LB Simoneau to have surgery
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ linebacker Derrick Brooks will work out for the Saints tomorrow, one of two linebackers Saints head coach Sean Payton will evaluate. Derek Smith is the other, both players will arrive in New Orleans later today.
The sudden need arises with the injury to linebacker Mark Simoneau during the Black and Gold Scrimmage over the weekend, in which Simoneau suffered a torn right triceps. Simoneau will have surgery to repair it tomorrow.
Brooks played 14 seasons with the Bucs, the team that selected him 28th overall in 1995. Brooks was selected to the Pro Bowl 11 times and made the All-Pro team nine times. Does Brooks have enough gas left in the tank to help the Saints this season?
“That’s a good question. We’re bringing him in to workout out to see,” Saints head coach Sean Payton said after morning practice. “I do think when we graded him last year prior to him getting nicked up and injured, he was playing at a hight level.”
Payton says he asked Jon Gruden about Brooks last week when the former Bucs coach was in town and that everything was positive. “You know he’s an intelligent player. Instinctive. A guy that’s really been a pain for us over the years. So we’ve got a lot of respect for his ability and we’ll see when he comes in,” said Payton.
Payton said there are no plans as of now to place Simoneau on injured reserve, a tough break for the linebacker who had been having a good camp and recovered a fumble in Saturday’s scrimmage.
“It’s unfortunate because he’s worked so hard to battle back from the back and hip injury,” says fellow linebacker Scott Fujita, “and to put himself in position to be able to complete again and play well and it’s just a tough break.”
An advantage to signing Brooks could be his familiarity with the NFC South. It’s something Fujita believes will also help him when or if it came down to learning a new defensive system. “He’s a savvy veteran who’s been in this division for a long long time, and he’s about as sharp as they get. I’ve gotten to know him a little bit over the years. He’s a good competitor. He’s going to know the personnel throughout the division, and if he’s a guy that signs here, I think he’ll be able to help out.”
GOALINE TEAM PERIOD INTENSE
The team went through a goal line period in the morning and it provided some intense action. Roughly out of the 10 plays ran, the defense won on eight of them. RB Reggie Bush scored after initially being stuffed, but then bounced it outside, talking a little trash after the play. RB Mike Bell went into the end zone on a dive play.
“Yea it was pretty good. People got after it a little bit. Yeah the offense was talking a little bit. I don’t know, but yea our guys in the d-line stepped up,” said a smiling linebacker Scott Fujita. “You hear everything between Shockey and Reggie Bush you’re hearing a lot of funny things these days. We hear a lot on our side though with Hargrove and Charles Grant, all these other knuckle heads so.”
ROOKIE VAUGHN TO HAVE SCOPE TODAY
Saints rookie safety Chip Vaughn has a torn meniscus in his left knee and will have a scope procedure today to repair it, putting him out of action for likely a few weeks.
BUMPS AND BRUISES
A few players were held out of this morning’s practice.
CB Tracy Porter (hamstring), DE Bobby McCray (back spasms), and WR/KR Courtney Roby (hamstring).
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