2001 SAINTS
	Why is Aaron Brooks smiling? Because he's the No. 1 QB.
	Head coach: Jim Haslett (2nd year). 2000 record: 10-6. NFC West finish: 1st. 2001 preseason: 1-2. Season opener: Sept. 9 at Bills. Schedule | Depth chart

Last year's surprise has designs on being this year's sure thing.

General manager Randy Mueller and head coach Jim Haslett earned plenty of leaguewide praise for turning the New Orleans Saints from a 3-13 laughingstock into a 10-6 division champion a year ago.

But they haven't stopped there.

By extending or restructuring the deals of 11 veteran players, Mueller found enough salary-cap room to add more depth and speed to the roster over the last six months.

Wide receiver Albert Connell, who caught 39 passes in Washington last year, is seen as a speedy deep threat who will keep teams from double-teaming Pro Bowl wide receiver Joe Horn. Free safety Jay Bellamy, a smart player with good speed, came over from Seattle to help shore up the secondary. Linebacker Brian Williams, late of Green Bay, was signed in July to add a reliable back up to that position. Placekicker John Carney signed during training camp, as the Saints didn't want their Super Bowl hopes resting on the kicking leg of unproven players such as Jeff Hall or Jon Hilbert.

With the Super Bowl set for the Superdome this year, Mueller and Haslett aren't resting on their laurels, as they try to make history as the first team to play the big game in its home stadium.

Offense
Quarterbacks: The Saints are one of the few NFL teams blessed with two players they'd feel comfortable starting at this important position. After leading the Saints to a 7-3 record as the starter a year ago, Jeff Blake has lost his starting job to 25-year-old phenom Aaron Brooks. It was Brooks who became the starter when Blake broke his foot last Nov. 19, and he's held on to the job with a solid training camp. Over the final six regular-season games, Brooks showed an ability to make big plays while compiling impressive statistics: 58.2 completion percentage, nine touchdowns, six interceptions. The Saints feel it's only a matter of time before he's one of the league's best. Third-stringer Jake Delhomme, who started two games for New Orleans in '99, fills out the depth chart.
Grade: B.

Running backs: Ricky Williams looked like a top-five pick while gaining 1,000 yards and scoring nine touchdowns in 10 games. A broken ankle kept him from a likely Pro Bowl berth. The former Heisman Trophy winner's erratic behavior left the Saints with enough concerns for them to grab Deuce McAllister when he fell to No. 23 in the first round. But Williams has put together a strong training camp and has avoided any negative off-the-field publicity. That means McAllister is more likely to be a third-down back who helps in the return game on punts and kicks. At fullback, the Saints received good news during training camp when second-year pro Terrelle Smith came back to full strength after offseason back surgery. Smith proved to be a solid run-blocker and a pass-catching threat out of the backfield as a rookie.
Grade: A.

Receivers: The Saints could have plenty of weapons here, but health is a major factor. Coming off a season in which he established club records in receptions (94) and yards (1,340) while scoring eight touchdowns and making his first Pro Bowl appearance, Horn came to camp in shape and ready for a repeat performance. The same can't be said for the Saints' newest weapon, Connell. A free-agent acquisition from Washington, Connell has been slowed by a pulled hamstring in training camp. The Saints hope he'll recover and give them another speed threat to complement Horn. Veteran Willie Jackson, with average speed and good hands, is the team's No. 3 receiver. He could see his role increase should Connell not respond. At tight end, Cam Cleeland has Pro Bowl potential, as evidenced by his 54-catch rookie season in 1998. But injuries have hampered his development. He missed all of the 2000 season with a torn Achilles' tendon.
Grade: C-plus.

		Who will anchor the Saints' running game? If we assume Aaron Brooks will solidify the quarterback position -- and Jim Haslett is counting on it -- then the question will be about running back, with both Ricky Williams and rookie Deuce McAllister. To draft McAllister in the first round and bring him in to battle Williams, a 1,000-yard rusher a year ago, will we see one of them primarily in the backfield, the two of them together, or one of them blocking for the other? How will they co-exist and who will really produce? That will be the key to the Saints, who could go far again this season.

Offensive linemen: Arguably among the top units in the league a year ago, the Saints' offensive line was certainly the most durable. Five players -- left tackle William Roaf, right tackle Kyle Turley, left guard Wally Williams, right guard Chris Naeole and center Jerry Fontenot -- started all 16 regular-season games and two playoff games. Roaf made his seventh Pro Bowl. Some scouts felt Turley should have joined Roaf in the Pro Bowl. Fontenot, at age 34, had perhaps his finest season and was an alternate Pro Bowl selection. The Saints also feel good about Daryl Terrell, a young guard-tackle, and Tom Ackerman, a center-guard who accepted a pay cut to stay in New Orleans.
Grade: A-plus.

Defense
Defensive linemen: Along with the offensive line, the Saints' defensive front is as strong as any in the league. Right defensive tackle La'Roi Glover (17 sacks) and right end Joe Johnson (12 sacks) made the Pro Bowl. Left end Darren Howard set a Saints rookie record with 11 sacks. Left defensive tackle Norman Hand was a superior run-stuffer in the middle. All four have the work ethic to put together a repeat performance.
Grade: A.

Linebackers: The Saints made the rare move of releasing linebacker Mark Fields just a few months after he played in his first Pro Bowl, but the coaching staff felt his liabilities in pass coverage hurt the defense as a whole. This year, Darrin Smith -- second on the team with 113 tackles despite playing out of position in the middle last season -- was re-signed and will replace Fields on the weak side. Middle linebacker Charlie Clemons missed last season with an Achilles' injury but has had a good training camp and appears ready to be an NFL starter for the first time at age 29. Strongside linebacker Keith Mitchell, coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance, looks to repeat last year's performance, when he had 6½ sacks and four fumble recoveries. The Saints added depth by signing former Packer Brian Williams and drafting Sedrick Hodge from North Carolina.
Grade: B-minus.

Defensive backs: Once again, the Saints trot out a no-name secondary with hopes of big-name type plays. Right cornerback Kevin Mathis, a 16-game starter a year ago, is expected to start at one side. Mathis is recovering from a strained medial colateral ligament that he suffered early in training camp, but the team fully expects him to be ready by the season opener. On the other side, Fred Thomas is finally healthy after ankle injuries slowed him for two years. Second-year cornerback Michael Hawthorne and Fred Weary, a starter last year before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last November, will contend for the nickel corner job. At safety, Sammy Knight led the team in tackles (116) and interceptions (five) while continuing a surprisingly strong career for an undrafted player. Bellamy, the ex-Seahawk, has already fit right into the Saints' scheme.
Grade: C-plus.

Special teams
After releasing Doug Brien last February, the Saints experimented with three young kickers before finally signing Carney one week into training camp. At 37, Carney still has the leg strength and accuracy to allow Haslett and Mueller to sleep well at night. Strong-legged Toby Gowin figures to continue handling kickoffs in addition to his punting duties, while Kevin Houser enters his second year as the team's long snapper. McAllister should bring big-play potential to the return game. He returned a punt 39 yards to set up a field goal during his first home preseason game.
Grade: B.

Steve Wiseman covers the Saints for the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun Herald.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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