The following is a transcript that Eyewitness News Sports Director Jim Henderson conducted with Saints fans.......

(AP Photo/Paul Connors)

greg: Do you guys see Meachem duplicating what he did in the first game this sat night?

Jim Henderson: No. Maybe I just haven't been watching at the right time, but I have not been impressed with Meachem during training camp. To me, he seems stiff coming out of his breaks and without a lot of natural speed.

kuts: Do you think if we lose the first game that were in trouble? like a repeat of last year?

Jim Henderson: No, even if they lose to Tampa, the next three games are winnable. Remember, the Saints seem to play better on the road than at home. After Tampa at home, they play at Denver and at Washington. Then they host San Francisco. I don't see them being any worse than 2-2 after the first four games.

dbk2400: I know we haven't had any cut downs yet, but have you heard of the possibility that a veteran that could help us being cut?

 Jim Henderson: No, but you can be very sure the Saints will be mindful of cuts around the league this year for possible help in the secondary and possibly at running back.

llw: Have the Saints made any cuts yet?

Jim Henderson: No.

knitting: Do you think that defensive players will begin to "gel", know their assignments and play better?

Jim Henderson: Yes, but I'm still worried about the overall talent in the defensive backfield. Our best playmaker is coming off a torn ACL and may have been helped a lot last year that he was not thrown a lot very often.

Chris985: Jim, I know this has been a redundant question, but what are the Saints doing about the defensive backfield?  I don't think brining in an aged Safety is going to help our corners...  We need immediate help on the outside.  Anymore news on Lito Sheppard?

Jim Henderson: I'm surprised that they would pick up a Lance Schulters this late in his career, especially since he's limited to safety as far as I know. They must be more concerned with Josh Bullocks than they let on.

kuts: Is Jason David going to start Saturday night? i hope not

Jim Henderson: I don't think so. I don't know who will, but I don't think he will.

beauford: Good afternoon Jim! I'm sure we all want to know your take on the state of our secondary, namely if we should keep Jason David or not.

Jeremy (Not Shockey): Jim, I can understand not panicking with the defense after 2 preseason games, but given that we have seen the exact same problems as last season already, should we not be concerned, in particular with Jason David?

timerider: Do you think they will cut Jason David?

Jim Henderson: You'd have to say his play warrants him being cut, but how much better are any of the other corners than he? That's what's so concerning.

beauford: Was Arrington better than Meachem before his injury?

Jim Henderson: Yes. I don't see every practice and you can't see every completion, but from what I have seen, yes.

kuts: is Jeremy Shockey going to get a lot of playing time Saturday night?

Jim Henderson: I would hope he'd get a half. I think if he's close to being in playing shape, I'd like to see him get a half. I think they would too. This is the time you put the pieces of the puzzle together because they won't play next week. This is the time you'd like to have all the regulars together into the third quarter.

Sean: any predictions on the overall record at this time?

Jim Henderson: 9-7.

beauford: What is your take on how Sedrick Ellis has performed in pre-season. How good do you think he will be?

Jim Henderson: He didn't have a statistic in the first game against Arizona, which doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't doing his job. He showed ability to penetrate from his defensive tackle position against the Texans...That will be the strength of his game - the penetration up the middle, the strength, a la Warren Sapp in his prime. He'll have a very solid career and be worthy of the pick the Saints made him in 2008.

artbeatma: Do you think Deuce will get 15-20 touches per game this season?

Chris985: Jim, how do you feel about Deuce after seeing him in a couple games?

Jim Henderson: Encouraged. I think the 15-20 touches will be high. 10-15 will be more like it if he can stay healthy. There's too many other playmakers on the team.

cbusby: Do you think the pass rush will be improved enough to take some heat off the secondary?

Jim Henderson: It had better be. On paper, yes. But you've still got to do it on the field.

kuts: how much time will Randall Gay miss with his injury?

Jim Henderson: They're talking about him maybe able to play this week. They're hopeful he might see some action Saturday.

G$: How complex is the Saints Defense compared to other teams??  Do you think the scheme is just difficult to pick up?

Jim Henderson: It was supposed to have been simplified this year as far as the play of the defensive line, being more of an aggressive defense than read and react. But then again, every team says something like that when they make a change prior to the season. You never hear anyone say they're going to be less aggressive on defense.

Jeremy (Not Shockey): Are we the 2008 version of the Cleveland Browns?  All offense, no defense.

Jim Henderson: I think you could make the summation at this point in the season. If he can stay healthy, Drew Brees should have some incredible statistics because it looks like he's going to have to throw the ball as much as he did last season if the Saints are going to stay in games. But this word of caution: Don't draw conclusions based on preseason.

beauford: How many WRs and CBs do you think the team will keep on the 53 man roster? Do you think Payton will keep 2 kickers again?

Jim Henderson: I don't think he will keep two kickers. I think they want Mehlhaff to win the job, but Gramatica hasn't done anything wrong, on his kickoffs or his field goal attempts. What we don't see are the kicks in practice that they chart exactly. As for WR's and CB's, I think they'll keep four WR's and four CB's, maybe five factoring in nickel backs.

timerider: Is that good enough to win the NFC South?

Jim Henderson: The 9-7 record? It just might be this year.

blazenx: with the play of Jason David as of late, why did we sign a Safety rather than bring in another CB for more competition..

Jim Henderson: That's a good question.

cbusby: Did the signing of Jason David and Brian Williams help get Mueller fired?

Jim Henderson: That's another good question. I don't think it played a major role. You could point to other mistakes in the draft and free agency during that regime when Rick was there. Maybe it was a contributor factor. But from what I understand, it was more a salary issue.

kuts: do you think that they will keep Arrington?

Jim Henderson: Yeah. I think it'll be hard to get him through onto the practice squad. But they've got to be thinking about possible injured reserve spot for him based on what he showed in camp. He may be kept, but he may go on IR.

cbusby: Jim, who can eat more hotdogs ... Hokie or Archie? Do you talk to Arch very often even tho he doesn't do the games anymore?

Jim Henderson: I heard from Archie Monday morning. He was in Orlando, Fla., making a speech and making money, as usual. He says he hasn't seen one play of the preseason of the Giants, Colts or Saints because he was busy making speeches and appearances. Archie was the fastest eater I've ever seen. He could have won contests at Nathans. Anybody who can put a Dome Dog down in three bites has my utmost admiration and sympathy. Hokie doesn't eat. He always trained himself as a scout and not to eat lunches. He used that time to meet coaches. He doesn't eat until later in the evening and it's almost exclusively meat. If Bobby is the Cajun Cannon, Hokie is the  Cajun Carnivore.

bigc: Jim have we overpaid for our DEs

Jim Henderson: Sure looks that way, doesn't it?

beauford: Four WRs is going to lead to some deep cuts. Who is not going to make it?

Jim Henderson: Let's figure this out. Marques, Patten, Meachem and Lance Moore. Though they're talking up Devery, with Devery being a fifth assuming Arrington goes on IR. I think that's one reason Arrington might. They feel like they have enough depth at WR.

Jim Henderson: He can spend a year maturing to help them next year.

kuts: Do you think that Vilma will make a difference? His play didn’t impress me last Saturday night.

Jim Henderson: I do. If he can return to full health, he'll be as good as we've had at the position in some time. But that's if he can return to full health and stay healthy.

kuts: I don’t think that Jason David will be on the 53-man roster

blazenx: What REALLY happened to Kenny Wilkerson??

Jim Henderson: Call WWL Radio.

G$: Given a healthy Deuce, Reggie, and Aaron Stecker, will we see Pierre Thomas besides special teams?

Jim Henderson: While he's very similar to Stecker in several ways - he's not the pass catcher - they're both try hard guys who run hard and through the tackles. Aaron has had problems staying healthy and if he can't stay healthy, Pierre fills his role - a change of pace third down back.

scott: Jim, If the defense continues to struggle will Gary Gibbs start to be criticized more publicly?

Jim Henderson: I think that'd be a natural expectation given their problems last year. That would come with the territory.

pick4freak: with the Eagles situation, any talk of Henderson in some package to the eagles?

Jim Henderson: I haven't heard that. It would make some sense. The Eagles would certainly be in the market for a WR.

beauford: Parting question, How insane is Michael Phelps?

Jim Henderson: I'll put it this way, I'd rather see him in a Speedo than Hollis Thomas.

timerider: Do you think Joe Horn will catch on with another team?

Jim Henderson: Somebody is going to run short of receivers and probably give him one more chance. I wouldn't be surprised if he would. But I never thought he'd be with the Falcons for more than a year when he went there last year.

pick4freak: do you think it is Gibbs or our players that are the problem?

Jim Henderson: I would say the players. I just don't see enough playmakers on defense. Maybe that's due to the guys they're signing and guys they're drafting. Defense doesn't seem to have any swagger to it.

dfolse1: Jim, I have grown up listening to you my whole life, you are the best in the business. Two questions:  Do we have to keep Jason David because of the salary cap hit would be too big and can Skyler Green really make this team?

Jim Henderson: Thanks mom. The salary cap hit would probably factor into keeping him. And as much as I'd like for it to happen, I don't see Skyler Green making the roster. I just don't see a spot for him.

Jim Henderson: You don't keep a guy at punt returner unless he's a Dante Hall on his prime. They've got capable kickoff returners in Pierre Thomas and Aaron Stecker. I don't think that he could be a much better punt returner than Lance Moore or Reggie Bush. We still haven't seen Bush in that role in preseason and I would expect we'd see him do some of that in Cincinnati. I think that's how they intend to use him during the regular season.

MARK: Do you think we will make the play offs

Jim Henderson: Yes. You have to make it as a division champion or a wild card, I'll take them as a wild card.

Jim Henderson: Well, thanks for chatting with us today. Time to get back to work and put together the evening sports. Tune in next week when myself, Scott Cody or Juan Kincaid will be with you again for Saints Talk.