01 June 2008 - 16:26

Healthy again, Colston hopes to build on early success  Kommentare

METAIRIE, La. -- Two years ago, Marques Colston was a little-known seventh-round draft pick struggling just to get through minicamp with the New Orleans Saints. Now the No. 1 receiver in one of the NFL's more productive offenses, he says he's done what he wanted to in the offseason.

"My main goal was just to get healthy again," Colston said between practices Saturday. "I feel like I did a pretty good job with that. I get a chance to use this minicamp and the rest of these (offseason workouts) to kind of fine-tune some things as far as football goes."

During the offseason, Colston had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and surgery on his left hand to remove bone spurs resulting from an injury sustained in the regular-season finale. Despite playing with the sore knee from training camp on, he caught 98 passes for 1,202 yards and 11 touchdowns.

In 2006, Colston improved his conditioning significantly from his first two minicamps until his first training camp and went on to become the most productive rookie receiver in Saints history, grabbing 70 passes for 1,038 yards, and eight touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Saints rolled to a 10-6 record, an NFC South Division title, and a trip to the NFC Championship game.

Last season, the Saints slipped to a 7-9 record, but the offense remained among the elite in the NFL.

New Orleans, which was first in passing yards and total yards in 2006, finished third in passing yards and fourth in total yards last season.

"Obviously Marques is a big part of what we do," quarterback Drew Brees said. "I feel like I have a great relationship with Marques. The last two years he's a made a lot of big plays. I feel like he continues to develop.

"He plays a big role so we will continue to work on the things together that make it to where it's just like ESP out there between he and I."

Colston is the leader among a group of receivers that includes 12th-year veteran David Patten; fifth-year veterans Devery Henderson and Terrance Copper; Robert Meachem, a No. 1 pick who didn't play as a rookie last season; and seventh-round draft choice Adrian Arrington of Michigan, who's evoking memories of Colston's emergence as a last-round pick.

"He's in year three and we're not talking about being young anymore," Coach Sean Payton said of Colston. "I think there's a level of confidence by his peers and his teammates as to what he can do. I know the quarterbacks have a high level of confidence in his ability."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.

---

geschrieben von Alex. 01 June 2008 - 16:26

Technorati Profile