The Saints closed the final days before training camp with a bang, acquiring TE Jeremy Shockey in a trade with the Giants and signing WR Marques Colston to a three-year contract extension. Sources say the organization believed that Shockey was the one missing piece from the roster and had identified him as a top target of their offseason plan early in the winter. With Shockey on board, we hear that the team considers itself a definite Super Bowl contender. The Saints were willing to mortgage a large portion of their future on winning this year. In order to acquire Shockey, New Orleans gave up second- and fifth-round picks in ’09. When the team traded for MLB Jonathan Vilma in February, it sent a conditional ’09 pick to the Jets. That pick could become a second-, third-, or fourth-rounder depending on some provisions written into the swap, according to sources, but at the very least, the Saints have given up second-, fourth- and fifth-round picks in next year’s draft, which will seem like a small price to pay if the team does make a run to the title this season. However, if things don’t go according to plan, losing those picks could sting for years to come.
