Loss #9 -The New Orleans Saints

Jordan Gross...I like it. But didn't the panthers throw the franchise tag on him last year? I think he would come at a high price. And we all know how much CP loves to spend money. He would be awesome to stick in at RT if we can get him on the cheap. And, a guy like that would be perfect to help train the new right side I suggested. He is a tad old but if we can get him for pennies on the dollar, I say go for it. The thing I really like about Suggs is that he is a proven pass rusher and might be had on the cheap this year. And, we know how CP loves cheap.

definately like your plan for MLB first no matter what...Stopping the run is priority, absolutely...FA targets should be Jordan Gross and Suggs...

Thanks for responding Merlin. Good Feedback.

Yah its a lot of O-line. But we have 3 holes at O-line. C rG rOT. The reason I went with 4 instead of 3 is Tupou. If the rG pick doesnt pan out maybe Tupou will. If the rOT pick doesnt pan out you can also fill it with Tupou. He is very much like an all purpose sealant.

Also, right around the bottom of the 3rd is where it seems the best rOT's and rOG's are going to go. Which really works out for us. You might even be able to find Luigs at the top of the 3rd.

Yah I know, you cant predict those trades, but they do happen. These pics are about 2/3 practical application 1/3 wish list. Mack and Cushing are probably going to go in the bottom 1st. Although, with the way draft day REALLY goes..one of them will hopefully drop. Thats why I put 2nd and 3rd selections in there.

The nice thing is that Luigs and McRath can probably be had in the 2nd. And the are both top tallent...hardly sloppy seconds. That is assuming McRath declares.

Good comments though, you're probably mostly right in the end. And you other guys that know this team pretty well. Chime in. I want feedback. Or I will post more endlessly rambling commentary!

I cant decide if Herm is stupid or in over his head or if any of this is his fault.

lets see Carl hires Herm as a rookie free agent , Herm recovers a fumble in a meaningless game and now here we are thirty years later.

When i read herman edwards quotes, nine times out of ten i am left wondering what the hell he was talking about. Ten times out of ten i think he is stupid either way.

Good counterargument D. The top of the draft last year was pretty unpredictable and I believe that if Ryan fell to us at 5, we would have pulled the trigger. I doubt anybody thought he was going to be THIS good this soon, but imagine what would have happened if Atlanta drafted Glenn and we got Matt Ryan? Brodie was handpicked by Herm, and I know Herm and Kucharich were eyeing Thiggy up when he was being drafted, but the Vikes drafted him, cut him, and we jumped all over it. Gotta give the organization, whoever was responsible, for finding a diamond in the rough (so far anyway right?)

Prior to the draft, I thought Ryan was going to eventually make a team happy after taking his lumps for 3 years or so and didn't think we could afford to have him get killed behind a makeshift line. He's got the "it" factor, busts his ass doing the little things and has the Falcons in playoff contention with some clutch play.

The pass rush is garbage. We really miss Jared now, but we certainly couldn't afford to pay him 31,000,069 in guaranteed money. I'm from baltimore (not a Ravens fan obviously) and have watched Suggs quite a lot. He is a rare breed of pass rusher. We can afford him this offseason and can go after another need at the top of the draft. ANDRE SMITH! He can get us that extra yard we couldn't get yesterday on several occasions inside the 5....

Jeremy & Adam,

Here are Herm's exact words on Ryan:

" . . . the thing this guy has is his ability to win. That's the thing you like about quarterbacks -- some guys win, some guys don't. You can look at all the stats, arm strength, you can look at all the different things, but at the end, can he win games? This guy has done that."

Doesn't much sound like the language of a smokescreen to me. No, that sounds a lot like straightforward words of praise to me.

Also, if you're going to blame Herm for Brodie (which btw is fair I think), then don't you also have to give him credit for snatching up Thiggy? Especially if he continues to play well and improve between now and the end of the season? Just sayin' yo.

Jeremy,

Thank you. I love all these Addicts who try and say Harm liked Matt Ryan as much as I did (or even that much at all)...lmao...really? The Chiefs interest was a smokescreen.

I wouldn't want Harm picking what color highlighter I'm going to buy from Office Depot, let alone a QB.

Well, Double D, in the last draft there was no Calvin Johnson, who is destroying defenses despite being saddled by the worst QB situation in the NFL.

And, guys, the robot thing ins't that big a deal. Or maybe it's just because I always change during the break b/c I have Direct Ticket and always miss 'em. Still, not that big of a deal.

Last year, Herm said before the draft that there was not a QB in the draft he felt was worthy of the #5 pick. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco are pretty darn good. But specifically about Ryan, Herm stated he wasn't a "franchise" QB.

This is the same Herm who fell in love with Brodie Croyle and handed him the starting job two seasons in a row (even though he eventually lost out the first time because he was so God-awful).

Is Herm the man you want choosing our QB of th future?

Nice analysis Steven. DE/OLB Selvie is another guy who I believe could help because he has such great ability to get into a quarterback's head and also as a run defender. Some are projecting him in the top 10.

I suspect that Crabtree will not go as high as some people seem to think. Most teams have gotten leery about using their #1 pick on a WR. Recall that in the last draft no WRs were taken until the 2nd round (Donnie Avery).

The robot thing is assinine.

Steven: As Adam said, another nice job. Your analysis is always pretty solid. Like you, I am starting to sour a bit on Tank. We really need him to hold the line and occupy blockers.

MB, nice shot at a draft. I generally like where you are going with it. You can't really predict a trade though. Trading out of the top five is very hard these days. However, I like the idea of Maualuga and Mack on this team. Drafting four offensive lineman seems to be overkill. Perhaps drafting a DT, DE or even a WR in rounds three or four would give us a better balanced draft. I can see drafting two offensive lineman in the first four rounds, not four and probably not three.

"I would draft 1. DE, 2. LB or OL, and then pick up a really solid LB or OL in free agency, what ever we didn’t draft in rd 2."

The problem with this strategy is that they have proven that they aren't very good at evaluating talent at LB or OL in free agency.

Brodie was a pretty weak link. Tyler has been sooooo much better. Such an improvement.

Totally agree on Herm. Both on the fourth and two and on the goalline with Larry. Why not run a Thiggy draw there? Why not throw out of Wildcat? Our biggest problem now is that with Larry we are predictable. We didn't forget about him, it's just that either we lined up and said hey, we're running L.J. down you throat, or lined up five wide and said hey, we're throwing the fade to Dwayne Bowe.

All young QBs struggle a bit in the condensed redzone, but mixing it up with draws and the Wildcat could have been the answer. Hell, I would have even of liked to see the Wildcat on fourth and 2 there, have Larry boot out and hit Tony in the flat for an easy two.

I just don't understand why we only run this thing twice a game when it has worked basically every single time. It's like 6/6 or something close to that, and easily averages over five yards a pop. What do we have to lose? What are we protecting at this point -- our draft status? Seems like it sometimes.

Nice work, as always, Steven. Pollard played great last week, but with Page back the safeties didn't look good again.

HATE THAT EFFFING ROBOT. I have stewing over that bastard for years now. As for the defence/draft, I really think our secoundary has mega potential. Page and pollard make mistakes, but most safties do. They are still very young and do a lot of good things. I like mcgraw and morgan as back ups too. CBs are going to be gooooood. Even legett is showing tight coverage at times. 3 rookie cbs starting this year, and i think they are doing great considering the time opposing qbs are getting to throw. The weakness is the pass rush. I think Tyler and Dorsey will get better and be rocks in the middle eventually, but i'm not so sure hali should be a #1 pass rush guy. Mcbride i'm not sure is even a #2 guy. I like him as someone to rotate in every once and a while. Drafting a DE high may not be the worst idea. We also need to draft a few LB's for sure as they (even when healthy) have been bad. I would draft 1. DE, 2. LB or OL, and then pick up a really solid LB or OL in free agency, what ever we didn't draft in rd 2. Aside from these positions i think the team looks pretty good and set for the future.

I posted this in AADQ but I didn't think it would get read...so here goes...

I stayed up late one night, burning the midnight oil, to come up with a killer draft strategy.

Ok, now bear with me, cause i know some of these guys wont drop outa the first…but there are some seriously solid second choices.

Oh, and I made the assumption that we traded down with someone like the Texans for their 1st and 2nd for the top DE or Crabtree or something.

here we go…

(8) 1st Ray Malegula (ILB)
(35) 2nd Brian Cushing (OLB)(McRath)(Freeman)
(40) 2nd Alex Mack (C) (Luigs)(Caldwell)
(67) 3rd Phil Loadholt (rOT)(Tupou)(Boone)(Meredith)
(99) 3rd Fenuki Tupou (rOG)(Cantfield)(Parker)
(120)4th T. Cantfield (rOG)(Parker)
5th ?
6th ?
7th ?

Tupou can play both rOT or rOG

In one fell swoop that would fix 5 of our 6 glaring holes.

I know I left out a rushing DE. You really have to pick those at the top of the first and I’m thinking Malegula is a much safer bet than the top DE’s this year. Oh, and we get a needed 2nd pick outa it.

I also think we should SERIOUSLY consider paying for Suggs DE rushing talent. He would be good enough for now. Combined with Malegula’s rushing talents…could get interesting.

Anyways, that is what my sick mind has been mulling over these last few weeks…tell me what you think.