[Buckskin86]

New Orleans Saints' Charles Grant, Will Smith confident team backs them up
Posted by Brian Allee-Walsh, The Times-Picayune
June 05, 2009

Still clinging to a chance that their four-game suspensions might get overturned in court, Saints defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant went about their business Friday on the first day of minicamp.

Each worked exclusively with the first unit and will continue to do so until Saints Coach Sean Payton deems a change in the depth chart is necessary.

Smith, too, said he has the support of team officials, regardless how the StarCaps case plays out in the coming months.

In its ongoing effort to get the suspensions overturned, the NFL Players Association filed an appeal in Minneapolis on behalf of Smith, Grant, former Saints running back Deuce McAllister and Vikings defensive tackles Pat Williams and Kevin Williams.

"I don't have any particular feeling on anything," Smith said. "There's still a lot of time to see what happens in the next couple of months. When you find out, I'll find out."

Asked if team officials had voiced their support of him, Smith replied: "I don't think they have to say it. I get the impression they are behind me. If they weren't, I'm sure they would have told me by now, but they haven't told me anything.

"But as far as I'm concerned, and as far as (Saints general manager) Mickey (Loomis) and Sean go, they are behind me and Charles 100 percent."

New Orleans Saints' Charles Grant, Will Smith confident team backs them up - New Orleans Saints Beat