Hopefully we won't sign anyone tomorrow (1 Viewer)

LSSpam

Practice Squad
Joined
Jun 2, 2002
Messages
28,418
Reaction score
8,144
Age
42
Location
Oxford, MS
Offline
I know free agency is exciting. I'm not trying to be flippant (for once). I do understand the enthusiasm.

But bad money will be spent tomorrow. This is a very different free agency than what we're used too. Normally, teams are able to retain capable players they like without too much difficulty. At least this has been the case in the past. Useful players who hit free agency typically do so from atypical circumstances or outrageous contract demands. The net result tends to be a somewhat top heavy free agency where teams compete over a limited amount of actual contributors. This puts a heavy premium on shooting out of the gate, because in most circumstances after the first, say, 3 safeties are off the market, you're not getting a starter. Some years not even a rotation guy.

This is not the case now.

The CBA has changed the field. The flat cap is devastating the middle of many teams rosters. You can't not sign Joe Flacco, who wants a contract based on escalating salaries as we saw during the old CBA. So you let Kruger walk. And Reed. And trade Boldin,

That would not have happened in 2009. Now it's happening all over the NFL.

I encourage fans, and hope the Saints, recognize this changing landscape. There will be a rush out of the gate for players. Bad money will be spent. But the market is flooded with serviceable players, many could be potential starters. This is probably the deepest free agency pool I've seen in the past decade at least.

If we wait a week, maybe we dealing with so called "second tier" players, but we're going to get guys with 90% of the production of the lead dogs for 50% of the cost. It is absolutely the right move to make. Anything else is irresponsible and setting us up for future failure.

It makes no sense to spend $11 million on Wallace if you might could get, say, Greg Jennings for $5 or $6. Everyone wants Paul Kruger and understandably so. But you realize Conner Barwin might be as good and will be significantly cheaper?


I really encourage patience tomorrow. If all goes right, we won't be signing anyone.
 
Totally agree, we cant afford to overspend, we need to spend wisely
 
This is true, especially given the Saints cap situation. Let the dust settle and there will be some good deals to be made. The Saints obviously have a more than capable offense to win another Super Bowl but the defense is more than one player away from being championship ready. The players needed to build the defense back up to at least average will be out there. I'm confident the Saints front office will be smart and get the guys needed to turn it around this season.
 
I agree, we need to let the market start to sweat playing in 2013, because many won't find work or retire because they won't work for the min.
 
I agree wholeheartedly.

In the next 14 or so hours we will know how we got under the salary cap for the 3PM CDT deadline. There is a very good chance that Smith and Vilma will be gone. If they are gone, or opt for less money, we still will be very cap limited. Picking up 2-3 mid-tier players two weeks from now after the prices go down is more realistic and more in line with what we have done in the past. We must choose wisely, grasshopper.
 
I hope we sign someone tomorrow on a reasonable contract.

It's possible I'm overestimating the frenzy. Agents have had 3 days to gauge the market, maybe their expectations are more realistic. But they sure weren't realistic for Flacco or Harvin so I'm skeptical.

I think the agents will push escalated contracts that ignore the new CBA reality until the stupid teams are out of cap. And that's when you'll see the smart franchises swoop in and get quality players for pennies on the dollar.

Like I said, maybe ill be surprised and there will be more reason in the market, but the evidence thus far suggests not.
 
Do you know which would be more beneficial for us? Cutting guys before or after free agency starts?
 
Except that when Payton pulls the trigger on a big player and a big deal, you will all be conceding to Payton for knowing what he is doing. So, instead of trying to have some control over this, let's let the big boys handle this and make the decisions, while we sit back and stop acting like we know what they should do or will do.

It all comes down to what Payton wants to do, not us.
 
Dont worry. Loomis will not go on a spending spree. He always let the market die down and he goes to work. We have to sign our own first. Starts with Bushrod. We got to secure that LT position. A good OL only make the QB better. The game is won in the trenches....
 
Do you know which would be more beneficial for us? Cutting guys before or after free agency starts?

Oh we'll make the two big decisions, Vilma and Smith, before FA begins, guaranteed. For one, we have to get under the cap anyways, which pretty much means dealing with Smith one way or another. Two, as long time, well thought of veterans, they'll deserve an opportunity on the market. We could always just cut them and resign them later if we'd like.

Past those two we may wait. Guys like Will Herring don't exactly have a waiting list of suitors, it's not much of a disservice to him to hold him on the roster and only cut him when the space is actually needed. We may cut him before FA, but it doesn't matter much whether we do or not.

The reason for delay? It's just what Loomis does. The Saints are notoriously secretive amongst the media. They very rarely tip their hand (which is why the "Saints like player X" stories are laughable). Loomis always waits patiently. Fr trade offers (remember how long he Shockey trade dragged out?), to make contract offers (Brees), to do anything. We're notorious for bringing in FAs and then not signing them until a week later, usually after they visit somewhere else. That always creates panic on the forum.

Loomis embodies zen-like patience in most things. Don't be surprised if we only deal with Vilma and Smith tomorrow. Not because we won't make other moves, but because he's liable to only make the moves he absolutely has to until the last possible moment,
 
Oh we'll make the two big decisions, Vilma and Smith, before FA begins, guaranteed. For one, we have to get under the cap anyways, which pretty much means dealing with Smith one way or another. Two, as long time, well thought of veterans, they'll deserve an opportunity on the market. We could always just cut them and resign them later if we'd like.

Past those two we may wait. Guys like Will Herring don't exactly have a waiting list of suitors, it's not much of a disservice to him to hold him on the roster and only cut him when the space is actually needed. We may cut him before FA, but it doesn't matter much whether we do or not.

The reason for delay? It's just what Loomis does. The Saints are notoriously secretive amongst the media. They very rarely tip their hand (which is why the "Saints like player X" stories are laughable). Loomis always waits patiently. Fr trade offers (remember how long he Shockey trade dragged out?), to make contract offers (Brees), to do anything. We're notorious for bringing in FAs and then not signing them until a week later, usually after they visit somewhere else. That always creates panic on the forum.

Loomis embodies zen-like patience in most things. Don't be surprised if we only deal with Vilma and Smith tomorrow. Not because we won't make other moves, but because he's liable to only make the moves he absolutely has to until the last possible moment,
What happens if we don't cut them tomorrow? and thx for filling me in btw.
 
Wise words. There will be plenty of bargains available to us if we are patient.
 
I know free agency is exciting. I'm not trying to be flippant (for once). I do understand the enthusiasm.

But bad money will be spent tomorrow. This is a very different free agency than what we're used too. Normally, teams are able to retain capable players they like without too much difficulty. At least this has been the case in the past. Useful players who hit free agency typically do so from atypical circumstances or outrageous contract demands. The net result tends to be a somewhat top heavy free agency where teams compete over a limited amount of actual contributors. This puts a heavy premium on shooting out of the gate, because in most circumstances after the first, say, 3 safeties are off the market, you're not getting a starter. Some years not even a rotation guy.

This is not the case now.

The CBA has changed the field. The flat cap is devastating the middle of many teams rosters. You can't not sign Joe Flacco, who wants a contract based on escalating salaries as we saw during the old CBA. So you let Kruger walk. And Reed. And trade Boldin,

That would not have happened in 2009. Now it's happening all over the NFL.

I encourage fans, and hope the Saints, recognize this changing landscape. There will be a rush out of the gate for players. Bad money will be spent. But the market is flooded with serviceable players, many could be potential starters. This is probably the deepest free agency pool I've seen in the past decade at least.

If we wait a week, maybe we dealing with so called "second tier" players, but we're going to get guys with 90% of the production of the lead dogs for 50% of the cost. It is absolutely the right move to make. Anything else is irresponsible and setting us up for future failure.

It makes no sense to spend $11 million on Wallace if you might could get, say, Greg Jennings for $5 or $6. Everyone wants Paul Kruger and understandably so. But you realize Conner Barwin might be as good and will be significantly cheaper?


I really encourage patience tomorrow. If all goes right, we won't be signing anyone.

If we wait patiently, we can end up signing players to modest deals with the benefit on being on a contender rather than going to a mediocre team with slightly better pay. Last FA period with Hawthorne, Lofton and Bunkley shows that.
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Users who are viewing this thread

    Back
    Top Bottom