By Kate Moran / Times-Picayune

Although they might have disappointed fans hungry for postseason bragging rights, the Saints were a source of glee last year for the local real estate community.

The team's big earners accounted for two of the region's 10 most-expensive home purchases for 2008. Owner Tom Benson topped the list of luxury deals with his $4.4 million pad on Audubon Place, and defensive end Will Smith snapped up a Kenner home from novelist Anne Rice two months after signing the largest contract in team history.

New Orleans and its distinctive architecture have always proven a draw for celebrity investors, including such astral figures as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Full Story – Nola.Com

By Brent St. Germain / Houma Today

A few plays here and few plays there is the best way to describe the New Orleans Saints’ 2008 season.

If the Saints had gotten a few more plays to go their way, they could be one of six NFC teams vying for a spot in Super Bowl XLIII.

Instead, things didn’t go the Saints way and they are sitting at home for the playoffs once again.

Injuries took a major toll on this team throughout the season. From the start of training camp to the end of the season, the Saints placed 17 players on the injured reserve list and had to cope with many nagging injuries.

Full Story – Houma Today.Com

By Sheldon Mickles / The Advocate

New Orleans Saints fans should prepare themselves to hear the word “finish” over and over and over this offseason.

After all, the inability to finish games is why the Saints 2008 season is finished and perhaps the main reason Sean Payton’s team failed to make the playoffs for a second straight season.

It likely will be the theme for the 2009 Saints, so much so that they’ll probably hear it in their sleep as Payton and his coaching staff try to hammer their message home in the aftermath of an unfulfilling 8-8 season.

Payton apparently gave a hint of what’s to come this spring after a 33-31 season-ending setback to the Carolina Panthers last Sunday. It was the sixth loss of the season for the Saints in which they held a lead or had a legitimate chance to take the lead in the closing minutes of a contest.

Full Story – The Advocate.Com

By Jeff Duncan / Times-Picayune

The list of potential NFL free agents has the star power to cause Saints fans to tremble with anticipation, visions of the Dome Patrol dancing in their heads.

Albert Haynesworth.
Julius Peppers.
Ray Lewis.
Brian Dawkins
Nnamdi Asomugha.
Terrell Suggs.

All marquee talents. All Pro Bowlers. And most important, all defensive players.

Full Story – Nola.Com

Low-key approach is the plan for free agency

By Larry Holder / Sun Herald

Aside from Drew Brees, the New Orleans Saints haven’t shelled out the big bucks for top-flight free agents on the market since Coach Sean Payton arrived three years ago.

Looking back on the past two offseasons, the Saints made their biggest splashes in trades (Jonathan Vilma and Jeremy Shockey) as opposed to free agency (Randall Gay, Bobby McCray, Jason David, Kevin Kaesviharn).

Case in point. Last season everyone knew the Saints were in the market for a cornerback and the team was rumored to be the top suitor for New England’s Asante Samuel. Instead, the Saints went after the less-expensive Gay and drafted Tracy Porter.

Full Story – Sun Herald.Com

By Dan Parr/Pro Football Weekly

For Saints TE Jeremy Shockey, the transition to New Orleans was a difficult one. After six successful, albeit controversial, years with the Giants, Shockey had career lows in receiving yards (483) and touchdowns (zero) in an injury-plagued first campaign with his new team.

One positive to come out of a disappointing year for both Shockey and the Saints, we hear, is his vow to participate in the team’s offseason workout program and work on establishing a better relationship with QB Drew Brees.

For his entire career, Shockey had worked out separately in Miami, away from his team, isolating himself after the final game of the season was played.

Full Story - profootballweekly.com

By Brian Allee-Walsh/The Times-Picayune

Even the shrewdest prognosticator might have strayed too far outside the box by picking Atlanta, Baltimore and Miami to make the playoffs when the 2008 season kicked off in September.

Each finished at the bottom of its division in 2007, prompting coaching changes at all three franchises, a new general manager in Atlanta and a complete makeover in the football operations in Miami, where the Dolphins narrowly escaped going 0-16 with a win in overtime against the Ravens in Week 15.

Yet, here we are, wild-card weekend, and the Falcons, Ravens and Dolphins still are chugging along the road to Super Bowl XLIII, thanks largely to the inspired efforts of their rookie head coaches, Mike Smith, John Harbaugh and Tony Sparano, each a relatively obscure NFL assistant before this season who asked his team a simple question: "Why not us?"

Full Story - The Times-Picayune

By Jeff Duncan / Times-Picayune

Welcome to the final installment of the weekly regular season mailbag. This was by far the longest edition of the season. I want to thank everyone for your participation in this first year of the Saints Insider format. It's clear Saints fans have passion for their team and the NFL game.

Forgive me if I got a little long-winded in my responses this week. After two days of watching bowl games on the couch, I was a little stir crazy and needed an outlet.

As expected, there were plenty of questions regarding the Saints' offseason, their plans in free agency and the draft. Among the other topics: the chances of Deuce McAllister returning in 2009, Jammal Brown moving to right tackle and the Saints switching to a zone blocking scheme on offense

Full Story – Nola.Com

By Barry Wilner/Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Peyton Manning can tell Brett Favre to move over and make room for him atop the roster of NFL Most Valuable Players.

For the third time, Manning won the award by The Associated Press, tying Favre as the only players in that elite category.

The Indianapolis Colts quarterback was a landslide winner Friday in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Manning also was the league MVP in 2003, when he shared it with Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair, and in 2004.

Favre, then with Green Bay, took MVP honors in 1995 and '96 before sharing it with Detroit running back Barry Sanders in 1997.

Full Story - The Sun Herald

By Mike Triplett and James Varney/The Times-Picayune

Defensive line coach Ed Orgeron is leaving the Saints for a job with the Tennessee Volunteers, declining a chance to work with LSU Coach Les Miles. The Saints confirmed the move, first reported Wednesday by The Times-Picayune.

A source close to Saints Coach Sean Payton indicated that Payton was relieved Orgeron was moving on after his interest with college jobs had become an increasing distraction the past several weeks.

Apparently, some within the organization felt Orgeron was more focused on his coaching future than his current job, and Payton grew tired of Orgeron juggling phone calls from LSU and Tennessee.

Full Story - The Times-Picayune

By The Associated Press/The Town Talk

METAIRIE -- Sometimes criticized for a lack of patience as a play-caller, Sean Payton intends to take a far more methodical approach to the offseason. After emerging from an exit meeting with his team, Payton pointedly refused to discuss possible changes on his coaching staff or roster that could help return the explosive but inconsistent New Orleans Saints to playoff form.

"The day after the season ends, we're not answering those questions," Payton said Monday. "It's unfair to point out specific players or coaches."

Several teams around the NFL made major changes immediately, including the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions, who were already looking for new head coaches when Payton met with reporters at the Saints' suburban New Orleans headquarters.

Payton said he was in no hurry to orchestrate a shake-up to pacify his or his team's critics.

Full Story - towntalk.com

By Bruce Feldman / ESPN

Ed Orgeron is headed to Tennessee.

The former Ole Miss head coach, who spent the 2008 season as the New Orleans Saints defensive line coach, confirmed via text message this afternoon that he has accepted an offer to be the Volunteers recruiting coordinator, defensive line coach and will have the title of associate head coach.

"I'm so excited," Orgeron said via phone. "I get to coach with Monte [Kiffin] and I'm getting to recruit again. It's pedal to the metal and I can't wait to get up there."

Orgeron came to his decision after spending the past few days in Destin, Fla., with his family and weighing his options which included an offer in a smiliar role at LSU or staying in New Orleans.

Full Story – ESPN.Com

By Jeff Duncan / Times-Picayune

Welcome to the first installment of the weekly Saints Insider mailbag for this week, and the last installment of the 2008 calendar year. I'll have another round of questions and answers on Friday, right here at nola.com.

Until then, happy New Year to all our faithful readers.
Now on to the Q&A:

Q: Do we have to give up our first-round pick if we were to use a franchise or transition tag on Jon Vilma? Brian, Metairie.

A: This has been a popular subject among readers and I have to admit I haven't been able to get a straight answer from anyone on it yet. You'd have to see the exact language of the trade agreement between the Saints and Jets to know exactly the legal language and terms involved. Regardless, I don't think Saints fans need to worry about losing Vilma

Full Story – Nola.Com

By John DeShazier/The Times-Picayune

So long to the co-defensive coordinator experiment at LSU and, obviously, good riddance to a process that only supported the theory that when a team has two people occupying such a vital position, then it really doesn't have a good one...(more on LSU follows)

...AND SPEAKING OF DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS...

Is it just me, or does it seem that Saints defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs has a chance to become the Carl Smith of Sean Payton's staff?

You do remember Smith, Jim Mora's offensive coordinator? Of course you do - curly-haired guy, mild-mannered in his dealings with the media, publicly respected and supported by players and the head coach, scourge of the NFL earth in the eyes of Saints fans.

Full Story - The Times-Picayune

Tuesday film study: Panthers-Saints

By Jeff Duncan/The Times-Picayune

The Saints secondary justifiably received a lot of heat for surrendering a pair of bombs to Steve Smith in the second half, but a tepid pass rush was equally at fault.

The common denominator on both plays was the amount of time Jake Delhomme had to deliver the football.

On the first bomb, a 54-yard completion in the third quarter, the Saints sent a zone blitz at Delhomme with linebackers Jon Vilma and Scott Shanle attacking the left side of the Panthers' front and dropping left end Bobby McCray into coverage. The Panthers picked up the blitz easily, affording Delhomme almost four seconds to deliver the pass to Smith downfield. Cornerback Jason David was beaten on the play and safety Josh Bullocks failed to locate the ball as Smith went up and got it.

Full Story - The Times-Picayune

By Teddy Renois / Daily Comet

Coming back from vacation is always tough, especially when vacation is mixed in with Christmas.

This time, though, my vacation was more one of work, than one of relaxation.

My wife, Anne, had sinus surgery, giving me double duty in my household. I had to take care of my wife while she recovered, and prepare my 19-month old son, Jake, for his first real Christmas.

This was Jake’s second Christmas, but he slept through his first.

Full Story – Daily Comet.Com

By SHELDON MICKLES/The Advocate

In his year-end news conference Monday, Sean Payton said, just as he did after the season finale one day earlier, that it was much too early to start evaluating the personnel on his team.

He and his staff will step back today, after going full-speed for more than five months, and take a breath for the next week before sitting down to find out what went right and what went wrong in an 8-8 season.

The evaluations, Payton said, begin with himself and his coaching staff and trickles down to the players. From there, Payton and General Manager Mickey Loomis will start to plot the course of the offseason.

Payton said the first question that has to be answered is how they can improve internally and make a difference.

Full Story - The Advocate

By Jeff Duncan/The Times-Picayune

The NFL head-hunting season officially opened Monday.

Several trophies were bagged, among them the New York Jets' Eric Mangini, Cleveland's Romeo Crennel and Detroit's Rod Marinelli.

In the days ahead, more will follow, among them, perhaps some members of the Saints' coaching staff.

At his weekly day-after news conference, Saints Coach Sean Payton wasn't ready to lower the ax on any of his assistants. He said the coaching staff will have the week off before evaluating personnel next week.

In other words, don't expect any news on staff changes this week.

But it's important to note that Payton didn't completely dismiss the notion of making a change.

Full Story - The Times-Picayune

By Mike Triplett/The Times-Picayune

Saints coach Sean Payton didn't offer any drastic solutions for improving his team Monday after missing out on the playoffs for the second straight year with a disappointing 8-8 record.

He chafed at the idea of making defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs a scapegoat, though he also declined an opportunity to offer a vote of confidence to the assistant coach, who has become a prime target of the fans' displeasure after the team's last-place finish in the NFC South.

"I'm not going to answer the question right now," Payton said at his season-ending news conference when asked specifically whether he intends to keep Gibbs as his defensive coordinator, "because I think the day after the season ends, it's like, 'What's Deuce (McAllister's) future? Are you keeping Gary Gibbs?' We're not answering those questions.

Full Story - The Times-Picayune

By Larry Holder / Sun Herald

METAIRIE, La. — The coaching staff of the New Orleans Saints will take off for about a week before returning to begin evaluating for the 2009 season.

The primary question during coach Sean Payton’s season-ending press conference Monday surrounded around if defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs will return to the team’s practice facility after the week-long hiatus to evaluate with Payton or to pack his things.

Payton didn’t want to make Gibbs the fall guy or scapegoat, but he also didn’t deem Gibbs’ job as being safe, either.

Full Story – Sun Herald.Com