Roster

Steve Gleason, a scrappy special teams favorite who cemented his place in Saints lore with a blocked punt during the Louisiana Superdome's reopening following Hurricane Katrina, has decided to retire. Gleason, a free-agent, spent 2007 on injured reserve after having microfracture surgery on his right knee. He said the operation - which involves drilling tiny holes in the bone to stimulate growth of tissue similar to cartilage - was a success and he believes his knee will be close to fully recovered soon. "The time's right. I'm getting married. I can walk away with my health," said Gleason, who turns 31 this month. "I want to be active and adventurous when I'm 80 years old. If football was all I had in my life, I probably could play three or four more years. Who knows?"

Notable inactives for Week 11's Saints-Texans game include: DL Brian Young, WR Robert Meachem, LB Matt McCoy, DB Usama Young, DB Jay Bellamy and DL Charles Grant. OT Jammal Brown is also out for the Saints. For the Texans, DB Jamar Fletcher, RB Ahman Green, QB Craig Nall LB Shantee Orr and TE Jeb Putzier are inactive.

The Saints signed the following players to reserves/future contracts: TE Buck Ortega, CB Anwar Phillips, DE Josh Savage and WR Skyler Green.

Notable inactives from the Saints-Bears Week 17 game include: Saints QB Tyler Palko, RB Reggie Bush, LB Matt McCoy, DB Jay Bellamy and DL Orien Harris. For the Bears, QB Rex Grossman, DL Darwin Walker, DB Josh Gattis, LB Darrell McClover, WR Mike Hass, WR Brandon Rideau and TE Fontel Mines are inactive.

Finally getting a chance to see regular playing time, Saints speedy little man (5-foot-9) Lance Moore caught 32 passes for 302 yards (9.4 avg.) and two touchdowns and a fumble lost. He also scored on one of two carries, totaling 7 yards.

Saints DB Roman Harper played a full slate of games after getting in just five games as a rookie before getting hurt. In those 16 games, Harper totaled 90 tackles (75 solo) with four sacks, three interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), eight passes defensed and two forced fumbles.

The Saints drafted DB Tracy Porter from Indiana in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. They also drafted DL DeMario Pressley from North Carolina State in the fifth round, kicker Taylor Mehlhaff from Wisconsin in the sixth round and WR Adrian Arrington from Michigan in the seventh round.

The Saints signed the following players to reserves/future contracts: TE Buck Ortega, CB Anwar Phillips, DE Josh Savage and WR Skyler Green.

Mark Campbell didn't play in 2007 due to a back injury that kept him out all year. He was placed on Injured Reserve before Week 2.

Back - Questionable for the start of 2008 training camp

The Saints re-signed defensive tackle Brian Young and linebacker Mark Simoneau. Although Simoneau has started the past two seasons, he may slide into a back up role next season behind Jonathan Vilma, who was acquired Friday in a trade with the New York Jets. Last season, Simoneau's 97 tackles ranked second on the team. Young was a reliable interior defensive lineman during most of his four seasons with the Saints until injuries and an illness sidelined him for nearly half of 2007. He was briefly the Saints' sack leader last season after getting to quarterbacks three times in three games during the first half of the season. He was sidelined soon after when team physicians found he needed arthroscopic knee surgery. As he was trying to come back, he came down with pneumonia and was place on injured reserve. Young has started all but one of the 56 games he's been in uniform, making 250 tackles to go with 11 sacks, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.

The Saints and WR Terrance Copper agreed to terms on a contract on Wednesday. He re-upped with New Orleans for two more years.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that Saints RB Deuce McAllister worked at full speed on pass routes during the team's recent minicamp, cutting and planting on his left knee for about tthree weeks after tearing his ACL early on in 2007. McAllister is not worried about the Saints meeting with free-agent RB Shaun Alexander. "I anticipate they'll continue to look at veteran running backs," McAllister said. "They have to have some protection just in case there are any setbacks with my rehab, even though there haven't been any. It never hurts to have a Plan B."

Knees - Questionable for the start of 2008 training camp

The New Orleans Times-Picayune confirmed through the Saints that the club signed veteran LB Dan Morgan. He is expected to compete for the weak-side linebacker job with Scott Shanle.

Achilles' - Questionable for the start of 2008 training camp

Saints DL Charles Grant was stabbed in the neck, and a pregnant woman was shot and killed early Sunday in an altercation at a nightclub in southwest Georgia. Grant was assaulted and had an injury to his neck, according to a statement released by Capt. Will Caudill of the Early County Sheriff's Office. Grant was transported to Early Memorial Hospital, where he was treated and later released.

Randall Gay, a cornerback who spent the past four seasons with the New England Patriots, has agreed to a four-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, his agent said Sunday. Gay's agent, Albert Elias, told The Associated Press that the deal is worth up to $17.6 million. The deal was not confirmed Sunday by the team. Elias said he expected Gay to sign Monday. Signed out of LSU in 2004 by the Patriots, Gay has played in 39 regular-season NFL games. He has 86 tackles, five interceptions and one fumble recovery.

The Saints drafted DB Tracy Porter from Indiana in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. They also drafted DL DeMario Pressley from North Carolina State in the fifth round, kicker Taylor Mehlhaff from Wisconsin in the sixth round and WR Adrian Arrington from Michigan in the seventh round.

Bobby McCray, a free-agent defensive end who spent the past four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, agreed to a five-year contract with the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Financial terms were not disclosed. McCray has 94 tackles, 22 sacks and seven forced fumbles in 61 regular-season games. He had a career-high 10 sacks in 2006. "Bobby is a player we identified as being able to come in and help us in the defensive line rotation," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said.

The Colts announced their eight-man practice squad: QB Josh Betts, RB Decori Birmingham, WRs Aaron Brown and Trent Shelton and TE Gijon Robinson were among the eight.

Saints CB Mike McKenzie totaled 52 tackles (45 solo) with three interceptions -- two returned for touchdowns -- and 17 passes defensed. It was enough to make him a top-50 Fantasy DB in 2007. However, McKenzie tore his ACL in Week 16 and will spend the offseason rehabbing his knee, a process that will cut his offseason camp schedule and likely keep him out of the opening of training camp (ACL rehab usually takes nine months).

Knee - Doubtful for the start of 2008 training camp

The New Orleans Saints re-signed tight end Billy Miller on Friday. Miller, 6-foot-3 and 252 pounds, is an eight-year veteran and has been with the Saints since 2006. He has 155 career receptions for 1,669 yards and nine touchdowns.

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