I think Ellis will be make a big impact on this team right away. He’ll probably line up as the starter, but that might be a moot point since the Saints do so much rotating at defensive tackle. Maybe they’ll want Hollis Thomas and Brian Young in there on some of the rushing downs. The best thing about Ellis, though, will be his versatility. He can be a run stuffer, he can push through the line to blow up some running lanes, and he can be a disruptive pass rusher up the middle. If he lives up to his potential, he’s really a different kind of athlete that the Saints haven’t had in that position for a long time.

We’ve only seen him practice once, and he obviously wasn’t at top speed just yet. But his athleticism was noticeable during the minicamps, and I’m sure he’ll be showing that off by the second or third preseason game.

A couple of rookies come to mind right away. Sean Payton just mentioned offensive lineman Carl Nicks again this morning. He stands out simply because of his size -- he's a behemoth at 6-5, 343 -- but he's pretty athletic, too. He's looked even better at tackle than at guard, but you know the coaches love that he seems comfortable at both spots. I don't expect him to push for a starting job right away, though, unless there are injuries.

We've mentioned receiver Adrian Arrington a bunch, but the attention seems warranted because he has consistently continued to make big plays and make some tough catches. We've seen plenty of drops, too, so he hasn't been overwhelming. But he's doing the kind of things that get you noticed. He has an excellent chance of making this roster if he keeps this up during the preseason games.

Defensive tackle Antwan Lake keeps making a bunch of nice plays. Cornerback Usama Young has had some highlights. I expect big things from linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who looks really fast and fluid out there. I think new cornerback Randall Gay will bring some stability to that position, which the Saints have been lacking. ... I'm sure I'm missing a couple other guys.

It's so hard to evaluate the running backs when they aren't tackling in practice, but Thomas looks healthy and athletic, and he's definitely confident and excited when you talk to him. ... Confidence is definitely a strong suit for him. He came into camp last year and basically forced this team to keep him on the roster last year, and he only got better throughout the season. I think we'll see a lot more carries and catches for him this year, no doubt.

Shockey has been limited in practice, working at the same pace as guys like Deuce McAllister, Mike McKenzie and Brian Young. And he's also still learning the playbook, so he bounces around with the first, second and third teams a lot. We definitely haven't gotten a good feel for what he can do just yet.

I think the slow pace is just a precaution, though, and a broken bone always heals better than a torn ligament. So I expect him to be at full speed by Week 1. ... He might not play in Saturday's scrimmage. Payton hasn't announced the full plan yet/

I think Bushrod should be safe. He's a big, impressive athlete who the coaches have really liked over the last two years. They moved him over to left tackle this year, and he got some time with the first-team offense when Jammal Brown left last week to attend a funeral. ... Alleman has looked a little more inconsistent in camp so far. There's still probably room for him on the roster, but Nicks' emergence will definitely push him.

I think the Saints love their young depth on the line. The five starters are pretty safe for now, though.

I think you'd be safe to write his name in pen on your 53-man roster. In fact, the Saints already cut the other long snapper that they brought to camp a few days ago. ... Houser definitely deserves some love. He's been on the team longer than any current Saints, he hardly ever gets noticed (which is a good thing for a long snapper), and he's a great guy.