Kristian: Saints looking good as they look toward training camp

"OTA's?", "Mini-Camp?", "Off-Season condition program?", I promise to never say any of those phrases again... this season.

Considering the Saints wrapped up their final day of the aforementioned (see I told you I wouldn't mention it) this week. So, let's look forward to training camp, shall we? First, though, we have look back at a productive, but interesting off-season for the Black and Gold.

After wrapping up a disappointing 2008 campaign with an 8 and 8 record, the team wasted no time making changes on defense. The catalyst of change for the Saints? Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

"He's a good leader, and he's a guy that outside of the scheme aspect of football his defenses have played hard and that's something you can see on film, and it's something we are having a chance to see right now, and that's one of the reason's we wanted to hire him," coach Sean Payton said of his new defensive mastermind.

After finding the man to run the defense, Payton and Saints V.P. / G.M. Mickey Loomis turned their attention to adding some playmakers to a secondary that was downright porous last season. In free agency they found cornerback Jabari Greer (from Buffalo) and free safety Darren Sharper (from Minnesota). Both players have drawn plenty of praise from the coaching staff and teammates in the locker room.

Continuing to add to the potential play making ability of the defense; the team dusted off retired defensive tackle Rod Coleman and added some good young players through the draft. They used their top pick to get Malcolm Jenkins. They also acquired fourth rounders Stanley Arnoux and Chip Vaughn. Fifth round selection, rookie punter Thomas Morstead, could help the defense also.

On numerous occasions the last few weeks, Payton expressed his feelings on how well the off-season has gone for his team.

"Overall I was pleased, pleased with not only the OTA's and mini-camp, but most importantly the off-season lifting program," the coach told reporters. "We went through some of the numbers, and really the goal for some of these guys, during this whole offseason was 40 work outs. We were above 90 percent of the team that got 40 workouts, and that's clearly the highest we've had since we've been here."

Payton insisted during the teams organized activities, and mini-camps that "installation" was a key focus. He worked hard to make sure players started to learn the defensive and offensive schemes.

"Two-thirds of the playbook is in, maybe a little less, but having it installed is one thing. The difference between now and training camp is your installing it, and you may only get to rep a play 3 times, to where as in training you install it you might get to rep it 13 times," Payton said. "We could play a game today if we had to."

With all of that said, that means the Saints are better heading into training camp than they were this time last year, right?

"Well you're better because you got better players on the defensive side of the football; how much better is still in question, but I think you have a much better coordinator in Gregg Williams. I think that you have players - especially in the secondary - proven playmakers in a (Jabari) Greer, in a (Darren) Sharper and a very good young player in Malcom Jenkins." WWL NFL Analyst Mike Detillier explained. "The hope there is along with last year's additions in Sedrick Ellis and Tracy Porter, that you can get this defense better than it what is was a year ago, and I certainly believe they are a better team."

"The other part of it is too, can you find other pieces, because injury's are gonna happen in this league, you got to be able to replace people at critical positions and times during the year," Detillier went on to say.

So what about the offense?

The offense did add a new starter at fullback in former New England Patriot Heath Evans. The running back trio heading into training camp looks to be Reggie Bush (if he stays healthy), Pierre Thomas and late last season addition Mike Bell. Can that group get it done? That's one of the biggest question marks for the Saints ahead of training camp.

The wide receiver position seems to be loaded with talent. Headliners Marques Colston and Lance Moore are recovering from injuries. Robert Meachem has gotten a chance to showcase his ability and has impressed at times. The offensive line is in tact from a year ago, and if they can keep quarterback Drew Brees healthy, they should be fine. Drew is Drew and so go's the offense.

Now that OTA's and mini-camp (oops, sorry) are in the books, the members of the Who-Dat nation have their eyes glued to the calendar marking off suffocating heat stricken summer day after another until the team gets back on the field in training camp next month (July 30th).

Until then, there will be reading, speculating, water-cooler discussions and madness mixed with a lot of uncertainty and sheer boredom. Brace your self Saints fans as we enter the agonizing stretch of the off-season of NFL football. Hopefully Brett Favre will keep us entertained as he contemplates playing for the Minnesota Vikings in a return for his 19th NFL season.

What's my suggestion to break up the monotony? Watch the stations that offer replays of past Saints games, play a lot of Madden video games and of course check in with WWL AM & FM and WWL.com for the latest on the team.