This will come as no surprise to loyal blog reader and longtime Shockey critic "Craig," but the former Giants tight end, who actually had a decent game against the Broncos yesterday, is on the shelf for 3-6 weeks because he'll be undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia.
This would qualify as one of the greatest comebacks in recent memory. Saints tailback Deuce McAllister, who underwent surgery on both knees in the past year, is set to make his debut when the Saints host the Bucs. He's listed as questionable, but McAllister practiced all week.
There were major questions whether McAllister could return from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee AND microfracture surgery in his right knee.
Amazing stuff from one of the most popular players in the Big Easy. Best of luck, Deuce.
The former Giants' tight end is on target to play his first preseason game with his new team on Saturday in Cincinnati.
Shockey still isn't 100 percent from a broken leg suffered last season, but he's strong enough to resume playing.
The former Giants tight end, who has practiced on a somewhat limited basis since being dealt to New Orleans, won't play in Thursday's preseason opener against the Cardinals. It's being called precautionary, although it remains to be seen when Shockey will resume a full load.
The team will also sit running back Deuce McAllister, who is trying to come back from two knee surgeries.
(I assume having Shockey in a headline will prompt "Craig" to post a comment ripping said tight end. Fire away, my friend.)
And why not?
They've got a Pro Bowl tight end who looks as if he's made it all the way back from a leg injury suffered last December. And they've got the guy they've been trying to pry away from the Giants for months.
Here's what quarterback Drew Brees has to say.
And head coach Sean Peyton, who was Shockey's first offensive coordinator as a Giants' rookie.
...
by the way, I am still astounded that a couple of kids created such a stir with their interview last month with Shockey, who said some things he has no recollection of now. Take a look again.
Not exactly a household name.
But the Saints' second-year running back is a favorite of Sean Payton, so don't be surprised to see him play a valuable role in N'Awlins this season. And if not in the Big Easy, then surely somewhere else.
Thomas is still buried on the depth chart behind Reggie Bush and incumbent Deuce McAllister. But with McAllister still iffy with knee problems, don't be surprised to Thomas take on an increased role.
In last year's regular season finale against the Bears, Thomas rushed for 105 yards.
"Payton loves this guy," one scout told us. "Thomas is a guy no one talks about, but don't underestimate this guy."
Ok, we won't.
The 29-year-old running back, coming back from a second reconstructive knee surgery, took part in some limited work in mini-camp, although he's not nearly ready to put on pads and do contact work.
McAllister, one of the most popular Saints players ever, is not only battling back from ACL reconstruction on his left knee, but microfracture surgery on his right knee. The microfracture surgery is of equal concern to McAllister, who is still no lock to make it all the way back from both injuries.
Oh, in case you're wondering, Boland has the results from the "Flight Crew" tryouts earlier today in New York.
Vilma played the good soldier during his two years with Eric Mangini's Jets, who run a 3-4 defense. But now that he's in New Orleans' 4-3 alignment, Vilma admits the obvious: He's much more comfortable.
"It wasn't that I didn't fit into the system," Vilma told the Biloxi Sun-Herald. "It was one of those adjustment-type things where it's you are right-handed and someone is telling you to write left-handed. It was a really big adjustment, not just learning the defense but when you go out there and play and you have to consciously think about fitting and your assignment and footwork.
"That takes time just like anything," he said. "Two years and it was still a learning process. Now that I'm back to something that I'm used to playing with through most of my career, the learning process isn't there. It's just learning Xs and Os."
Vilma was drafted by the Jets to be a 4-3 middle linebacker, and he simply didn't have the kind of juice Mangini was looking for in the 3-4. The hope was that Vilma would replicate the contributions of Patriots inside linebacker Tedy Bruschi. Never happened.
Vilma, meanwhile, continues to rehab a knee problem that eventually forced him onto injured reserve last season. He is now walking without a limp, and the Saints believe he'll be ready to start the season.
Well, he's only got five years left to fulfill that goal.
Glenn, the former Jets' first-round pick, has lost a step, but his smarts and dedication to the game will keep him around for another season.
Saints coach Sean Payton, who got to know Glenn when the two were with the Cowboys, has added Glenn to shore up his abysmal secondary.
The Saints running back had a tough year in 2007, failing to improve on a promising rookie season and missing the last four games with a knee injury.
His first step in trying to get better is staying in New Orleans for the off-season. Last year, he went back to southern California, and he said it didn't give him the best opportunity to succeed during the regular season.
Saints coach Sean Payton, a big believer in off-season conditioning (thanks in part to working under Bill Parcells in Dallas), urged Bush to stick around N'Awlins.
