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With all of the talk this morning making a national crisis out of sign-stealing and destroyed videotapes, here’s some sobering news — at an Atlanta nightclub last night, an altercation resulted with Saints defensive end Charles Grant stabbed in the neck and a pregnant woman shot and killed.

The news was originally reported by Adam Schefter on the NFL Network, and details are still cloudy, although Grant is “expected to be okay.” There’s no word about how the fight began or what Grant’s role was in it, but he’s had a trouble-free history in the NFL thus far. Atlanta is especially unkind grounds for Saints players and fans, but Grant has ties in the area from his days at the University of Georgia.

Whether or not he was caught in the middle of a bad situation or one of its causes remains to be seen, but this is a terrible event with terrible timing for the NFL, who doesn’t need another incident — especially one involving a late-night altercation — to mar its biggest game (surprisingly, the league’s own house network picked up the sad story while ESPN has yet to even run it on its crawl). Either way, a woman and her unborn child have lost their lives and a man might be seriously injured. Makes Spygate seem rather trivial.

More details will hopefully emerge soon.

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A Hard-Hitting Tribute to Mike Alstott

Filed under: Buccaneers, NFC South, Tampa Bay

We’ve all known for a while that longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers fullback Mike Alstott was calling it a career, even if he waited until today to make the announcement. Nevertheless, he was one of the most popular players in Buc history, in so small part because he could get into a collision with a charging moose without falling down.

So in honor of Alstott’s career, here’s a highlight reel demonstrating how difficult it was to tackle him. (Hat tip to our old pal MJD for finding it.) We’ll miss ya, Mike. Try not to end up like Earl Campbell after all that punishment, okay?

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NFL Offseason Roadmap: New Orleans Saints

Filed under: Saints, NFC South, New Orleans

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.

2. Safety. As bad as the Saints corners are, the safeties aren’t giving them much help. The leading offender has been free safety Josh Bullocks, who came out of Nebraska with a reputation as a ballhawk, which has been completely disproved by his five interceptions in three years (he’s had many more hit his hands, though, if he gets partial credit for that). Backup free safety Kevin Kaesviharn played well in two games Bullocks’ injury replacement, but the fact that he was otherwise a backup indicates the staff doesn’t like something about him. Second-year strong safety Roman Harper didn’t improve as much as Saints fans had hoped, but he played very well considering he missed 11 games as a rookie. If Ellis isn’t the guy in the first round, it could be Kenny Phillips, who has the skills to become another in a long line of successful Hurricane safeties. Gibril Wilson is a very good young option in free agency.

3. Left Guard. The Saints chicken/egg quandary comes with the offensive line. On one hand, they looked terrible run blocking for Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush. On the other, Aaron Stecker and Pierre Thomas had no such problems. On one hand, Drew Brees has taken fewer sacks-per-dropback than every other team the last two years. On the other, he still faced a ton of pressure, particularly early in the season, and how much of that pass protection benefits from Brees’ many three-step drops and quick release? One thing’s for sure, left guard Jamar Nesbit is a free agent, and there is definitely improvement to be had. Not that Nesbit has been bad, but he hasn’t been great either, and if the team wants Bush to reach his potential he’s going to need a much better interior line. Alan Faneca would be ideal, but that’s a lot of money to commit considering other needs. Ryan Lilja would produce more bang for the buck. Jonathan Goodwin can step in if the Saints want to take a project with a mid-round pick.

4. Wide Receiver/Returner. If there’s a God, Devery Henderson won’t be re-signed. David Patten and Terrance Copper are also free agents. That means the only receivers currently under contract are Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, and Lance Moore. Colston looks like he’s quickly becoming a top-5 receiver, and the Saints will sign him to a large extension this offseason, so all is good there. Meachem has to improve on his redshirt rookie year, but that doesn’t require much — we still don’t know what we’re getting from him, though I remain optimistic. The team was also dreadful returning punts and kicks, so a guy who can contribute on offense and excels at returns is helpful. Moore, I think, would be the first to go if necessary — Copper is great as a role receiver and special teams monster and has a great attitude and the staff loves Patten, who had a great year.

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