New Orleans Saints – Team Acquire Former Mizzou Star QB Chase Daniel, Charles Grant and Will Smith Will Not Be Suspended Week 1 And A Slew Of Recently Waived Players Land On The Practice Squad.

Chase Daniel is the Saints newest reclamation project after the team parted ways backup QB Joey Harrington just a few days ago.

Daniel was an absolute monster through his collegiate career at Missouri where he played in 36 games and compiled 8,044 yards, 62 touchdowns to only 22 interceptions and had a career passer rating of 145.75.

He also ran in nine touchdowns with 720 yards to boot.

His list of accolades is impressive:

• 2008 Team Captain
• 2007 Heisman Trophy Finalist
• 2007 Davey O’Brien Finalist
• 2007 Walter Camp Award Finalist
• 2007 Manning Award Finalist
• 2007 Maxwell Award Semifinalist
• 2007 All-America Second Team (AP, Walter Camp, Sporting News)
• 2007 All-America Honorable Mention (Sports Illustrated)
• 2007 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (AP, Coaches)
• 2007 All-Big 12 First Team (AP, Coaches)
• 2007 CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District First Team
• 2007 Academic All-Big 12 First Team
• 2007 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 8, Nov. 5 & Nov. 26)
• 2006 2nd-Team All-Big 12 (Coaches)
• 2006 Hon. Men. All-Big 12 (Associated Press)
• 2006 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 4 & Nov. 27)
• 2006 1st-Team Academic All-District (ESPN The Magazine)
• 2006 1st-Team Academic All-Big 12
• 2006 Team Offensive Back of the Year

Daniel went undrafted this year and was signed by the Washington Redskins as a free agent. He appeared on a limited basis during the Redskins pre-season games but faired very well completing 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards, three touchdowns to no interceptions.

So how did he go undrafted and fall to the Saints practice squad you say? Well as NFL scouts will tell you Daniel lacks the elite arm strength to make it at the pro level and is a relatively small for a quarterback standing 5 foot 11 “ish” (although most stats you can find have him at six foot).

Remind you of someone? That’s right, three time Pro-Bowl quarterback Drew Brees. Brees is also looked down upon for his smaller stature and questionable arm strength, psssshhhhhhhhttt!

Drew threw for 5,069 yards last season and is clearly the best quarterback in the league today, although those with their heads up Tom Brady’s butt would say otherwise.

There is no question that Daniel is loaded with potential and he will be groomed to one day overtake Brunell as Brees’ backup and possibly the starting position when Brees ever decides to hang it up. ( HE NEVER WILL!!!!)

The similarities between Brees and Daniel have already landed him with a nickname that looks like it will stick, from hence forth he will be known by Saints fans as “Baby Brees”.

Now if you haven’t heard the suspensions looming over starting end’s Will Smith and Charles Grant, which we thought would be suspended the first four games of the season, have not been handed down by the league office.

Apparently the legal red tape has the suspensions clogged in the legal system as both players have filed numerous appeals in a effort to over turn the leagues ruling, thus making them available to play against Detroit.

Smith and Grant both adamantly deny any wrong doing citing the league knew StarCaps contained a banned diuretic but allowed the players to consume the product anyway, which was in an effort to lose weight.

I wouldn’t get your hopes up just yet, although they will be eligible to play week 1 the league could impose the suspensions as soon as week 2. If that is the case New Orleans will bring back DE Paul Spicer, who they recently released, to fill in over the course of their suspensions.

Several players recently waived during the leagues mandated roster cuts have, as expected, re-signed to the Saints practice squad.

Those that have agreed to terms to the practice squad are WR Adrian Arrington, G Tim Duckworth, CB Danny Gorrer, RB P.J. Hill, T Jermey Parnell, DT DeMario Pressley and WR Matt Simon.

Thank you for that! We lack serious depth at DT so having Pressley back is a real positive. Arrington, when healthy, looks like he may one day be an elite NFL wide receiver and Hill was a monster through the pre-season for the Saints.

I like where this team is heading.

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