By Dan Parr
Sept. 4, 2008

Sources close to the Saints were mystified by the team's decision to keep only three defensive ends on the active roster. The lack of depth could become a major concern should Will Smith, Charles Grant or Bobby McCray suffer an injury. Aside from bringing in a free-agent castoff, which the Saints have shown no indication of pursuing, their best option to add some depth would likely be bringing DE Josh Savage, a third-year veteran with 13 games of experience, off the practice squad. The Saints are taking the opposite approach at cornerback, where they are stocked with seven players. Word is New Orleans will beef up at defensive end when it's convinced that starting CB Mike McKenzie is fully recovered from a torn ACL he suffered late last season and CB Usama Young is over a hamstring injury that nagged him in the preseason. It may be a few weeks before the Saints feel comfortable enough to trim the corner corps and add some cushioning at end.