CB Al Harris A Good Fit With New Orleans Saints?

Two-time Pro Bowl corner Al Harris has officailly been released from the Green Bay Packers after seven NFL seasons with the club.

Harris suffered a major injury last November in a game against the 49ers tearing the ACL, the LCL, the IT band, the FCL and the lateral hamstring in his left knee.

He underwent surgery days later and since has been trying to rehab the knee back to health but was unable to get fully healed before the start of the 2010 season.

The Packers made the decision to place him on the PUP list, where he remained for the first six weeks of the season, and apparently they are comfortable moving on without him.

Meanwhile the Saints have experienced a plethora of injuries in their secondary over the first half season and only recently returned the starting duo of Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer to the lineup.

Top nickel corner Randall gay was placed on injured reserve a few weeks back after experiencing lingering concussion symptoms weeks after originally becoming concussed.

Currently the Saints have four corner backs on the roster — Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer, Patrick Robinson and Leigh Torrence — but are in need of a fifth when in nickel and dime defensive formations.

Patrick Robinson, the Saints first round pick this year, was playing very well while filling in for Porter and Greer but injured his ankle against the Steelers and also missed last weeks game against the Panthers.

Free safety Darren Sharper has returned to the lineup for good which would allow Malcolm Jenkins to move back into his original role of corner back.

That move seems like an unlikely one however as the Saints seem intent on grooming Jenkins to become the next free safety once Darren Sharper leaves or retires since he is nearing the end of his career.

New Orleans has already expressed interest in bringing another quality corner into the mix so much so that running back Pierre Thomas was nearly traded to the Patriots for one of their young corner prospects.

The deal reportedly feel through when New England demanded draft compensation to ago along with Thomas.

Potentially acquiring Harris doesn’t come without questions given his age and seriousness of the injury he suffered. How much can he possibly have left?

As easy as it may be to dismiss Harris as over the hill his 104 pass deflections and twenty-one career interceptions are hard to argue with and maybe he still has some tread left on those “lock down” tires.

Injuries are always a concern in the NFL and as the Saints have proven time and time again you can never have too many good corners on your roster.

The Saints have never been the type of team to get wooed by big name free agents so it seems unlikely they will make a play for Harris’ services, but if they do want him they should hurry as  he did say an NFC North team is very interested.

Check out Keith Null’s weekly article about the Saints on NFL.com by clicking here.

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