Saints: Tuesday morning practice notes

Written by Les East | Tuesday, 11 August 2009 12:25 | Saints News

METAIRIE - The Saints are bringing in former Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Brooks for a workout, and linebacker Mark Simoneau and safety Chip Vaughn are scheduled for surgeries.

Those were the biggest headlines coming out of a news-filled Tuesday morning at Saints training camp, which concluded with coach Sean Payton canceling the practice scheduled for Tuesday afternoon to take the team bowling.

Payton said the decision to work out Brooks, as well as another free agent linebacker, Derek Smith, on Wednesday was based in part on Simoneau missing an extended period of time. Simoneau will undergo surgery Wednesday to repair a torn triceps in his right arm sustained during Saturday's scrimmage.

Payton gave no prognosis on Simoneau, but likened his situation to that of former New Orleans defensive tackle Hollis Thomas, whose surgery to repair a torn triceps sidelined him for three months last season, and that of defensive end Charles Grant, whose triceps surgery ended his season after eight games last season.

Payton said there are no current plans to place Simoneau on injured reserve, which would end his season.

Brooks, an 11-time Pro Bowler, was released by Tampa Bay during the offseason in one of a series of salary-related moves. Payton said the Saints graded Brooks (36 years old) "at a high level" last season before Brooks was "nicked up." He added that he got a "real positive" report from former Bucs coach Jon Gruden, a friend of Payton's who visited Saints camp last week, on Brooks.

"He's an intelligent player; he's instinctive; he's a guy that has really been a pain for us over the years," Payton said. "We have a lot of respect for his ability and we'll see when he comes in."

Brooks, 6-0, 235 pounds, is a six-time All-Pro selection and is one of just four players to be selected to Pro Bowls after 10 consecutive seasons. He was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the 2002 season, when the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl.

Smith, 6-2, 240, is a 12-year veteran who has played with the Redskins, 49ers, Chargers and Dolphins. He played one game with Miami and five with San Diego last season.

Vaughn, a fourth-round draft choice from Wake Forest, was scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery to repair torn meniscus in his left knee later Tuesday. Payton said he'd know more about the prognosis Wednesday, but that procedure typically sidelines a player for just a few weeks.

Four other players - CB Tracy Porter (hamstring), DE Bobby McCray (back spasms), WR Courtney Roby (hamstring), and WR D'Juan Woods (neck) - missed practice.

The team spent much of the Tuesday practice working on goal-line situations. The short-yardage running game is a point of emphasis for the offense this season, but the defensive line got the better of the offensive line.

The offense ran five series from inside the 5-yard line. It scored on three possessions, but generally couldn't run the ball between the tackles. One touchdown came on a play-action pass from Joey Harrington to TE Buck Ortega. Another came when RB Reggie Bush saw no room in the middle and bounced outside and got around the right corner into the end zone. The only score that came up the middle occurred when RB Mike Bell leaped over a scrum at the line.

"It's an emphasis for us - an area that we feel we need to improve on," Payton said. "We're looking closely at what we're trying to do. I think our defense did a good job today and it was a live, competitive drill. We need more of that and hopefully we can get into some situations Friday night (in the preseason opener against the Bengals on the Superdome) where we can get a chance to evaluate it in a game."

WR Devery Henderson provided one of the highlights of the day when he leaped among five defenders - CB Randall Gay, S Darren Sharper, and LBs Jonathan Vilma, Scott Fujita, and Scott Shanle - to snare a pass from Drew Brees.

DE Charles Grant came free on the pass rush and disrupted a play so Brees had to throw the ball away.

One of the goal-line plays failed when Mark Brunell fumbled the snap from center.

TE Billy Miller made a diving catch of a Brunell pass for a touchdown in team drills.

WR Lance Moore caught two touchdown passes in team drills, one from Brees and one from Harrington.

Sharper broke up a pass from Brees to Henderson.

Brees completed a touchdown pass to TE Jeremy Shockey, who has been impressive in recent days after a slow start.

The Saints are scheduled to practice once Wednesday, at 3:40 p.m. on the outdoor fields. The workout will be open to the public, weather permitting.

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