New Orleans Saints ‘Ricky Williams Running Full Circle’

The New Orleans Saints have come a long way since one of the worst trades in NFL history , a moment when then Saints head coach Mike Ditka traded all of the teams 1999 draft picks along with their 1st and 3rd round picks in 2000 to the Washington Redskins.

Ditka did this so he would be able to move up to the 5th overall pick in the draft and take University of Texas Heisman Trophy winning running back Ricky Williams.

His thinking was that the Saints were just one player away from winning it all, and obviously Saints management agreed, which is why they were all fired after ending the 1999 season at 3-13.

According to former Saints wide receiver Joe Horn Williams was just someone who like to keep to himself, and this desire to be left alone caused unfair criticizism as being someone who didn’t get along with team mates and fans.

Truth is Ricky Williams was drafted by the Saints to come in a be the teams savior, to be that one person that the Saints team, community and entire state could always lean on to carry them to victory.

Williams spent only three seasons with the Saints before being traded to the Miami Dolphins. a deal that landed the Saints four draft picks inluding two first round selections.

It came to light later that Williams suffered from clinical depression and social anxiety disorder, an ailment he turned to marijuana to conquer.

This Saints have fully recovered from the Ditka nightmanre and have grown into Superbowl winning team, but there will always be a few holes to fill at the start of each season.

New Orleans finally have a franchise quarterback (Drew Brees), and a young  running back with a lot of promise in Chris Ivory. The Saints have a nucleus on offense that not many other teams in the NFL will be able to match.

The Saints will concentrate their efforts mostly on defense during this years free agency period, assuming a new CBA is put in place by the March 3rd deadline, and surely look to the draft for promising young talent.

The Saints are in need of another quality running back, that was never was more obvious than in the playoff loss to Seattle.

Miami running back Ricky Williams can come full circle and sign with the Saints as a role player like he played in Miami the last few years.

He had a great year in 2009 rushing for 1,121 yards on 241 carries with 11 touchdowns along with 35 receptions for 264 yards and 2 touchdowns while playing in all 16 games and starting 7.

The following season while coming off the bench for injured Dolphins starter Ronnie Brown, Williams carried the ball 159 times for 673 yards with 2 touchdowns.

He is still strong and at age 33 has played in only 77 games since being traded by the Saints in 2001. Williams is more focused on football and his family, which has shown in his play the last couple of years.

With the uncertainty in free agency and the status of running back Pierre Thomas I think he would be a great addition to the Saints roster and he’s ready to leave Miami and come back home to New Orleans.

Who Dat Believes in them Saints WE DO GEAUX SAINTS!!

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

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