Gabe Feldman, director of the Tulane sports law program, told CBSSports.com it will be “incredibly difficult” for LB Jonathan Vilma to win his lawsuit against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Feldman said the real victory for the Vilma camp would be to get its hands on the evidence that the league hasn't provided.


(cbssports.com)

New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma's decision to sue NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for defamation was an unprecedented and unexpected step in the aftermath following the Saints' "bounty" scandal.

It feels like a legal Hail Mary. Vilma will have a difficult time proving Goodell lied or demonstrated "actual malice" in regards to Vilma, which is the legal standard for proving defamation. If nothing else, Vilma's bold move won some respect from his fellow players.

We present a collection of quotes from players to our insane friend Michael Silver:

"What a badass," one NFC player said. "He's the man. I think it's nuts, but I love it. He's going after Goodell. He should, too."

"It's aggressive, and I love it. I'm excited to see what happens. I love the sound of 'Vilma v. Goodell.' This is gonna cement Vilma's name forever," another player remarked.

"If Vilma wins? Oh, then he's God. They should just put him as commissioner if that happens."

Vilma getting a corner office at 345 Park Avenue sounds somewhat unlikely. (Heck, it's unlikely I'll get an office. Although I am excited to announce DirectTV was installed at my desk yesterday.) Vilma getting far in his defamation suit also sounds like a long shot to this non-lawyer.

This lawsuit seems more about making a statement, and a potentially expensive one. Vilma feels wronged, and he's not going to take his suspension lying down. He's taking the aggressive attitude he carries on the field to his fight with the NFL.

Successful or not, that's an attitude fellow players can respect.


(nfl.com)

The suspension of Jonathan Vilma was not too severe if in fact he offered $10,000 bounties to any teammate who took out Kurt Warner or Brett Favre. That's clearly crossing the line. But the thing is, did he actually do that? That's what the NFL needs to prove, or risk suspicion that the league rushed to judgment.

It's time for the league to lay its cards on the table, reveal what specific evidence it has against the Saints, and put the matter to rest. The league was emphatic from the start that it had the Saints dead to rights, and the audiotape of Gregg Williams only bolstered that, but the NFL's reluctance to provide further evidence only makes it look like it has something to hide.

It's time for the NFL to prove that it indeed has the goods.

sfarmer@tribune.com
Tough call minus all facts
Dan Pompei
Chicago Tribune
Jonathan Vilma's punishment is severe all right. Very severe. Whether it's too severe is difficult to judge because the NFL has not gone public with the evidence it has against Vilma.

Given what the public knows, it seems a yearlong suspension for following your bosses' orders is pretty harsh. Unless Vilma truly was a ringleader in the Saints' bounty program, and not just a stooge who was doing what he was told, he should not have been suspended for a year. Vilma is adamant he never paid a teammate to try to injure an opponent.

The NFL is likely to have a different version of what happened in New Orleans. It is worth noting Vilma's suspension is longer than the suspensions of three teammates who also were accused of taking part in the bounty program.

dpompei@tribune.com
Show us the evidence
Ron Fritz
Baltimore Sun
If the evidence says Jonathan Vilma was putting up money for bounties, then the penalty is not too severe. We can't really say for certain he did because we haven't seen the evidence. All we have is NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's word. I find it hard to believe that Goodell would take away a whole season from a player if he didn't have the goods to back it up.

But until Goodell lets the world see the evidence, there is doubt. It will be interesting to see what happens with Vilma's defamation suit against Goodell. Maybe Vilma's attorneys will have some actual evidence to back up the Saints linebacker's claim that he was defamed.

But I believe the NFL is too careful and too calculating to hand down these suspensions without corroboration.

rtfritz@tribune.com
1 year is too harsh
Omar Kelly
Sun Sentinel
Jonathan Vilma is one of the most intelligent and well-spoken athletes I've covered.

He has always been a stand-up person, which made the NFL's accusations that he's the ring leader of the Saints' bounty program a head-scratcher.

What wasn't a head-scratcher was Vilma's decision to file a defamation of character lawsuit against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who suspended him for the entire season.

No matter the outcome of the unprecedented lawsuit against Goodell, it is clear Vilma is not sitting out this season without a fight. And if that's the case, he's taking the right approach. His suspension is harsh, and the claims made against him by the NFL —without showing substantial evidence —is troubling.


(baltimoresun.com)

If you thought that New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma was going to take his year-long suspension for his alleged part in the Saints' bounty scandal lying down ... well, think again. Just one day after the Saints got their day in front of an arbitrator to appeal their penalties, Vilma filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (and not the NFL as an entity).

The suit claims that "Goodell, speaking publicly about certain Saints executives, coaches and players, in relation to  purported efforts designed to injure opposing players, made public statements concerning Vilma which were false, defamatory and injurious to Vilma's professional and personal reputation."

The suit reviews the public statements Goodell has made about Vilma and other Saints players, coaches and executives, and it gets specific about statements made about Vilma.

Goodell, in the March 2 Club Report, also alleged that "prior to a Saints playoff  game in January, 2010, defensive captain Jonathan Vilma offered $10,000 in cash to any player  who knocked [opposing quarterback Brett] Favre out of the game." ("Favre Allegation.")

Goodell knew and intended that the contents of the March 2 Club Report would be disseminated publicly.

The contents of the March 2 Club Report, including the Favre Allegation, were reported, and continue to be reported, by essentially every major news organization, as Goodell intended.

Upon information and belief, Goodell told others that Vilma placed $10,000 in cash on a table during a team meeting in making the alleged offer concerning Favre.

The suit then goes on to claim the lack of evidence made available by Goodell and the league, despite repeated requests by the Saints organization, Vilma's attorney Peter Ginsberg, and the NFLPA.

Goodell did not reveal, and, despite repeated requests from among others, Vilma, has never revealed, any evidence purportedly corroborating that a Bounty Program existed, that Vilma participated in any such Bounty Program.

And if that is true, that's where things could get sticky for the NFL, especially since Goodell has said that he may make some of the evidence public record at some point in time. The players and NFLPA are clearly frustrated by what they perceive to be Goodell's continuing efforts to try this case in the court of public opinion, while denying those accused and penalized the right and ability to review the evidence and statements against them.
In an interview Shutdown Corner conducted with NFLPA lead outside counsel Richard Smith on May 4, Smith's frustration with the process was palpable, leading us to believe that as much as this lawsuit may actually be about implied damages to Vilma's professional and personal reputation, it's also an attempt to facilitate the discovery process the players and NFLPA has claimed to want all along.

"All the PA ever physically received from the NFL were the report and the coaches' suspension decision [attached as Exhibits A and B] to the Burbank grievance, and the suspension letters to the four players, attached as Exhibits C-F to the Burbank grievance," Smith told us. "This the sum total of the 'facts' that have been provided by the NFL.  The league exhibited the PowerPoint in a meeting in March 2012, but refused to make a copy available.  They refused to make anything else available, even under an agreement of confidentiality.  The PA's multiple requests to the NFL  for documents and for the ability to interview witnesses have all been denied.  The letters that were sent asking coaches to give interviews  to the PA have all gone unanswered."

This is why the grievance heard on Wednesday was filed, and it could be an ancillary reason for Vilma's action. Then again, if Vilma truly believes that the evidence against him is sufficiently flimsy or easily shot down, the suit could be exactly what it says -- Vilma's reputation has been irrevocably damaged without his own ability to rebut and counter evidence and statements he hasn't actually seen.

In the 11 different Claims for Relief in the suit, Vilma alleges that he is a victim of (deep breath) ... Slander Per Se — Injury to Professional Reputation; Slander Per Se — Accusations of Criminal Conduct; Slander By Implication; Slander — Reckless Disregard/Malice; Libel Per Se — Injury to Professional Reputation; Libel Per Se — Accusations of Criminal Conduct; Libel By Implication; Libel — Reckless Disregard/Malice; and Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress.

"Goodell's Statements forever falsely taint and permanently damage Vilma, in the eyes of NFL Clubs, media, fans and sponsors, as a player who brazenly disregards NFL rules and  intentionally attempts to injure his opponents," the suit concludes.

Vilma asks for "all compensatory damages  he has suffered, including consequential and incidental damages, as a result of Goodell's wrongful conduct in an amount to be determined at trial ... punitive damages in a just amount for  Goodell's willful and wanton conduct ... [and] pre-judgment and post-judgment interest."

In other words, Jonathan Vilma has gone to the mattresses, and there is no turning back. Right or wrong (and since the evidence isn't available, we don't really know), Roger Goodell had best be prepared for a serious battle.


(yahoosports.com)

Saints interim coach Joe Vitt expects OG Jahri Evans (knee surgery) and LB Jonathan Vilma (knee) to be limited during OTAs.
Vilma, who is appealing his year-long suspension for his role in the Saints' bounty scandal, is apparently still rehabbing from the knee injury that limited him for most of 2011. Evans had previously insisted his arthroscopic surgery was "minor," and wouldn't hold him out of OTAs. It's unclear if he'll be 100 percent for training camp.


(rotoworld.com)

Peter Ginsberg, the lawyer for Jonathan Vilma, says he still has yet to receive a single piece of evidence from Commissioner Roger Goodell that proves the New Orleans Saints linebacker participated in the team's "bounty" program.

Appearing on PFT Live on Friday, Ginsberg also stated two "bounty"-related grievances filed this month are set to be heard on May 16 and May 30.
NFL.com's Steve Wyche reported Saturday the league has officially confirmed the hearing dates. So what does this mean?

• The grievance set to be heard May 16 centers on the argument that the new collective bargaining agreement forbids the NFL from penalizing players for conduct prior to August 4, 2011. The grievance also argues Ted Cottrell or Art Shell, who are employed by the NFL Players Association and the league, should hear appeals stemming from incidents of on-field discipline -- not Commissioner Roger Goodell.

• Ginsberg cited May 30 for the second hearing, set up to addresses punishments around additional "bounty" money distributed to players in violation of the salary cap. The argument here is that NFL special master Stephen Burbank should rule on these issues and not, again, the commissioner.

Vilma, suspended by the NFL for the 2012 season, plans to appeal his punishment. The remaining trio of suspended players -- Anthony Hargrove (currently with the Green Bay Packers), Will Smith (still with the Saints) and Scott Fujita (currently with the Cleveland Browns) -- have reserved the right to file an appeal.

Mary Jo White, a former U.S. Attorney hired by the league to review the bounty investigation, told Wyche the league was "solid" in terms of evidence, saying she had secured criminal convictions with less.

Ginsberg, however, has not gone silent in his request to see evidence from the NFL. As we delve deeper into the case, this is the drum he continues to beat.


(nfl.com)

Peter Ginsberg, LB Jonathan Vilma's lawyer, on not being able to see any bounty evidence: “The NFL and Commissioner Goodell have created a unique process that truly denies anyone accused ... any notion of due process. This isn't the first time we've asked the NFL to show us evidence that we could respond to its concerns. So it's disturbing first because Jonathan has been denied fundamental fairness and because Commissioner Goodell feels it's appropriate for him to publicly make some horrific accusations and allegations against Jonathan but doesn't for some reason feel it's appropriate to give to us or anyone else the basis for those allegations.”

Ginsberg also said it's too early to tell what forum or avenue that will push the NFL to show the bounty evidence. He also said he doesn't believe it's appropriate to have Goodell in charge of every step of the league's process. But Ginsberg does believe there will be avenues where the league will be forced to show the bounty evidence.


(cbssports.com)

In a radio interview Tuesday evening, the lawyer for suspended New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma said the NFL still hasn't responded to his request that the NFL release any and all evidence it has compiled against Vilma as it relates to the former Pro Bowl linebacker's involvement in the Saints' pay-for-performance bounty program.

Peter Ginsberg told WWL Radio that it is important that Vilma is able to see the evidence against him. In a 17-point request on Monday, he asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league to furnish the evidence it has amassed.

"The fact that we haven't received a single piece of evidence from the commissioner not only makes the whole process suspect but made it important that we ask the commissioner as specifically as we possibly could what we think we should be able to see in order to even the playing field and in order to give Jonathan a fair hearing," Ginsberg said. "And I must say that the commissioner still hasn't responded to this most recent request. This is not the first time we have asked them for the evidence."

Ginsberg said the reason he believes Goodell hasn't obliged the request is because the evidence isn't as damning as the NFL has made it out to be.

"What the commissioner has said publicly, the accusations and allegations against Jonathan are not true," Ginsberg said. "They are simply not accurate.

"Add to that the fact, as we have seen in the press the last few days that the commissioner's office and the commissioner's outside counsel have discernibly misrepresented even the information that the commissioner has gathered. When you put that in the context of the commissioner's high-priced outside counsel saying that when we asked for evidence and when we wanted to know what we were answering to - and this is (outside counsel Mary Jo White) quote 'a Red herring,' it really puts into perspective the kangaroo court that Jonathan and the others have been subjected to.

"I can't think of any other forum in the United States where this kind of abusive process is permitted. If you want to ask me why it is permitted, you are asking the wrong person. I wasn't a part of the CBA negotiations. And I don't think that the CBA as it stands permits this kind of abusive process."

Ginsberg said the NFL's biggest fear is that the evidence is released and the public will see that Vilma is not guilty of helping start, fund and participate in a bounty system.

"The evidence is not what the commissioner says it is," he said. "At the end of the day, I think all of you will come to the conclusion that what the commissioner has been accusing Jonathan and the others of doing is not correct. It's not accurate. It was said publicly in an irresponsible manner. I think that's why we haven't received the evidence. And I think that's the commissioner's biggest fear that at some point we will find the right forum that will make the commissioner answer for what he's said and what he's done."

Ginsberg said Vilma continues to work out and rehab at the Saints' facility while his appeal is pending. He's had some success in past dealings with the NFL, as he represented Pat and Kevin Williams during their appeal to the NFL of the StarCaps suspensions. 


(nola.com)

Peter Ginsberg, LB Jonathan Vilma's lawyer, on NFL-hired outside counsel Mary Jo White's comments on the bounty evidence: “I'm actually very disappointed. When Mary Jo White was the U.S. Attorney in the eastern district of New York, I worked for her and know her quite well. Back in those days, Mary Jo would have never believed that for an accused to ask for evidence and to have a fair forum for defending his or her rights was a ‘red herring.' But now that she's been hired by the Commissioner and sitting in a significant law firm instead of a department of justice office, she apparently seems to be backing up the Commissioner that we don't have the right to know exactly what it is we're being accused of or have a right to face the people who are accusing Jonathan.”


(cbssports.com)

Hiring Peter Ginsberg as his lawyer may help extend LB Jonathan Vilma's career in 2012 and beyond as he faces a yearlong suspension. Ginsberg represented Vikings DTs Pat Williams and Kevin Williams in the court battle against the NFL in connection with the StarCaps litigation. The StarCaps issue began in the 2008 season and Ginsberg fought the NFL until the league won in 2011. It kept the Williamses and Saints DE Will Smith on the field for nearly three seasons before serving their suspensions.


(cbssports.com)

May 7, 2012
Via E-Mail
Roger Goodell
Commissioner
National Football League
345 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017

RE: Jonathan Vilma
Dear Commissioner Goodell:

We are writing on behalf of our client Jonathan Vilma. Mr. Vilma, along with other NFL players, has filed pleadings in two other forums seeking to resolve the issue of the proper jurisdiction to address the instant dispute alleging his participation in a so-called "pay-for-performance/bounty" program at various times during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons. Those pleadings have been filed before the System Arbitrator, pursuant to Article 14, Section 3 and Article 15, Section 1 of the August 4, 2011 CBA, and before the Non-Injury Grievance Arbitrator, seeking an order of compliance with Article 3, Section 3(b). We are also obviously aware that you have attempted to impose discipline pursuant to a Notice dated May 2, 2012.

As you are aware, we have previously requested your Office to provide evidence gathered during the course of the NFL's investigation that supports, corroborates or relates in any way to the many allegations you and the NFL have disseminated in the media regarding Mr. Vilma's alleged participation in a purported bounty program and which in summary form is described in your May 2, 2012 Notice setting forth Mr. Vilma's proposed punishment. The NFL has refused to provide a single piece of evidence to us. That approach to this serious matter was reflected in the NFL's outside counsel's disturbing recent statement to the media that the players' requests to review and understand the alleged evidence against them is a "red herring.' Rather, to be able to share, discuss and analyze the supposed evidence that has been gathered is a fundamental cornerstone of a fair and just process, and a vital prerequisite to uncovering the truth. Indeed, the failure of the NFL to conduct itself in a just manner has compromised the process and resulted in erroneous and damaging conclusions.

As we prepare for future proceedings, we request the NFL to provide immediately the following in order to assure that resolution of this dispute not be delayed and that Mr. Vilma has a fair opportunity as quickly as possible to remedy the harm that is being done to his reputation and to his career:

1. All documents and communications evidencing a "pay-for-performance/bounty" program, including, but not limited to, any ledger, notebook, record or record book, payment slip, note or entry of any sort, or evidencing that no such "pay-for-performance/bounty" program existed and/or involved Mr. Vilma;
2. All documents and communications evidencing that Mr. Vilma established, or assisted in establishing, a "pay-for-performance/bounty" program or any other program in violation of NFL rules, or evidencing that Mr. Vilma did not have a role in establishing, or assisting in the establishment of, such "pay-for-performance/bounty" program;
3. All documents and communications evidencing that Mr. Vilma "pledged," made or received payments of any kind resulting from an opposing player being carried off the field, i.e., "cart-offs," including but not limited to any ledger, notebook, record or record book, payment slip, note or entry of any sort, or evidencing that Mr. Vilma did not "pledge," make or receive payments resulting from an opposing player being carried off the field, i.e., "cart-offs"
4. All documents and communications evidencing that Mr. Vilma "pledged," made or received payments of any kind resulting from an opposing player being unable to return to the game, i.e., "knockouts," including but not limited to any ledger, notebook, record or record book, payment slip, note or entry of any sort, or evidencing that Mr. Vilma did not "pledge," make or receive payments resulting from an opposing player being unable to return to the game, i.e., "knockouts";
5. All documents and communications evidencing that Mr. Vilma "pledged," made or received payment of any kind resulting from an opposing player being injured, including but not limited to any ledger, notebook, record or record book, payment slip, note or entry of any sort, or evidencing that Mr. Vilma did not "pledge," make or receive payments resulting from an opposing player being injured;
6. All documents and communications evidencing that Mr. Vilma "targeted" an opposing player in any manner that would violate NFL rules, or evidencing that Mr. Vilma did not "target" an opposing player in any manner;
7. All documents and communications evidencing that Mr. Vilma engaged "in unsafe and prohibited conduct intended to injure players" or did not engage "in unsafe and prohibited conduct intended to injure players";
8. All documents and communications evidencing that Mr. Vilma "participate[d] in a program that potentially injured opposing players," or evidencing that Mr. Vilma did not "participate[d] in a program that potentially injured opposing players";
9. All documents and communications evidencing that Mr. Vilma "embraced" a "pay-for-performance/bounty" program or any other program in violation of NFL rules, or evidencing that Mr. Vilma did not "embrace" a "pay-for-performance/bounty" program or any other program in violation of NFL rules;
10. All documents and communications evidencing that Mr. Vilma offered, paid or intended to pay $10,000, or any amount of money, to any player for knocking Kurt Warner, Brett Favre, and/or any other player, out of the 2009 Divisional Playoff Game, 2010 NFC Championship Game, or any other game, or evidencing that Mr. Vilma did not engage in such activity;
11. All statistics of any nature gathered in the course of the 'bounty program' investigation relating to penalties assessed against Mr. Vilma and all other New Orleans Saints players during the years 2009 - 2011;
12. All game film of New Orleans Saints games and players gathered in the course of the `bounty program' investigation of exhibition games, regular season games and playoff and championship games during the years 2009 - 2011;
13. All tape recordings of any sort gathered in the course of the 'bounty program' investigation relating to meetings of any sort that occurred during the years 2009 - 2011;
14. All witness statements, notes of interviews and declarations gathered during the course of the 'bounty program' investigation;
15. The names and identification of all persons interviewed by the NFL and all persons acting on behalf of the NFL during the course of the 'bounty program' investigation;
16. The names and identification of all witnesses the NFL plans to present at Mr. Vilma's Appeal Hearing; and
17. All evidence the NFL plans to offer or use in any manner at Mr. Vilma's Appeal Hearing.

Thank you for your consideration of the above.
Sincerely,

NEW YORK -- New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, whom the NFL suspended for the 2012 season for his role in the team's bounty program, requested a meeting with Commissioner Roger Goodell during the league's investigation -- before discipline was administered Wednesday -- but he opted not to finalize an appointment under the advice of legal counsel, according to a league source.

The NFL had accepted Vilma's request.

No Saints player other than former defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove took part in the league's investigation. Hargrove, who was suspended for eight games, provided a written statement saying a bounty program existed in New Orleans and acknowledging his role in it, according to the NFL.

Vilma received the harshest discipline of the four players who were suspended, and he issued a statement vehemently denying his participation in the bounty program and his intent to fight the sanctions.


(nfl.com)

We didn’t hear a whole lot from Jonathan Vilma after the NFL released news that it had information the New Orleans Saints linebacker had ponied up in playoff games for anyone that could knock Kurt Warner or Brett Favre out.

Now that Vilma has been suspended for the entire 2012 season, he’s spoken up in a big way. Vilma got hit hardest and he has denied offering to pay $10,000 for anyone to knock the quarterbacks out as part of the team/s bounty program that was run by ex-defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

“I am shocked and extremely disappointed by the NFL's decision to suspend me for the 2012 season,” Vilma said in his statement, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “Commissioner Roger Goodell has refused to share any of the supposed evidence he claims supports this unprecedented punishment. The reason is clear: I never paid, or intended to pay, $10,000, or any amount of money, to any player for knocking Kurt Warner, Brett Favre or any other player, out of the 2009 divisional playoff game, 2010 NFC Championship Game, or any other game. I never set out to intentionally hurt any player and never enticed any teammate to intentionally hurt another player. I also never put any money into a bounty pool or helped to create a bounty pool intended to pay out money for injuring other players. I have always conducted myself in a professional and proud manner.

“I intend to fight this injustice, to defend my reputation, to stand up for my team and my profession and to send a clear signal to the commissioner that the process has failed, to the detriment of me, my teammates, the New Orleans Saints and the game.”

Challenging the NFL in this insistence is going to be next to impossible for Vilma and anyone else. Goodell has power, through the collective bargaining agreement, to discipline players. It just so happens Vilma was socked with the stiffest penalty. Vilma says he is shocked but can he really be? He saw the penalties handed down for Williams, Saints coach Sean Payton and others. He had to know the other shoe was going to drop.


(nationalfootballpost.com)

Broncos running back Willis McGahee described the year-long suspension for Vilma as "tough."

McGahee was teammates with Vilma at the University of Miami from 2000-2002 and the two remained friends.

"That's it. It's tough," McGahee said. "I mean, it's not me so I can't really say anything. I'm pretty sure he'll be all right. He'll appeal it I'm pretty sure."
Vilma issued a statement Wednesday afternoon that he would "fight this injustice," "defend my reputation" and "stand up for my team and my profession." Vilma typed the statement in all capital letters.

Denver-based agent Peter Schaeffer called the suspensions "broad and unreasonable."

"I think it's another example of commissioner's overbearing power in the league to suspend players for actions of coaches," Schaeffer said. "If they were any of my players we would fight this to the bitter end."

The suspended players have three days to appeal the punishment. New Orleans head coach Sean Payton appealed his one-year suspension but was denied by Goodell.

"The union has to stand up for these players to make sure the union is an integral part in this type of discipline," Schaeffer said. "It seems to me these players are being scapegoats for a much bigger systemic problem."


(denverpost.com)

New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma was suspended without pay for the entire 2012 season by the NFL, one of four players punished on Wednesday for participating in the team's cash-for-hits bounty system.

Defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove, now with the Green Bay Packers, was suspended for the first half of the 16-game season; Saints defensive end Will Smith was barred for the opening four games; and linebacker Scott Fujita, now with the Cleveland Browns, will miss the first three games. Like Vilma, they were suspended without pay.

Vilma released a statement later Wednesday denying any role in the alleged bounty program and vowing to fight his suspension.

"I am shocked and extremely disappointed by the NFL's decision to suspend me for the 2012 season. Commissioner Roger Goodell has refused to share any of the supposed evidence he claims supports this unprecedented punishment. The reason is clear: I never paid, or intended to pay, $10,000, or any amount of money, to any player for knocking Kurt Warner, Brett Favre or any other player, out of the 2009 divisional playoff game, 2010 NFC Championship Game, or any other game.

"I never set out to intentionally hurt any player and never enticed any teammate to intentionally hurt another player. I also never put any money into a bounty pool or helped to create a bounty pool intended to pay out money for injuring other players. I have always conducted myself in a professional and proud manner. I intend to fight this injustice, to defend my reputation, to stand up for my team and my profession, and to send a clear signal to the commissioner that the process has failed, to the detriment of me, my teammates, the New Orleans Saints and the game."

All four player suspensions will be appealed, according to an NFL source, who told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, "Get ready for a massive multiple legal battle over this on several fronts."

In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, DeMaurice Smith, the head of the NFL Players Association, said the union would fight the penalties. Fujita is a member of the NFLPA's executive committee.

The league's statement said Vilma, Hargrove, Smith and Fujita were suspended because of "conduct detrimental to the NFL as a result of their leadership roles" with the bounties.

Will Smith issued a statement Wednesday night saying he, too, will appeal and called the allegations against him "one-hundred percent false."

"I am disappointed the NFL has punished me with a four game suspension. I have never in my career, nor as a Captain asked others, to intentionally target and hurt specific opposing players. I was in no way involved in establishing or assisting Gregg Williams with implementing a bounty program. The accusations made against me are completely and one-hundred percent false, and I plan to appeal the decision along with the help of the NFL Players Association," he said via statement sent by his publicist.

"Through this entire process, the NFL never notified me of what I was being accused of, nor presented me with any evidence or reasoning for this decision," Smith's statement continued. "I am interested in discovering who is making these specific and false accusations, and as well as why a decision was made without speaking with me and giving me the opportunity to review the facts. I am going to work with my union to clear my name and returning to the game I love and respect. Thank you to our fans for the continued support."

Fujita did not immediately respond to an email or phone call from The Associated Press seeking comment. He is not taking part in the Browns' "voluntary" offseason conditioning program and remains in California with his family. His wife, Jaclyn, recently gave birth to the couple's third daughter.

An NFL investigation determined the Saints ran a bounty system from 2009 to '11 that offered thousands of dollars to players for big hits that knocked opponents out of games. In March, Goodell suspended Saints head coach Sean Payton for all of next season without pay, and levied other penalties against the club.

But no players were punished until Wednesday. Originally, the league said that 22 to 27 defensive players were involved in the illegal scheme orchestrated by then-Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and started in the season New Orleans won its only Super Bowl championship.
Targeted opponents included quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton, Brett Favre and Kurt Warner. "Knockouts" were worth $1,500 and "cart-offs" $1,000, with payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs.

Warner was among several former and current NFL players to react on social media to the NFL's ruling.

"Just saw player suspensions from "bounty gate", WOW! #fb," Warner posted on Twitter.

Wednesday's penalties close the book on the league's discipline for bounties, leaving the Saints without their head coach and top defensive player (Vilma) for the full season -- and also affecting two other clubs.

"In assessing player discipline, I focused on players who were in leadership positions at the Saints; contributed a particularly large sum of money toward the program; specifically contributed to a bounty on an opposing player; demonstrated a clear intent to participate in a program that potentially injured opposing players; sought rewards for doing so; and/or obstructed the 2010 investigation," Goodell said in a statement.

While the league said that its investigation showed "a significant number of players participated" in the bounties -- by ponying up cash or collecting it -- "the players disciplined participated at a different and more significant level."

According to the league, Saints defensive captain Vilma offered $10,000 in cash to any player who knocked then-Cardinals QB Warner out of a playoff game at the end of the 2009 season, and the same amount for knocking then-Vikings QB Favre out of that season's NFC Championship Game. The Saints were flagged for roughing Favre twice in that game, and the league later said they should have received another penalty for a brutal high-low hit from Remi Ayodele and Bobby McCray that hurt Favre's ankle. He was able to finish the game, but the Saints won in overtime en route to the NFL title.

According to the NFL, Fujita "pledged a significant amount of money to the prohibited pay-for-performance/bounty pool during the 2009 NFL Playoffs when he played for the Saints."

The league said Hargrove "actively obstructed the league's 2010 investigation into the program by being untruthful to investigators." He also "actively participated in the program while a member of the Saints," the league said, adding that he eventually "submitted a signed declaration to the league that established not only the existence of the program at the Saints, but also that he knew about and participated in it."

The NFL said that "multiple independent sources" said Smith "pledged significant sums to the program pool."

The league said no player agreed to be interviewed in person, and the players also declined to send someone to argue on their behalf, league sources told Schefter. As one NFL source said, "They took the Fifth Amendment."

The NFLPA did not share information from its own investigation, and league sources told Schefter that the union never recommended any discipline in the case.

A Saints source who testified during the league's investigation told ESPN's Ed Werder on Wednesday that he believed the league's findings are exaggerated. The source said that while the report said the program existed for three seasons, it was limited to playoff games in the Superdome against Arizona and Minnesota in 2009.

The source told Werder that the program began when Williams was concerned about creating a higher level of motivation for his defensive players as they prepared for the postseason. Before a team meeting, Williams told Vilma that he had a plan, and that the coach provided Vilma with the 10,000 dollars he offered to any teammate who knocked out Warner. The source said Vilma returned the money to Williams following the meeting.
According to the source, Williams believed the financial reward created the proper defensive mindset. So Williams and Vilma repeated the scenario the next week before playing the Vikings and Favre, who was the victim of several illegal hits, had to be helped from the field, but finished the game.

Vilma will miss out on $1.6 million in base salary in 2012, while Fujita stands to lose more than $640,000, Hargrove more than $385,000 and Smith more than $190,000. Some of those contracts were restructured this offseason, perhaps in anticipation of the punishments.

Their teams -- the Saints, Browns and Packers -- already have made personnel moves that could help fill the gaps. The Saints signed three linebackers in free agency; the Packers, who also will be without defensive end Mike Neal for four games because he violated the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances, drafted two defensive linemen last week; and the Browns drafted two linebackers.

Browns coach Pat Shurmur said the team will abide by Goodell's ruling.

"We will respect the Commissioner's decision," Shurmur said in a statement. "Scott is a valued member of the Cleveland Browns, and we look forward to his participation in our offseason program and training camp."

A Packers spokesman said the team will not comment on Hargrove's suspension and the Saints did not immediately comment.

After the NFL announced the players' suspensions, DeMaurice Smith issued a statement saying the union "has still not received any detailed or specific evidence from the league of these specific players' involvement in an alleged pay-to-injure program. We have made it clear that punishment without evidence is not fair. We have spoken with our players and their representatives and we will vigorously protect and pursue all options on their behalf."

All payouts for specific performances in a game, including interceptions or causing fumbles, are against NFL rules. The NFL warns teams against such practices before each season, although in the aftermath of the revelations about the Saints, current and former players from various teams talked about that sort of thing happening frequently -- just not on the same scale as was found in New Orleans.

Goodell has made an effort to emphasize player safety in recent seasons. The NFL is facing dozens of lawsuits brought by more than 1,000 former players who say the league didn't do enough to warn them about -- or protect them from -- the dangers of concussions.

Player reaction was mixed around the league, with some supporting Goodell's decision, and others complaining about it.

"I think he's doing the right thing to make sure this doesn't happen ever again. There's no room for any kind of bounty system in the NFL. It's a physical sport and you've got to respect the game," New York Giants quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning said. "He's been harsh to try to make a statement saying there is no place for this in the game of football."

But James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a linebacker who was suspended for a game last season after an illegal hit on Browns quarterback Colt McCoy, tweeted that the penalties were "ridiculous" and suggested Goodell's crackdown is motivated by the concussion lawsuits and a desire to increase the regular season to 18 games.

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham tweeted: "I want to see the evidence and hear an explanation."

Saints backup quarterback Chase Daniel tweeted that Vilma found out about his suspension by watching ESPN's "SportsCenter" and not from the league itself.

Daniel's tweet: "I was standing right next 2 @jonvilma51 when he found out abt his suspension ON @SportsCenter. Really? He has to find out about it that way?"

Meanwhile, Saints running back Mark Ingram tweeted the suspensions will prove only to motivate New Orleans.

"Don't worry they just makin us hungrier and puttin a bigger chip on or shoulder!! #WHODATNATION will rise above it!! #believedat," he wrote.
In a memo sent Wednesday to the NFL's 32 teams, Goodell reminded them that "any program of non-contract bonuses, however it is characterized, is a violation of league rules" and said that every head coach must review those rules with assistants and players during minicamp or preseason training camp.

Also, all players will be told how they can confidentially report rules violations.

In March, Goodell made Payton the first head coach suspended by the league for any reason, for trying to cover up the system of extra cash payouts. Goodell also indefinitely banned Williams, who was hired in January to run the St. Louis Rams' defense.

In addition, Goodell suspended Saints general manager Mickey Loomis for the first eight regular-season games next season and assistant coach Joe Vitt for the first six games. The Saints were fined $500,000 and lost two second-round draft picks.

Fujita, Hargrove, and Smith are allowed to participate in offseason activity, including preseason games, before their suspensions take effect. Vilma, though, is suspended immediately and will be reinstated after the coming season's Super Bowl -- which, coincidentally, will be played in New Orleans.


(espn.com)

Under his old contract, Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma was due to earn a base salary of $5.4 million in 2012.  Per a source with knowledge of Vilma’s new contract, his compensation has dropped to $2.6 million.

That’s a difference (abacus engaged) of $2.8 million.

The good news, if there is any, for Vilma is that if he should get bad news from the league office in the form of a suspension, only $1.6 million will be exposed to the forfeiture of game checks.  He received a signing bonus of $1 million and the rest as base salary.

If suspended, he’ll lose more than $94,000 per game.  Under his old contract, he would have lost $317,000 per game.

Then again, he’s also losing nearly $3 million off the top.

The new contract undoubtedly has no connection to his role, whatever his role may have been, in the bounty scandal.  Instead, it’s a reflection of his current age, health, abilities, and the market for veteran linebackers.


(profootballtalk.com)

It’s rare that a contract restructure means a pay cut. Usually, it’s simply a matter of shifting base salary into signing-bonus money to help a team’s salary cap. Players generally end up making the same amount they were supposed to in a given year, but getting the money as a signing bonus gives them more time to collect interest.

But the case of New Orleans middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma is anything but ordinary. Vilma, who is facing a possible suspension for his role in the Saints’ bounty program, took a pay cut when he restructured his contract recently.

Vilma’s new deal includes a $1 million signing bonus, but his base salary dropped from $5.4 million to $3.3 million for 2012. The Saints also added a $600,000 roster bonus, which might not come into play, if Vilma is suspended. The deal also kept a $100,000 workout bonus. In short, the cash value of Vilma’s deal for this year, dropped from $5.5 million to $3.3 million. For the Saints, the important thing is that Vilma’s cap figure for this year dropped from $7.6 million to $4.9 million.

Vilma didn't have to take a cut for 2013, but some things were adjusted. His cap figure dropped from $8.6 million to $8.1 million. Vilma’s 2013 base salary was lowered from $5.9 million to $4.8 million, but he can recoup that money because the new deal includes a $1.1 million roster bonus.


(espn.com)

New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma restructured his contract, even though he is likely to be suspended for several games for his role in the team's bounty program.

NFL.com reported Vilma is expected to be suspended between two and eight games and that the Saints have been stocking up on free-agent linebackers in anticipation of Vilma's suspension.

Terms of Vilma's new deal with the Saints were not disclosed.

Jeff Pash, the league's executive vice president and general counsel, said on Friday that player punishments were coming for those involved in the bounty program.

Vilma, a three-time Pro Bowler, can play all three linebacker positions. But the team has already recently signed David Hawthorne and Curtis Lofton in case Vilma receives a hefty suspension. Lofton mostly plays middle linebacker, the same position Vilma usually plays.

The suspensions could be announced next week.


(cbssports.com)

A story on NFL.com is reporting that safety Roman Harper and defensive end Will Smith could be facing punishment in the Saints bounty program scandal.

Much of the attention had been focused on Jonathan Vilma, according to an NFL.com report by Jason La Canfora, citing sources "with knowledge of the situation."

The report said Harper and Smith could face more severe discipline than a majority of the players the league believes participated in the bounty program. Somewhere between 22 and 27 players are believed to have been involved.

La Confora says Vilma, a linebacker, could face a suspension of anywhere from two to eight games this season.

On Monday, former Saints linebacker Scott Fujita, now with the Browns, and quarterback Drew Brees, both reps with the NFL Players Association, met with NFL officials in New York. Fujita is on the union's executive committee.

Brees said Monday that the NFL still has not presented him with "meaningful evidence" in the Saints' "bounty" case, La Canfora reports.


(sunherald.com)

Jonathan Vilma is still waiting to hear about his punishment for his role in the Saints bounty program and, according to a report on Monday, he thinks it is going to be fairly severe.

Jason La Canfora of NFL.com reports that a source close to Vilma said that the linebacker is bracing for a suspension of two to eight games when the league decides to hand down their decision. Because Vilma was the only player named in the NFL’s initial report about the bounties, the belief is that he will be suspended for at least the low end of that estimate.

The NFLPA’s statement about the league’s failure to provide detailed evidence of a “pay-to-injure scheme” could become part of any action against Vilma. The allegation about Vilma putting up $10,000 to any player who could knock Brett Favre out of the NFC Championship Game is damning, but a fight over whether there is direct evidence of such a scheme could wind up working out well for Vilma’s attempt to avoid a long suspension.
For their part, the Saints seem content to move on without Vilma. They’ve signed Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne as free agents, leaving no clear role for Vilma on the New Orleans defense whenever he is available to resume playing.

SI’s Peter King would be "surprised" if the league doesn't announce its punishment for the players involved in the Saints' bounty scandal this week.
Commissioner Roger Goodell has left players like MLB Jonathan Vilma twisting in the wind for nearly three weeks after handing down his punishment for the coaches and executives involved, but could make a ruling as early as Monday. King also expects Goodell to rule on coach Sean Payton and GM Mickey Loomis' appeals within the next 48 hours.


(rotoworld.com)

Although we don't know for sure which New Orleans Saints players will be suspended -- or for how long -- for their roles in the now-infamous bounty program, it appears the team is preparing for life without Jonathan Vilma.

The three-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker has become the on-field face of the bounty scandal, having been accused by the NFL of offering $10,000 to any teammate who knocked Vikings quarterback Brett Favre out of the 2010 NFC championship game and appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated the week that magazine featured a story detailing the allegations. So it stands to reason that Vilma -- who led the Saints in tackles three straight seasons before an injury-plagued 2011 -- will draw a lengthy suspension and perhaps a large fine.

To that end, the Saints have signed three linebackers in the last two weeks. Curtis Lofton and Chris Chamberlain joined the team from Atlanta and St. Louis last month, while Seattle veteran David Hawthorne signed Tuesday.

Hawthorne has led the Seahawks in tackles each of the last two seasons, and would seem primed to replace Vilma in the middle of the Saints defense. Chamberlain essentially traded places with Jo-Lonn Dunbar, who signed with St. Louis after starting five games during Vilma's absence last season.

Although Saints general manager Mickey Loomis -- who is set to serve an eight-game suspension of his own -- has said the team has no interest in cutting ties with its veteran linebacker, Vilma hasn't helped himself with his public comments since the scandal. Among other things, he engaged in a war of words on Twitter with Sports Illustrated NFL reporter Peter King Tuesday night.

Vilma turns 30 in less than two weeks, so it would seem he's got several productive seasons ahead of him. However, he also has a history of knee injuries going back to high school.

Vilma missed most of the 2007 season -- his last with the New York Jets before being traded to New Orleans -- with a knee injury, and sat out five games with a similar problem in 2011. Though his tackle numbers have dropped for three straight seasons, he's still a productive player when healthy and has been regarded as the emotional leader of the Saints almost from the day he arrived.

Any credibility Vilma might have lost among teammates after the bounty scandal is probably overstated. Many of their reputations will wind up publicly damaged as well once NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is done handing out penalties, whenever he decides to do so.

Few outside Saints country will cry for Vilma if his days as an NFL star are over. But in reality, he's just one in a long list of villains in what has been a dirty, embarrassing chapter in Saints history.


(gulflive.com)

NEW ORLEANS - With the signing of linebackers David Hawthorne, Curtis Lofton and Chris Chamberlain and "Bounty-Gate" hanging over New Orleans, the natural question is, will Jonathan Vilma be cut by the Saints?

Well, Sports Illustrated's Peter King certainly thinks so and Jonathan Vilma did not appreciate King's thoughts and it quickly lead to a war of tweets:

          Peter King on the signing of David Hawthorne:
@SI_PeterKing: Curtis Lofton, Chris Chamberlain, David Hawthorne. Get the message, Jonathan Vilma?"that u know how to type peoples names??

Vilma quickly responded to King's tweet:

@SI_PeterKing reckless journalism is beneath you sir. You've become a glorified blogger

          King of course, wasn't just going to let this go:
RT @JonVilma51: Reckless journalism is beneath you sir. You've become a glorified blogger ... It's the NFL investigation, Jonathan. Not me.

          Vilma ended the quick exchange of words:
@SI_PeterKing the nfl investigation has NOTHING to do with ur tweet. You've now turned into a blogger who takes shots at players on twitter
@SI_PeterKing not going to go back and forth with you, enjoy your night sir.


(wafb.com)

In the latest sign the New Orleans Saints are preparing for an immediate future that doesn't include "bounty" scandal heavy Jonathan Vilma, the team has signed former Seattle Seahawks linebacker David Hawthorne.

Hawthorne agreed to a five-year deal with the Saints, the team announced Tuesday. The 26-year-old led the Seahawks in tackles in each of the past three seasons. In 2011, he had 115 tackles, two sacks and three interceptions.


(nfl.com)

LB Curtis Lofton on possibly replacing LB Jonathan Vilma: “The one thing about me and Jonathan is that we don't have an ego. Talking to coach Spags (Steve Spagnuolo), he said he's going to get his best players on the field. Either I play the middle and Vilma plays the Will (weakside) or I play the Will and he plays the Mike (middle). We're putting the team first. Whatever the team wants us to do, we're all for that.”


(cbssports.com)

GM Mickey Loomis says the Saints have no plans to release MLB Jonathan Vilma following the signing of MLB Curtis Lofton.

"(Vilma) is still a big part of our team," Loomis said Saturday evening. "A top player and leader for us." The Saints could be waiting to decide Vilma's fate until learning his punishment for his role in the team's bounty scandal. It's possible either Lofton or Vilma could be shifted outside, but it's doubtful the Saints signed Lofton with a position switch in mind. Vilma is still very much in danger of being handed his walking papers.


(rotoworld.com)

Forget the feud between Warren Sapp and Jeremy Shockey. That’s old news.

It’s time for a new chapter in the sad saga that is the fallout from the New Orleans Saints bounty program. Now, it’s Minnesota punter Chris Kluwe telling a Minnesota radio station he believes New Orleans middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma should be banned from the NFL.

"My position has always been that I think Vilma and [former New Orleans defensive coordinator] Gregg Williams should be banned for life and then [coach Sean] Payton should get a year, their GM [Mickey Loomis] should get a year and anyone who knowingly took money after a hit that injured someone should get a year as well,’’ Kluwe said.

Vilma was specifically named in the NFL’s report for putting up $10,000 of his own money to anyone who injured Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre in a Jan. 24, 2010 playoff game in New Orleans. Kluwe recalled it was obvious something out of the ordinary was going on.

"Me and [kicker] Ryan [Longwell] were kind of looking at each other on the bench going, 'Are they really going after Brett?'" Kluwe said. "Like, 'Is this really what they're doing?' But you don't want to believe that something like that is happening because you think better of the other players.

"You don't want to think that they're doing something like that. I think that was part of the thing that the league was looking at [in its investigation] was like, 'OK, we've really got to make sure that this is true because otherwise it's going to make the sport look really bad.'"

Payton has been suspended for a year and Williams has been suspended indefinitely. There has been no disciplinary action taken against Vilma yet. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to first meet with representatives from the NFL Players Association before issuing any punishment for players involved.


(espn.com)

The only player identified by name in the NFL's Wednesday sanctions against the Saints was MLB Jonathan Vilma.

Vilma allegedly offered teammates $10,000 for anyone who knocked Brett Favre out of the 2009 NFC Championship Game. "While I will not address player conduct at this time," Roger Goodell said Wednesday, "I am profoundly troubled by the fact that players - including leaders among the defensive players - embraced this program so enthusiastically and participated with what appears to have been a deliberate lack of concern for the well-being of their fellow players." Expect Vilma to get a multi-game suspension, if not a full year.


(rotoworld.com)

As the only Saints player named specifically in the NFL’s news release announcing the punishments of Saints personnel involved in the team’s “bounty” program, LB Jonathan Vilma is likely in line for steep discipline, prompting the team to look at free agents who could fill in for the eight-year veteran.

Vilma’s contract and health have been something of a concern. If he ends up missing considerable time, then that’s all the more reason for the team to seek reinforcements.

The Saints have been looking for linebackers. They have been interested in Curtis Lofton in for a visit, and they also brought in David Hawthorne, an outside linebacker.


(nfl.com)

Former Hurricane stars WR Reggie Wayne, LB Ray Lewis, LB D.J. Williams, LB Jonathan Vilma and TE Jimmy Graham watched the team pracitce on Tuesday. While Williams, Vilma, and Graham are regulars at practice, Wayne, and, especially, Lewis, are rare visitors to the Greentree practice fields.



(cbssports.com)

The Saints have no plans to release MLB Jonathan Vilma, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Those plans could change with Vilma due $5.5 million. The Saints have brought a trio of free agent middle linebackers for visits, though they could have insurance in mind with Vilma potentially facing a lengthy suspension for his role in the bounty program.


(rotoworld.com)

Saints have been mulling possibly releasing LB Jon Vilma. Linebacker market may start to materialize more if Lofton signs.





(kffl.com)

New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma caused a bit of a stir Thursday morning on his verified Twitter account.

Vilma caused a panic among New Orleans fans when he tweeted “Finally... freedom!!’’

That’s a natural reaction, because Vilma is one of the team’s most popular players but has been the subject of widespread speculation that he could be released because he has a high salary-cap figure.

But Vilma came back quickly and said he hasn’t been cut.

“Freedom from these crutches ... relax lol,’’ Vilma said in his follow-up tweet.

Still, that second tweet raised another question. Why was Vilma on crutches? He had knee surgery during the season. Did he have another operation after the season? If so, that could only add to the speculation about his future with the Saints.

This is a team with serious salary-cap issues. Vilma seemed slow when he was playing last season, and as he approaches 30, you have to wonder whether his knee problems could be chronic. He still could be a cap casualty before the start of free agency next week. At the very least, he’s a candidate to have his contract restructured.


(espn.com)

More and more crazy stories are coming out about the latest NFL saga involving the New Orleans Saints and their bounty hunting they did when Gregg Williams was the defensive coordinator.

According to Peter King of SI.com, a club source who was briefed on the Saints bounty investigation late Friday afternoon, the most alarming finding was one involving Brett Favre.

Before the 2009 NFC Championship Game, Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma offered any defensive teammate $10,000 in cash to knock then-Vikings quarterback Brett Favre out of the game.

Favre was hit viciously several times in the game. Favre told King Friday evening: “I’m not pissed. It’s football. I don’t think anything less of those guys.”

The details of Vilma’s offer were in a report to the 32 NFL owners, sent out by the league to detail further what the league’s 50,000-page investigation found.


(nflgridirongab.com)

Jonathan Vilma, Saints. I can hear the screams coming from fans already. Vilma’s not Brees, but he’s close to being an icon and he should be because he’s had a great run.

But let’s face the reality. Can anyone honestly say they saw greatness in Vilma this past season? He looked a step slow before and after the knee surgery that forced him to miss five games. Vilma will turn 30 in April. Anytime you’re talking about a linebacker whose game is based largely on speed, knee surgery and 30th birthdays are not good signs.

As I pointed out on Smith, economics are a big deal for the Saints. Vilma is scheduled to count $7.6 million against this year’s cap. If the Saints release him, they instantly free up $5.2 million in cap space.


(espn.com)

The New Orleans Saints’ defense has faced some nasty allegations lately.

First, the Tennessee Titans called safety Roman Harper a “dirty’’ player. Then, Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson said the Saints were intentionally going after his injured ankle in Sunday’s game.

There’s one man who is the unquestioned leader of the New Orleans defense. That’s middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma and he had plenty to say on the topic.

"We're an aggressive defense, we've always been an aggressive defense,’’ Vilma said. “I'd rather be labeled that than (not aggressive). We don't do anything intentionally or maliciously.’’

I’ll side with Vilma on this one. I don’t think the Saints are different than most defenses. Part of the job description is to be aggressive. Yeah, there are times when lines can become blurred. But Vilma’s right. Being aggressive is definitely better than the alternative.


(espn.com)

When asked how he's feeling health-wise, LB Jonathan Vilma said the best answer is simply, “good enough.” Vilma played vs. the Vikings despite being questionable for the game with an ailing knee. Vilma has missed four games this season with his knee injury.



(cbssports.com)

LB Jonathan Vilma said he watched the Niners-Steelers game Monday night because of the playoff implications. Vilma said after he saw Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger throw his second INT that he changed the channel to watch "Sherlock Holmes" saying he was bad luck. The Niners won, keeping the Saints as the NFC third seed.



(cbssports.com)

Sean Payton said LB Jonathan Vilma's knee has experienced more swelling than the Saints would have thought this week, making Vilma questionable for Sunday's game in Minnesota. "That being said he’s taken the practice snaps," Payton said. "I listed him as questionable. He was limited and we just want to be certain.”



(cbssports.com)

The Saints' defense has had two of its most solid defensive performances the past two games, coinciding with the return of MLB Jonathan Vilma. Vilma missed three games in a row while recovering from arthroscopic surgery to repair a left knee injury that had bothered him since Week Two before making a comeback in Week 13. New Orleans went 3-0 without Vilma, but the only time all season that the Saints have held teams to less than 20 points in back-to-back games came in their past two outings (with Vilma), as they slowed down the Lions and Titans. Vilma has been held out of some practices since returning to rest the knee. Indications are he's recovered well from the surgery, though, and he could give the Saints' defense a significant lift just in time for the postseason if he gets back to 100 percent. We hear there is measured optimism that he will get back to playing at that level this season.



(profootballweekly.com)

METAIRIE, La. — Like many who played college football at Miami, Jonathan Vilma tends to project a level of confidence that can easily be mistaken for arrogance.

This week, however, the middle linebacker and Saints defensive captain momentarily revealed his self-effacing side while talking about rejoining his teammates on the field last weekend following a three-game absence with a left knee injury.

“I don’t know how much better I make them when, again, we went 3-0 in that stretch,” Vilma said of his absence.

“But again, I’m glad to be out there, be out there with my guys,” Vilma continued, still a little bleary eyed from one of his daily afternoon power naps. “I know they all welcomed me back, they were excited that I was back. So that was probably the best thing, everyone was happy I was back, no one happier than I was, of course.”

Vilma spent most of the first half of the season playing through pain in his left knee that often caused him to miss practice. While he is not sure the injury made him noticeably slower or weaker on game days, he said the added attention he had to devote to treatment during the week, combined with his regular duties of studying opponents offenses so he could make all the defensive calls on the field, was exhausting.

“I’d say it was just tough preparing,” Vilma said. “Those Monday through Saturdays leading up to the game, those are tough. Tough physically and mentally, because I have to split my time now between taking care of my body and taking care of the opponent, getting ready for them. So that was probably the hardest thing. It wasn’t my performance.”

Vilma wanted to remain in the lineup, but was eventually persuaded that it might be better for him and the team if he took a month off in midseason to have minor arthroscopic surgery and returned in top form for the stretch drive and the postseason.

“That was everyone saying, ‘Look, let’s think big picture,’” Vilma said.

The procedure involved cleaning up loose cartilage that had been causing swelling and pain.

Vilma had a team-leading 10 tackles in his return last Sunday night against Detroit. That was a good sign for the Saints, who play this Sunday at Tennessee and will have to deal with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, whose veteran savvy and ability to throw on the run can cause fits for a heavy-pressure defense like that of the Saints.

Tennessee coach Mike Munchak said the amount of responsibility defensive coordinator Gregg Williams places on Vilma is a clear sign of how important the veteran linebacker is to his team.

“From the player’s perspective, when your leader’s there, it gives you a comfort that you wouldn’t have maybe if he’s not there,” said Munchak, a former NFL player himself. “It allows you to do more and play a little more relaxed. ... Gregg can put it on one guy to do the thinking and let the other guys just go play football. People don’t realize what a value that is.”

Outside linebacker Scott Shanle said he was impressed by Vilma’s performance in his return, but even more impressed by the patience Vilma showed before coming back.

“I’m proud of him for waiting until he was healthy enough to actually go out there and play that way because I think he probably could have pushed it and came back came back a little earlier,” Shanle said. “He looked good (Sunday night). He moved around well. He was to the point where he didn’t have any setbacks.”

Saints players teased Vilma about going undefeated in a total of four games while he’s been out this season, including a Week 3 victory over Houston, one week after Vilma was first injured.

“He hates those jokes,” linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar said. “JV is so competitive and he takes everything a little serious sometimes. ... It was fun. We’d all mess with him.”

Dunbar took over at middle linebacker in Vilma’s absence and performed well, by coaches’ accounts. While his role will be more limited with Vilma back, he said the defense is clearly stronger with its captain in the lineup, particularly now that he’s healthy again.

“He’s the heart and soul of what we do around here. He’s literally one of our best players on defense, if not the best player on defense,” Dunbar said. “He’s smart. He’s instinctive. He’s physical. I’ve learned so much from him these last four years on the field and off the field. He’s a really good person. It’s hard to put in words things he has done around here.”



(ap.com)

Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma earned a game ball in his first game back from knee surgery in Week 13.

Vilma racked up a team-high 10 tackles in the win over the Lions after missing four games. The Saints were 4-0 with Jo-Lonn Dunbar at middle linebacker. He's moved back to the strong side with Vilma healthy.

(rotoworld.com)

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., Dec. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Glenn Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of JACO, the elite performance sports brand that designs apparel for high performance hybrid training, today announced that the NFL's Jonathan Vilma, linebacker for the Super Bowl XLIV Champions, the New Orleans Saints, has joined JACO as its newest Brand Ambassador.

Vilma joins Team JACO just as the company prepares for global expansion, as well as the debut of a new line of athletic apparel that covers training needs from head-to-toe.  Vilma will be among the very first to reveal and wear the new line of athletic wear slated for 2012 release, including new, yet-to-be-released JACO athletic footwear tailored specifically for hybrid training.

"I discovered JACO after seeing it on some of the MMA guys, and I tried it, both in training and just in wearing it around in everyday life, and it performs," said Vilma.  "For my NFL workouts, JACO gives me the smooth fit that all athletes want, but it also allows for motion and movement, not restricting working muscles, which is so important in professional sports. I like it, it looks sharp, and I can relate to JACO. I think it has great potential if we put in the hard work, and since Glenn Robinson is backing it, I think the sky is the limit with this company."

"It goes without saying that we are absolutely thrilled to welcome Jonathan Vilma to the JACO team," said Robinson. "I am so excited to have the opportunity to work with such a talented athlete and gain his insight as we continue to craft the new JACO for hybrid training, and introduce it to the world in 2012. With Jonathan's broad visibility and his depth of expertise as a high performance athlete, we are well on our way to establishing JACO as a major player in hybrid training."

Vilma joins former UFC light heavyweight champion "Suga" Rashad Evans as a JACO Brand Ambassador. In this capacity, Vilma will not only represent JACO as a professional football player, he will also provide input to the design team researching and developing the JACO line. He will often premiere new clothing and footwear via the JACO Clothing website, and he will appear in national advertising and public relations campaigns.

Vilma, a native of Coral Gables, Florida, has been an NFL linebacker for the New Orleans Saints since February 2009. Last year, he was a key defensive player as the Saints charged through the regular season. When the team met the Indianapolis Colts for the Super Bowl XLIV Championship, Vilma made a key defensive audible and deflected a pass on 3rd and 11 in the fourth quarter to lead the Saints to their victory.  In 2010, he competed in the Pro Bowl as a last-minute replacement for the injured Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers.

Originally drafted by the New York Jets, Vilma was selected 12th in the 2004 NFL Draft. That same year, he was named the Associated Press' NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Football Digest Defensive Rookie of the Year, Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team, and the AFC Defensive Rookie of the Month (November). The following year, 2005, he led the NFL in tackles with 169 and competed in the 2005 Pro Bowl.
Prior to joining the NFL, Vilma played college football at the University of Miami. Starting in 2000 as middle linebacker, he led the team in tackles for three straight years from 2001-2003.  Along with his success on the field, Vilma was a three-time Academic All-Big East Conference. He earned a Bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Miami's School of Business Administration.

In 2010, after the devastating earthquake struck the Island of Haiti, Vilma was moved to assist in the massive rebuilding efforts. He started "The Jonathan Vilma Foundation," to raise funds for Haiti, and remains very committed to this cause.
For more information about Jonathan Vilma, please visit www.JonVilma.com.


(prnewswire.com)

METAIRIE, LA. – The Saints will likely get middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma back this week after he missed the last three games following clean-up surgery to repair a lingering knee injury. The Saints actually fared very well in his absence, winning all three games, with Jo-Lonn Dunbar stepping up as a reliable replacement.

But if Vilma can finally get back to 100 percent because of the surgery, he could give the Saints a huge boost down the stretch. Vilma was originally injured in Week 2, then tried to play through the pain for more than a month. But it was clear that he wasn’t playing up to his full potential, with the knee slowing him down a bit.

When healthy, Vilma is a huge asset for the Saints because of his ability to cover a lot of ground in open space and his playmaking instincts. The Saints count on Vilma to cover a lot of ground when they blitz safety Roman Harper and their outside linebackers often. Vilma could also help with their meager turnover rate. Plus, Dunbar can slide back to the strong linebacker spot and improve the depth at the position overall.


(sportingnews.com)

The New Orleans Saints had a short list of players on their injury report Thursday. Defensive end Turk McBride did not participate with an ankle injury, and linebacker Jonathan Vilma was limited as he recovers from a left knee procedure.



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(nola.com)

New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton did not directly confirm the Times-Picayune's report that linebacker Jonathan Vilma had surgery to clean up his lingering left knee injury last week. But Payton did say that Vilma has been rehabbing the knee and that the best-case scenario is that he can return to the field in time for the Saints' next game against the New York Giants on Monday, Nov. 28.

Vilma did not play in the Saints' last two games after trying to fight through the unspecified injury for much of the season. He originally injured the knee in Week 2 against the Chicago Bears.

"I'm hopeful," Payton said. "He's in rehab now, still getting treatment. The goal is to see where he's at (next week). An optimistic goal would be this game against New York. We'll go from there. I know just from seeing him all last week, he's doing well. And so I'm hopeful he can play in that game, and yet it's way too early to tell.

"I'd rather update you guys next week and not really get into detail right now. I know he's doing well. I know he hasn't really made mention to it, and I don't want to as well, especially during this bye week. But like I said last week, (the knee) just got to a point where it was just stagnant. We were hoping we'd see more progress, and I think we'll have a much better idea where he's at next week."

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(nola.com)

Despite earlier denials by the club, a league source confirmed Sunday that New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma has had knee surgery. Vilma was inactive again Sunday in the Saints 26-23 overtime victory over Atlanta.

The injury had clearly bothered Vilma for weeks. He was inactive for the Houston Texans in week three and had diminished on-field effectiveness in subsequent games. It also led to the Saints making Vilma inactive last week against Tampa Bay.

There had been considerable speculation about Vilma's status since he has not only missed several practices but was also unable to attend his foundation's annual fundraising dinner at Morton's last week.

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(nola.com)

METAIRIE, La. – Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma missed his fourth straight practice as he continues to rehabilitate a bum left knee that he originally injured on Sept. 18.

“I’m hopeful,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “We’re also going to be pretty smart with the bye coming after this game. … Last week, it was at a point where there was still enough soreness – he had missed enough snaps – we decided not to play him.”

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(wwltv.com)

Morton's the Steakhouse has teamed up with Jonathan Vilma and his Foundation for the Morton's second annual celebrity server event. For $400, guest will have the pleasure of a VIP reception, a four-course meal served by the New Orleans Saints linebacker and some teammates, all followed by an auction.

Proceeds from the event will go help the Jonathan Vilma Foundation's efforts to build a charter school in Haiti, which was devastated by a massive earthquake last year. Last year, the Morton's celebrity server event raised $190,000 with over 200 guests attending.

Now, we could lay down some snark here about Vilma and the Saints serving steaks so soon after they got their, um, rumps served to them in St. Louis, but this is a great event for a great cause and, really, how often do you get an NFL player to serve you dinner?

Anyone looking to buy a ticket to the event can visit the Morton's New Orleans website or contact Kim Trouard at (504) 566-0221.

Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.


(bestofneworleans.com)

METAIRIE, La. – Linebacker Jonathan Vilma has been a mainstay on the Saints’ injury report since he suffered a knee injury in Week 2, but he only missed one game in Week 3 and has remained productive ever since. The team has been resting Vilma during the week to keep the wear and tear off of the knee.

He came up big last Sunday, pouncing on a fumbled snap early before the Saints routed the Indianapolis Colts 62-7. Teammates joked that Vilma just got lucky, but he insisted that he saw the ball bounce off quarterback Curtis Painter’s chest and went after it.

Just as importantly, Vilma was able to sit out much of Sunday night’s game after it turned into a rout. Vilma has been arguably the Saints’ most instinctive playmakers since he arrived in 2008. So they hope he can gradually get better and get back close to 100 percent by the end of the season. The Week 11 bye should come at a great time.

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(sportingnews.com)

Six players, including four starters, were listed as did not participate in New Orleans’ first practice in preparation for Sunday’s inter-conference game at Jacksonville.

Linebacker Jonathan Vilma sat out team drills for the fourth straight practice session as he nurses his left knee back to health.

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(wwltv.com)

The Saints scratched linebacker Jonathan Vilma for Sunday’s home game against Houston.

Vilma, who hurt his left knee a week earlier against Chicago but played with the injury, sat out practice the past week and had been listed as doubtful.

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(washingtonpost.com)

Middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma did not practice Wednesday or Thursday with a sore knee.  Jo-Lonnn Dunbar is the primary back up on the depth chart for the Saints.  LB Jonathan Casillas also missed practice on Wednesday.  Payton downplays the injuries.  "There's a lot of tape study that's being done and walkthroughs, and yet you don't want to move too quickly and have any setbacks.  We feel like both those guys will be able to practice some." 

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(wwl.com)

Starting middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma missed practice Wednesday along with outside linebacker Jonathan Casillas, leaving the team with only three active roster linebackers healthy to practice.

Vilma was out with a left knee injury while Casillas missed to rest his right foot, meaning Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Will Herring and Scott Shanle were the only active roster linebackers available for work.

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(wwltv.com)

METAIRIE, La. – Jonathan Vilma rarely gets mentioned when the best middle linebackers in the NFL are brought up.

His peers, however, don’t make that mistake and when asked about going up against Vilma, Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t mince his words.

“For some reason, his name is often left out when you are talking about the best players at middle linebacker,” Rodgers said. “… For some reason, I feel like Jonathan’s name gets left out when you talk Pro Bowl balloting and stuff. When it comes to the payers that play in the game, there is no lack of respect for Jonathan Vilma.”

Vilma has led the Saints in tackles the past three seasons with 151, 130 and 131 stops.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams trusts Vilma enough to allow him to make the calls and audibles on defense and he’s constantly battling Saints quarterback Drew Brees during practices.

“I just mentioned in my press conference that any good defense starts with a talented, athletic, very intelligent middle linebacker and that is what the Saints have in Jonathan Vilma,” Rodgers said. “I think he has gotten better.”

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(wwltv.com)

While the NFL lockout cost every team in the league time on the practice field, the New Orleans Saints players may have done the best job of coaching themselves through the down time.

Close to 50 Saints players gathered in New Orleans for weeks of player-organized workouts. Quarterback Drew Brees received most of the attention for getting the team together, but another Saints captain was instrumental in the offseason outings.

While Brees put the offense through its paces, middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma did the same for the Saints defenders.

As the player responsible for calling all the signals when the defense is on the field, Vilma pretended to be Saints defensive coordinator Greg Williams. Rumor even has it that Vilma and Brees wagered a few dollars each day on which of their units would play better.

"I think it helped us a lot when the lockout ended, especially the new guys because it gave us a base to work from," Vilma said. "It didn't surprise me that we got the kind of turnout we did because I know the kind of guys we have in our locker room."

Vilma, a first-round draft choice of the New York Jets in 2004, made an immediate impact in his rookie season.

Vilma lead the league in tackles with 187, earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and Associated Press

Vilma was a mainstay of the Jets defense until injuring his knee midway through the 2007 season. Vilma was then traded to the Saints, in a move that many believed was of the best the team has ever made.

Returning to health, Vilma gave the Saints the force in the middle they were lacking.

In his first season with New Orleans, he led or shared the team lead in tackles in 10 games and recorded double-digit tackle totals in eight games. Vilma's 151 stops (100 solo), were the most tackles for a Saint since Winfred Tubbs had 160 in 1997. He had two fumble recoveries and added three forced fumbles, an interception, a sack and eight pass defenses.

The Saints rewarded Vilma with a long-term extension after the season.

In eight seasons in the NFL, the only year Vilma failed to make at least 100 tackles was 2007, when he had the injury.

"Jonathan is a true impact player on defense and one of our leaders," said coach Sean Payton. "He is consistent, he never comes off the field, and we rely on him to make plays. He proved to be everything we expected when we made the trade for him."

The 2008 season proved to be a warm-up for both Vilma and the Saints.

With Vilma in the middle, the Saints defense led the NFL in turnovers in 2009, which helped contribute to the team's Super Bowl title run.

After falling short of repeating as Super Bowl champions last season, Vilma said the team is determined to do whatever is necessary to get back on top.

It has started with the truncated training camp, which has moved to Oxnard this week.

Since arriving on Sunday, Vilma said the Saints have been in lockdown mode. He said most days begin around 8 a.m. and don't end until around 10:30 p.m.

"It's a business trip," Vilma said. "We have a bunch of guys on this team who are all committed to one goal and that's winning the Super Bowl again.

"We have plenty of guys here who are a year removed from that moment and we are chomping at the bit to get back to it. It's really easy to relate to these guys because we're all on the same page."

Like many teams, the Saints offense gets most of the headlines, while Vilma and the defense take a back seat.

While that might bother some players, the veteran linebacker has no problem with Brees and the offense being in the spotlight.

"We love that," Vilma says. "It sells tickets and makes fans happy. For us (the defense), we are focused on playing sound defense and getting the ball back for the offense. We have always been cool with that and we've won a lot of games that way."

Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.


(vcstar.com)

New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma didn't have much to say about the allegations of University of Miami booster Nevin Shapiro, who claimed that Vilma was one of dozens of former Hurricanes to receive illegal benefits from him in a Yahoo! Sports report.

Vilma declined to comment on the specific allegations that he received cash, food, drinks and various forms of entertainment, including cash "bounties" for hits on opposing quarterback.

"I'm not really worried about that right now," Vilma said. "You have a guy that's in jail. Whatever his motive is right now, I don't know. Honestly I don't care. You know, I'm gonna move forward and keep working with the Saints."

The exhaustive Yahoo! Report includes several photos of Vilma with Shapiro, including some on Shapiro's yacht and in his home, in addition to phone records showing frequent communication between the two as recently as 2010.

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(nola.com)

New Orleans fans, you’ll hear plenty more from Jonathan Vilma when we run our Camp Confidential segment on the Saints on Friday.

Matter of fact, I just finished writing that after spending a good chunk of the morning and early afternoon transcribing tape of interviews with Vilma and some others. There were several quotes I didn’t get to use, including some that will appear in some upcoming theme stories about the NFC South.

But there was one particular Saints-related item from Vilma that I thought I’d share that with you now. I asked him about two of the newest additions to the defense -- tackles Shaun Rogers and Aubrayo Franklin.

“One of the first things I noticed when we got into camp was how much bigger we are on the defensive line,’’ Vilma said. “As a linebacker, you want that. That’s every linebacker’s dream to have guys like that in front of you.’’

Rogers, a veteran free agent who previously played in Detroit and Cleveland, is listed at 6-foot-4 and 350 pounds. Rogers also comes with a reputation for not always keeping himself in great physical condition. I didn’t get to see Rogers on a scale, but I did get to see him on the practice field and I was pleasantly surprised.

I know what 350 pounds -- or more -- looks like. Back when Kris Jenkins and Maake Kemoeatu were with the Carolina Panthers, they sometimes let themselves get well over 350 pounds. Rogers didn’t even look close to what Jenkins and Kemoeatu looked like in those days. Yes, he’s big, but he also appears to be in pretty good shape.

Franklin, who came as a free agent from San Francisco, isn’t quite as big. He’s listed at 6-1 and 317. The plan is to pair those two veterans in a rotation with Sedrick Ellis.

“I’ve been real impressed with both of them so far,’’ Vilma said. “Shaun looks great and looks like he’s really excited to be here. I’m excited to have both of them here. When you’re a linebacker and you have guys like that in front of you, it can really free you up to run all over the field and make more plays.’’

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(espn.com)

The Times-Picayune confirms that Jonathan Vilma remains locked in as the Saints' starting middle linebacker.

Vilma hasn't missed a game in three years with the Saints, and has over 100 tackles in each season. He's now 29 and his solo tackles dropped to 70 last year, but the cliff isn't too steep. Vilma is a low-upside, but safe IDP pick who will benefit from the additions of 330-pound man-children Shaun Rogers and Aubrayo Franklin at interior tackle. Vilma will be backed up by Jo-Lonn Dunbar.

Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

Pro Bowl linebacker Jonathan Vilma is giving $450,000 to his alma mater, Miami. The New Orleans Saints star announced the donation Tuesday, two days before his club opens training camp for the 2011 season. Vilma is a Coral Gables native and played for the Hurricanes from 2000 through 2003, helping Miami win one national championship and play for another. Vilma's gift will go toward construction of Miami's planned Schwartz Center for Athletic Excellence. It will be an expansion and renovation of the current Hecht Athletic Center, and his name will be on the football players' lounge at the new complex. Vilma led Miami in tackles in three of his four college seasons. He says his gift ''is about the future'' of the Hurricanes' program. Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.


(ap.com)

(hurricanesports.com)

It’s no surprise the NFL teams in the best condition as the lockout continues into June are the ones with the most-seasoned rosters and the best on-field leaders. The New Orleans Saints, just two years removed from a Super Bowl victory, fall into that category, and linebacker Jonathan Vilma is a big part of their leadership core.

“I feel pretty comfortable saying that almost every player on the Saints is in terrific shape,” Vilma told CBSSports.com. “We could take the practice field tomorrow in full pads and be fine. This group of guys is in better shape than we were at this time when the Saints won the Super Bowl. … We’re more committed than other teams.”

“I feel pretty comfortable saying that almost every player on the Saints is in terrific shape,” Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma told CBSSportsLine.com.

Those are strong words considering this year’s offseason model doesn’t have the luxury of preparing for the 2011 season at the team’s facilities, but there is good reason for Vilma’s confidence.

The Saints have been one of the most visible teams during the league’s labor impasse. Drew Brees has been the headliner, but Vilma, along with safety Darren Sharper, offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb, and fullback Heath Evans have been right there with the quarterback to keep their teammates in line. That included bringing about 35 more of them together for a good series of unofficial workouts at Tulane University in early May.

It’s no wonder then, to try to match the Saints’ commitment, their NFC South rivals also have kicked up their preparations without aid from their coaches. Brees’ QB counterparts, Matt Ryan and Josh Freeman, have been the face of the Falcons’ and Bucs’ workouts, respectively, to help maintain those teams’ status as above-.500 powers. The Panthers, who finished 2-14 last season, started their first organized sessions last week with rookie quarterback Cam Newton reportedly among the attendees.

Let’s hope the lockout won’t prevent a full division slate of games from being played this season, as the NFC South has been one of the league’s most competitive divisions over the years. This year’s race for first place would be wide open between Tampa Bay (10 wins last season), New Orleans (11) and reigning champion division Atlanta (13).

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(cincysportsfanatix.com)

A weekly look at a player whose performance must improve in 2011.

Jonathan Vilma is a good player, but I consider him an overrated player. I recognize his competitiveness and leadership skills, which put him in the cross hairs of my Pressure Point series. He must help the Saints' defense to improve in 2011 if the team is going to make a run at the Super Bowl.

I expect the Saints' defense to be improved by leaps and bounds from a year ago, but I am not certain that Vilma is a major reason for any improvement.

New Orleans' run defense and coverage were below average in 2010, and the ability to rush the quarterback was terrible. The defense did not create turnovers on par with the pace of the Saints' 2009 Super Bowl season, although expecting the Saints to maintain such a pace was probably unwise to begin with. But they need to create more than the nine interceptions they had last season, and I expect they will. The offense also put the defense in several difficult predicaments last season. Is Vilma to blame for all this below-average defensive play? Of course not. But he didn't help things, either.

As 4-3 middle linebackers go, Vilma is undersized and has never excelled taking on bigger blockers in the run game, shedding quickly and making the play. He needs to be protected and then can use his excellent vision, anticipation skills, knowledge of the game and speed to get to the ball carrier. New Orleans didn't protect Vilma well enough in 2010, and I also am starting to think that Vilma's speed, quickness and pursuit skills could be in slight decline. He just was not a very good run defender last season. As 4-3 middle linebackers go, I now see Vilma as just a middle-of-the-pack starter.

What shocked me most was that Vilma was not much of a force versus the pass. His coverage skills were just middling, and he was too often beaten. If this continues, New Orleans might have to consider taking him off the field in clear throwing situations. Maybe the Saints would give a younger linebacker like Martez Wilson, Jo-Lonn Dunbar or Jonathan Casillas a chance to shine in this capacity. Wilson is a rookie. Dunbar was in and out of the lineup last season. Casillas didn't play a snap last year because of a Lisfranc foot injury. Casillas is the one I am most excited about, but Wilson has an exciting skill set. He could become a dynamic edge pass-rusher and blitzer. Scott Shanle remains in the equation. Free agency still looms, and adding another outside linebacker to the Saints' stable seems highly possible.

Given Vilma's knowledge of the defense and opposing passing schemes, I expect him to remain on the field on throwing downs in the immediate future. However, maybe a year or two down the line -- if Vilma's game doesn't pick up -- Wilson could very well be the starter in the middle.

I expect the Saints' defense to improve drastically in 2010. The addition of the versatile Wilson could add a wonderful new tool for creative defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. Johnny Patrick has the look of an instant contributor to an already deep secondary and should be a nice insurance policy if some cover men fall to injury or Patrick Robinson doesn't step up his game. Cameron Jordan could be poised for a Defensive Rookie of the Year type of season. He should immediately grab the starting left end spot opposite Will Smith and then move inside on passing downs. It is a tremendous situation for this rookie, and I expect him to thrive. I still am baffled that Jordan lasted as long as he did on draft day.

But the best addition is Shaun Rogers. When motivated, Rogers is an animal in the middle of the defense. He will he protect Vilma and, if kept fresh and used in a rotation, can dominate. He is an elite interior pass-rusher and will form an exceptional threesome on the interior on passing downs with Jordan and Sedrick Ellis, another former first-round pick, who registered six sacks last season. Ellis could be coming into his own as a player overall. Although he appears to be passed over by superior players, Anthony Hargrove could also factor in on the interior rushing the passer. Hargrove did have five sacks in 2009.

I also doubt that Drew Brees will throw as many interceptions again, and the Saints should better be able to sustain offense with the addition of a running back like Mark Ingram.

But this improvement might be in spite of Vilma instead of because of him. I am not suggesting that Vilma needs to be replaced at this point. I expect him to improve along with the defense. But I also see him as a complementary piece of this defensive puzzle now rather than a headliner.

Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.


(espn.com)

There can be a reasonable debate regarding the value of the player-only workouts organized around the league this offseason.

There is no question that a little team camaraderie can be beneficial. We’d guess the most important benefit is that it helps keep players in top shape, although most of them would be doing that on their own anyway.

The Saints have inarguably had one of the best organized and attended regular workouts, led by Drew Brees. Linebacker Jonathan Vilma believes it will give the team a real edge.

“We’re more committed than other teams,” Vilma told Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com. “Anyone who watches what we do can see that. There’s a lot of trust in each other and the system. I’ve been in the defensive system for three years. Drew has been in the offensive system for five years.”

Vilma, who is helping to auction off a practice spot with the team to fans for charity says the Saints are actually in better shape now than the summer before they won the Super Bowl.  We can’t speak to that, but we do agree with him that the continuity the Saints enjoy provides a huge advantage.

Since the Saints system is stable, Brees and Vilma can work on their schemes during the lockout.  Players with new coaches and playbooks to learn can’t get the same kind of work in.

Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.


(profootballtalk.com)

If there was any question which team was best taking advantage of this nasty lockout, there shouldn't be any longer. It continues to be New Orleans. Land. Slide. Listen to Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, and you'll know why.

"Players around the league look at the lockout differently," Vilma told me. "Some see the lockout as a time to relax. Some see it as a time to heal from serious injury. Some see it as a time to party. We're definitely not in that last category.

"I feel pretty comfortable saying that almost every player on the Saints is in terrific shape. We could take the practice field tomorrow in full pads and be fine. This group of guys is in better shape than we were at this time when the Saints won the Super Bowl."

How is that possible, he's asked? No OTAs, no minicamps, and in better shape?

"Because we know this is a time when a player can slip through the cracks," he said. "You can get soft. You can say, 'I'm taking this week off. I'm partying tonight.' And pretty soon you're out of shape. No one on this team is doing that because of guys like Drew [Brees] and the leaders we have on this team. Everyone is working twice as hard because they don't want to relax a minute and get soft."

Leaders like Vilma, too. If Brees has been the fulcrum for the Saints' lockout offense, Pro Bowl linebacker Vilma has been the defensive centrifuge. In the past, before the lockout, it wasn't unusual for the two men to put a $100 bet on which unit performed better in practice. The lockout workouts have been just as competitive.

Staying in shape during the lockout won't win a Super Bowl, but this can't be stressed enough, and it's why lockout workouts remain one of the most important stories in the league right now: The teams that stay the most unified and don't gain the beer bellies and fat asses will have a major lead on teams whose waists expand and endurance shrinks.

It's that simple. Get fat, lose later. A sprint a day keeps the pulled hamstrings away.

No, Super Bowls cannot be won now. But they can be lost. Vilma is one of the key Saints making sure his team doesn't lose a title before the season starts.

"We're more committed than other teams," said Vilma, who is taking part in a promotion that allows fans to work out with Saints players, the proceeds going to charity.

"Anyone who watches what we do can see that. There's a lot of trust in each other and the system. I've been in the defensive system for three years. Drew has been in the offensive system for five years."

The irony of Vilma becoming one of the Saints' most important players of the lockout isn't lost on him. When uber-idiot Eric Mangini, then coach of the Jets, traded Vilma, he went to the Saints wanting to prove to the rest of the league he could be a major factor. Vilma became a huge component of the Saints and won a ring. Mangini is still an uber-idiot.

As for the lockout, Vilma is one of the few players who don't seem angry over it, or even mildly agitated. "It's true that players want to get back to doing what they best, which is play football," Vilma explained. "But I'm not stir crazy. You can only control what you can control."

What the Saints are controlling is their lockout destiny.

Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.


(cbssports.com)

Welcome to our 1st annual and long overdue proCane Rankings where we look back at the 2010 NFL season and rank the 43 proCanes that took snaps in 2010 (except for Sinorice Moss who was placed on IR before the start of the season).

Stay tuned as we countdown from number 43 to number 1. Our rankings are based on each player’s performance last year. In August we’ll go ahead and re-rank the player’s based on our 2011 expectations. For now read our review of each player’s 2010 season and where they rank overall. Enjoy!

To read our rankings of players 43-35, click here.

To read our rankings of players 34-26, click here.

To read our rankings of players 25-16, click here.

15. Jon Vilma MLB New Orleans Saints: Vilma was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl after a solid 2010 season where he posted over 100 tackles for the third consecutive season and a career high four sacks. Though Vilma did post the fewest tackles of his seven-year career (105), besides his 2007 season where he only played in seven games, the Saints’ defense was riddled with injuries in 2010, and Vilma did not miss a game and anchored the defense. Look for Vilma to continue to be the quarterback of the Saints defense in 2011 and as that defense gets healthier and gains more experience, Vilma will continue to flourish.

14. Greg Olsen TE Chicago Bears: Coming into the 2010 season there were fears that Olsen would not be utilized in Mike Martz’s wide open offense and the Bears actually almost traded Olsen before the start of the 2010 season despite public comments by Head Coach Lovie Smith and Martz that Olsen would be used in the spread offense. Olsen statistically didn’t have a bad season as he posted 41 receptions for 404 yards, the lowest since his rookie season, but more concerning was the fact that in seven games Olsen had either only reception (5 games) or no receptions (2 games). Olsen had his best game of the season in the first round of the playoffs versus the Seahawks where he posted 113 yards receiving, 58 of those coming on one play, but it showed that he could be a threat in that offense if correctly utilized. With one season under his belt it will be interesting to see if Martz can figure out a way to incorporate or Olsen, though the trade rumors continue to persist.

13. Javarris James RB Indianpolis Colts: James was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts right after last year’s draft and by the time Week 5 rolled around he was signed to the Colts’ active roster. James had previously been on the Patriots and Redskins practice squads. Though James did not put up huge numbers, 112 yards rushing on 42 carries, the fact that he made the active roster of the Colts and scored six TDs last season, more than any other proCane runningback, merits him being ranked as a top 15 proCane performer for 2010. James will have an uphill battle to earn a roster spot on the Colts next season as he was inactive for the last two games of the regular season and playoff game, but he very well may be signed by another team due to his tough redzone running.

12. Jon Beason LB Carolina Panthers: Beason had started at MLB for the Panthers the last 3 seasons and coming into 2010 put the team first and agreed to start at the RLB spot. Beason who has yet to miss a game in his four-year career took some time to get acclimated to his new position and was not having as large of an impact defensively for the Panthers. In Week 10, Beason moved back to the middle and 2 weeks later made his presence felt with an interception versus the Cleveland Browns. Beason is too good to not be the starting MLB and it seems like the Panthers have realized that, and he should resume his duties in the middle of the defense in 2011.

11. Kellen Winslow TE Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Winslow finished the 2010 by playing all 16 games for the second consecutive season and though his numbers weren’t as good as his 2009 numbers, his first season in Tampa, Winslow was still a threat down the middle of the field for the Bucs. Winslow had a career high 5 TDs to go along with his 730 yards receiving and as the season progressed became a more consistent option for Tampa QB Josh Freeman culminating in a 7 reception for 98 yards and 2 TDs performance in Week 15. Winslow has already said he expects big numbers in 2011, and though at times he was not able to practice due to injury, he didn’t miss a game and played with his usual fire all season long.

10. Antonio Dixon DL Philadelphia Eagles: Dixon was a surprise contributor to the Eagles’ defensive line in 2009 as an undrafted rookie free agent signing. He suited up for 16 games and became a vital cog in the Eagles’ defensive line versus the run that year. In 2010, due to injury Dixon received extensive playing time in Week 5 versus the 49ers where he recorded his first sack of the season and ended up starting the rest of the way for Eagles totaling 30 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 pass deflections. Dixon has been a very pleasant surprise for the Eagles and a great personal story as well, overcoming learning disabilities and controlling his weight. Look for Dixon to start for the Eagles next season and continue to excel versus the run and improve his game on passing downs.

9. DJ Williams LB Denver Broncos: Playing in the 3-4 for his second consecutive season DJ Williams looked even more comfortable totaling 119 tackles. Williams also became much more involved in the passing game as he had a career high 9 pass deflections and more impressively 5.5 sacks. The Broncos began to blitz Williams more in passing situations and as a result he led the Broncos in sacks last season as well as tackles by a wide margin. The only knock on Williams is his off the field problems where he was accused of a DUI for the second time in his career and lost his captaincy as a result as well as his driver’s license for a year. Rumors have circulated that Williams is on the trading block but if he isn’t traded he will have to get used to playing in the 4-3 defense at the weak-side linebacker spot as the Broncos are changing their defense, again.


Check back tomorrow to see which proCanes were ranked 8th through 1st!

As the NFL’s players and owners continue their long battle over the billions of dollars that ultimately come out of the fans’ wallets, I sometimes wonder whether they realize the extent to which they’re jeopardizing the fans’ passion for the NFL.

So it’s always good to come across quotes from some of the players who do seem to get it.

One such player is Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he’s worried about how the fans will react to all the offseason news focusing on lawsuits and labor battles, instead of minicamps and free agents.

“It’s never a good look for the game,” Vilma said. “It’s never a good look for the fans to have the players and the owners arguing over money, and so hopefully we can get it worked out as soon as possible and get back playing.”

Vilma said he personally hasn’t been affected by the lockout: He’s working out on his own and has also kept busy with charity work in Haiti. But he doesn’t like the idea that this offseason is about the labor situation, not the game on the field.

“Unfortunately it hasn’t gone the way I wanted, just because I want to play football,” Vilma said. “We always talk about, ‘the business side of football,’ and we just try to get over these hurdles as quickly and as smoothly as possible.”

Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.



(profootballtalk.com)

New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, about a week shy of his 29th birthday, is in his prime, getting rich and coming off his third Pro Bowl season.

But he can't help being disappointed by a lockout and court battle that has, for now, derailed football.

"Unfortunately it hasn't gone the way I wanted, just because I want to play football," Vilma said Saturday after a promotional appearance for Perry Ellis at Lakeside Mall. "We always talk about, 'the business side of football,' and we just try to get over these hurdles as quickly and as smoothly as possible."

Vilma addressed a variety of topics, from his charitable work in Haiti to the Saints' upcoming draft strategies, but it was understandable the lockout was the most pressing.

Since the league's collective bargaining agreement expired last month after two extensions, the owners have locked the players out and the players, claiming to have disbanded their union, have filed suit in federal court on antitrust grounds. The case is lingering before a federal district judge who has urged both sides to resume negotiations and hash out a new deal before one they may find less favorable is imposed on them.

In Vilma's eyes the situation has the aura of no one winning.

"It's never a good look for the game," he said. "It's never a good look for the fans to have the players and the owners arguing over money, and so hopefully we can get it worked out as soon as possible and get back playing."

Before the Saints' 2009 championship season, Vilma signed a five-year deal. His status as the team's defensive captain remains unchallenged after last season, in which he started all 16 games. His 131 tackles led New Orleans for the third consecutive season, and offered further proof, if any were needed, that the Saints made a superb move when they acquired Vilma from the Jets for a fourth-round pick in 2008.

In Vilma's case, the lockout hasn't really hampered his schedule. The Miami native, and University of Miami alum, still has Miami as his base, and he said his workouts there have followed the precise trajectory they would have if there were no lockout.

"That's what I'd normally be doing anyway, so this time isn't all that unsettling for me," he said.

He hopes to go to Haiti -- his parents hail from the Caribbean nation, although he was born in the United States -- in June. Vilma was one of the NFL players with Haitian roots who worked publicly to raise funds after a massive earthquake hit the island nation in 2008. In this offseason, the island's notoriously unstable and potentially violent politics have been in play, as presidential balloting goes back-and-forth, and Vilma is hoping the political dust will settle before he heads to Port-au-Prince to take stock of the situation on the ground.

As for taking stock of the Saints, Coach Sean Payton and other club officials are barred from communicating with players during the lockout, and with the team's workout facilities at the Metairie complex shuttered, Saints players have scattered about for offseason work and conditioning.

If quarterback Drew Brees wanted to arrange some kind of unofficial practice schedule for the Saints, the responsibility of getting the defensive side together would likely fall to Vilma and perhaps defensive end Will Smith, who lives in Kenner. But even if he and Brees did make such arrangements, they would likely prove less effective, according to Vilma.

"Definitely, we could easily set that up and get the guys down here and get the work done," he said. "But there's nothing like being around the whole environment, the facility and the coaches. We'll try to get as close to that as possible, though, because at the end of the day we want to get better, we want to win, and we're not going to let little setbacks stop us from that."

Indeed, Vilma argued the Saints' performance last season reflected that desire to win. A Super Bowl hangover, he said, is evidenced in a team that goes 8-8 and misses the playoffs, not one that battles for its division crown until the last week and does make the playoffs.

That said, Vilma expressed distaste with several aspects of last season.

"I thought the season was a good season," he said. "We battled through injuries, we battled through a lot of things during the season where we were still able to wind up 11-5 and top five in both offense and defense. Unfortunately, we didn't play our best, the way we wanted to, against Seattle. But you know what? Those things happen. It did leave a sour taste in my mouth, but we're not going to let that rain on the whole season. We still felt like we played well, and we've just got to take the next steps."

Those unit rankings -- the Saints finished No. 4 in the NFL in total defense and No. 6 in total offense -- mean the 2011 draft at the end of April isn't a make-or-break proposition for New Orleans, Vilma said. He has followed the widespread predictions the Saints will seek improvements in their defensive front seven in the draft, and said he is fine with that direction, even though he said it is less a shortcoming than some observers believe.

"I think right now we're in a good position and we don't have any glaring needs," he said. "We look at our team and we say we have guys who are bona fide starters, legitimate starters. Now it's always good to add depth, similar to Patrick Robinson, a terrific athlete, last year. So I feel like if the need is front seven, quote-unquote, I feel like it will be more for depth. I think we have a solid front seven; I think we have good players."

Along those lines, Vilma said he has spoken with Shaun Rogers, the defensive tackle the Saints signed after he was released by Cleveland, although the two do not know each other well. The scattered reports Rogers may have something less than an ideal work ethic or attitude do not align with the word Vilma said he has gotten on Rogers from his peers.

"Just looking at him, watching him play, hearing about him -- it's all good things," he said. "His work ethic, his size, his talent, that all speaks for itself, and I'm real excited to be working with him this year."

Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.



(nola.com)

Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma, RT Jon Stinchcomb and DL Anthony Hargrove could undergo minor "cleanup" surgeries on their knee this offseason.

It sounds like Stinchcomb will definitely undergo an operation, while Vilma's and Hargrove's statuses are still up in the air. The surgeries would be minor in nature and shouldn't affect the availability of any of the trio for possible offseason activities.

Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.



(rotoworld.com)

6 proCanes made early exits out of the NFL playoffs after he wildcard round this weekend.

Reggie Wayne (Colts), Javarris James (Colts), Jon Vilma (Saints), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Jeremy Shockey (Saints), Antonio Dixon (Eagles) all lost their respective games and will start their offseason.

Below are the remaining proCanes in the NFL playoffs.

AFC: Ed Reed (Ravens), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Tavares Gooden (Ravens), Willis McGahee (Ravens), Brandon Meriweather (Patriots), Vince Wilfork (Patriots).

NFC: Kelly Jennings (Seahawks), Spencer Adkins (Falcons), Devin Hester (Bears), Greg Olsen (Bears), Sam Shields (Packers).

Saints LB Jonathan Vilma has been selected to the NFC’s Pro Bowl squad, the Saints and NFL announced Tuesday. Vilma, who last week was chosen the Saints’ “Man of the Year” for his contributions on and off the field, has been selected to two previous Pro Bowls, in 2005 (Jets) and 2009 (Saints).

“It’s always an honor to be elected to the Pro Bowl,” Vilma said. “I thank the fans, the players of the NFL and the people around the league that thought highly enough of our efforts. There are a lot of guys not only on our team that are deserving of being in the Pro Bowl. I am grateful for the recognition and just want to express my gratitude.”

Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.



(nfl.com)

17 proCanes will participate in the 2010 NFL playoffs. 8 from the AFC and 9 from the NFC. Below is a list of the players.

AFC: Reggie Wayne (Colts), Javarris James (Colts), Ed Reed (Ravens), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Tavares Gooden (Ravens), Willis McGahee (Ravens), Brandon Meriweather (Patriots), Vince Wilfork (Patriots).

NFC: Kelly Jennings (Seahawks), Jon Vilma (Saints), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Jeremy Shockey (Saints), Antonio Dixon (Eagles), Spencer Adkins (Falcons), Devin Hester (Bears), Greg Olsen (Bears), Sam Shields (Packers).