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Saints-Porter
08/19/08 - 09:42 PM
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    METAIRIE, La. (AP) - Tracy Porter is trying to be realistic.
    Like any pro, he’d like to start as soon as possible.
    It’s not all that common, however, for rookies to start at
cornerback, even for relatively high draft choices like Porter, who
was taken near the top of the second round, 40th overall.
    “I’m definitely a young guy with a lot of experience I have to
get under my belt, but I’m up to the challenge,” Porter said after
practice on Tuesday.
    During portions of practices that have been open to reporters
this week, Porter has lined up as a first-team cornerback, along
with veteran Mike McKenzie.
    Saints coaches are looking for combinations of defensive backs
that play well together. New Orleans’ preseason game against
Houston last Saturday night didn’t go so well for the secondary,
which gave up 289 yards passing, most of it in the first half when
Texans starter Matt Schaub went 14-of-16 with a pair of touchdowns.
    McKenzie, who is in the process of making a comeback from torn
knee ligaments late last season, did not play in that game, but is
hoping to see his first game action of the preseason in Cincinnati.
    The starters against Houston were Jason David and Randall Gay,
but Gay strained his triceps and had to leave the game. Fellow
cornerback Usama Young pulled his hamstring.
    As a result, Porter ended up seeing significant playing time
from late in the first quarter on.
    “He did OK,” head coach Sean Payton said of Porter’s
performance. “There were some effort plays that bothered us that
he needs to clean up. There was a third down shallow cross where he
lost his guy across the field. He’s now put a couple of weeks of
practice under his belt ... and we’ll give him plenty of snaps, and
also as a returner.”
    Having run 40 yards in 4.37 seconds at the NFL combine, the
5-foot-11, 185-pound Porter has the speed the Saints are looking
for in a defensive back along with his instincts for finding the
ball in the air.
    He also could emerge as a kick and punt returner for the Saints,
having returned two of each for touchdowns in his senior year at
Indiana.
    Porter had six interceptions for the Hoosiers last season. His
16 career interceptions rank second all-time at Indiana.
    Porter became a defensive captain at Indiana after joining a
squad that, like the Saints, had taken a lot of criticism for
giving up too many big passing plays.
    “We did a great job of coming together, developing chemistry
and we certainly changed that around, so I don’t see why we can’t
do that here,” Porter said.
    Porter said he does not want to read too much into the fact that
he’s been working with the first team lately. He’s not even sure
whether he’ll start in Cincinnati.
    “The coaches may want to mix up the rotation. No matter what
unit you’re on, you always have the potential to move up, just as
you have the potential to move down,” Porter said. “Every day is
a job interview. This may be my opportunity to move up or move
down, but I definitely believe that once I get my opportunity I’m
going to take advantage of it.”
    Porter then asserted that he alone will not be the answer to the
Saints’ woes on pass defense and won’t put pressure on himself to
solve problems that the defense must work through as a unit.
    “No one person is the missing piece. It definitely takes 11,”
Porter said. “You can’t come in thinking everything’s on your
shoulders just because you’re a high draft pick. At the same time
... the coaches may be expecting you, or the fans may be expecting
you to come in and make an immediate impact. You never know what
can happen. So even though the secondary wasn’t where it should
have been last year, you still have to learn from the older guys
because they’ve been there.”

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