Win a few, lose a few

The NFL is a 12-month league.

Moves made in the months between the Super Bowl and next season’s opening game are as important to whether a team succeeds as the draft.

After falling short of preseason Super Bowl expectations and with a salary cap of $116 million for the 2008 season, the Saints had big decisions to make.

Who to cut? Who to pursue in free agency? Who could be traded?

Trying to assess which veterans are productive enough to spend money on and which are overpriced has-beens is a crapshoot.

Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis has signed playoff-experienced veterans, hoping that rubs off his on underachieving squad.

Here is a breakdown of key acquisitions and releases:

• Feb. 27 – Waived kicker Olindo Mare.

The 12-year veteran converted 10 of 17 field goals last season. Only one was over 50 yards. Signed with the Seahawks in March.

• Feb. 29 – Acquired middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma from the New York Jets for an undisclosed draft pick.

Vilma is a 2004 first-round draft pick and was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year that year. The 6-foot-1-inch, 230-pounder thrived in the 4-3 defensive scheme.

He played in 55 of 57 regular season games and three playoff games with the Jets. The 25-year-old missed the final nine games last season due to surgery on his right knee.

“We are aware and comfortable with his progress in returning from the injury that sidelined him for the second half of the 2007 season,” Loomis said. “We’re confident that he will return to the standard of play that he set through the first three-and-a-half years of his career.”

“I am truly excited and fortunate to be joining a team that just a little over a year ago was one win away from appearing in the Super Bowl,” Vilma said. “People that I know have all told me that New Orleans is a great place to play, and the fans are passionate and rally around their team.”

• Feb. 29 – Did not re-sign center Jeff Faine, defensive end Renaldo Wynn and cornerback Fred Thomas.

Faine started in 30 games for the Saints in 2006 and 2007. He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Feb. 29. The five-year veteran is considered one of the best young centers in the league.

In his one year with the Saints, Wynn played in 12 games and made 13 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He signed with the New York Giants on June 2.

Thomas did not play in nine of 16 games last year (coach’s decision). He made eight tackles and forced a fumble.

• March 1 – Terminated middle linebacker Brian Simmons’ contract.

Simmons made 27 tackles and one sack in 2007 season. Remains unsigned.

• March 2 – Signed former New England Patriots cornerback free agent Randall Gay.

The Louisiana native and former LSU Tiger comes home after his best statistical season. In 2007, Gay made 38 tackles, three interceptions and forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown.

He has only started in 14 of 39 career regular season games with the Patriots. He is expected to be a shutdown corner for the Saints this season.

The 5-foot-11-inch, 190-pound defensive back is a winner at the collegiate and pro levels. He was part of LSU’s 2003 BCS National Championship team and earned a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in 2005.

“Randall is a player we targeted early on in this free agent market,” Loomis said. “He’s a very talented player that has demonstrated throughout his football career that he is a winner and we’re confident he will prove to be an asset to our defense.”

• March 2 – Signed former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Bobby McCray to five-year contract.

Entering his fifth NFL campaign, the 6-foot-6-inch, 262-pound defensive end is unknown to most football fans, but McCray is a pass-rushing force that normally commands double teams.

Last season, he started nine of 14 games, while making 18 tackles, three sacks and forcing a fumble. His best year was 2006 when he had 10 sacks and made 35 tackles.

With defensive end Will Smith signed to a long-term deal and Charles Grant presumably still a starter, finding playing time for McCray will be a challenge for coach Sean Payton.

“Bobby is a player we identified as being able to come in and help us in the defensive line rotation,” Loomis said. “He is quick off the edge and has displayed a penchant for being able to generate pressure on the quarterback and being disruptive in passing situations.”

• March 14 – Signed former Washington Redskins quarterback Mark Brunell to two-year deal.

A 15-year veteran brought in to back up starter Drew Brees, Brunell is an insurance policy the Saints hope to never have to use.

Brunell did not take a snap in the 2007 season. He has played in 157 regular season games and 11 playoff games.

He led the Jacksonville Jaguars to the AFC championship game in 1996 and was named to three Pro Bowls – 1996, 1997 and 2001.

Brunell has suffered multiple concussions in his NFL career. He has thrown for nearly 32,000 yards and 182 touchdowns, while rushing for almost 2,500 yards and 15 touchdowns.

• March 24 – Signed unrestricted free agent center/guard Matt Lehr.

An eight-year veteran, Lehr played in 16 games for the Bucs last year; however, he has not started since 2006 with the Atlanta Falcons.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 304-pounder has started 48 of 85 career games with the Dallas Cowboys, St. Louis Rams, Falcons and Bucs.

• April 7 – Signed unrestricted free agent cornerback Aaron Glenn.

Glenn ranks fifth among active players with 41 career interceptions, six of which were returned for touchdowns.

The 14-year veteran has started 175 of his 201 career games at cornerback. Before joining the Saints, Glenn played for the Jets, which drafted him in the first round in 1994, the Houston Texans, the Cowboys, and last year with the Jaguars.

• July 21 – Acquired tight end Jeremy Shockey from the New York Giants for 2009 second and fifth round draft picks.

Known for his soft hands and bruising runs after the catch, the four-time Pro Bowl selection has started all but one game he has played in his six-year career.

His best season was his 2002 rookie year, under then Giants offensive coordinator Sean Payton. He was named NFL Rookie of the Year with 74 receptions for 894 yards and two touchdowns.

Last season Shockey had 57 catches for 619 yards and three touchdowns.

Shockey missed the final two games of the 2007 season and the Giants Super Bowl run with a broken left fibula and ankle damage.

The vocal Shockey often complained when he felt he did not get enough passes thrown to him. He will likely be penciled in as the starting tight end, but he will have to share the load with a deep receiving corps.

“He’s an impact player, and has been a key part of every offense he has played for – both as a blocker and as a receiver,” Loomis said.

“The Saints have a lot of weapons, starting with Drew Brees, and I look forward to joining my teammates at training camp,” Shockey said. “This will be a fun year.”