Football
Associated Press 21y

Williams' big gain is also big gain for Saints

NEW ORLEANS -- The Saints were assured of a No. 1 pick in
2003 from the Miami Dolphins after running back Ricky Williams
rushed 31 times for 216 yards and two touchdowns against the
Chicago Bears.

Williams' Monday night rushing total gives him exactly 1,500
yards this season, meaning the Dolphins' conditional No. 3 pick
originally accepted in March by the Saints becomes a first-round
pick.

"Obviously, we're happy,'' Saints general manager Mickey Loomis
said Monday night. "We're happy for Ricky Williams and now we have
two first-round picks.

"Now we have five picks on the first day of the draft,'' said
Loomis, referring to two first-round picks, a second round, and two
third-rounders, conditional on the performance of tackle Willie Roaf, traded by the Saints to the Kansas City Chiefs during the
off-season.

The Saints traded Williams to the Dolphins for first- and
fourth-round picks in 2002 and a conditional third-round pick in
2003 based on his rushing yardage this season.

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