METAIRIE, La., Feb. 16 -- The busy offseason of the New Orleans Saints continued Wednesday as the team signed St. Louis Rams linebacker Charlie Clemons to an offer sheet and named Mike McCarthy offensive coordinator.
Clemons is a restricted free agent and the Rams have seven days to match the offer.
If the Rams decline, they will receive no compensation for the 6-2, 255-pound special teams star.
Clemons played in all 16 games for the Super Bowl champions last season and posted 44 tackles, three sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. Clemons tied for the team lead with 23 special teams tackles and added two sacks in the playoffs.
Saints coach Jim Haslett, who was named on Feb. 3, already has tabbed Ron Zook as his defensive coordinator. McCarthy inherits an offense that has added quarterback Jeff Blake, who was signed to a multi-year contract Friday, and wide receiver Joe Horn, who signed Sunday.
McCarthy served as the quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers in 1999, tutoring Brett Favre and assisting Sherman Lewis in the weekly offensive game plan.
"Mike has been there and has been an integral part of winning teams," Haslett said. "His attention to detail and knowledge of both the passing game and the running game make him an excellent choice to oversee our offensive game planning. He has worked with the best in Joe Montana, Brett Favre and Rich Gannon."
"I'm thrilled for Mike that he has this opportunity," Favre said. "He's a real bright coach and will do a good job. I enjoyed working with him last season and certainly saw that he had the potential to be a coordinator. I knew he would get to this position soon enough."
