ESPN NFL

This weekend's mandatory mini-camp in New Orleans could be critical, not just to rookie head coach Sean Payton and a Saints team trying to recover from the disastrous 2005 campaign, but also to the landscape of the early portion of this month's NFL draft.

New Orleans dealt starting left offensive tackle Wayne Gandy to Atlanta on Thursday, in part because the Saints' brass felt the 12-year veteran had become too pricey with a $4 million base salary for this year, but also because Payton and offensive coordinator Doug Marrone wanted the chance to see how second-year pro Jammal Brown would react to a crucial position change.

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