The Saints have signed 31-year old QB Patrick Ramsey.  Ramsey did get into any games in the NFL in 2009.  He has played in 38 games (24 starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 511 of 913 passes (56%) for 5,930 yards with 35 TD passes and 30 INTs (74.9 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 47 times for 89 yards (1.2 ypc) with 2 TD runs in his NFL career.  Ramsey has a 10-14 record as a starting QB in the NFL.  This was a good signing for the Saints as Ramsey should be a big upgrade over Mark Brunell who looked like he was toast last year.

29-year old Jeremy Shockey is still an elite TE when healthy.  He played in 13 games (12 starts) for the Saints last season in which he caught 48 passes for 569 yards (11.9 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  Shockey has now played in 108 games (105 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 469 passes for 5,280 yards (11.3 avg) with 30 TD grabs in his career.  Shockey is a 4-time Pro Bowler who could make if 5 if he can play all 16 games for the Saints in 2010.

27-year old David Thomas is a TE on the rise.  He played in 15 games (8 starts) for the Saints last season in which he caught 35 passes for 356 yards (10.2 avg) with 1 TD grab.  Thomas has now played in 47 games (21 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 56 passes for 617 yards (11.0 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  The Saints are in great shape at TE this season as Thomas is more than capable of starting if something were to happen to Shockey.

Rookie 3rd round pick Jimmy Graham out of Miami (Fla) has the size at 6′6″, 259 pounds and solid upside to be a good player down the road for the Saints.  But for now he will be learning from Shockey and Thomas.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE SAINTS FBs in 2010:  A-

31-year old Heath Evans will be the Saints’ starting fullback in 2010.  Evans played in 6 games (5 starts) for the Saints last season in which he carried the ball 5 times for 16 yards (3.2 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He also caught 10 passes for 70 yards (7.0 avg) with 2 TD grabs last year.  Evans has now played in 127 games (17 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 162 times for 577 yards (3.6 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  He has also caught 50 passes for 398 yards (8.0 avg) with 3 TD grabs in his career.  Evans could also fill in at tailback if the need arouse for the Saints as he is that talented.

23-year old Marcus Mailei is currently #2 on the depth chart for the Saints.  He is 6′1″, 245 pounds and he brings youth to this crew.  He played in 2 games (0 starts) for the Saints last season in his first taste of the NFL and he didn’t get to touch the football.

30-year old Jason McKie is #3 on the depth chart as training camp opens but he was a starter for the Bears last season.  McKie played in 16 games (11 starts) for the Bears last season in which he caught 5 passes for 13 yards (2.6 avg).  He has now played in 88 games (47 starts) in his NFL career in which he has carried the ball 29 times for 84 yards (2.9 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  McKie has also caught 68 passes for 364 yards (5.4 avg) with 3 TD grabs in his career.

28-year old Zak Keasey will also be in camp for the Saints.  He did not play last season.  Keasey has played in 20 games (3 starts) in his NFL career in which he has carried  the ball 2 times for 4 yards (2.0 ypc).  He has also caught 3 passes for 25 yards (8.3 avg) in his career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE SAINTS FBs in 2010:  B-

38-year old WR Joe Horn signed a 1-day contract with the Saints so he could retire from them.  Horn played in 102 games (100 starts) in seven years for the Saints and he caught 523 passes for 7,622 yards (14.6 avg) with 50 TD grabs.  Horn made 4 Pro Bowls for the Saints and he is the all time leader in franchise history in TD grabs (50).  Horn is also #2 in receptions and receiving yards behind Eric Martin in Saints’ history.  Horn played in 163 games overall in his NFL career and he caught 603 passes for 8,744 yards (14.5 avg) with 58 TD grabs.  Joe Horn retires as one of the best Saints’ players in team history.

The Saints have released 28-year old DE Bobby McCray.  McCray played in all 16 games for the Saints last season in which he had 12 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and 1 pass defensed.  He played in 32 games in his two years with the Saints and he had 41 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 1 pass defensed and he forced 1 fumble.  McCray was a decent player for the Saints but they have other players on the roster that they like more than him making him expendable.

UPDATE:  (7/22/2010) - The Saints have re-signed Bobby McCray to a 1-year, $1.5 million dollar deal with an exta $1 million bucks in incentives.  The only reason the Saints released McCray in the first place was because they didn’t want to pay him a $1.25 million dollar roster bonus.