Undrafted LB Casillas making presence felt

• By LES EAST
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Sep 2, 2009 - Page: 1C

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METAIRIE — Jonathan Casillas has remained in the thick of the competition to make the New Orleans Saints roster as a linebacker.

Whether he makes the team or winds up on the practice squad or neither, won’t be determined until sometime after the preseason finale against Miami on Thursday night in the Superdome.

But there are signs Casillas, an undrafted free agent from Wisconsin, has caught the coaching staff’s eye.

Casillas has been working at weakside linebacker behind starter Scott Shanle and Joe-Lonn Dunbar. When Mark Simoneau, who played primarily weakside, was place on injured reserve last month, the Saints looked at bringing in a veteran to bolster the depth behind Shanle.

They worked out Derrick Brooks, an 11-time Pro Bowler, and Derek Smith, a 12-year veteran. Three weeks later, Brooks and Smith are still unemployed, meaning New Orleans sees no urgency to bring in someone who plays the position at which Casillas is competing.

Casillas said he thinks it’s a good sign the Saints haven’t signed another linebacker, “but at the same time,” he was quick to add, “I think if they had brought Derrick Brooks in that would have been another person I could learn from.”

In New Orleans’ 45-7 preseason victory at Oakland on Saturday, the Saints gave Casillas some snaps on the strong side for the first time.

“A lot of the older guys always talk to me and say the more versatile you are, the more they can use you and the higher your value is to the team,” Casillas said. “I’m just trying to learn all the linebacker positions. It’s taking a little more of a learning curve, but at the same time I think. I’m a pretty fast learner and I think I’ve been catching up pretty well.”

Casillas, like most young linebackers, is also active in special teams. He has three unassisted tackles on defense and two unassisted tackles on special teams.

“They put me in the game pretty early in special teams,” Casillas said. “That’s another thing I’m trying to excel at as much as possible. I’ve still got a lot of things I can learn. I think with my athleticism, I’ll be fine in that area.”

Coach Sean Payton said the starters are scheduled to play one series against the Dolphins, enabling the staff to compile more evidence on the players they must make decisions on.

Casillas gave a pretty simple answer when asked what he thinks he needs to show the coaches in order to convince them he deserves to stick around.

“Just that I’m not a dumb rookie,” he said, “and I’ll be able to make plays whenever they put me out there. I’ve got to do something. I’ve got to show what Jonathan Casillas can bring to the table.”