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Saints come marching home
Bennett adds speed to backfield
By LES EAST
Special to The Advocate
Published: Apr 8, 2006
(AP) photo by ALEX BRANDON
The New Orleans Saints huddle after their first day of minicamp Friday at their practice facility in Metairie. Nearly 400 fans attended practice.
METAIRIE — Saints running backs Deuce McAllister and Michael Bennett have a lot in common, but running style isn’t one of them.
Both players were considered steals when they were drafted late in the first round of the 2001 draft by teams that already had good running backs; the Saints took McAllister with the 23rd pick to back up Ricky Williams and the Vikings took Bennett with the 27th pick to back up Robert Smith, who abruptly retired.
Both had limited roles as rookies, then had Pro Bowl seasons in 2002: McAllister gained 1,388 yards after Williams was traded to Miami and Bennett had 1,296.
Both have had to deal with injuries since, especially Bennett, who has missed 16 games because of injuries and averaged about 400 rushing yards during his final three seasons in Minnesota. McAllister had a career-high 1,641 yards in 2003 and 1,074 the next season before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the fifth game last season.
Now that Bennett has signed with New Orleans as a free agent, the Saints have both thunder in McAllister, 6-foot-1, 232 pounds, and lightning in Bennett, 5-9, 209, who is one of the fastest running backs in the NFL.
Throw in Aaron Stecker, who’s been a productive third-down back, receiving back and kick returner for six seasons, and the Saints have depth and a variety of skills in their running backs.
Since McAllister became the starter, the Saints have had Curtis Keaton, Lamar Smith, Ki-Jana Carter, Antowain Smith and Stecker as backups, but Bennett gives them a dimension that the others didn’t.
“He brings a change of pace for us and a guy that when you watch him on film is explosive,” coach Sean Payton said, “so we’re excited when we were able to sign him. I think he gives us a little change of pace to a game where speed is still important.
“I think he’ll complement certainly some of the strengths that Deuce has and I think there’s a fit there. We still have Stecker, who really watching on tape did some exciting things, so these guys are all competing for touches. They understand that and he gives us depth at that position, which I think is important.”
Bennett has proven he can be a Pro Bowl running back, but he chose to sign with a team for whom he will be a backup if McAllister is 100 percent by the season opener as he has pledged to be.
“I look at it this way,” Bennett said, “I’ve been there and done that. I’ve been to a Pro Bowl. I know how it is. I’ve had my thousand-yard season, I’ve had my injuries, I’ve had ups and downs. To come in with a guy like Deuce and to play behind him and also Aaron Stecker — you can’t weed him out because he’s another great talent — I’ve got my work cut out for me.
“My thing is just to go in and prove to the coaches that I’m worth having here and establish my role and get in when my number’s called. If it’s early that’s fine, if it’s late that’s fine. I just want to do the best I can to be a team player and also be a winner.”
With McAllister sidelined for most of last season, New Orleans ranked 18th in the NFL in rushing offense. He gained 335 yards before being injured, Smith, who is an unrestricted free agent, led the team with 659, and Stecker had 363.
“I think with the combination of Deuce, myself and Aaron, I think we can get the job done in the backfield,” Bennett said. “It’s also going to take some wear and tear off of Deuce. He takes a pounding throughout the season and I know he’s a great back.
“Everybody needs a break. The thing is we’re not immortal. We all have our injuries and our ups and downs, but I think with the change of pace that Aaron and I bring it can really solidify our backfield.”
McAllister is still limited as he rehabs from surgery, but he expects to be full speed by the start of training camp in late July.
“When I have to make some cuts and plant my foot in training camp, I’m going to have to see how I’m able to bounce up,” McAllister said. “That’s something I’m going to have to deal with. It’s part of the hurdle (of coming back from surgery).”
He said he welcomed the addition of Bennett.
“He’s an explosive guy and he gives us another dimension,” McAllister said. “One thing I know is I don’t want to race him.”
Notes
Payton said Jammal Brown, who played right offensive tackle as a rookie last season, has been permanently moved to left tackle, regardless of what the team does in the draft. Virginia tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson is one of the players the Saints likely will consider selecting with their first-round pick. … Jon Stinchomb, who missed all of last season because of knee surgery, is the No. 1 right tackle. … Payton said DE Will Smith is being held out of the minicamp because he recently underwent shoulder surgery. … The Saints shuffled their starting linebackers, moving Colby Bockwoldt from weakside to middle and using free-agent signees Scott Fujita and Anthony Simmons at weakside and strongside, respectively. … QB Drew Brees said he’ll start throwing in a couple of weeks. He had shoulder surgery in January. … Payton said the team overall is “not in real good shape right now. A lot of these heavy guys have to get up to speed quickly,” he said. … The Saints will practice twice today. The 10:40 a.m. workout is open to the public. Gates open at 10.
http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/saints/...ed/2600356.html
Saints come marching home
Bennett adds speed to backfield
By LES EAST
Special to The Advocate
Published: Apr 8, 2006
(AP) photo by ALEX BRANDON
The New Orleans Saints huddle after their first day of minicamp Friday at their practice facility in Metairie. Nearly 400 fans attended practice.
METAIRIE — Saints running backs Deuce McAllister and Michael Bennett have a lot in common, but running style isn’t one of them.
Both players were considered steals when they were drafted late in the first round of the 2001 draft by teams that already had good running backs; the Saints took McAllister with the 23rd pick to back up Ricky Williams and the Vikings took Bennett with the 27th pick to back up Robert Smith, who abruptly retired.
Both had limited roles as rookies, then had Pro Bowl seasons in 2002: McAllister gained 1,388 yards after Williams was traded to Miami and Bennett had 1,296.
Both have had to deal with injuries since, especially Bennett, who has missed 16 games because of injuries and averaged about 400 rushing yards during his final three seasons in Minnesota. McAllister had a career-high 1,641 yards in 2003 and 1,074 the next season before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the fifth game last season.
Now that Bennett has signed with New Orleans as a free agent, the Saints have both thunder in McAllister, 6-foot-1, 232 pounds, and lightning in Bennett, 5-9, 209, who is one of the fastest running backs in the NFL.
Throw in Aaron Stecker, who’s been a productive third-down back, receiving back and kick returner for six seasons, and the Saints have depth and a variety of skills in their running backs.
Since McAllister became the starter, the Saints have had Curtis Keaton, Lamar Smith, Ki-Jana Carter, Antowain Smith and Stecker as backups, but Bennett gives them a dimension that the others didn’t.
“He brings a change of pace for us and a guy that when you watch him on film is explosive,” coach Sean Payton said, “so we’re excited when we were able to sign him. I think he gives us a little change of pace to a game where speed is still important.
“I think he’ll complement certainly some of the strengths that Deuce has and I think there’s a fit there. We still have Stecker, who really watching on tape did some exciting things, so these guys are all competing for touches. They understand that and he gives us depth at that position, which I think is important.”
Bennett has proven he can be a Pro Bowl running back, but he chose to sign with a team for whom he will be a backup if McAllister is 100 percent by the season opener as he has pledged to be.
“I look at it this way,” Bennett said, “I’ve been there and done that. I’ve been to a Pro Bowl. I know how it is. I’ve had my thousand-yard season, I’ve had my injuries, I’ve had ups and downs. To come in with a guy like Deuce and to play behind him and also Aaron Stecker — you can’t weed him out because he’s another great talent — I’ve got my work cut out for me.
“My thing is just to go in and prove to the coaches that I’m worth having here and establish my role and get in when my number’s called. If it’s early that’s fine, if it’s late that’s fine. I just want to do the best I can to be a team player and also be a winner.”
With McAllister sidelined for most of last season, New Orleans ranked 18th in the NFL in rushing offense. He gained 335 yards before being injured, Smith, who is an unrestricted free agent, led the team with 659, and Stecker had 363.
“I think with the combination of Deuce, myself and Aaron, I think we can get the job done in the backfield,” Bennett said. “It’s also going to take some wear and tear off of Deuce. He takes a pounding throughout the season and I know he’s a great back.
“Everybody needs a break. The thing is we’re not immortal. We all have our injuries and our ups and downs, but I think with the change of pace that Aaron and I bring it can really solidify our backfield.”
McAllister is still limited as he rehabs from surgery, but he expects to be full speed by the start of training camp in late July.
“When I have to make some cuts and plant my foot in training camp, I’m going to have to see how I’m able to bounce up,” McAllister said. “That’s something I’m going to have to deal with. It’s part of the hurdle (of coming back from surgery).”
He said he welcomed the addition of Bennett.
“He’s an explosive guy and he gives us another dimension,” McAllister said. “One thing I know is I don’t want to race him.”
Notes
Payton said Jammal Brown, who played right offensive tackle as a rookie last season, has been permanently moved to left tackle, regardless of what the team does in the draft. Virginia tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson is one of the players the Saints likely will consider selecting with their first-round pick. … Jon Stinchomb, who missed all of last season because of knee surgery, is the No. 1 right tackle. … Payton said DE Will Smith is being held out of the minicamp because he recently underwent shoulder surgery. … The Saints shuffled their starting linebackers, moving Colby Bockwoldt from weakside to middle and using free-agent signees Scott Fujita and Anthony Simmons at weakside and strongside, respectively. … QB Drew Brees said he’ll start throwing in a couple of weeks. He had shoulder surgery in January. … Payton said the team overall is “not in real good shape right now. A lot of these heavy guys have to get up to speed quickly,” he said. … The Saints will practice twice today. The 10:40 a.m. workout is open to the public. Gates open at 10.
, but picked up Fujita after Dallas got him. Still have him. If he starts at weakside, he would be a decent fantasy starter.
