FanHouse MikeMcKenzie

We haven't even gotten to training camp, but teams are already losing players for the 2009 season. Veteran 49ers cornerback Walt Harris tore his right ACL during practice on Tuesday and will likely miss the entire season, according to Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

The injury occurred when Harris got tangled up with the wide receiver Dominique Ziegler during a drill. The Niners aren't ready to rule him out for the entire campaign, but the odds are against seeing Harris on the field again this season. Or any season.

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

Gregg Williams hasn't informed a free agent decision for New Orleans yet, hasn't hand-picked the inevitable defensive playmaker the Saints choose with their 14th-overall selection this year, hasn't installed a single scheme in a minicamp. Yet Williams' reputation has preceded him to the Crescent City, and his hiring as defensive coordinator is already considered one of the most important moves in team history.

After almost two decades of guaranteed defensive putridity, the last three of which have revolved around Gary Gibbs' lack of talent identification and bland scheming, the idea of Williams and his history of intelligent, hard-working, active, complex defenses coming to the Superdome is music to the ears. It also might finally push the Saints over the top.

When NFL free agency starts, the free agents are typically not the only ones who are looking for a new contract. A handful of players who have years left on their current deals are bound to decide that they've "out-performed the contract." Some of these players will decide to politely request a new deal or a raise, with no intention of doing anything in retaliation should they not get what they want.

What many fans don't necessarily know is that a lot of the rumblings start at the Pro Bowl.

When Paulie returns home from a stressful hideaway from nosy police on "The Sopranos", his subconscious asks the question, "When my time comes, tell me -- will I stand up?" The Saints are returning home tonight from a stressful and unusually lengthy road trip (including one of the infamous non-home "home games" the league is so fond of handing them), and if they're not asking themselves that question -- will we stand up? -- their fans surely are.

When the team left the Superdome for the last time, 43 whole days ago, they had put the finishing touches on a dominant win over the Raiders to even their record at 3-3. If they could leverage that win into success on the road, they could make a serious run in the NFC.

But a lot can happen in 43 days, and a lot did. The team went 2-2, continuing to be consistently inconsistent, making tonight's game essentially a must-win for playoff hopes. StarCaps entered the general sporting lexicon. Mike McKenzie and Charles Grant, among others, were put on the IR. They've used two kickers and three punters. And Drew Brees threw for 1,258 yards, which is more than Ryan Fizpatrick has thrown all year and not too far behind Kerry Collins' season total.

Some other things that have happened in the eternity since the Saints last played in the Superdome:

Mike McKenzie, the Saints' best corner and the best player on their defense last year, was inactive today. That's not good. Jason David donned pads but as far as I could tell didn't step foot on the field. That was good. The result -- new corners Randall Gay (brought in through free agency) and Tracy Porter (a second-round draft choice) got the start and provided the Saints with something they haven't had in years -- competent corner play on both sides.

But they weren't the only new Saints to make an impact. Jonathan Vilma, the team's leading tackler, and Sedrick Ellis, a beast who constantly penetrated double teams, were just as advertised, and Jeremy Shockey took a while to get going but made some clutch catches for 54 yards. These players were the difference in the Saints' win.

Saints fans were finally going to get their first glimpse of Jeremy Shockey in black-and-gold game action. Sean Payton even went as far as to say everyone would like what they saw of Shockey. What we wound up seeing was more of the usual -- Shockey on the sidelines in street clothes -- as Payton decided to keep him out after all.

But the coach insists that Shockey hasn't suffered any setbacks, simply that it was a last-minute decision change and simply a precautionary measure. And he insists that Shockey will get some time in the team's final preseason game on Thursday. If Shockey misses Thursday, or clearly looks rusty, it wouldn't surprise me to have Payton give the season-opening spot to Mark Campbell, and work Shockey in over the first couple of games.

What was a welcome sight on the field, however, was the reemergence of the defense, which rebounded after a disaster against the Texans. Even though the Bengals were missing Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the Saints did a great job of shutting down the Bengals' attack. Most pleasing is that Mike McKenzie, making his first appearance of the preseason, played great and dissuaded worries about his recovery from a torn ACL.

If the team is to seriously push for a playoff spot this year, they'll need Shockey to eventually show up, and the defense to keep it up.

Training camps are underway, the NFL season is right around the corner, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Quarterback: Drew Brees is, to me, the third best quarterback in the league. And that's not just because I have a giant man-crush on him. Say what you will about your Tony Romos and Carson Palmers, but I'd take Brees over those two, especially as he appears to be in the prime of his career. All he's done since arriving in New Orleans is put up gaudy numbers through the air, but he plays a heady game based on quick (and good) decisions. He's also a good guy off the field and the unquestioned leader of the team. Mark Brunell was brought in as Brees' backup while project Tyler Palko continues to develop, and while you don't want to see the old lefty play at all, his arm looks good enough in camp to sustain for a couple of weeks if need be. Anything more than that, though, and the Saints are in trouble. Heat Index: 9

Running Back: Running back committees are a bitch for fantasy owners, but none have encountered a mess like this, where four backs are going to get a fair share of touches. Exactly how the carries shake out depends on Deuce McAllister's health; ditto for the productivity of the group. All four backs -- McAllister, Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, and Aaron Stecker -- are talented, but Deuce is the only pounder that can keep the running game glued together. If he's in the lineup, expect Bush to flourish, with Thomas making a solid impact as well. If he's not, Thomas takes on a larger role and, though he rolled up Chicago for over 200 yards from scrimmage in Week 17 last year, it remains to be seen whether he can be a full-time NFL back. Luckily, Deuce has looked healthy so far. Heat Index: 7

Don Banks says the Saints' defense might be the most improved unit in the league in 2008. He obviously wrote that before the team's loss to the Texans on Saturday night, a game in which the Saints' defense looked exactly like the one that took the field last year. And that's not a compliment.

The team's pass defense was ripped apart, with both the front and back four failing to hold up their ends of the bargain. The impression was so accurate that it came right down to the biggest victim, Jason David, who gained the bad kind of notoriety last year for his atrocious play. Though it should be noted that rookie second-rounder Tracy Porter was similarly abused.

There are, of course, the typical caveats -- it's just the preseason, the team was missing starters in defensive tackle Brian Young, corner Mike McKenzie, and safety Josh Bullocks, and it was Porter's first NFL game action after injuring his hamstring earlier in training camp. And yes, those should be considered. But they're not good enough excuses, especially since this isn't a new set of problems. It's the same problems that have plagued the team for the last two years.

The Saints are considered NFC contenders for the second year in a row. If they want to live up to that billing, unlike last year, they're going to have to figure out a way to stop the pass.

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.



The Saints are in a tough spot at this point. They covet Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis most of all, but both are gone. Weakside linebacker Keith Rivers would be the final piece in a suddenly very good group of linebackers, but he's gone as well. The only other place where need and value come close at this spot is cornerback, and the Saints have their pick of all.

Though this is an odd draft in which four or so corners are considered the best of the bunch depending on who you ask, most believe it's either Leodis McKelvin or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. In fact, both are similar players. Both are big and fast (although Rodgers-Cromartie is slightly bigger and faster). Both are excellent athletes, very solid natural man corners, and playmakers. Both are also great return men and neither had to really play top competition in college.

NFL Offseason Roadmap is a series focused on the needs of NFL teams as they begin the offseason.

1. Defensive Tackle/Linebacker/Cornerback. I know this reeks of a cop-out, and I guess you're right. But every time I think that the Saints need one of these positions over the others, I change my mind. On one hand you've got defensive tackle, where Hollis Thomas, the only true nose tackle, is 34 and playing year-to-year. He's consistent against the run and pass, but can't play a full game anymore. The rest of the tackles are just adequate, and starting 3-tech Brian Young's a free agent who probably won't be back. Then there's linebacker, which features just two players, because middle linebacker Mark Simoneau has no impact whatsoever. Scott Shanle ain't no prize, neither. Finally, there's cornerback. The crew, outside of Mike McKenzie, is terrible (admittedly, with faint hints of promise). And McKenzie's torn ACL should keep him out until October at earliest. So you decide which is worse off.

I don't expect the Saints to go after any of the marquee free agents at these positions, but I wouldn't be surprised to see under-the-radar signings like Corey Williams or Drayton Florence. Most of the improvement will come in the draft. I'm all for Sedrick Ellis in the first, even if the Saints have to move up a few spots from 10 to get him. This is a deep draft for linebackers, which is helpful, and good young corners like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will be available after the first round.