Article from Cresent City, Saints now have Paulaus, Canfield, Daniels as backup to Brees. YES.
Greg Paulus was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent. The New Orleans Saints, to their everlasting credit, snapped up the last one.
But that doesn't mean they can stop shopping for the next one.
Right now, New Orleans simply needs a credible backup quarterback, a player Coach Sean Payton feels comfortable can win games if Brees is unavailable for any reason, likely a veteran who could steady the ship. But long term, the Super Bowl champs wouldn't mind unearthing a gem in the Brees mold.
The catch, of course, is finding and developing that kind of player, and it isn't nearly as easy as it sounds. Otherwise, every team with an All-Pro starter would replicate him several times over.
So the shopping is continual, on the free-agent market and in the draft and through evaluating rookies and undrafted players at minicamp (which the Saints held last weekend), trying to find the next quarterback who can develop into a star.
And, obviously, at the top of the Saints' list has been finding a guy for the future.
Chase Daniel, an undrafted rookie in 2009 and currently the only quarterback other than Brees under contract, has a chance to be groomed. And now Sean Canfield, the Saints' seventh-round pick this year, and rookie free agent Greg Paulus, two of the quarterbacks in last weekend's camp, get to try to earn their keep and to learn from Brees how to be comparable to Brees.
"I was very excited when I got the call on draft day, " Canfield said. "To be coached by Coach Payton, an offensive-oriented guy, and to be kind of mentored and learn under a guy like Drew Brees, who's been through a lot and been through an injury like I had in college (a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder) and has had tremendous success, has been great. That's a great opportunity.
"At this point as a quarterback you've got to be a sponge. You've got to study your ass off, take all the coaching points and then come out on the field and show you can do it."
Said Paulus: "I think anybody that could be put in the same category as Drew Brees, that's something you want to be a part of. He's just won a Super Bowl, he's had an unbelievable career in the NFL and just to be considered for something like that -- trying to be a part of his team -- that's something that I'd love to have."
Don't believe the Saints wouldn't love to have Paulus, Canfield, Daniel or someone else to be the player they're looking for, too.
Not that Brees is going anywhere soon, mind you.
But no one should feel comfortable yet that the Saints have anything in their rainy-day fund at quarterback. Minicamp, at least, provided Payton with a chance to get a look at more candidates.
All the things that could put them on the path to being the heir to Brees.
"I think everybody on the team brings something different, " Paulus said. "All the guys that are trying out or have this opportunity all have something that they do really well. That's what we're trying to show the coaches. That's what we're trying to do -- play to our strengths, improve upon our weaknesses, keep getting better and hopefully there's an opportunity down the road."
And maybe -- just maybe -- that opportunity will lead to the Saints finding their man.
PS Its good to be back
Greg Paulus was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent. The New Orleans Saints, to their everlasting credit, snapped up the last one.
But that doesn't mean they can stop shopping for the next one.
Right now, New Orleans simply needs a credible backup quarterback, a player Coach Sean Payton feels comfortable can win games if Brees is unavailable for any reason, likely a veteran who could steady the ship. But long term, the Super Bowl champs wouldn't mind unearthing a gem in the Brees mold.
The catch, of course, is finding and developing that kind of player, and it isn't nearly as easy as it sounds. Otherwise, every team with an All-Pro starter would replicate him several times over.
So the shopping is continual, on the free-agent market and in the draft and through evaluating rookies and undrafted players at minicamp (which the Saints held last weekend), trying to find the next quarterback who can develop into a star.
And, obviously, at the top of the Saints' list has been finding a guy for the future.
Chase Daniel, an undrafted rookie in 2009 and currently the only quarterback other than Brees under contract, has a chance to be groomed. And now Sean Canfield, the Saints' seventh-round pick this year, and rookie free agent Greg Paulus, two of the quarterbacks in last weekend's camp, get to try to earn their keep and to learn from Brees how to be comparable to Brees.
"I was very excited when I got the call on draft day, " Canfield said. "To be coached by Coach Payton, an offensive-oriented guy, and to be kind of mentored and learn under a guy like Drew Brees, who's been through a lot and been through an injury like I had in college (a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder) and has had tremendous success, has been great. That's a great opportunity.
"At this point as a quarterback you've got to be a sponge. You've got to study your ass off, take all the coaching points and then come out on the field and show you can do it."
Said Paulus: "I think anybody that could be put in the same category as Drew Brees, that's something you want to be a part of. He's just won a Super Bowl, he's had an unbelievable career in the NFL and just to be considered for something like that -- trying to be a part of his team -- that's something that I'd love to have."
Don't believe the Saints wouldn't love to have Paulus, Canfield, Daniel or someone else to be the player they're looking for, too.
Not that Brees is going anywhere soon, mind you.
But no one should feel comfortable yet that the Saints have anything in their rainy-day fund at quarterback. Minicamp, at least, provided Payton with a chance to get a look at more candidates.
All the things that could put them on the path to being the heir to Brees.
"I think everybody on the team brings something different, " Paulus said. "All the guys that are trying out or have this opportunity all have something that they do really well. That's what we're trying to show the coaches. That's what we're trying to do -- play to our strengths, improve upon our weaknesses, keep getting better and hopefully there's an opportunity down the road."
And maybe -- just maybe -- that opportunity will lead to the Saints finding their man.
PS Its good to be back
