Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, a newly- wed, was smiling on Wednesday evening because the had signed wide receiver Marques Colston to a three-year contract extension which means he'll be with the Saints through the 2011 season. Football is finally here.
Loomis told the media at his first news conference of the season at MillsapsCollege in Jackson that he expects long holdouts by No. 1 draft choice defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis and No. 2 pick cornerback Tracey Porter.
Here are slices from Loomis' question-and-answer session with the media:
Q: Can you discuss the importance of the Colston extension?
A: Clearly he's been productive, a nice surprise and a great story for us. When you have a chance to get a player of that caliber though it's early it's a special case. It's exciting for us. but at the same time, he's a younger player, he's a younger player, it's a shorter term contract. He's going to have another bite at the apple. I kind of look at this as a bridge between the deal he signed as a seventh-round draft choice and his next deal.
Q: Do you expect long holdouts with Sedrick Ellis and Tracey Porter?
A: Right now I do. There's been very little progress in the first round period and really at the top of the second round there has been very little progress. It's frustrating. I have to be honest with you. I feel like it's about the agents of these guys not wanting to look bad as opposed to any concern for getting the player in here, getting him acclimated and getting him going in the right way in their first year in the league.
Q: Is this about agents waiting to see what other players sign first?
A: They're all just waiting, not wanting to be first, not wanting to be embarrassed by a deal that gets done after they do their deal and frankly, they're looking for some huge increases. Yes, they'll do a deal if you want to give them some outrageous increase. I just don't know any business where you hand out 20 per cent, 30 per cent increases every year. You're not going to be in business very long if you do that.
Q: Is there a key first-round pick to get signed to maybe speed up he process?
A: I was hoping it was our guy, but that's not looking like that's going to happen in the near future.
Q: Is this holdup among draft choices related to the eventual expansion of he salary cap?
A: Frankly, I haven't seen a theme. I'd like to have some logic to put to it. So far I haven't seen any logic. This is what we want and OK, great.
Q: It seems like this offseason more than any other, you guys have been really productive in going out and making deals to acquire big names and profile players. Is that right?
A: We're not out there looking at names. We're just looking for players that can help our team. I think the system that we're in, you can't go out every year and sign a bunch of players to new contracts. You just don't have that ability with the salary cap and the limitation on resources, so it becomes cyclical You can do it every three years or two or three years. It just happened that this year we had the opportunity to get a couple of guys. I think the most important factor is being about to re-sign our own guys and we've had some success doing that this year.
Q: What was the difference in finally getting the Jeremy Shockey deal done?
A: We had a lot of discussions with the Giants prior to the draft, at the draft and after the draft. We just couldn't make a deal. When you're on the other side of that, if you're going to trade a player you want to make sure you get the vale that you believe the guy's worth. It was dormant for a couple of months and we just wanted to make a deal earlier this week and say we're still interested and Jerry Reese (Giants GM) at that time 'Let's make a deal'. We were able to get the compensation to both our liking and their liking and we were able to make a deal.
Q: There is a report out of New York for the Shockey trade and Jonathan Vilma trade saying that if Vilma meets certain criteria that the Shockey trade would trigger a first-round pick for him. Can you address that?
A: There is a contingency in Vilma's deal that could affect our ability to give a second-round pick next year. It;s unlikely, but it could happen, so consequently we had to have a contingency in our deal with the Giants to take care of the event that the other contingency took place. I think at the end of the day it will be the two and the five for what the Giants will receive. Thee some contingencies.
Q: Would the contingencies trigger a first-round pick?
A: I'd rather not say what it triggers. Those terms are generally undisclosed.
Q: Is Vilma's deal based on some contingencies?
A: Thee are some things that under our control and some things that are based on his play time.
Q: What players are you excited to see on the field?
A: Sedrick Ellis and Tracey Porter. I'm excited to see them walk through the front door.
Q: Can you discuss your anticipation of watching Robert Meachem?
A: what I would say is that we're excited about how hard Robert's worked this offseason and for me, here's a younger player that does not live up to his expectations or our expectations last year and was able to look in the mirror and say I have to do something different and he sought out David Patten and asked him to mentor his offseason. That's exciting to me to see a player with some determination who says that he wants to show people he was worth a first-round pick. I'm eager to see the results of that this training camp.
SOME HITHER, OTHERS YON: All but one of the 79 Saints reported for training camp made their required weight limit on Wednesday. "And he wasn't a lineman," said coach Sean Payton. All of the players passed their physicals. The coach was impressed by the conditioning of his players...Cornerback Jerametrius Butler, an eight-year veteran, called Payton and told him he had decided tor retire rather than try to win a job of the roster...New tight end Jeremy Shockey will be in pads, but won't be at 100 per cent. He is recovering a from a broken leg and Payton doesn't want him suffering a hamstring pull or other injury while he's working himself back into football shape...LSU coach Les Miles faced the pressboxers at the SEC Media Day on Wednesday and was a little vanilla after his comments on Alabama several days had the Birmingham radio stations and newspapers buzzing. "I want you to know something," said the coach. "I have great respect for the University of Alabama. The history they have presented to college football, the competition that they put on every time they take the field. I promise you that any fun and entertainment that I have with supporters is very respectful. I love college football, the competition and they young men that play it."...
One of the top-rated defensive tackles in the nation has committed to LSU. Mansfield defensive tackle Chris Davenport, 6-foot-4, 311, said he will attend LSU. He is the nation's No. 9 over-all prospect according to Scout.com and No. 2 prospect at his position. Davenport is LSU;s 16th commitment for the 2009 class...Former Tigers defensive tackle All-American Claude Wroten of the Rams has been suspended by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Wroten, entering his third season with the Ran\ms, was suspended for four games last season. His draft stock fell in 2006 when he was stopped for speeding and police discovered marijuana in the vehicle..If the Saints are playing the Chargers in London, why don't they hold the British Open on the PGA course in Westwego?...Colts coach Tony Dungy is certain Peyton Manning's knee will be ready for the opener and thinks the quarterback may play in some preseason games...The Saints have signed fifth-round draft choice guard/tackle Carl Nicks of Nebraska...
MAIL BAG: "Here's a trivia quiz for you. Name the organization that has this record, NBA or NFL?
Some 84 wee arrested for DUI last year; 71 can't get credits cards because of bad credit; 14 have been arrested for on drug-related charges, 8 have been arrested for shoplifting; 21 are defendants in law suits; 35 have been accused of spousal abuse; 7 have been arrested for fraud; 19 have been accused of writing bad checks; 117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least two businesses; and 3 have done time for assault. Trivia quiz answer: NBA or NFL? Neither. It's the 535 members of the U.S. Congress.---Mic Bergeron, New Orleans. My time is up. Ed Staton can be reached at edcoachstaton@yahoo.com.
