Saints Training Camp Battles: Stock Report
The Saints are now over two weeks into training camp and have a pre-season game in the books. With each passing day the final roster picture becomes more clear as players fight it out for spots and move up and down the depth chart. Some players have really sparkled and made the most of their opportunities, while others continue to hurt their chances of being one of the final 53. Following is a list of Saints players who I feel have made some big jumps or taken some big falls over the last two weeks. Let me know whether you agree.

Anthony Hargrove
With the four-game suspensions of Will Smith and Charles Grant, the door is wide open for Hargrove to earn a starting spot in their absence. Anthony is coming off a year long suspension himself and surely doesn't want to blow this great opportunity and possibly a last chance. So far, he's done everything right to win over players, coaches and fans. His hustle downfield to block for Vilma on Friday night is a perfect example of that. Payton has said there is always the possibility of remaining the starter after Grant and Smith serve their suspensions but at the very least, Hargrove makes for great depth.

Lynell Hamilton
Anytime you fumble the ball twice while battling it out with three other backs for one spot, your stock is going to drop. You just can't do that. The rest of his stats from Friday night's game are unimpressive as well. Fifteen carries for forty-eight yards, a 3.2 yards per carry average and a long run of only nine yards. That's not how Pierre Thomas earned his spot on this team. Crappy offensive line blocking or not, he'll need to create his own breaks.

Rod Harper
Where did this kid come from? Harper has continued to make the most of his opportunities and put up impressive numbers, yet remains a relative unknown. He followed up his solid peformance at the Black and Gold scrimmage with two catches for forty-eight yards against Cincinnati. Harper still may not make the team as a result of a numbers game but if any receiver is going to surprise, he appears to be the one. I'd really like to see him get a shot with the first team and then watch what he can do.

Jason David
I couldn't believe it was possible for David's stock to drop any lower, even in this economy, so applaud JD for doing what many thought couldn't be done. Jeff Duncan claims that 124 of the Bengals 233 passing yards in the first half of Friday's game came against David. Ugh. When will the Saints have the balls to put an end to this abusive relationship?

Garrett Hartley
Things started a little shaky for Garrett this weekend when he missed a 20-yard chip shot during Friday night's game. It got worse when Hartley lost his job for the first four games thanks to his late-night pill popping ala Jesse Spano from Saved by the Bell. His seat is getting quite hot indeed. But he still has a chance to prove that he is valuable enough to have around and worth keeping through his suspension. He's off to a good start, going 3 for 3 during yesterday's practice.

Pierson Prioleau
Prioleau looked quick and aggressive during the first pre-season game but it shouldn't surprise anyone to see him finding success here in New Orleans. Having followed Gregg Williams his entire career, this system is not new to him. I don't think he'll earn a starting spot but he's a definite to make the team and it's a relief to know the Saints have some depth at safety.

Jonathan Casillas
The young linebacker snagged himself an interception against the Bengals, thanks to the help of Malcolm Jenkins.Combine that with all the other positive talk we've been hearing about Casillas this camp and I think it's safe to say he's doing all of the right things to earn a spot on this team. He grindin'.
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The Good, The Bad, And The GET HIM THE F*** OUTTA HERE!!
Good: Hargrove – he wants it, it shows, if he keeps his head screwed on, he’ll get it; Harper – may put pressure on Arrington, end up the #4 guy, if he keeps this up; Prioleau – duh…y’think he’s got a chance? ;-); Casillas – definitely has what it takes to make the jump to LB, we may see him more as the season continues, heck, he may be a starter next year.
Bad: Hamilton – son, you gotta hold onto the ball, that’s job #1, if you can’t do job #1, there ain’t no job #2; Hartley – dumb@$$ better start using his head for something other than a place to keep his helmet when he’s on the field, or he’ll be joining Hamilton down at the unemployment office…only positive is that he manned up about being an idiot, now the question is will he DO something about it?
GET HIM THE F*** OUTTA HERE – will somone take Jason David, PLEASE! :-P Biggest mistake of the PayLoo dynasty, man up and cut this liability, already. Who cares about the cap hit, we need the roster spot for an actual football player.
Irony: An atheist Saints fan.
by GSO Saints Fan on Aug 17, 2009 6:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
“Harper – may put pressure on Arrington, end up the #4 guy, if he keeps this up”
Do you really consider Arrington the #4 guy? I’d give that slot to Devery, as of right now. Based on Friday night’s performance, I’d have to think Harper is pushing for #5. #6 will probably come down to Arrington, Green or Roby, depending on who does what on special teams. That’s if we even keep 6.
"You'll have sloppy balls. You have to find a way to get a grip on it." -Drew Brees
by coldpizza on Aug 17, 2009 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Practice squad/trade fodder
I hope they keep Rod Harper at least signed to the practice squad if not the active roster. But unfortunately, the depth at that position doesn’t swing in his favor. There’s also another “rule of large numbers” working against him. He who makes large numbers ($) rules.
However, the way the injury bug has hit certain WRs on the team [cough] Meachem and Arrington, hiding him on the prax squad would be wise. Or if they really like him they can use him as trade fodder, or one of the afore mentioned red cross brigade members. Hell, a week doesn’t go by that Baltimore isn’t mentioned as being interested in so-n-so WR.
by WhoDat_OH on Aug 17, 2009 7:17 AM CDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
JD
he’s a good player but he does not do 1-on-1 coverage. He’s a free safety ONLY.
by xen-cuts on Aug 17, 2009 8:10 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
but seriously
we gotta give up on him. For what it’s worth, the fans already have.
by xen-cuts on Aug 17, 2009 8:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would agree but..
he’s too small to be a safety I’d trust. He’s only 5’8"!
by vicvega26 on Aug 17, 2009 5:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
In other words
to steal from GSO Saints fan up top, “GET HIM THE F*** OUTTA HERE!!”
by vicvega26 on Aug 17, 2009 5:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hate piling on Jason David
but he proved in the last game that he is a complete liability in man coverage. If we’re going to blitz a lot, we need corners who can hold down the fort without help. That doesn’t describe David. Let him go to another Cover 2 team and get on with his life.
As for Hargrove…this guy is going to explode. And I mean in a good way.
"Man, these fans are off the charts."
--Drew Brees
by MtnExile on Aug 17, 2009 8:37 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
i'm right there with you
i feel sorry for jd. But he needs to go.
by xen-cuts on Aug 17, 2009 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Casillas
he is gonna make an impact this year…i can just FEEL it
by NYSaint on Aug 17, 2009 11:26 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
hope you're right
i just don’t feel safe with Shanle out there. I’ve never really liked what he’s brought to the table.
Superbowl bound!!!...I hope? Go Saints! :D
by skinnykinney on Aug 17, 2009 1:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
David obviously sucked, Hamilton less so, but if he can’t shake off the jitters, or if Bell comes up big, his days are numbered. Green was hugely unimpressive as a returner, so if ANYBODY can pick up that job, he should go too. It’d be nice if Harper could do that, because then he could have two possible functions on the team, but anybody would do. Henderson’s blocking(or lack thereof) on the flat pass to Meachem at the 5 should take him out of the top 3 WR’s. Maybe he already is, and that’s why the blocking was so uninspired. I doubt we get another LB, in which case, Casillas has a chance to play, but my blue-collar hero Shanle has to get banged up first. Even then, maybe Jo-Lonn of the planet Krypton comes up before Casillas. It doesn’t seem like he’s stuck to backing up only one LB, so it could happen.
by FuSoYa on Aug 17, 2009 12:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
They’d probably get a FA LB if any of the 3 starters were out for a while, so nevermind Johnny C, make some big hits on punt returns, and we’ll see you next year.
by FuSoYa on Aug 17, 2009 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jo-Lonn of the planet Krypton
has just summoned Jason David to the Fortress of Solitude. He was told to bring a Patagonia scarf and his playbook. There are also reports of a Bee Gees album tumbling through space, as we speak.
"You'll have sloppy balls. You have to find a way to get a grip on it." -Drew Brees
by coldpizza on Aug 17, 2009 2:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Poll as Prophecy
Jason David just waived. The power of the Blogosphere is real. . .
Being a Saints fan will take years off your life
by MobileSaint on Aug 17, 2009 1:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I wish we’d had separate polls for “helped most” vs “hurt most”. I think it would have been nearly unanimous for JD on the hurt most but the helped most might have had a bit more data to debate.
by FriarBob on Aug 17, 2009 3:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs




















