Feb 23, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arkansas-Pinebluff offensive lineman Terron Armstead takes a rest on the bench after participatin in on the field workouts during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Saints have an interesting positional battle coming up in OTA’s and training camp when rookie Terron Armstead takes on Charles Brown for the right to protect Drew Brees from the left tackle position.

Brown has been with the team for a few years now but has had to deal with injuries while sitting behind starter Jermon Bushrod. Armstead joined the Saints this offseason courtesy of the No. 75 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft and is set to leapfrog Brown for multiple reasons.

Head coach Sean Payton has stressed how uneasy he is about the left tackle position in New Orleans all offseason long, and Brown has obviously read the quotes. As he told Nakia Hogan of NOLA.com, he’s ready to compete and win the starting job:

 ”It’s definitely time for me to step up and prove myself and prove that I can protect Drew back there,” Brown said Wednesday night at Ben Grubb’s charity softball game at Zephyr Field. The Saints’ defense beat the offense 10-2 in the game.

“It’s going to be really exciting,” Brown said. “Right now I’m just trying to get out there and be the best I can and perfect every play and just stay out there.”

Unfortunately for Brown, his battles with injuries and the raw potential of Armstead are not good signs for his chances of getting and holding onto the starting job.

Payton and Co. grabbed Armstead in the draft for a reason. If the staff had the utmost confidence in Brown, Armstead wouldn’t have been selected. Heck, the front office wouldn’t have picked up one of the biggest busts in NFL history in former second overall pick Jason Smith either.

Armstead is the right choice at left tackle based on his athleticism. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he ran a 4.7-second 40-yard dash and recorded a 34 ½-feet vertical leap. This is the type of athleticism the Saints need at the position in order to keep Brees on his feet.

The fact of the matter is, Brees has a habit of making his offensive linemen look better than they really are thanks to his exceptionally quick reads and release. With Brees at the heal, Armstead can rely on his raw athleticism to shut down pass-rushers just longenough for Brees to get rid of the ball. This will also allow him to develop in live action rather than while sitting on the bench and only seeing reps in practice.

Brown isn’t a horrible backup by any means, but Armstead should have a tight grip on the starting left tackle job by the time the regular season rolls around.

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Jan 30, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees speaks on the game of financial football at the New Orleans convention center. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

It’s the quietest point of the NFL offseason now that rookie minicamp has concluded, so there’s no better time to pick out a New Orleans Saints Mount Rushmore!

Picking a Mount Rushmore is a recent trend started by the folks over at ProFootballTalk. We thought it would be a great idea to attempt our own Mount Rushmore for the Saints.

It’s not as easy as you might think at first glance. You can only pick four names for a Saints Mount Rushmore, and you have to find a delicate balance between statistics, lasting legacy and more when picking those names. Also, should it include coaches and decision makers?

For the purposes of this Saints Mount Rushmore, we’ll include all types of personnel spanning franchise history  Feel free to let us know what you think in the comments section below and give us your very own  Saints Mount Rushmore!

Drew Brees 

December 30, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) prior to kickoff of a game against the Carolina Panthers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Come on, did you think we would start anywhere else?  Where do you even start with Brees? He’s the most recognizable face in franchise history and brought home the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLVI.

Brees has broke numerous passing records over the course of his journey, and the scary part is he’s not quite done yet. Perhaps Brees’ most impressive record is the face he’s the NFL’s All-time single season passing yard leader with 5,476 yards.

There’s no question Brees’ should be the first mug on the wall of a Saints Mount Rushmore. We could dedicate an entire post to Brees alone, but that just wouldn’t be fair to the rest of the guys on the wall.

Sean Payton 

March 20, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton answers questions from reporters during the annual NFL meetings at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Payton is another name that is an easy pick if you had to pick a Saints Mount Rushmore. Sure, there’s been some issues over the horribly-named Bountygate, but it’s safe to say the good outweighs the bad.

Payton joined the Saints in 2006, and after just three years led the team to a Super Bowl victory. Overall as a head coach he has compiled a 62-34 record.

Like his quarterback, Payton appears to be far from done with the Saints. There’s no question Payton is one of the most important figures in franchise history, and for that, he lands right next to his quarterback on the wall.

Rickey Jackson 

January 1, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints former linebacker Rickey Jackson before the Saints played the Carolina Panthers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

From 1981 to 1993 there was no bigger name in the world of the New Orleans Saints than linebacker Rickey Jackson, who broke numerous franchise records while on his path to the Hall of Fame.

Over the course of his career, Jackson racked up 1,173 tackles and a Saints franchise record with 128 sacks. He was also a six Time Pro-Bowler and a four-Time All-Pro.

Jackson is now enshrined in the Hall of Fame and easily belongs on any Saints Mount Rushmore. His contributions to the franchise may be forgotten as current generations take over, but he deserves to live on in the realms of Saints history with the biggest names of them all.

Deuce McAllister

Jan 30, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; NFL former running back Deuce McAllister carries the Vince Lombardi trophy into the Super Bowl XLVII Experience at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Deuce McAllister is a case where legacy has more of a lasting impact on a Mount Rushmore nomination rather than statistics. McAllister is one of the most recognizable names in franchise history thanks to his key role in some of the best moments the franchise has to offer.

Despite joining the Saints in 2001 and only playing for seven seasons, McAllister rushed for over 6,000 yards and 49 touchdowns while playing an integral role in the team’s Super Bowl victory.

McAllister is another modern player who makes the wall over some of the legends in team history, but it’s well deserved given his role in what is easily the best years the Saints have had since being created.

Love our Mount Rushmore? Hate it?  Let us know on Twitter @whodatdish or  on Facebook. Make sure to leave your own Saints Mount Rushmore in the comments section below! 

Nov 18, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (80) tries to break free from the grasp of Oakland Raiders safety Mike Mitchell (34) at the O.co Coliseum. The Saints defeated the Raiders 38-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Conventional wisdom says you are unable to grade an NFL draft class until three years have passed, so would be the time take a look back and re-grade the New Orleans Saints performance in the 2010 NFL draft.

As hardcore fans known, this is the class that brought you big names such as Jimmy Graham, Patrick Robinson and more.

Our good friends over at With The First Pick graded the Saints selections as follows:

Before having an instant reaction to the grades, let’s took a look at the reasoning behind the numbers:

Analysis:  First round pick Patrick Robinson came on slow in 2010.  He later started part of the season in 2011 and took over full time in 2012.  While the value of the draft pick was questionable early on, Robinson’s pick back to make much more sense by 2012.  Charles Brown was drafted to eventually take over as a starting tackle.  That plan really hasn’t worked out thus far although Brown will be forced into that role starting in 2013.  So far the pick has not panned out.  A part time player at tackle is something you would expect out of a late round pick, not a second.  All is forgiven, however, with the selection of Jimmy Graham in the third round.  Graham has had over 2.6000 yards receiving and 25 touchdowns in three years.  Not bad for being the fifth tight end taken in the 2010 draft.  None of the late round picks are still with the team.  It’s never a bad thing to win a Super Bowl and then draft a Pro Bowl tight end a few months later.  But if Robinson can continue to develop and Brown can solidify the offensive line this could go from being an “O.K.” draft to a great one.

It’s hard to argue with any of the ratings. Robinson has been a disappointment to this point in his career, as has offensive tackle Charles Brown.

Of course, Jimmy Graham is the highlight of the class and one of the NFL’s best tight ends. His presence alone in this class makes it difficult to be all that angry with the misfires before him.

Overall, not a great class for New Orleans.Even more troubling is the fact Robinson and Brown have done little to make many think they have what it takes to turn things around.

How would you grade the Saints 2010 draft class? Let us know in the comments below!

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