Fox Sports broke the news earlier today, and WWL’s Juan Kincaid confirmed it this afternoon, that the Saints have traded their 2009 picks in the 2nd and 5th rounds of the draft to the New York Giants for tight end Jeremy Shockey. The disgruntled TE became expendable for the Giants when their 2007 5th round pick, Kevin Boss, emerged after Shockey broke his leg in December. Shockey was put off when the team didn’t allow him on their sideline during their Super Bowl win in February, and had made it clear that he wanted a trade to New Orleans, where he could be reunited with former offensive coordinator Sean Payton, who coached with the Giants in Shockey’s 2002 rookie season.

Our early take on this trade? It makes the Saints offense, already one of the best in the league, even better by adding a tight end who can both consistently catch the ball and efficently block for the run–qualities the Saints did have already, albeit in different players (Eric Johnson has the potential to be a game-breaking pass catcher, Billy Miller has flashed receiving ability in big spots and Mark Campbell is the run-blocker the Saints sorely missed after he was hurt in ‘07). The Saints now have a starting-quality tight end that can play all four downs instead of substituting TEs in and perhaps giving away the next play. We haven’t had a TE this dynamic since Wesley Walls.

Now, the question is, “How many Shockey jerseys will be in the Superdome on opening day?”

TRAINING CAMP BATTLES TO WATCH OUT FOR

One of the good things about being a year removed from a conference championship appearance and having re-signed or extended most of your notable free agents from that squad is that you have few notable positional battles. When the Saints convene for Training Camp ’08 on July 24th, their biggest offseason additions will step into pre-defined roles: MLB Jonathan Vilma immediately becomes the starting middle linebacker on the Saints’ defense and DE Bobby McCray is penned into the rotation at defense end. The Saints do have some questions at big-time positions like wide receiver and cornerback, so we’ll take a look at the players vying for starting roles, and perhaps roster spots.

Wide Receivers: Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Terrance Copper, David Patten, Robert Meachem, Adrian Arrington, Lance Moore, Skyler Green, Todd Blythe, Titus Ryan, Carlos Robinson. Roster spots available: 6.

The Saints carried six receivers in ’07, and with them all returning in ’08 there’s no reason to think they’ll change that number, but a couple of the names may change. Colston’s a lock, and the questions begin with who’ll start opposite him. The team needs a reliable receiver to draw the double team away from Colston while stretching the field and not allowing defenses to stack the line against our running game.

After an ‘07 training camp in which everyone claimed his concentration problems were behind him, former second round pick Henderson suffered through yet another frustrating season of just as many drops and missed chances as breathtaking catches. He was re-signed to a one-year contract and this might be his last chance to catch on with the Saints. He’s a pretty good bet to make the roster, but can he prove consistent enough to start?

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Saints subplots were flying just before NFL Draft 2008, where the team was scheduled to pick no.10 overall. We knew the Saints’ two biggest needs (Defensive Tackle and Cornerback), and pretty much the 1st-round caliber talents the team was interested in, both of whom the Saints would have to trade up for: USC DT Sedrick Ellis and a player New Orleans coveted most of all, LSU DT Glenn Dorsey. If a trade couldn’t be made, the speculation was that the Bengals, picking immediately before the Saints, would take Ellis and the Saints would be left to take an excellent LB, USC’s Keith Rivers. Other rumors swirled: would the Saints trade their second round pick (no.40 overall) to the Giants for TE Jeremy Shockey? Would they trade with the Eagles for starting CB Lito Sheppard, made available after Philly signed Asante Samuel but who wants a new, big contract? (more…)

In this week’s edition of Pro Football Weekly’s “The Way We Hear It” column, it’s rumored that the Saints are interested in moving up from their no.10 position in this year’s draft. PFW claims the Saints are going after USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis (who new Saints D-line coach Ed Orgeron recruited) and think they have to move up to at least no.8 (Baltimore currently holds that spot) to snipe the Cincinnati Bengals, also rumored to be strongly interested in Ellis.

New Orleans radio station 870AM reportedly claimed on yesterday’s SportsTalk that the Saints were interested in moving all the way up to no.2 (St. Louis’ pick). If that’s true, it could mean the Saints are intersted in one player: former LSU Tiger Glenn Dorsey.

Mock drafts almost universally have the Saints (if they stay at no.10) picking either USC’s versatile LB Keith Rivers or one of the top cornerbacks available. The way I see it, if you believe that second year pro Usama Young will step up and newly-signed Randall Gay will shore up our cornerback spots (along with Jason David playing better and Mike McKenzie being able to return from his knee injury), defensive tackle is the glaring hole in our defense. If you can grab one of these two DTs, it immediately gives you a playoff-caliber defense, on paper at least.

Keep in mind that it’s also rumored the Saints are interested in trading for two Pro Bowl-type players: Eagles CB Lito Sheppard (whose want for a new contract might impede things) and Giants TE Jeremy Shockey (the Saints have reportedly already offered NY a second round pick and safety Roman Harper).

Is it possible that the Saints forgo a complete rookie class and exit NFL Draft ‘08 with Dorsey/Ellis, Sheppard and Shockey? It would certainly mean the team feels the Super Bowl window with this squad has a one or two year opening. It’s possible, but it’s definitely going to be an exciting draft.

The Saints’ ‘08 schedule was officially released today by the NFL. Remember that late season games may be bumped to Sunday Night Football if the NFL and NBC deems it so.

Week 1:

Sunday 9/7: Tampa Bay Bucs @ New Orleans Saints

The Saints open the season in the Superdome for the first time since 2004.

Week 2:

Sunday 9/14: New Orleans Saints @ Washington Redskins

We get an early look at new Redskins coach Jim Zorn and his retooled offense, notably with QB Jason Campbell and RB Clinton Portis.

Week 3:

Sunday 9/21: New Orleans Saints @ Denver Broncos

The Saints play the Broncos for the first time since 2004, when Denver won 34-13 at the Superdome. Who will be the Broncos RB? Mike Bell, Selvin Young, Travis Henry or some draft pick Denver coach Mike Shanahan plucks out of this year’s draft?

Week 4:

Sunday 9/28: San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints

This should (emphasis on should) be first “gimme” game of the Saints’ season. The plan will be to stop RB Frank Gore and make the QB (either Alex Smith or Shaun Hill) beat us. New 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz makes a return to the Superdome.
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