Where Have all the Rookie Signings Gone?

by Dave Cariello on Jul 22, 2009 6:00 AM CDT

Last year, the Saints signed the first of their 2008 draft picks, DeMario Pressley, on July 12th; twelve days before the opening of training camp at Millsaps. Yet here we are now, only nine days removed from the start of this years camp, and not one word has been uttered about any of the Saints four 2009 draft picks being signed. If you're like me you've been wondering what gives and want to know when we can expect to start seeing them sign.

Any day now, my friend. Any day now.

Remember, it's not really up to the players themselves. I've been following two of the Saints rookies via Twitter - Malcolm Jenkins and Chip Vaughn to be precise - and it appears as though their time now is spent just working out, preparing for training camp...

Cardio! Let's Gooooooo!!!!!!!!

-Chip Vaughn

getting settled into their new homes here in the Big Easy...

Loving the NO already.... gotta get this apt right then chill out and relax

-Malcolm Jenkins

Getting my place set up now
-Chip Vaughn

more working out...

Got in a good workout wit brother Malcolm.

-Chip Vaughn

spending time with family...

Taking mom to Emeril's for dinner
-Chip Vaughn

and just relaxing...after working out.

just got done working out... im sittin in the house watching CSI
-Malcolm Jenkins

But while they're busy settling into their new lives and focusing on other things, their agents and lawyers - or attorney's as they like to call themselves - are the ones playing the waiting game, making sure their clients sign the largest contract possible. You know, the one that guarantees money to players for performances that are anything but guaranteed.

All we can really do is sneak a peek at last years signings and use them as a barometer. Take a look at how things went down last July.

Player	Date Signed	Terms
DeMario Pressley	July 12th	3 years
Adrian Arrington	July 18th	3 years
Taylor Mehlhaff	July 18th	3 years
Carl Nicks	July 23rd	3 years
Tracy Porter	July 25th (2 days into TC)	4 years
Sedrick Ellis	July 29th (6 days into TC)	5 years

*training camp started July 24th.

Pressley got the party started early, about two weeks before the open of training camp, but many of last years draft choices were not under contract until less than a week prior to the start of camp. Worse still, two players got late starts while waiting to finalize contract details. The ink on Tracy Porter's signature wasn't even dry when he signed his first deal before taking the field for the afternoon practice on the second day and Sedrick Ellis missed six days of Ed Orgeron screaming in his face while waitng to sign his contract.

So if the past can be used as any sort of indicator - and I think that it can - then what do we know? Not a damn thing, that's what. Saints fans should start reading about rookie signings very shortly. It might even be as early as today. But it also wouldn't be unusual if it takes another few days before we see any of them ink a deal, Malcolm Jenkins in particular. It may even be after training camp is already underway and could mean lost time.

And that, my friend, would be unfortunate.

Poll

Do you think the Saints will have any training camp holdouts?

No!

240 votes

Probably Malcolm Jenkins.

125 votes

None of them will sign by camp.

25 votes

Morstead will be the last to ink.

11 votes

A couple.

79 votes

480 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Wow, we signed Taylor Melhaff for three years?! Is that number some sort of formality for rooks or something? Anyway, you would think our tiny draft class would help speed things along this year. We only got one high draft skill player to contend with, and he’s got serious starting competition in camp. Vaughn would be a 3rd string FS if he signed, which seems absurd to me to worry about, and Arnoux lost all his leverage while he was still in shorts. That only leaves Jenkins, Morestead, and UFA’s. Maybe the Saints just aren’t worried about it yet this year.

by FuSoYa on Jul 22, 2009 9:06 AM CDT reply actions

Vaughn

is projected as a SS, unless you’ve heard something I haven’t. Jenkins was the top DB drafted. The top players at each position are typically late to sign, as there’s nothing for their agents to base their asking price on, in terms of slotting. For example, if the 2nd and 4th DEs are already signed, the 3rd’s approximate value is easily determinable. On the high end, there’s only the 2nd best and players at other positions selected in close proximity to gauge that. Most players in that situation are going to be reluctant to set the bar and that’s perfectly understandable. If you were in the same situation, why would you want to sell yourself short? Especially when the contracts themselves aren’t guaranteed. You’re going to want the biggest signing bonus you can possibly hammer out.

by coldpizza on Jul 22, 2009 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions

Oh

at last that makes his value more understandable. Don’t know where I got the FS idea from. For the rest, I think I at least vaguely understand the business philosophy of contract negotiation, but I can’t see how that applies much to an injured backup olb and a punter. Who would Morestead be holding out for? The 3rd string kicker? Also, the rest of the defensive backs are already signed, so I would think the relative values are set. Jenkins has obvious leverage, but no proof of value, and Vaughn could be a winner, and a backup at SS makes more sense, but he needs the Saints more than I would think they need him. I wish the NFL would adopt the NBA’s rookie pay scale. That would greatly simplify things, and put a little burden on these youngsters to produce before they collect their millions.
Aside from the draft class, I really hope we sign Casillas and Herb, and I would have thought they would be signed by now. Casillas seems obvious, but maybe neither of the UFA RB’s have a chance? Also I’d like to see if Gorrer is the diamond in the rough that Hebert thinks he is. I’m going to the Texans preseason game, and I’m excited to see if any of those guys really look like professional athletes.

by FuSoYa on Jul 22, 2009 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions

I don't think

slotting really applies to Rounds 2-7. Maybe to the first C or FB taken, if that happens to be on the first day. Jenkins is really the only guy I can see missing any time in training camp. Even if he and his agent were both acquiecent, Loomis is fairly notorious for waiting until the last minute to get the high profile players signed. I think he “lowballs” them for all they’re worth, for lack of anti-semitic verb.

Casillas signed on May 4th and Donaldson on April 30th, both as UDFAs.

by coldpizza on Jul 22, 2009 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions

If the Saints don’t have to pay anyone anything until they can evaluate both Morestead and Pakulak, then that would make more sense. If Morestead doesn’t make the cut, then what an amazingly boneheaded draft transaction that will turn out to be.

by FuSoYa on Jul 22, 2009 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions

Morstead

can’t attend training camp, unless he signs a contract. That’s part of the CBA. And I agree with you, if Pakulak winds up beating him out, you’ll never hear the end of it. At least in the Antonio Pittman situation, you had a fellow rookie (Pierre Thomas) win the job, i.e., an unknown commodity. To give up two picks to supplant someone already under contract is an entirely different ball of wax. That would fall under the category of botched talent evaluation, straight up. There’s simply no pretty way to paint that scenario. That’s why I think Pakulak would either have to be All-World in the preseason — or Morstead just flat-out pathetic — for the chips to fall that way. Guess we’ll see.

by coldpizza on Jul 22, 2009 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions

Agreed!

Even though he hasn’t even signed a contract yet, I think the punter position is already Morstead’s to lose. Sometimes, I think Payton may let his pride overrule his common sense. Not often, but sometimes. I just hope we get a consistent punter out of this situation. I don’t care which one it is. Morstead may just prove himself to be worth those two picks. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for. Well, that and for the new long snapper to be as equally consistent as Houser. Is it just me or does it seem like the punt unit is one of most questionable parts of the team right now? I guess it’s not really going to matter due to Drew and Co. scoring all those points.

Go Saints!!!! Deuce may be gone, but he will never be forgotten.

by David "Satch" Kelly on Jul 22, 2009 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions

Rookies

all undrafted rookies sign right away. Arnoux will be a “holdout” because unsigned players dont count against the 80 man camp limit. So he wont sign until the end of camp then go on IR. The hold up with Jenkins isn’t as much the other DB’s not signed its the other players drafted 10-18. The agents will never let the 14 pick make less than the 15 pick and so on. It seems like they just wait around until the 13th and 15th players have signed and then it makes their job easier.

by knucklesmalone on Jul 23, 2009 12:17 AM CDT reply actions