DWD's Offseason Forecast (Rob Ryan UPDATE) v. 4.0 (1 Viewer)

[DownWithDisease]

Sean Payton has signed his 5 year extension, and has returned to the Saints with a vengeance. Steve Spagnuolo was fired and the Saints have added veteran DC Rob Ryan to take over the defense and install his 3-4 scheme.

Current Players Released or not Re-signed]

Scott Shanle - Not re-signed following extensive status on INACTIVE list 2nd half of season.

Sedrick Ellis - Under performed and doesn't fit the 3-4.

Jonathan Vilma - Too expensive and not a good fit in the 3-4.

Will Smith - ZERO chance he is a Saint next season.

Will Herring - Released because backups shouldn't make what he will be making.

Devery Henderson - Has all but disappeared; isn't getting any younger.

Roman Harper - We have to save money, and although Harp is solid, he's simply too expensive.

Jermon Bushrod - Will most likely price himself out of our range and take bigger money somewhere else.


Re-structured Contracts

Jahri Evans - Takes one for the team. Won't effect overall pay.

Brodrick Bunkley - Will be asked to re-structure, or will be released.

Darren Sproles - Again, won't effect overall pay, just help our cap this season.


Free Agents

*The re-structuring of contracts and the release of others will give us a little wiggle room in Free-Agency in my estimation*

ILB Larry Grant - Good player, but buried behind studs in S.F. Could start here.

CB Derek Cox - Cox is a talented kid that has solid starting skills, but he's a big injury risk (which should make him affordable)

OT Jason Smith - Veteran depth at OT for a cheap price.

SS George Wilson - Quality veteran SS, that should come cheap.

QB Drew Stanton - Vet back-up/stop-gap until we draft/sign a new project/future QB.

2013 Draft

1.) Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia - I really think Jones will fall after the Combine and his being put under the microscope medically. He's a BEAST pass-rusher. Steal at #15.

3.) Oday Aboushi, OT, Virginia - LT prospect whose stock took a hit after a shaky week in Mobile. Has the tools to be a perfect LT in our offense.

4.) Brandan Bishop, SS, NC State - Bishop is an under-rated prospect that is a solid tackler and has a nose for the football. STer from the start.

5.) Brandon Williams, DT, Missouri Southern - NT prospect with upside to eventually become starter in our new 3-4 front.

7.) Emory Blake, WR, Auburn - Son of former Saints QB Jeff Blake, Emory Blake has speed and size, and would be a higher rated prospect if Auburn threw the ball more and this WR class wasn't so deep.

 

[SF2313]

How much under the cap do you estimate we'd be with the relases and restructures mentioned above?

 

[Jizamo311]

Jarvis Jones falling to 15 is a long shot IMO

 

[sammymvpknight]

1) Restructures does not mean pay cut. It means shifting guaranteed money from one year to the next.

Jahri has no incentive to take a paycut. Why would he? Because he is a nice guy? He is a perennial pro bowler.

If you have seen Bunkley's contract numbers, you would know that it makes ABSOLUTELY ZERO sense to cut him. He holds ALL the cards and will not take a pay cut. You have drafted a 5th round NT in hopes to man the middle with no backup plan. Recipe for disaster...uh, yes.

2) Jarvus Jones will not be there at 15 unless his head falls off his neck. Every team outside of the top three is "hoping he slips" to them.

3) I agree that Vilma, Herring, and Ellis will not be back next year. They cost way too much and don't fit in the 3-4. I am not as sure about Henderson, Shanle, and Smith. I actually could see them back (though I hope it doesn't happen) if they take reduced rates. The Saints could do worse than Will Smith backing up Cameron Jordan if he is playing close to league minumum. I could see Harper parting ways, but it will come down to whether or not he fits in Ryan's system. I could also see Jenkins being gone. But I have a tough time seeing BOTH of them gone. I think that Bushrod will be the priority going into the offseason to resign. O-line continuity is essential on the Saints and though Bushrod may not be elite...he does a great job protecting Brees' blindside. I don't think that the Saints will hand that key over to a rookie or a mediocre "OT at a cheap price".

 

[DeBru]

Jarvis Jones falling to 15 is a long shot IMO

It's not a longshot. Certain positions like QB and OT will force him to fall along with his injury concerns. Very realistic he's there for us I think.

 

[Saint Droopy]

Jones might be on the board in the 20s... one analyst (Kirwin I believe) said teams are scared to death of his injuries. Maybe someone will take him early but the red flags are up.

 

[treeduck]

Where's the 6th round pick? Don't forget the Ruud trade was void, he was cut on October 8 and has been with the Texans ever since.

 

[Lurkaholic]

1) Restructures does not mean pay cut. It means shifting guaranteed money from one year to the next.

If you have seen Bunkley's contract numbers, you would know that it makes ABSOLUTELY ZERO sense to cut him.

These facts have been pointed out over and over and over on this forum. Why some self-proclaimed Nostradami continue to post banal and impossible prediction threads while refusing to understand them is anyone's guess.

You have drafted a 5th round NT in hopes to man the middle with no backup plan. Recipe for disaster...uh, yes.

I lol'd at that too.

 

[Hanau Eepe Saint]

Brandon Williams is a beast though..

Just look at him... that alone should get him a place in our camp

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rIpo1xF7IhI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[scott88]

Hard to believe Jeff Blake has a son old enough for the NFL

 

[DownWithDisease]

1) Restructures does not mean pay cut. It means shifting guaranteed money from one year to the next.

Jahri has no incentive to take a paycut. Why would he? Because he is a nice guy? He is a perennial pro bowler.

If you have seen Bunkley's contract numbers, you would know that it makes ABSOLUTELY ZERO sense to cut him. He holds ALL the cards and will not take a pay cut. You have drafted a 5th round NT in hopes to man the middle with no backup plan. Recipe for disaster...uh, yes.
.....

I don't think Bunkley will be released, but I do think he will re-structure... Same with Evans. Bunk will be the NT with Williams and Hicks backing him up in different sets.

Jarvis Jones will fall.. All the way to 15? Maybe not, but my GUESS is that he will. He has some serious ??? Around him. Bushrod will be tough to re-sign, period. This PREDICTION has him leaving.

Just for reference, weren't you one of the folks around here saying Spagnuolo would definitely be back next year? Point being, nobody knows what's in store... It's just a guess and a projection.

 

[geauxtigers72]

Love the jones pick. Think we could be a big building block. I would not touch the ot from Virginia with a ten foot pole. He was dominated at the senior bowl, and he's slipping bad. Jason smith? Pass. He is terrible. The 5th round pick Williams is skyrocketing. Won't be lower than a 3rd at this point. Don't know much about the ss bishop, but Emory Blake was garbage at auburn. I would be very disappointed with this offseason

 

[Analyze This]

If Jason Smith or Charles Brown is our starting LT we are in trouble.

 

[sammymvpknight]

I don't think Bunkley will be released, but I do think he will re-structure... Same with Evans. Bunk will be the NT with Williams and Hicks backing him up in different sets.

Jarvis Jones will fall.. All the way to 15? Maybe not, but my GUESS is that he will. He has some serious ??? Around him. Bushrod will be tough to re-sign, period. This PREDICTION has him leaving.

Just for reference, weren't you one of the folks around here saying Spagnuolo would definitely be back next year? Point being, nobody knows what's in store... It's just a guess and a projection.

No...I was the guy saying "fire Spags and hire Horton...now!" just a few minutes after he was released. You have me mixed up with someone else.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

If Jason Smith or Charles Brown is our starting LT we are in trouble.

I bet you said the same thing when you heard we were trading Jamaal Brown and putting the game in the hands of Jermon Bushrod...the guy from Townsend. The one we won a SB with.

We then went on to draft Charles Brown with a 2nd rounder. He has injury concerns but he was holding up fairly well@ RT and i believe he can play LT as well. Bushrod being so durable actually works against him..but hes good enough to play on the Right side.

The saints have shown that they have no problem cutting their losses if another person comes along and outperforms them or the player just flat out isn't that good.

With that being said..Charles Brown has stuck around and the best way to see if your 2nd round pick can play is by signing a replacement for Bushrod via FA but with a player thats on the second tier of FA. Why because unlike when we lost nicks we A dont value the tackle position to that extent and B we didn't have anyone to replace Nicks and because we value that position we signed someone we felt wasn't a drop of if any from Nicks.


My points is if the Saints haven't gotten rid of Charles Brown he will be given the opportunity to compete for the starting LT spot...especially since he is in a Contract Year.

The other way to solve that is to draft Lane Johnson if he falls to us and we don't address the need thru FA....but due to this teams history i don't see that happening. We tend to try to fill as many holes in the draft as possible so we can go BPA in the draft.


We prepared ourselves years ago for this situation with Bushrod Leaving by drafting Brown in the 2nd. Bushrod also made another probowl which drove up his asking price. No way we resign or tag him especially now that we are in the middle of a scheme switch.

 

[NWSaint]

Hard to believe Jeff Blake has a son old enough for the NFL

That's what i'm sayin' !!

Maaaan, wasn't Blake just chuckin' rocks to guys like Horn, Jackson, Poole (Mr. 9-iron) and Jake Reed ????

But then again, I guess that was wayyyy back in 2000.. LoL .. but I hear ya, a young Blake would/could be fitting for the Saints.. someone's gonna have to replace #19 sooner than later.. I dig Morgan (as the deep threat), and this year could be very telling, especially with Coach-P back.. but I do sense a changing of the guard is on the horizon.. Can't wait to see what Coach has up his sleeve for this year, you know it's gonna be good though ;-)



NW.