Set to play the most anticipated season opener since last year, the Saints and Packers square off Thursday evening. If the schedule makers for the NFL had done anything but make this the first game, it would have been a travesty.

Listening to retired players (like Randy Cross or Mark Schlereth) who've been on Super Bowl teams that have repeated, or won double digit games perennially, the most important lesson a young team can take away is that each year is a new year, not a continuation of the last.  Every addition or subtraction made to the roster, every player on the rise or decline and every evolution of scheme by coordinators or the opponent's coordinators will make most assessments about last year's team obsolete (though in a fan's mind, plugging last year's holes makes them a better team this year; in reality, it only makes them a better team against last year's competition). 

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When Tuesday's (Aug. 16) practice came to an end, Sean Payton said something to the effect that the Saints were pretty much finished adding free agents, unless someone they covet gets cut by another team or they incur a serious injury at a position with little depth.  I think it is safe to say at this point in training camp that that probably holds true for most teams. 

Adam Caplan published a list of the top offensive free agents on the market, and when he publishes a list for the defense, I'll include it in an update.  While teams can still fill holes with guys on the street, most are choosing not to, or at the very least, waiting for the asking price to drop.

With the majority of free agent signings behind us and the first week of preseason football completed, I thought it would be fun to rank each team now that we have a little something to go off of.  We don't learn much from the preseason, but at least we know who is healthy enough to step on the field, and for the most part, who teams value enough to be on the roster at this point.  Make the jump to see how I rank the bottom tier of teams in the NFL at this early juncture. Check back later to see how the top half ranks. 

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After reading every story, staying glued to the TV, and listening to writers close to the situation on Sirius Radio like Alex Marvez, is a clear picture forming for anyone? Maybe your head is spinning a little. This little short piece is to help you separate rhetoric from fact.

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The new collective bargaining agreement has been drafted. It is yet to be published for all to see, and each day new details are leaking out, despite the gag order put in place by federal mediator Arthur Boylan.  I am sure someone more qualified and "in the know"  will come along with the nuts and bolts of the new deal within the next week.  However, while good things come to those who wait, I'm anxious to discuss some of the leaked changes we know about.

Specifically, I'd like to speculate (and hear your opinion) on how some of the changes will affect the NFL.  I am not concerned with how the revenue is split or what is shared and what is not; we've spent an off-season picking those points apart and when it's all said and done, it has little affect on the product we will see on Sundays.  Instead, below we'll discuss the type of changes that will affect player acquisitions and off-season activities -- how a team is able to sustain itself by keeping or adding players as well as training them to make contributions in season. 

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Get it? (LindaMoran.net)

Its here! Its here!

No, not the NFL season. Our migration over to Canal Street Chronicles 2.0! Today is the last day we will operate under the old CSC format. So take a mental picture of this old site, for it will be gone, never to be seen again. We were originally scheduled to do this before the draft, but because of technical difficulties, we had to wait until tomorrow.

I know I have warned most of you, but for anyone new out there, this serves as your warning. By the time you wake up tomorrow (actually probably by midnite tonight), we should have switched over, and all you will need to do is sign up and claim your old user name. There will be a post from SB Nation explaining how everything works and all of the new features. I will probably leave that up for a while (all day), so everyone gets a chance to read it. But go nuts! Mess around. Check everything out. Upload an avatar. Be the first to put up a FanPost or a FanShot. On top of the awesome new look and cool SB Nation upgrades, I took it upon myself to totally hook up the sidebars. I have been working the last week on trying to get the best layout and look. We will have an interactive RotoWorld widget, set for Saints player news. Interactive ESPN NFL headlines and Saints news widgets. I had a request for All Time Saints stats. I couldn't get it right on the sidebar, so I created a special page that has Top 5 career and season records for passing, rushing and receiving. Defense was tough and remember that sacks weren't recorded until more recently. I will try and work on that. But I do listen, and anyone else who has any ideas for sections, traditions, anything, just let me know.

Some of our football sites have already made the switch, and I urge you to check them out. Check out Blogging the Boys, Mile High Report and Arrowhead Pride.

There may be a few bugs and problems. There will be instructions on how to report them if you experience them. Please do so, as it will help make our site better. And we thank you for your patience if you do experience any problems.

I will see you on the other side!

Got a few more articles for you.

From the New Orleans Saints Official Website, here is more Q&A with Sean Payton about the draft.

Here is Mike Detillier's analysis of the Draft.

Check out this article about our new OT Carl Nicks.

Two articles from The Fanhouse. This one talks about the little rivalry we had going on with Cincinnati in this years draft. We screwed them over twice. Nice!

This one tells us about the backhanded complement the Houston Texans gave Reggie Bush. Basically, he is a third down kinda back. A good one, but not an every down kinda guy.

Will the NFC ever catch up to the AFC as far as talent? Apparently not. Yahoo! Sports gives us its post draft analysis. Here is the AFC and the NFC.  

But with the AFC collecting much of the best talent and making some of the shrewdest moves, it was not a kind draft to the NFC.

Thats cool with me. Just gives the Saints a better chance to make the playoffs when they have a mediocre season, right?

What did they say about the Saints?

New Orleans Saints
Picks: DL Sedrick Ellis, DB Tracy Porter, DL DeMario Pressley, OL Carl Nicks, K Taylor Mehlhaff, WR Adrian Arrington
Positives: Ellis, Porter, Arrington
Negative: No tight end help.
Bottom line: B-. Only two picks in the first 143 selections. The Saints tried to get Jeremy Shockey, but the Giants were asking too much. Ellis and Porter should be solid additions to the defense, and Pressley could be a steal in the fifth round if he stays healthy and improves his lower body strength. Nicks is a project at tackle. Arrington was great value in the seventh round, even if he is unlikely to make the roster at a deep wideout spot.

By the way, grading a draft the next day is just stupid. How the hell do we know how well we did until we see them on the field. I know I did it in the last post, but I am grading how well I thought the Saints front office did in addressing our teams needs in the next year.

Sorry for the rushed quality here, I am on my way to dinner, but I didn't want to leave you guys hanging. I will be back tonight with exciting news!!

Are you suffering from draft day hangover? Here is some info to cure that.

The first is a little wrap up of the draft from the Saints Official Website. If you were following along all weekend, than there is nothing new here.

The Advocate has two articles today. This one is about Sean Payton's analysis of the Saints draft this year.

"I think we did a pretty good job to get up and get ourselves in a position to get Sedrick Ellis," Payton said. "When I was driving home (Saturday) night and looking at where we were going into it, I know we got a player that we felt was better than the 10th player — and it was a need.

"He was a guy that probably came up daily in our discussions of how we could get into position to get him," he said. "I thought we were off to a good start when that happened."

Payton and General Manager Mickey Loomis were equally excited when they were able to get Indiana cornerback Tracy Porter, a Port Allen High School graduate, to fill another need for their 26th-ranked defense.

Sounds like Payton is as excited as I am about this years draft.

The other article from The Advocate is an analysis of day two of the draft. They are asserting that the players taken yesterday were all picks who should have been drafted earlier, but were viewed as "damaged goods" because of injuries or character flaws but they have upside.

On Sunday, they didn’t have any picks in the third or fourth rounds. When their opportunities finally came, they chose players who appeared to have a chance to ultimately have a greater impact than the position of their selection might suggest.

The good part about this is that these guys should have a chip on their shoulder. DeMario Pressley  was nagged by injuries in his senior year, and he is now looking to prove himself to all the teams who passed on him.

"I am a tough guy, and I can handle it. I am going to work hard this offseason and preseason to really show everybody what I can do."

Carl Nicks is in the same boat.

With their second fifth-round pick, the Saints took Nicks, whose stock dropped sharply after he was arrested for failing to disperse after police broke up a party he was attending in Lincoln, Neb. Charges were later dropped.

Nicks said he thinks the arrest "murdered" his draft stock.

"I think everything happens for a reason, and I ended up being drafted to a great team," he said. "People are going to think I am not going to do well, but when I blow them out of the water and just do my thing, it is going to be a great feeling.

I hope the front office knows what they are doing. Payton also spelled out his plan for UFA's...

Loomis said the Saints plan to sign 10-12 undrafted players as free agents. Payton indicated that quarterback, running back, and linebacker would likely be among the positions addressed.

The Times-Pic had two articles today also. The first one is pretty much the same as the previous Advocate article. Our picks on day two were mostly quality talents that fell for various reasons but have a lot of upside and potential.

All four of their picks Sunday were more about potential and upside than they were about immediate need -- which was a good thing, because the Saints didn't have a pick in the third or fourth rounds.

Apparently Ed Orgeron wasn't the only coach with a connection to one of the Saints picks.

The Saints felt equally comfortable with Arrington, with whom they also have a personal connection. Saints tight ends coach Terry Malone was a former assistant at Michigan who helped recruit Arrington.

The other article from the Times-Pic was simply a review the second day of the draft. Here are the opinions the they gave on each pick.

DeMario Pressley

WHAT WE'RE THINKING: The Saints obviously didn't need another defensive tackle after drafting Sedrick Ellis in Round 1, but they liked Pressley's potential enough to move up two spots in the draft to get him. He might need a year or two to develop in the NFL, but he's an athletic prospect who has a chance to add even more bulk to his big frame. Pressley wasn't an elite pass rusher in college, but he projects as a three-technique tackle in the NFL with his speed and athleticism.

Carl Nicks

WHAT WE'RE THINKING: The Saints took a low-risk, high-reward chance on Nicks after determining that his past problems were more about maturity than bad character. If Nicks is motivated to prove his worth, he has the physique and the potential to be a solid run-blocker in the NFL, either at right tackle or at guard. The Saints said they weren't looking to add an offensive tackle, but again, they liked the upside.

Taylor Mehlhaff

WHAT WE'RE THINKING: The Saints have created a little bit of a kicker controversy. Although they were very happy with veteran Martin Gramatica at the end of last season, they took an extra-long look at the top kicker prospects heading into this year's draft. They said Mehlhaff was the only one they felt was worthy of a draft pick. They like his strong leg, and even if he can't beat out Gramatica, he could earn a spot as a kickoff specialist.

Adrian Arrington

WHAT WE'RE THINKING: He might not be the next Marques Colston, but he is a big, physical target with soft hands and solid blocking ability. He'll have to be impressive this summer to work his way into a crowded group at receiver, or he could be a practice squad candidate. He also had some character concerns that dropped him in the draft, but the Saints felt comfortable with him. In fact, they were so eager to bring him in as an undrafted free agent that they decided to trade back into the seventh round to secure him -- giving up a sixth-round pick in next year's draft.

Finally, remember that old steroid case involving O-lineman Matt Lehr? It's baaaaaaack. An article came out yesterday with new information on the case. Sports Illustrated has the write up originally from the Dallas Morning News. We now know the exact allegations that steroid dealer David Jacobs is claiming.

Jacobs told the Morning News that federal investigators confiscated a bottle he got from Lehr that contained a hair loss prevention drug that can hide steroid use. He said the bottle had an NFL team logo and Lehr's name.

An NFL spokesman said the league has reviewed the drug, finasteride, but hasn't banned its use. It is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which oversees the Olympics and other international competitions.

Jacobs said he sold tens of thousands of dollars worth of performance-enhancing drugs to Lehr in 2006 and 2007 -- more than needed for personal use. He said Lehr agreed to have boxes of raw steroid powder from China shipped to his house because U.S. Customs officials were seizing packages addressed to Jacobs' home.

Still sounds like some crazy talk from a desperate man. Let's let this one play out.

Well, all in all, I am pretty happy with the Saints following draft weekend. Selecting K Taylor Mahlhaff in the sixth round could be a little questionable, but the rest of this picks I feel are pretty solid. There was a little something for everyone here. Defense, offense, special teams. I give this years Saints draft an overall grade of B. We got some good values in these later rounds, picking up players that were expected to go earlier, but have some risk involved with regard to injury and work ethic. Here is a look at the new team members we picked up today.

DeMario Pressley, DT, NC State: In an interesting move, the Saints trade up again, this time up two spots with Detroit, switching fifth rounders and giving them our seventh rounder to jump in front of Cincinnati again, and get Pressley. Because Cincinnati wound up picking a DT after being jumped over, I am assuming the Saints had their eye on Pressley, knew Cincinnati was going to take him, and made a move to make sure they would get their guy. For that I applaud them. If this pick doesn't work out, I think we could at least say the Saints had a plan and executed that plan aggressively and the blame would be solely on their ability to gauge talent.

He was originally slated as a second or third round pick but concerns over injuries have been cause for concern. If they stop haunting him, he could be a great addition next to Sedrick Ellis in a year or two. Pressley is explosive and quick and is great at disrupting the pass, particularly with his long reach. That is great news with regard to getting help with our DB's.

Links:
New Era Scouting Report
Scouting  Report at FF Toolbox
Bio at New Orleans Saints Official Website
Q&A with DeMario Pressley

Carl Nicks, OT, Nebraska: This one could be a steal in the fifth round as Nicks was projected to be a second or third rounder. In fact, New Era Scouting has him in the second round. He is a great athlete with great blend of size and quickness. The dude is huge! He also has a great work ethic and good football intelligence. Also excellent at stuffing the run. The downside is his lack of experience. Nicks played for two other schools before landing at Nebraska. He only started one year in his college career. Because of this, he has some developing to do and needs a little polishing. He also has some off field issues and recently had a run in with the law at a party, getting him banned from Nebraska's Pro-Day. This is hopefully just a blip on the radar, and the work ethic he is known for will allow him to thrive in this league. I'm not sure how much playing time he will get this season but if he is willing to put in the work this could be an incredible value, and we could be praising this pick in the future.

Links:
New Era Scouting Report
Scouting Report at FF Toolbox
Bio from New Orleans Saints Official Website

Taylor Mahlhaff, K, Wisconsin: Honestly, I'm not crazy about this pick, only because I think it could have been used to get another player at another position. With only one other kicker taken in the draft, we could have waited until UFA to pick him, or another kicker, for less.

That being said, he was probably the best kicker in the draft and was highly rated. He is left footed, so the rest of the Saints special teams unit may have to make a few adjustments. He is known for his big leg and his ability to kick the long ball (so was Mare). Mahlhaff is great on kickoffs, allowing him to be a specialist. He is coming off a great senior season.

Links:
Bio at New Orleans Saints Official Website

Adrian Arrington, WR, Michigan: Just when you thought the Saints day was over (I did), they go and trade a 2009 sixth round pick to Green Bay for the 237th overall pick in the seventh round. They use it to pick Arrington.

Is this another late round sleeper ala Marques Colston? Other than the fact that this guy comes from a big school, there are many similarities. This guys has great size and he's another receiver built in the mold of Colston and Meachem. His ideal build is also paired  with excellent jumping ability. He has decent hands (check out the video below)but is known for dropping some passes. Also like Colston, he is not afraid to go over the middle and make that tough catch. Unlike Colston, however, Arrington has off-field issues. He was arrested for domestic battery in 2006 and suspended in 2007. Also is known for his selfish attitude and for being lazy, including when blocking. Entering the draft following his junior year, Arrington could have stayed another year at Michigan, left the shadow of Mario Manningham, and perhaps get drafted higher next year.

Links:
New Era Scouting Report
Scouting Report at FF Toolbox
Bio at New Orleans Saints Official Website

Check out this catch. I'll have me some of that!

Here is a clip of Nicks practicing at the Senior Bowl.

Feel free to chat about this guys.