Saints’ fullback slot empty, then full again

By Darrell Laurant  |   Thursday, September 14, 2006  |  Comments( 1 )

New Orleans Saints
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Pro football is a crazy sport. Just ask Vonta Leach.

Leach started at fullback for the Green Bay Packers in last Sunday's 26-0 loss to the Chicago Bears. Then the Packers -- obviously in serious need of offense -- signed WR Koren Robinson, and Leach was the odd man out. The return of veteran William Henderson at fullback made him expendable.

"I got a call that the scouting department wanted to see me," Leach told the Fayetteville (N.C.) Times, "which is never a good thing. I asked, 'Are you going to release me?' and they said, "Yes.'"

Two days later, Leach was on a plane flying down to New Orleans to join the Saints, who picked him up on waivers. And this Sunday, he and his teammates will board another plane and fly to ... Green Bay.

"I'm ready for it," said Leach, who seems like a philosophical type. "Sometimes, change can be good."

At least he'll have a friend on the New Orleans squad, wide receiver and former East Carolina teammate Terrance Copper.

"I'll be calling Terrance right away," Leach told the Times. "I'm going to need a place to stay."

For awhile, anyway. But the Saints' fullback situation in the wake of a 19-14 season-opening victory over Cleveland is fluid, to say the least. The top two players at that position, Mike Karney and Keith Joseph, both went down with injuries -- Joseph with a knee, Karney with a strained calf. The former is out for the season, the latter for at least four weeks.

In response, the team signed not only Leach but Corey McIntyre, a former Cleveland Brown. Most people collect shot glasses and postcards from their travels -- the Saints seem to collect fullbacks.

In effect, then , Leach and McIntyre are auditioning to be Karney's backup when he returns. The fullback isn't used much in the Saints' offensive scheme (they'll be hard-pressed to give Joe Horn, Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush enough touches as it is), so the 6-foot, 246-pound McIntyre and the 6-0, 250-pound Leach will be asked to block, play on special teams, and do what they're told.

And be thankful they have a job. For now, anyway.

NOTES: Bush fulfilled expectations against the Browns, even though he wasn't spectacular -- 61 yards rushing, 58 yards in receptions, 22 yards in punt returns. At times, Sean Payton used Bush and McAllister together in the backfield ... the big surprise was the Saints' defense, which held the Browns to 85 rushing yards ... rookie wide receiver Marques Colston was another pleasant surprise, snagging four passes for 49 yards.

Get more New Orleans Saints coverage at RealFootball365.com
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