Hey Carl. I think the question you’re asking is probably the first question that Sean Payton asked himself heading into this offseason, and I think the answer is a definite yes. … The Saints will absolutely find ways to make Bush more effective this year and to take advantage of his unique talents. I think back to the final two months of that 2006 season, and Bush stood out to me as one of the most dangerous playmakers in the entire NFL.

The Saints will be the first to admit that they didn’t use Reggie to his full potential last year after Deuce went down with his knee injury. But now they’ve had a full year to get back to the drawing board, and I think Payton is one of the most creative offensive minds in the league. I expect really big things from Bush this season – and keep in mind, he’s healthier after fighting through that nagging knee injury most of last year.

Also, I think the Saints know they can trust Pierre Thomas and Aaron Stecker a little more now than they did last year, so they’ve got some better backup options if Deuce isn’t healthy.

Hey Mark, I think Devery is definitely on the hot seat heading into training camp. He needs to prove that he is one of the three best receivers on the roster to keep his job, and that means out-shining Robert Meachem, among others. … But he has the skill set to do that. There’s a reason the Saints keep sticking with him despite the inconsistency and all those dropped passes. He’s a legitimate deep threat who gives defenses an extra dimension to worry about.

My best guess? Devery has a great preseason and wins the No. 3 job. He always seems to shine in July and August. Whether or not he continues that success into September and October, I’m going to wait to see it before I’m a true believer.

Hey Greg, The last guy I’d mess with is Marques Colston. Next to Drew Brees, he’s probably the second best player on this team, and he’s only getting better. Sure, he’s a big guy, which makes him a great short-yardage pass-catcher. But he’s also fast and athletic, and he’s got terrific hands. … Why turn him into a part-time blocker?

I do think the Saints would like to find a tight end that can catch the ball more consistently, but I don’t think they’re in dire straits at the position. I think Eric Johnson will be better in his second year with the team. I think it will help the run game to get Mark Campbell back from injury. And Billy Miller is a quality, reliable backup.

Then again, there’s always that outside chance that the Giants get sick of Shockey’s complaining and finally dump him off to the Saints …

Obviously, this is a hot topic, but it’s not one I’m too worried about. Eventually, the Saints will pay Colston what he’s worth. They know how special he is, and they’re not gonna let him get away.

Obviously the Saints have proven time and time again that they see the value in getting these deals done before they become distractions. I don’t know for certain how they will operate with Colston, since he’s only set to become a restricted free agent next year and they’ll still have the first right of refusal with him. But my best guess is that they work something out before this season. … He won’t come cheap, though. He’s already a top-10 receiver in this league, and if you’re projecting forward, you might even rank him in the top five.

Hey Stephen. Of course my first instinct is to tell you that’s a ridiculous question – that he was an undrafted tailback and that he’s only started one meaningless game in his entire career so far. But I’m not going to rule out the idea completely. He’s been very impressive every time he’s had a chance to audition, and he’ll probably continue to get better throughout training camp and the preseason. … He probably needs to get better at blitz pickups and reading defenses, and all the intricacies of the game that take years to master. But I’m sure the Saints will use him a lot more often in the rotation this season, especially if Deuce is limited by his injuries.

Easy answer, Mike. Yes and no. … I don’t think the upgrades are substantial enough, in and of themselves. Neither Randall Gay, nor Tracy Porter, nor Aaron Glenn is gonna turn this defense around. But I think the Saints have recognized that their biggest problem is up front. They need to get a lot more pressure on quarterbacks and not let them stand back in the pocket and pick the defense apart. I think the additions of athletic guys like Bobby McCray, Sedrick Ellis and Jonathan Vilma will help everybody. I also expect to see more blitzes and disguises, etc. … The Saints are well aware that they have a problem in that area, and they’re gonna do everything they can think of to address it.

That being said, I do think both Gay and Porter will be nice fits. Gay is a steady, versatile guy who won't be in over his head. Porter brings a new level of deep-field speed that they've  been missing, though I'm sure he'll be inconsistent as a rookie.

Unfortunately, I can’t offer too much insight on the kicker battle just yet. You can’t tell too much on the practice field. Those first few preseason games will tell us a lot. … But I think Gramatica is the favorite. He earned the coaches’ trust last year, and now that he’s healthy, there’s really no reason to doubt him.

They might keep two kickers, if the rookie clearly has a stronger kickoff leg than Gramatica. They used two kickers down the stretch in 2006, so that’s obviously important to them. But it’s not like Gramatica is useless on kickoffs.

Hey Mike, Not sure you got the spelling right on that last name, but it still got you noticed. … The first guys that come to my mind are two guys everyone knows about, Reggie Bush and Jonathan Vilma. I’m expecting huge things from both guys, and if they live up to their potential, the Saints will be serious contenders. … I know my fellow beat writer Jimmy Smith has been really high on Bobby McCray. … As for some guys under the radar, I think receiver Adrian Arrington has looked good in early practices, though I’m not sure if he’ll move into the top three on the depth chart. And I think offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod is gonna be a special guy, though he’s obviously waiting his turn behind Jammal Brown and Jon Stinchcomb right now.

So let me get this straight – why did we spend so much money, and should we spend more? … Personally, I loved the Saints’ offseason strategy. They know they have a great quarterback, a great offense, a great opportunity to win now. The only thing holding them back is their defense, which needs to get more athletic and more disruptive. They needed guys like Ellis, McCray and Vilma. They couldn’t afford to lose Will Smith. … If their defense is only slightly better this year, they’re the favorites to win the NFC South. If they’re significantly better, who knows?

They probably don’t need Jason Taylor, though. They’ve got a solid three-man rotation with Smith, Charles Grant and McCray. And I don’t expect Grant’s legal issues to keep him off the field this season – though that is always subject to change.

Hey Randy, I know Payton regrets that call, and I’m sure you won’t see any more reverses in similar situations … but I don’t expect him to change his mentality very much, and I wouldn’t want him to if I were you. Payton’s creative and versatile playbook was one of the best things about the Saints in 2006. … It’s helped to make Drew Brees one of the top three or four quarterbacks in the league, and the big test will be to see what he can do for Reggie Bush this year (see the first question).

According to Vilma, he was pushing the coaches to let him play more, and he said he felt great. … Of course, they always say that, but it was a pretty good sign. I also thought he looked pretty fast and fluid out there on the field, but they were in shorts and they weren’t tackling each other, so we won’t really know for sure until we get into training camp. But so far, all the signs look pretty promising.

Same thing with Mitchell – we won’t really know anything until we see them going full speed with pads. But the coaches have obviously seen something they like in the second-year pro. He was taking some reps with the first-team defense during OTAs and minicamp at middle linebacker (where here’s currently behind Vilma and Mark Simoneau). … And they haven’t felt the need to go out and sign a veteran free agent, presumable because Mitchell figures into their depth chart.

I don’t know if they’d move him outside since he’s still learning the playbook. My guess is that Simoneau would move outside if a starter got injured, and Mitchell could become the top backup in the middle. But it’s definitely possible.

So far, Todd, he’s supposedly on target to be practicing in training camp and playing in September. He hasn’t had any complications or setbacks. But "full speed" is always a case-by-case question. McKenzie plays a position that relies on speed and cutting ability. We won’t really know until he gets out there on the field in a preseason game.

Not yet, but the Saints have a great track record in that department, too. I bet everyone gets done at some point in July. … Ellis might miss a day or two of training camp, just because he’s a top-10 pick. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he got done in time, too.

Good question, Rob. I think a lot of people seemed to overreact to that news. The Saints were never counting on Morgan as anything more than a lottery ticket. … The proof is that since he’s retired, they haven’t signed anyone to replace him. They’ve still got Scott Shanle starting there, with guys like Simoneau and Troy Evans who could back him up. It’s not a great group, but there’s decent depth there.

Hey Kenny. More than you’d think. It’s like the NFL is playing with play money. The salary cap has been sky-rocketing in each of the last few years (which has helped lead to the owners opting out of the newest CBA). … But the bottom line is that the Saints aren’t in any salary-cap trouble right now. They’ve always done a good job of managing their money. And keep in mind, these $60 million deals rarely reach their full value. Usually they amount to $30 or $40 million over three or four years, etc., before they get reworked.

Hey Reggie, Skyler has been looking decent – but then again, he’s the kind of guy who really stands out when a team is practicing without pads because of his pure speed. … Unfortunately I’d consider him a long shot to make this roster. He’s already been cut by the Cowboys and Bengals, so he’s obviously not quite at the Devin Hester level. He needs to be superb to earn a roster spot solely as a return man, because the Saints do have guys like Reggie Bush, Tracy Porter, Pierre Thomas, etc., who can also return kicks.

Hey Phillip, good question, especially since I see a few other people asking about free agents like Shaun Alexander and Takeo Spikes here in the final minutes of this chat. … I like the Saints’ depth a lot, and I think that’s by design. They re-signed a lot of guys like Aaron Stecker, Devery Henderson, Mark Simoneau and Brian Young to make sure they wouldn’t get caught thin at any positions. So I don’t think they really need to add any more veteran free agents heading into training camp unless they suffer some more injuries.

However, if you’re asking me if they have any weaknesses in their starting lineup, sure they do. Like I said earlier, I still think their secondary is mediocre, at best. And the front seven is still unproven, even though I think they’re heading in the right direction with all their new additions. … If they stay healthy, though, I think they’ve got the best roster in the NFC South right now. So there’s good reason to be optimistic.