NFL Draft Ashton Jeanty or Tyler Warren? (20 Viewers)

[bayoumilitia]

That doesn't mean draft OL at 9. They literally picked the bust Becton off the scrap heap and inserted him at RG.

What we can't do is just keep strolling Ruiz out there at RG b/c he signed an extension. He's not good and gets manhandled out there.

I'd send him to the Chargers for Quentin Johnston. Let him go play for his college coach.

One thing is for certain Snake. Besides Fuaga and a healthy McCoy I think the rest of our O line positions are up for either a change of personnel, reassignment or trade

 

[jboss]

Are we? Or are ridiculously talented offenses gaining already talented RBs happening? Again, RBs raise your ceiling not floor.

Top 5 RBs in rushing.
Barkey - Joined the most talented offense in the NFL. (Couldn't lead the Giants)
Henry - Joined an already elite running team with MVP QB. (Couldn't lead the Titans)
Bijan - Couldn't lead the Falcons to a title in a weak division.
Taylor - Couldn't lead the Colts to a winning record.
Gibbs - Joined an already elite offense.
Jacob's - Joined an already elite offense. (Couldn't lead the Raiders)

If anything the league is saying you need to build your roster first then add an elite RB.

Not the other way around.

You could say that about any position other than QB really. RBs don't lead their teams anywhere. Neither do OTs or DTs or DBs. Picking any position at 9 isn't guaranteed to make this team better.

You could argue McCaffrey or Bijan were overdrafted because the teams that drafted them didn't see success. You could also make that argument for the vast majority of top 10 picks regardless of position. Bad teams draft high. Some players are straight up busts, let alone contributing to the building of a team. Picking a back top 10 probably has one of the lowest bust rates of any position.

 

[St. Geezy]

That doesn't mean draft OL at 9. They literally picked the bust Becton off the scrap heap and inserted him at RG.

What we can't do is just keep strolling Ruiz out there at RG b/c he signed an extension. He's not good and gets manhandled out there.

I'd send him to the Chargers for Quentin Johnston. Let him go play for his college coach.

I think our OL is a perfect example of the first round of the draft not being the end-all be-all solution to OL woes.

We have three first rounders on the line, and a Pro Bowl second rounder, and people still think our line is bad and it must be fixed with and only with the help of another first round pick?

 

[AARPSaint]

According to our new coach it's through OL/DL.

And I think he’s right for THIS team. The Saints are in better shape with the so-called skill positions than they are with the OL, and the DL is not good. Just considering the offense aside from the OL, one WR and a TE is all they really need. RB is paper thin, and we have argued interminably about QB—but a big WR is the main need if the injured TEs can come back. I think JJ could be upgraded through the draft, but even there, it doesn’t seem as urgent as upgrading the OL.

 

[Snakehead]

One thing is for certain Snake. Besides Fuaga and a healthy McCoy I think the rest of our O line positions are up for either a change of personnel, reassignment or trade

I'd keep Penning at RT and let him develop into it leaving just LG and RG as needs. Some will say we have Ruiz at RG, but he needs to be upgraded.

 

[bayoumilitia]

I'd keep Penning at RT and let him develop into it leaving just LG and RG as needs. Some will say we have Ruiz at RG, but he needs to be upgraded.

I concur, Penning will likely never be Ram and there have been others that have suggested that Trevor might be better suited as a Guard. Who knows maybe we go out and get a starting RT and move Penning to Guard in place of Ruiz. The new O line coach will look at the tape and sit down with KM and Nuss and figure out scheme wise what we can and can’t do with what we have and go from there.

Unfortunately for CR I agree with you, extension or not I think his time here in NOLA might be coming to an end sooner rather than later

 

[St. Geezy]

I'd keep Penning at RT and let him develop into it leaving just LG and RG as needs. Some will say we have Ruiz at RG, but he needs to be upgraded.

Unfortunately I think we will have to live with Ruiz and hope we can coach him up. He’s had plenty of good moments and he certainly was playing at a good level when he got the extension; for one reason or another, he’s regressed, but I do see the vision.

 

[bayoumilitia]

Unfortunately I think we will have to live with Ruiz and hope we can coach him up. He’s had plenty of good moments and he certainly was playing at a good level when he got the extension; for one reason or another, he’s regressed, but I do see the vision.

I’m rooting for him for sure. Maybe he regressed due to an unknown injury, coaching or lack of confidence but yeah if he can get back to his peak form I think this coaching staff will definitely have a role for him.

You know though how the NFL is. You’re only as good as what you have recently put on tape and by that measure it’s going to be rough. With that said I realize that sometimes there’s more to a player’s performance or lack there of than what us fans really know.

 

[Snakehead]

Unfortunately I think we will have to live with Ruiz and hope we can coach him up. He’s had plenty of good moments and he certainly was playing at a good level when he got the extension; for one reason or another, he’s regressed, but I do see the vision.

If we are trying to go more physical to bully guys, he's not an option. He's finesse and we need maulers.

 

[St. Geezy]

If we are trying to go more physical to bully guys, he's not an option. He's finesse and we need maulers.

True. My thoughts are merely based on the financials. We are kind of locked-in with him I believe. Kind of a forced sunken cost fallacy situation.

 

[RJS]

True. My thoughts are merely based on the financials. We are kind of locked-in with him I believe. Kind of a forced sunken cost fallacy situation.

I've been hard on Ruiz in the past but to be fair to him, he had a much better year last year than previous seasons.

In 2023 he had a PFF grade of 51.2 which was lousy. In 2024 he had a PFF grade of 67.6 which was good enough for 38th of 135 qualifying guards, He only gave up one sack which was a big improvement. The new blocking scheme really suited him. He's also still only 25 years old. He's shown that he can be serviceable and might still have some more upside.

His good season was kind of lost in the disaster around him.

 

[JackDiesel]

It's not just one example with Saquan. It's almost every single example. RBs need a talented roster around them to really impact the game.

Barkley - Giants
Didn't take the Giants anywhere. Now on a STACKED roster with the best OLine in football, a pro bowl QB, and two elite WRs, he's a gamebreaker. He lead the entire league in yards before contact at 4. 4!!!

Henry - Titans
Couldn't take tbe Titans anywhere but now on a talented Ravens roster with an elite run blocking like and the multi-MVP QB he's a game breaker.

McCaffery - Lost more games than won as a Panthers. Went to the 9ers with a talented roster and all of the sudden they look like world beaters.

And there's more: Bijan Robinson, Leonard Fortunette, CJ Spiller, Trent Richardson, etc. Drafting a RB in the top 10 is historically a bad team building move unless you're roster is already very talented.

There's just so many examples of RBs being elite ceiling raisers and poor floor raisers. We just don't have anywhere near the talent.

Your Derrick Henry and the Titans is way off. They made the playoffs 3 years in a row with Tannehill at QB. He leaves and they had a grand total of 3 wins.

McCaffrey left the Panthers and they went from 7 wins to 2.

Giants went from making the playoffs and Daniel Jones playing competent enough to get a bigger contract than Carr to becoming a 3 win team and cutting Jones in 2 years.

What about that one team that had been god awful, drafted a RB 2nd overall? Reignited a fan base, gave the offensive minded head coach a weapon he could use all over the field to create mismatches and then they won the Super Bowl 4 years later.

 

[JackDiesel]

And I think he’s right for THIS team. The Saints are in better shape with the so-called skill positions than they are with the OL, and the DL is not good. Just considering the offense aside from the OL, one WR and a TE is all they really need. RB is paper thin, and we have argued interminably about QB—but a big WR is the main need if the injured TEs can come back. I think JJ could be upgraded through the draft, but even there, it doesn’t seem as urgent as upgrading the OL.

Our o-line is the strongest most heavily invested position group on our team outside of 1 of the 5 starters.

LT - Fuaga, 1st round pick played well as a rookie.
LG - Sole true weak spot
C - McCoy, Pro Bowl 2nd round pick
RG - Ruiz, 1st round pick, upgradable but 3 years left on his deal that isn't entirely unreasonable and probably needs to be restructured to get under the cap.
RT - Penning, 1st round pick first year at the spot. Needs to work on pass protection but showed flashes. Good run blocker.

WR - We have Olave who has a career threatening amount of concussions and Shaheed who played in 6 games before being done for the year and missed time each season before. We finished the year with street FA's and UDFA's.

TE - Moreau is about it that's for sure coming back. JJ was wildly inconsistent and no one else stepped up.

RB - Kamara is 30 and has missed time or been hampered by injuries the last few years. TCU RB always injured and can't even learn the playbook. Rattler was having to get him lined up in the right spot. CEH, re-signed to a 1 year deal and looked ok in limited number of snaps but the Chiefs cut him for a reason. Williams is an easy cut.

You could have elite lineman but if your WR's aren't getting open eventually pressure will get to the QB. If your RB's aren't good at breaking tackles or seeing the hole then the lineman are all for not. It's all about balance. The Eagles had 2 first round picks as starters and one of them was a bust at his original position. We snag a starting guard in FA and our offensive line is set other than adding depth.

 

[livefromDC]

I think our OL is a perfect example of the first round of the draft not being the end-all be-all solution to OL woes.

We have three first rounders on the line, and a Pro Bowl second rounder, and people still think our line is bad and it must be fixed with and only with the help of another first round pick?

Let's go a step farther! When the Saints had a dominant Offensive Line, A super Bowl winning line, a top 5 OL...there were NO 1st round picks on it.

Don't take this to mean don't ever use the 1st round pick on OL. It simply means you don't have to do it. The Saints have been drafting OL and DEs with the first pick like they HAVE to do it.