Most of us safely assumed, and I was certainly no exception to that, that Jonathan Goodwin’s departure to the 49ers meant a handing over of the reigns at center to youngster Matt Tennant. The Saints may still use the 2nd year player as their main snapper, but he’ll now at the very least face fierce competition and mentoring from 6 time pro bowler Olin Kreutz. Kreutz has been a superstar center his entire career with the Chicago Bears, and he’s one of the better centers of all time in pro football. Whether Kreutz still has the ability to play at a top level is very much in question, because at 34 there is no doubting that his best years are clearly behind him. The last time the Hawaiian center made a Pro Bowl appearance was 2006, so there is no debating he’s in the twilight of his career.
I see this as a win win for the Saints. At worst, they’ve got a still capable backup with more experience than just about anyone who can come in on a moment’s notice and play well, and he’ll help the entire interior line with his leadership. At best, the veteran shows he still has a little bit left in the tank and he outplays a very promising young center in Matt Tennant to become a starter for the Saints. Then, the young Tennant gets another year of season before possibly being annointed as the starter. If Tennant can outperform Kreutz, the Saints will be better off for it.
I’m continually impressed and amazed by the Saints’ ability to bolster their depth. The amount of competition they’ve created at each position not only boosts their depth, it makes their team better overall. The best guys will play, and the team stands to benefit greatly from talented backups breathing down the neck of the starters in front of them. In order to give Kreutz a roster spot, the Saints released and undrafted rookie receiver Michael Galatas.
In other news, Chris Ivory has had a setback on his road back to the football field…
Sean Payton has confirmed that Ivory will have hernia surgery (thank God they’re getting that done now and not dealing with a wounded duck all season like they’ve done with Jeremy Shockey and Will Smith in the past), something that should set him back 3 weeks. With the season a little over 3 weeks away, I think there’s a good chance Ivory will start 2011 on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list. It remains to be seen if he can bounce back. Remember, he’s also rehabbing a foot injury that required offseason surgery as well. Good thing the Saints have Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles on board, though Thomas is still recovering from his ankle issues as well.
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