago, the point in this exact same. And again, I don't really care which position this "playmaker" plays, just as l...Click to read the original Saints article by Yardbarker: New Orleans Saints
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February 9, 2012
Posted by New Orleans Saints Newsc6ab36 in New Orleans Saints News, Topix - Saints Search
Judge excludes testimony from Gulf oil spill trial
One Louisiana-based organization not very pleased with Gov. Jindal's budget is the Louisiana Budget Project.
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February 9, 2012
Posted by New Orleans Saints Newsc6ab36 in New Orleans Saints News, Topix - Saints Search
2012 NFL Free Agents Predictions: 5 Faces Headed to New Places
On March 13th, 2012, the NFL 's version of the Mayan Apocalypse will kick off, as the floodgates of free agency open and fans across the National Football League are subjected to endless updates, uncertainty and interviews with Drew Rosenhaus.
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February 9, 2012
Posted by Will Osgood in New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Saints News, NFC South, nfl
NFL Free Agency 2012: Potential New Orleans Saint Cliff Avril
This is the third in a running series of articles on Saints free and draft targets. Previously highlighted were Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson and Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson.
Upon first thought, Cliff Avril might not seem to be the marquee free-agent acquisition every Saints fan is hoping for on the defensive side of the football. In fact, if you're simply a novice football fan, you may not even know the name at all.
But make no mistake about it, the New Orleans Saints and their personnel department know who Avril is, likely to a tee. Are they going to make an aggressive push to sign him? That is a vastly different question.
In fact, it is the question I hope to answer over the next few moments. Just as with the Jacksons, I want to explore this player the way an NFL pro scout would—which of course, is virtually the same process as the one college scouts go through when evaluating a prospect.
Before I get to the pros and cons of Avril, it is important to note that Avril is more like a college prospect than most of the free-agent targets I have studied. There are two reasons for that: First, Avril remains very raw at his position, but part of that is due to a lack of experience. Second, Avril is coming from a Tampa Two, Wide-Nine defensive alignment.
In that defense, the defensive ends are essentially glorified outside linebackers. It’s an oversimplification of course, but in Detroit, Avril wasn’t asked to defend the run; only get after the passer at all costs. In New Orleans a season ago, the defensive ends were only asked to defend the run and forget about rushing the passer (at least in the base defense).
In 2012, the New Orleans Saints defense is going to require every defensive end be able to do both. To gain a spot on the field as an edge player, Avril, Will Smith, Cam Jordan or Junior Galette are going to have to prove they can hold up against the run but still provide explosive rushing abilities.
Pros
When you first put the Lions film, on it’s impossible to miss Avril. Though a frail defensive end, the former Purdue Boilermaker has a burst that literally makes it seem as if he was dropped from a canon. No player on the Lions squad—and thus, probably in all of football—gets off the ball quicker than Avril. With that, he plays with tremendous quickness and speed.
He routinely finds himself making tackles across the field and chasing runners down from behind when they get past the rest of the front seven down the field. Because of the obvious athleticism, he figures to be a versatile player who could drop into coverage on a zone blitz or even play some outside linebacker in a 3-4 look.
As with many raw defensive ends, Avril is at his best when he uses a speed rush. His jump off the football helps him get near the quarterback in no time at all. Occasionally, he’ll counter the speed rush with a spin move, or even try a bull rush.
In 2011, Avril had a career-high 11 sacks and caused six fumbles; plus, he intercepted a pass. That is very productive for a player who didn’t play every down.
Cons
Though there is a lot to like about Avril, the truth is that he’s still raw, despite playing four full seasons in the NFL. While he has shown an array of pass rushing moves, he’s really a one-and-done rusher. In other words, he pre-selects what move he will use before the snap, and if that doesn’t work, he gets taken out of the play and becomes ineffective. He does not know how to battle and counter the offensive tackle.
Even more disturbing than that is the trend which much film study reveals. Though he has incredible initial burst, he fails to finish plays due to a lack of bend and flexibility to get by the offensive tackle. He often gets vertical, but can’t get back to the quarterback because he doesn’t dip his shoulder to get around the tackle.
This is ultimately a product of a bigger issue for him, though. Avril really doesn’t use his hands at all. He gets engaged with a blocker and never gets off him due to a lack of strength and lack of hand technique.
This also affects him in the run game, as he generally gets lodged in with the tackle and is basically at the mercy of the blocker as to whether he sets the edge or gets hammered inside. Too often, he works his way upfield, seemingly forgetting about the running game off tackle or in between the guards.
Avril’s Potential Role With the Saints
Though Cliff Avril has a ton of talent, there is still a lot of refining to his game that is necessary. He is still 25 (turns 26 on April 8). The Lions are reportedly considering slapping the franchise tag on him, but he wants a long-term contract in Detroit or elsewhere.
If he were to join up with the Saints, he would be synced up in Steve Spagnuolo's defense and instantly become the unit's go-to pass rusher. He would provide some scheme versatility and allow the Saints to move Cam Jordan inside in nickel situations, something Spagnuolo did often in New York with Justin Tuck.
He’s also a guy the Saints would clearly aim to move around the field with zone blitzes where he drops, and someone such as Roman Harper or Malcolm Jenkins takes his spot rushing the quarterback (one of the corners would play the safety’s spot).
As we saw in the Super Bowl this past season, and from Spag’s defense four years ago, an effective pass rush doesn’t consist of just one player. Combined with Will Smith, Cam Jordan, and hopefully, Syracuse’s Chandler Jones (scouting report on him forthcoming), Avril and the Saints could begin to feature an elite pass rush—one that gives opposing offensive line coaches and coordinators headaches for weeks.
But the greatest characteristic Avril possesses and would bring to New Orleans is his ability to cause turnovers. It seems he always stripping the quarterback or getting a hand on the ball. At the least, he finds ways to get to the quarterback and cause them to hurry their throws. The Saints need to add that quality to their defense.
Though many don’t know much about Avril, he is going to cost someone some money. The very fact the Lions would consider franchising him shows they think he’s quite a player. He fits their system well, but if coached well, would fit the Saints aggressive defense even better.
Handing him large sums of money may seem scary for any franchise given his obvious immaturity on the football field. He was flagged for some egregious plays during the season and jumped offside more often than any other defender (strictly a guess).
But coming to a team with strong veteran leadership and an atmosphere wreaking of discipline would certainly aide the super-talented young man. Whether it happens or not, I’ve got to think Spagnuolo is begging Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis to consider a player of Avril’s equal ability.
We all know the Saints need that. Time will tell just who that player turns out to be.
Read more New Orleans Saints news on BleacherReport.com
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February 9, 2012
Posted by New Orleans Saints Newsc6ab36 in New Orleans Saints News, Topix - Saints Search
New Orleans Saints Have Defense on Their Minds
Head coach Sean Payton made the official announcement that the New Orleans Saints have added three new coaches to their coaching staff.
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February 9, 2012
Posted by New Orleans Saints Newsc6ab36 in New Orleans Saints News, Topix - Saints Search
Should the New Orleans Saints Franchise Tag Drew Brees?
Drew Brees's contract extension is taking longer than everyone had hoped and some have been wondering if the New Orleans Saints are going to franchise tag Brees.
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Plenty of wide receiversto catch Bears' attention
No matter how well new general manager Phil Emery does in this year's draft, it won't be enough to elevate the Bears' offense to a championship level. So it's likely they'll do more than kick the tires on some unrestricted free agents next month. If the Bears aim to upgrade at wide receiver and anyone who saw them play last season would advise them to do so they'll have plenty of targets in free agency.Click to read the original Saints article by FOXSports.com News for Saints
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