NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints decided to go with
youth on the offensive line, placing veteran guard Jermane Mayberry
on injured reserve for the 2006 season.
The Saints had to cut or place on injured reserve 22 players
Saturday to get to the NFL maximum 53-player roster for the regular
season.
Those released included linebacker Colby Bockwoldt, who started
much of last season, and tight end Zack Hilton, who started six
games last season and was tied for third in catches with 35 for 396
yards and a touchdown.
The Saints also cut fourth quarterback Adrian McPherson, who was
injured when a mascot hit him with a golf cart in the Saints'
opening preseason game in Tennessee. McPherson, who was kicked out
of Florida State because of legal trouble, was drafted last season
as a second-chance project. He could be signed to the Saints'
practice squad if no other team claims him off waivers.
Mayberry, who has been in the league 11 years, was a starter on
Philadelphia's Super Bowl team two seasons ago before signing with
the Saints, with whom he played 11 games and started eight at right
guard in 2005. However, a shoulder injury sidelined him for all but
a little more than the last week of training camp and he missed all
four preseason games.
His departure raises the prospects of playing time for Jahri
Evans, a 6-foot-4, 318-pound rookie out of Division II Bloomsburg.
Evans has seen significant playing time in the preseason because of
Mayberry's injury and rookie head coach Sean Payton has
complimented his performance repeatedly.
The Saints also had a glut of receivers on the roster and had to
cut several promising ones, including sixth-round draft choice and
former Oregon State standout Mike Hass, last year's Biletnikoff
Award winner as college football's best receiver.
New Orleans also let go receivers Chris Horn and Chase Lyman,
while Michael Lewis, known more as a kick and punt return
specialist, was placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list.
That means Lewis can remain with the team but cannot play for six
weeks, at which time the Saints must decide whether to keep him and
waive someone else or let him go.
Others cut were: running back Jamaal Branch, former LSU
linebacker E.J. Kuale, defensive tackle Brandon Villarreal, punter
Steve Weatherford, defensive back Josh Lay, defensive back Grant
Mason, defensive tackle Joe Minucci, defensive end Javon Nanton,
defensive end Jimmy Verdon, linebacker Jay Foreman, center Dwayne
Ledford, tight end Billy Miller and defensive tackle Josh Williams.
Linebacker Tommy Polley was placed on injured reserve.