Saints Show Interest In Several Players
The New Orleans Saints ended their latest mini camp with several unanswered questions on the defensive side of the ball. The team was hoping that it would see improvement from its young linebackers during the three-day camp, but last year’s starter at strong side linebacker, Keith Mitchell, was unable to participate due to a fractured Pelvis. Mitchell suffered the injury while lifting weights and it is not clear as to whether or not Mitchell will be available for the start of training camp.
This is just the latest setback to a unit that is under great scrutiny due to its lackluster play last season. In 1998 all Saints middle linebackers had fewer pass breakups than former Saints linebacker Winfred Tubbs had interceptions in 1997. Pass defense is clearly this unit’s weakness and Mitchell’s absence will not help the unit’s development.
33-year old Vinson Smith ran with the first team defense during the mini camp and was praised by Head Coach Mike Ditka for his play during practices. Smith, however, cannot be considered as the long-term solution at outside linebacker for the Saints. Smith is the oldest non-kicker on the Saints roster and was in retirement last season before the Saints signed him to a one-year contract.
New Saints Assistant General Manager Charles Bailey said that the Saints are interested in two players who might help fill the void in the linebacking corps. Those players are former Dallas Cowboy and Minnesota Viking Dixon Edwards and former Pittsburgh Steeler and Carolina Panther Greg Lloyd. Bailey said that the Saints would like to bring in Edwards for a workout sometime next week.
Edwards, who is 31-years old, played the last three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings after winning three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys from 1991 - 1995. He was released earlier this week by the Vikings in a cost cutting move with two years left on his contract. Dixon’s numbers have declined for the last two years after making a career high 96 tackles in 1996. Edwards is generally regarded as being good in coverage, yet he has only intercepted two passes and has only broken up 15 others in his entire career.
Bailey is also interested in bringing Greg Lloyd in for a look, but no timetable has been set for contacting him. Bailey believes that the 34-year old Lloyd has one season left in him, but he is only being viewed as a possible backup at this time. Lloyd spent ten years with the Pittsburgh Steelers before playing last season with the Carolina Panthers. With the Panthers he started 14 games making 64 tackles and 1 sack. Over the last two years he has been beset by injuries, including a staph infection in his leg which caused him to loose twenty pounds.
It will be interesting to see if the Saints actually sign either of these players. Bailey feels like either of these players could help the team, while Ditka has the opposite opinion. When asked about Dixon Edwards, Ditka responded, “Did he play better football in his career than Vinson Smith? I don't think so." Ditka doesn’t like the idea of bringing in free agents because he feels it is like “bringing in other people's garbage." However, Ditka does have interest in former Bears offensive tackle Andy Heck, but only as a reserve. It remains to be seen if Heck is willing to be a backup or play for backup money.
Bailey has also remained open about the possibility of signing former Pittsburgh players Neil O’Donnell and Tim Lester, but once again it appears as though Ditka has no interest in either of these players.
