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 Monday, August 7
Changes have Saints on right track
 
 By John Clayton
ESPN.com

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Following the 1998 season, Mike Ditka thought the 6-10 Saints were one Ricky Williams away from the playoffs. He traded seven draft choices to acquire Williams only to find one player doesn't necessarily make a difference.

The Saints were 3-13 and Ditka is no longer coaching the Saints. Reversing the strategy of a year ago, new Saints management didn't put all their eggs in one basket. They brought in eight starters through free agency and the draft. And they are still on the prowl.

"We're always looking for good players," Saints coach Jim Haslett said.

Ricky Williams
Ricky Williams looks to rebound from a disappointing rookie year.

So the search continues. On Monday, they traded a third-round choice to the Packers for promising quarterback Aaron Brooks and blocking tight end Lamont Hall.

On Wednesday, they continued their pursuit of 340-pound defensive tackle Gilbert Brown.

Saints be praise, they might be the most improved team in football. That being said, other than the expansion Cleveland Browns, the Saints were at the bottom of the league's talent pool.

This year, along with the running of Williams, the Saints hope to attack with a wing and a prayer. The wing is the strong right arm of former Pro Bowl quarterback Jeff Blake. As players say, the guy can wing it.

"With Jeff in there, he'll keep the safeties back so when we are going to run the ball, we are going to run it well," Williams said. "Hopefully, when we are third-and-6 and third-and-7, Jeff can complete those passes and move the chains."

Four different Saints quarterbacks combined for 30 interceptions. That's five more than the number of offensive touchdowns scored. Face it, there's more action on Bourbon Street at 5 o'clock in the morning than there was in the Saints end zone at any time last season.

"We needed players who can score some touchdowns," Haslett said. "Jeff has a big-time arm and he loves to play the game. He's able to throw deep. (Receiver) Joe Horn loves to block and he loves to go deep. Jake Reed is a good blocker and a possession type of receiver."

Listening to Haslett put the receivers' blocking ahead of their pass-catching tips off the strategy of the Saints this year. They will run the ball. Haslett knows that the offensive line, which is strong at tackle with Willie Roaf and Kyle Turley, will run-block. That in his mind is a certainty.

The halfback who carried the fortunes on the Saints a year ago is the most relaxed player in camp. Williams isn't just the focal point of this team any more. The burden of the offense is now spread among Williams, Blake, Reed, Horn and tight end Andrew Glover.

I think the biggest thing we have to overcome is getting the guys to believe they can win games. It's getting them to stop getting down when things go bad.
Jim Haslett, Saints head coach

"A lot of the pressure was taken off me off the field," Williams said because of the additions. "I can just go out and play football and have a good time. It's tough when the team is not winning. Now, even the guys on defense are going to help us score a lot more points this year."

Pro Bowl defensive end Joe Johnson is back from knee surgery. Run-stopper Norman Hand was added at defensive tackle to play next to the quick La'Roi Glover. Second-round choice Darren Howard was drafted for his pass-rush ability.

The Saints also added quickness at linebacker by signing veterans Charlie Clemons and Darrin Smith.

"We got speed at the linebacker position and we are solid on the defensive line," Haslett said. "The front seven shouldn't give up many big plays."

The secondary might. That's the defense's weakest area. In fact, cornerback Steve Israel, brought in to challenge for a starting job, made the position weaker when he broke his leg and suffered ligament damage in the Saints' first preseason game July 29 against the New York Jets.

"I think the biggest thing we have to overcome is getting the guys to believe they can win games," Haslett said. "It's getting them to stop getting down when things go bad."

At least the Saints bounced back from that injury-riddled preseason opener in which they lost Israel and tight end Cam Cleeland for the season and safety Rob Kelly for at least a month with injuries. They practiced well against the Jaguars. Offensive players were feisty enough to get into a couple of fights. The defense did an exceptional job disrupting the Jaguars offense.

"On paper, it looks good in practice," Williams said, "but we will still have to wait and see."

John Clayton is the senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
 



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