Saints The Countdown (1 Viewer)

[mt15]

This is a great year for the Countdown, you all. It was definitely awesome when Tex did it by herself, but the addition of Luke has kicked it up a notch. Much like our additions on defense will kick up our Saints team a notch this year.

 

[Saint Tex]

Well thanks much, mt. You are a long time friend of the Countdown. I'm enjoying it, too, and you can see from the update on Lasco the community effort this has become.

It seems in the past I would go day after day, and my post was it each day. And that was okay--I could see that people were checking in by all the looks the thread was getting, but it did get to feeling a little lonely.

And agree on Luke. I would do what I could to find some pics and get them up, but doing the background and the drafting every single day--the pics that got posted weren't always what I really wanted, but I didn't feel like I had the tools or the time or that my talent really lay in that direction. Luke's got some visual chops, and he's showing it.

And more people are jumping in daily. So you're right mt, a great year for the Countdown. Funny that I gave part of it up and that made it grow.

 

[Saint Tex]

35 Shane Vereen 5’ 10” 205 RB California

Now this here is a nice signing. We inked Vereen to a contract not long before training camp opened. He’s a great vet, and he catches the ball well, and you know how we like the screen pass. Interesting that Drew Brees said he has admired Vereen. Well now they get to play together. Gonna be fun to watch this RB battle during preseason.

 

[SaintLuke]

 

[AARPSaint]

Interesting signing. He has had a lot of success, and it's hard to understand why he has bounced around from team to team.

 

[Saint Tex]

34 Justin Hardee 6’ 1” 200 DB Illinois

Hardee is a nice story. Was a WR throughout college, drafted by the Texans as a DB, but cut before the season. We put him on our practice squad, but activated him for the third game. In week 9, he won Special Teams player of the week for a blocked punt and return for a TD against the Bucs. Pretty much a model for the times you feel like nothing is going your way in your whole life. He has to switch from the only position he’s ever played, gets cut just before the season, but musta been on top of the world when saw that endzone just a few more clear steps ahead. That WR background paid off—he caught the ball in the air and zoomed home. So hang on. Stuff that looks bad can turn out to be stuff that helps you out later. And this, in addition to what goes on on the field, is a major reason I watch football. These kinds of stories. Go Justin.

 

[SaintLuke]

 

[AARPSaint]

34 Justin Hardee 6’ 1” 200 DB Illinois

Hardee is a nice story. Was a WR throughout college, drafted by the Texans as a DB, but cut before the season. We put him on our practice squad, but activated him for the third game. In week 9, he won Special Teams player of the week for a blocked punt and return for a TD against the Bucs. Pretty much a model for the times you feel like nothing is going your way in your whole life. He has to switch from the only position he’s ever played, gets cut just before the season, but musta been on top of the world when saw that endzone just a few more clear steps ahead. That WR background paid off—he caught the ball in the air and zoomed home. So hang on. Stuff that looks bad can turn out to be stuff that helps you out later. And this, in addition to what goes on on the field, is a major reason I watch football. These kinds of stories. Go Justin.

Almost invariably the first one down on punts and kickoffs. Best gunner since Courtney Roby IMHO.

 

[Saint Tex]

33 Trey Edmunds 6’ 2” 223 RB Maryland

Edmunds is a second year RB with us who played mainly special teams last year. But in the Buffalo game when we got a significant lead, Edmunds took over and made 48 yards in 9 carries and a TD. He knows he’s got a real shot with Ingram out the first three games, so watch Edmunds as he tries to impress the coaches with what he can do. He’ll be a good one to watch during preseason games. He knows the offense and may be able to make good stuff happen.

 

[SaintLuke]

 

[Saint Tex]

32 Jonathan Williams 6’ 223 RB Arkansas

We plucked Williams off the Denver practice squad last November. He never got in a game, but now he’s in a good spot to compete for those Ingram touches. He’s a big back, like Deuce. Now, nobody is Deuce. But even our bruising, run up the middle kind of backs tend to be 6 feet or under. I’m kind of excited at the prospect of seeing what Williams can do.

 

[SaintLuke]

 

[Saint Tex]

31 Chris Banjo 5’ 10” 207 S SMU

Banjo is a nice story, too. He has been in the league since 2013, and sort of played his way onto the field with his special teams play. We got him during the 2016 season, and he was a great special teams player, but also started making some noise as a DB, intercepting Matt Ryan to help us beat the Falcons that year. He is now a solid player who has earned his spot in the rotation in a very talented backfield,

 

[SaintLuke]

 

[Saint Tex]

30 Boston Scott 5’ 7” 203 RB Louisiana Tech

Of all the guys to pull for, this is the guy to pull for. Zachery High product, had to walk on at Louisiana Tech, but did well enough there to be drafted by his favorite, home state NFL team. Just catching passes from Drew during practice is fulfilling a dream for Boston. He’s short, and has fought at every level to prove he belongs. But this is a team that knows how to use what he can do. He is shifty and runs a 4.4 forty. Low center of gravity and good hands. And surprisingly good between the tackles. He has fought all his life to be on the field, so when he gets the ball, he fights to keep from being tackled. One of my favorite descriptions of any player was here on Saints report. Someone called Pierre Thomas a human weeble-wobble. I think that may describe Scott in traffic. Louisiana product, high school and college, drafted by his dream team. And in addition to all of this, he plays trombone and saxophone. This guy looks like he is MADE for New Orleans.