National Football League

Saints have addressed many roster priorities

Published Jul. 31, 2011 11:00 p.m. ET

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Sean Payton interrupted practice to gather his players together, then signaled for a tray of umbrella drinks in cocktail glasses.

They were served to recently signed free agents who've been merely watching training camp practices while most of their Saints teammates have been laboring in the Louisiana heat.

The move drew laughs at the expense of players such as receiver Lance Moore and two-time Pro Bowl safety Roman Harper, who are barred from practicing until the NFL's new labor agreement has been ratified.

Yet Payton could have just as fittingly proposed a toast in their honor. The free agents holding Shirley Temples also represented the progress New Orleans has made in meeting roster priorities during the first, frenetic week since the NFL lockout ended.

Not only have the Saints brought back several key players from 2010, they've also been able to lure several new ones to New Orleans and had five of six draft choices signed before their third practice of training camp.

Payton was quick to credit general manager Mickey Loomis, director of football administration Khai Harley, pro scouting director Ryan ace and college scouting director Rick Reiprish for their efforts to handle a heavy workload in an abnormally tight time-frame.

"Every time I see Mickey, I ask if there's any news because chances are, there probably is," Payton said. "You're dealing with your own unrestricted free agents, rookies, players that you drafted, maybe other teams' free agents and I think that it's been a unique time."

Loomis said the first week of free agency is always busy, but "what compounded it in this case is we had to do our rookie free agents ... and on top of that we had to make contact with other teams' free agents as well as our own.

"We had some late nights," Loomis continued. "That's nothing we weren't prepared for. It's just doing it in a compressed period of time."

The Harper signing ensured the return of New Orleans' entire 2010 starting defensive backfield. Moore's return means Drew Brees has one of his favorite receivers back.

The Saints also have brought back left tackle Jermon Bushrod, who has protected Brees' blind side effectively for the past two seasons.

Not long after trading Reggie Bush to Miami in a move that gave New Orleans financial flexibility, the Saints acquired Darren Sproles, whose speed and versatility in the running, passing and return game gave back to the Saints much of what they'd lost in the Bush deal.

Sproles' addition represented part of a trend in which the Saints targeted players who could compete for playing time at their regular position and contribute on special teams. Two other acquisitions along those lines were former Seattle linebacker Will Herring and former Green Bay fullback Korey Hall. Meanwhile, the re-signing of Jo-Lonn Dunbar brought back a fourth-year player who has had a couple starts at linebacker and has been a regular on special teams.

Then there was the return of Scott Shanle, a starting linebacker for the past five seasons and a leadership figure who coaches say consistently grades well on film.

Starting free safety Malcolm Jenkins applauded the front office for keeping mostly intact a defense that ranked fourth overall in the NFL.

"We made some big strides last year defensively, and it's because we had those veteran guys in the lineup who've been in the system and learned it," Jenkins said. "Getting those same guys back is big. It keeps the camaraderie in the locker room together and ... you have some veterans who have been in this defense and know the defense so we can keep developing."

The Saints still have several more deals to complete. The club's top draft choice, defensive end Cam Jordan, was not signed as of Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, several regulars from last season, namely tight end David Thomas, starting guard Carl Nicks and starting center Jonathan Goodwin, remained unsigned. Nicks is a restricted free agent, while Thomas and Goodwin are unrestricted.

Other free agents who played regular roles in 2010 include offensive tackle Zach Strief, fullback Heath Evans, defensive linemen Jimmy Wilkerson and Anthony Hargrove, defensive end Jeff Charleston and linebacker Marvin Mitchell.

Payton said he wasn't overly concerned that the Saints had not yet signed some players they want because they probably cannot practice anyway until Aug.4, by which time the NFL's new labor agreement is expected to have been ratified.

"There's still a handful of players that we're working on," Payton said, without being specific. "We've got time with practices not beginning in full, really, until your whole team is present."

Notes: Third-round draft pick Martez Wilson, a linebacker out of Illinois, practiced for the first time on Sunday and took some snaps with the first team. ... Several players sat out because of injuries, including LT Charles Brown (hamstring), RB Chris Ivory (foot), CB Tracy Porter (knee), DE Greg Romeus (knee), and G Carl Johnson (hamstring), CB Josh Gatlin (thumb), LB Jerimiha Hunter (heel), and WR Michael Galatas (hamstring).