NEW ORLEANS -- Randy Mueller is eager for autumn.

	Saints GM Randy Mueller restocked the roster with free agents.

It's not the sudden change in temperature since he left Seattle that makes the new New Orleans Saints general manager want the change of season. It's the desire to see the players he's been stocking the team with in some real games.

"We really don't know what we have yet," Mueller said. "You can't really tell about a football player until you see him in a game. I'm eager to see them in pads hitting people. I won't really know what we've got until we get into some scraps and see what they do."

Mueller believes the Saints are much more athletic than they were when he arrived. He thinks the talent level is high and the attitude is good. He describes himself as being cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season.

He'a also happy that the rest of the Saints operation has been upgraded. The team's administration has changed as radically as the team's roster has since the Mike Ditka era.

A new coaching staff, new front office personnel and a completely revamped scouting department are in place. About the only vacant job remaining is for a new head trainer.

"I feel good about the people and system we've put in," Mueller said. "These are people I've known for a long time or done a lot of research on."

The latest, and Mueller said the last, change is to the scouting department.

	New (Orleans) additions
	QB Jeff Blake LB Charlie Clemons TE Andrew Glover P Toby Gowin DT Norman Hand WR Joe Horn CB Steve Israel WR Willie Jackson CB Kevin Mathis CB Chris Oldham WR Jake Reed WR Ryan Thelwell CB Fred Thomas

During the Ditka-Bill Kuharich era, when draft picks and free agents seemed to be picked as much on Ditka's hunches as anything, the Saints usually used an outside scouting service. Mueller was amazed to find the Saints had no pro player report files on hand.

"Fortunately I had done a lot of work on my own," Mueller said. "And my background is in player evaluation."

Mueller reorganized the scouting department after the draft. He hired his brother Rick Mueller as director of player personnel. Rick Thompson, who was at the Seattle Seahawks with him, was brought on as college scouting coordinator. Pat Mondock, also from the Seahawks, got the job overseeing college scouting.

Mueller has also had a state-of-the-art computer system installed. The system allows the Saints to get up-to-date scouting reports on both college and pro players almost instantly.

"Scouting is where the team is made," said assistant general manager Charles Bailey, the only holdover from the previous staff. "You have to have people that know how to evaluate players and a system that allows you to stay on top of who's out there."

This week Mueller is spending part of the day watching the players in a voluntary session in which they are learning the new offense, defense and special teams schemes.

"I'm in my element evaluating players," Mueller said. "It's what I love to do. It's important to see how they are developing, if they are developing. We may still have to make some moves."