Saints SI Sean Payton: Saints built teams with Free Agents & UDFA's - Mike Detillier (1 Viewer)

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Ryan Griffin, running backs Pierre Thomas, Lynell Hamilton, Chris Ivory, Khiry Robinson, Trey Edmunds, and Travaris Cadet, WRs Brandon Coleman, Tommylee Lewis, Joe Morgan, and Lil’ Jordan Humphrey, WR/KR Deonte Harris, TEs Josh Hill, Garrett Griffin, and Dan Arnold, T Jermey Parnell, G Ethan Greenidge, C Cameron Tom, DTs Shy Tuttle, and Taylor Stallworth, DE Carl Granderson, LBs Jonathan Casillas, Jo-Lonn Dunbar, and Kasim Edebali, CBs Ken Crawley and Arthur Maulet, S Isa Abdul-Quddus, OLB Junior Galette and S/ST standouts in Chris Reis and J.T. Gray.
 
So, in a weird way, Antonio Pittman became a great pick for the Saints b/c cutting him and making Pierre an eventual starter established our reputation as a mecca for undrafted free agents.
“So, we drafted a running back high in 2007 to add some depth behind Deuce (McAllister) and Reggie (Bush), but Pierre from training camp, into the pre-season games and the practice sessions was the better player. Once you are here, we are looking at that element and not how you got here. You have to do what you feel is best for the team and Pierre ends up being a really good player for us as a runner and a receiver. Our scouting department did their homework on Pierre, and he came through big. That sent out the signal that as a team, we were going to keep the best player. Keeping Pierre over the draft pick was the right choice. We have missed on players too, and maybe we didn’t have the right vision for what they could do for us, but Pierre was such a big part of our team in those years and so when I’m on the phone back then with a player or his agent I can give them an example of a player we decided to keep over a draft choice." Sean Payton
 
But it's one of the main examples Payton gives in the interview.

I know. It's been used to death. If I were a UDFA it wouldn't carry much weight for me anymore because it was 13 years ago. "Remember that time we traded Stallworth and let a 7th round pick take his spot?" It's 2020 everyone. It's been so long not only are those guys retired. The guys who replaced those guys are retired.
 
That example has been used to death though. It was 13 years ago.
Yeah, on this board. I doubt you can find more than a handful of articles over those 13 years about us signing and keeping UDFAs with PT23 as the main example. We've kept so many since then that he's really an afterthought in today's Saints UDFA hauls. If this wasn't a Mike Detillier piece, PT23 may not have been mentioned as more than the start of our team's history of keeping and playing UDFA's over drafted players. There have been enough examples since him but he was the biggest surprise start that started the tradition.
 
I know. It's been used to death. If I were a UDFA it wouldn't carry much weight for me anymore because it was 13 years ago. "Remember that time we traded Stallworth and let a 7th round pick take his spot?" It's 2020 everyone. It's been so long not only are those guys retired. The guys who replaced those guys are retired.
You act like Shy Tuttle isn't a starting DT for us and a main part of the DL. Or Deonte Harris wasn't just an UDFA rookie All Pro. There have been countless examples since PT. IDK why you're so stuck on that one example. It even said he was just the start of a tradition.
 
You act like Shy Tuttle isn't a starting DT for us and a main part of the DL. Or Deonte Harris wasn't just an UDFA rookie All Pro. There have been countless examples since PT. IDK why you're so stuck on that one example. It even said he was just the start of a tradition.

Not that UDFAs can't make the team. They can. Mostly because we trade away our draft picks. Not because we cut a 4th round pick. If you want to use that example great. That's totally different than saying we just spent a 3rd round pick on a defensive tackle and Shy Tuttle beat him out for a roster spot. We always go back to 2007 on that one. But no I don't see Shy as a starter. I see him as a rotational guy who is replaceable but just hasn't been because we haven't drafted his replacement yet. I don't think he'll be on the team in two years.
 
Not that UDFAs can't make the team. They can. Mostly because we trade away our draft picks. Not because we cut a 4th round pick. If you want to use that example great. That's totally different than saying we just spent a 3rd round pick on a defensive tackle and Shy Tuttle beat him out for a roster spot. We always go back to 2007 on that one. But no I don't see Shy as a starter. I see him as a rotational guy who is replaceable but just hasn't been because we haven't drafted his replacement yet. I don't think he'll be on the team in two years.
OK then. You have much less faith in our FO than most of us do then. Plenty UDFA's have built careers that started here, whether with the Saints or another team. Carl Granderson was the highest paid UDFA last year and came here to play. You think he'll be gone in a year or two? I don't and don't think most fans do either.

And you conveniently didn't address the UDFA All Pro KR/PR who's also being worked into the offense from just last year. Why only mention Tuttle?
 
OK then. You have much less faith in our FO than most of us do then. Plenty UDFA's have built careers that started here, whether with the Saints or another team. Carl Granderson was the highest paid UDFA last year and came here to play. You think he'll be gone in a year or two? I don't and don't think most fans do either.

And you conveniently didn't address the UDFA All Pro KR/PR who's also being worked into the offense from just last year. Why only mention Tuttle?

Yes I think Carl Granderson will be gone in a year or two. What has he done? 8 tackles and a sack? It's not like he came in and set the world on fire when Davenport and Hendrickson were hurt. He's replaceable. Tuttle, Stallworth. Most of the UDFAs that make the team are just depth guys making the roster because we didn't have a full draft. Deonte Harris is a keeper. A lot of kick returners come into the league as UDFAs though. It's nothing special with us.
 
false. Kept JT Gray over Jamerson less than two years ago.

Im sure there are others.


Quick look for the year we drafted that horrible tackle out of FSU and see if a UDFA OL made the team that year. JT Gray is a special teams guy. He basically took Chris Banjos spot. And as soon as JT Gray is making vet money and we can replace him with cheap a rookie, we will.
 

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