<div id="content-right"> <div class="blog-post noline"> <h3>New Orleans Saints in the market for a defensive tackle in the NFL Draft?</h3> <h4>Posted by Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune April 23, 2009 3:45AM</h4> <div class="categories">
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Sorry for the delayed posting, but I attended the press conference this afternoon with Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and wanted to wait until that was over before updating.</p>
As colleague Mike Triplett noted in his update, Loomis kept things close to the vest as expected. He did say teams were actively calling about potential trades and I get the feeling the club will definitely move down if the right opportunity comes along.
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Little information came out of the 26-minute session so instead of trying to draw blood from a turnip, I'll comment on something that I found interesting from Coach Sean Payton's interview on WWL-AM radio on Tuesday night.</p>
In response to a question about his team's needs, Payton mentioned the usual suspects -- secondary, running back, linebacker - but he also mentioned defensive tackle, saying "We're thin a little bit at defensive tackle right now when you look at depth and where our young guys are playing at."</p>
Thin? Really?</p>
Not sure what depth chart Payton is looking at, but the official one on the team's Web site lists seven defensive tackles, including first-round draft pick Sedrick Ellis and four veterans - Kendrick Clancy, Rod Coleman, Hollis Thomas and Brian Young -- who've combined to start an average of 82 games in their careers. The unit also includes 2008 fifth-round draft pick DeMario Pressley, who Loomis praised on Wednesday.</p>
So the only thing I can deduce from that comment is maybe Payton knows something we don't. Like perhaps Young and Thomas are not long for the Black and Gold. Both are in their 30s and have been plagued by injuries in recent years. Their releases would save the club a combined $2.5 million.</p>
And perhaps this is why the Saints pursued Shaun Cody in free agency and eventually signed Coleman, who was out of football last season.</p>
And perhaps this is why the Saints have expressed interest in a host of defensive tackle prospects in the draft, including Ron Brace and Fili Moala.</p>
This is one to watch, especially on the second day of the draft.</p> </div> </div> </div>
</div> <div class="entry-body">
Sorry for the delayed posting, but I attended the press conference this afternoon with Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and wanted to wait until that was over before updating.</p>
As colleague Mike Triplett noted in his update, Loomis kept things close to the vest as expected. He did say teams were actively calling about potential trades and I get the feeling the club will definitely move down if the right opportunity comes along.
</p><a name="more"></a>
Little information came out of the 26-minute session so instead of trying to draw blood from a turnip, I'll comment on something that I found interesting from Coach Sean Payton's interview on WWL-AM radio on Tuesday night.</p>
In response to a question about his team's needs, Payton mentioned the usual suspects -- secondary, running back, linebacker - but he also mentioned defensive tackle, saying "We're thin a little bit at defensive tackle right now when you look at depth and where our young guys are playing at."</p>
Thin? Really?</p>
Not sure what depth chart Payton is looking at, but the official one on the team's Web site lists seven defensive tackles, including first-round draft pick Sedrick Ellis and four veterans - Kendrick Clancy, Rod Coleman, Hollis Thomas and Brian Young -- who've combined to start an average of 82 games in their careers. The unit also includes 2008 fifth-round draft pick DeMario Pressley, who Loomis praised on Wednesday.</p>
So the only thing I can deduce from that comment is maybe Payton knows something we don't. Like perhaps Young and Thomas are not long for the Black and Gold. Both are in their 30s and have been plagued by injuries in recent years. Their releases would save the club a combined $2.5 million.</p>
And perhaps this is why the Saints pursued Shaun Cody in free agency and eventually signed Coleman, who was out of football last season.</p>
And perhaps this is why the Saints have expressed interest in a host of defensive tackle prospects in the draft, including Ron Brace and Fili Moala.</p>
This is one to watch, especially on the second day of the draft.</p> </div> </div> </div>