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Finally, a Few Saints Personnel ‘Hits’
By Mike Detillier
For weeks much has been discussed about the present and future of the New Orleans Saints franchise and what moves need to be made over the next few months following the season.
The Saints are not the test-study on how to draft and use free agency after winning a Super Bowl title.
Sean Payton is an upper-echelon head coach in the NFL, no debate about that, but Sean Payton the talent evaluator has failed Sean Payton, the head coach.
Numerous misses in the draft from 2010-2014 tell the story. There are only 6 players left, Terron Armstead, Mark Ingram-now on Injured Reserve, Brandin Cooks, Cam Jordan, John Jenkins and Kenny Vaccaro, from those five drafts. And only one significant NFL free agent signee in cornerback Keenan Lewis, who was hurt most of the year and is on Injured Reserve after undergoing sports hernia/hip surgery.
This year’s top veteran free agent signees have been big-time whiffs in cornerback Brandon Browner and halfback C.J. Spiller. Browner is a non-fit for this football team that lacks a pass rush to aid his physical style of play and his lack of recovery speed.
And if you think Browner was a miss, Spiller has been a bigger disappointment.
Interesting that word leaked from Saints sources that Spiller is having trouble picking up the Saints system. I don’t believe a word of it. The same system that Reggie Bush and Darren Sproles thrived in and Spiller can’t is non-believable. There is much more to this story than not being able to pick up the scheme.
While there is much to be negative about in the Saints evaluation skills you also have to give the Saints some credit here because they did pick up a couple of men in the 2015 off-season that have played with heart, spirit, football toughness and when healthy they have been productive.
The Saints had grown weary of some of the off-field antics of wide receiver Kenny Stills and shipped him to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 3rd round pick in 2015 and veteran linebacker Dannell Ellerbe. Coincidence or not, but when healthy the Saints are 4-1 with Ellerbe in the lineup.
At 30 years old Ellerbe still has plenty of football life in him, if he can stay healthy and that seems to be the problem. Ellerbe played a major part in the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl XLVII victory run and he cashed handsomely to sign on with the Miami Dolphins, totaling 101 tackles, 2 pass interceptions and 5 pass deflections in 2013, but he played in just one game in 2014 due to a hip injury. The veteran linebacker is still a good football player, quick to the ball, does well in the coverage part of the game and he is smart. Now Ellerbe just has to stay healthy.
In the summer the Saints were looking for depth along the defensive line and guess what, Kevin Williams was still unsigned. Williams goes down as one of the elite defensive tackles in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings from 2003-2009 and a good defensive tackle from 2010-2013. But the Vikings felt his money value was just not there and he moved on for one season with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014.
The 25-year old Williams was one of the best defensive linemen in the game, but now the 35-year old Williams is a good NFL “spot” football player. The former 2003 1st round pick, who the Saints passed on to pick Georgia defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan, can’t rush the quarterback like he used to (he had 48 ½ quarterback sacks in his first 7 seasons), but he is still a stout run defender, he can clog up multiple blockers inside and occasionally he has a good interior push to the quarterback. The Saints signed him to a one-year deal in the summer, but if the Black and Gold are smart they sign him to another one-year deal in 2016. The 6-time Pro Bowler and a member of the NFL’s 2000’s all Decade Team can still play a little football.
And then there is Delvin Breaux. I scouted Breaux as a high school player at McDonogh 35 High School in New Orleans and he was one of the five best Louisiana prep defensive backs I have ever seen, but fate was not kind to the very talented athlete. Breaux fractured his C4, C5 and C6 vertebrae during a kickoff return in the midway point of his prep senior season. He had already verbally committed to LSU in 2006 after being heavily recruited, but the injury looked to end his athletic career. No school would pass him physically to play and he had no choice but to continue to rehab his injury and play in the Gridiron Developmental Football League in 2012, the Arena League late in 2012 and then he signed on with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League.
Breaux was outstanding for two seasons before virtually every team in the NFL came a calling. But the Saints made the great pitch and signed him up after what Sean Payton described as “one of the best workouts I have ever seen from a cornerback.” And he has been sensational. The 6-1, 205 pounder had a rough initial game against the Arizona Cardinals and was burned twice by T.Y. Hilton versus the Indianapolis Colts, but when healthy he has been a great find for the Saints.
It’s just a shame that both Lewis and Breaux could not have teamed up as starters during the 2015 season, but Breaux has made his mark in this league and basically corralled top ends like Julio Jones, Mike Evans and DeAndre Hopkins.At 26 years old Breaux has a very bright future and along with Stephone Anthony, Hau’oli Kikaha and Cam Jordan are the building blocks of the future for the Saints defense.
Still much work to be done personnel wise for New Orleans and I really like the Saints chances Monday Night against a team that the Black and Gold match up well against in the Detroit Lions. But give talent evaluator Sean Payton a little credit here, along with some assistance from chief scout Jeff Ireland, for helping Sean Payton the head coach.
Coaching Trades
It’s a story that just will not die off. Rumors around the NFL scene have circulated for weeks about the long term future of New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.
These rumors are not being pulled out of the sky. They come directly from Payton’s own camp, his agent, and much more will be said and written over the next few weeks and month about if Payton stays in New Orleans and tries to rebuild the Black and Gold or moves on to either the Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts or Tennessee Titans.
Below are the NFL coaching trades throughout the years:
The Baltimore Colts were awarded a first round pick in 1971 by Commissioner Pete Rozelle after then-Colts head coach Don Shula signed a multi-year contract with the Miami Dolphins.
The New England Patriots traded head coach Bill Parcells to the New York Jets in exchange for 3rd and 4th round picks in 1997, a 2nd round pick in 1998 and a 1st round pick in 1999.
The Green Bay Packers traded head coach Mike Holmgren to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2nd round pick in 1999.
The New York Jets traded head coach Bill Belichick, a 5th round pick in 2001 and a 7th round pick in 2002 to the New England Patriots in exchange for a 1st round pick in 2000, a 4th round pick in 2001 and a 7th round pick in 2002.
The Oakland Raiders traded head coach Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a 1st and 2nd round pick in 2002, a 1st round pick in 2003, a 2nd round pick in 2004 and $8 million dollars payable to the Raiders over a 3-year timeframe.
The New York Jets traded head coach Herman Edwards to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a 4th round pick in 2006.
The Six Top Small College Sleepers for the 2016 NFL Draft
1. Carson Wentz, Quarterback, North Dakota State
The 6-5, 230 pound QB. broke his wrest during the 2015 season, but he has NFL scouts intrigued with his strong arm, his top level accuracy skills and his ability to pick up his second and third reads quickly. And he has above average mobility skills too. The NFL is a league of supply and demand and don’t be surprised to see Wentz looked at as a possible 1st or very early 2nd round pick next April.
2. Noah Spence, Outside Linebacker/Defensive End Eastern Kentucky
Spence had a host of off the field issues at Ohio State which led to him ending up at Eastern Kentucky. But as an athlete…he can get after the QB. Spence has 1st rate closing speed to the quarterback and very good read and react skills to what is breaking down out on the field. In 2015 the 6-2 ¾, 260 pounder racked up 63 tackles, 22 ½ tackles for losses and 11 ½ QB. sacks. Noah Spence is very similar to K.C. Chiefs OLB. Justin Houston.
3. DeAndre Houston Carson, Free Safety, William & Mary
Carson is a ballhawk and his GPS is always turned on. In 2015 he was the team leader in tackles with 109, he had 7 pass break-ups, 4 pass interceptions and he blocked 2 kicks. DeAndre is a top flight athlete and he has upper-level ball reaction skills. He is a top-60 pick.
4. Joe Haeg, Offensive Tackle, North Dakota State
Haeg at 6-5 and 305 pounds has size and size potential for the NFL at left tackle. Scouts will be impressed with his foot work and movement skills for a big man. Haeg has really upgraded his pass protection skills and hand-usage. He will need work on upgrading his upper-body strength, but I am so impressed with his work ethic and desire, and he was originally a walk-on to the North Dakota State team.
5. Tajae Sharpe, Wide Receiver, Massachusetts
Sharpe is still filling into that tall frame (6-3, 200), but he is sure-handed, he has good route running skills and he has an extra gear to kick into out in the open. Sharpe caught 111 passes for 1,319 yards and 5 scores as a senior. He finished his college career with 277 catches for 3,486 yards.
6. Harlan Miller, Cornerback, Southeastern Louisiana
The 5-11 ¾, 189 pounder from Kentwood High School (LA.) has excellent foot speed, outstanding one-on-one cover skills and he is also a good return man. Nicholls State head coach Tim Rebowe told me that Miller was “the best defensive player in the Southland Conference in 2015.”
No Real Science in Scouting
Scouting in the NFL is not a science, but an art and knowing what fits best for your football team.
Saints wide receiver Willie Snead is the dictionary view of a perfect “fit” player for the right scheme in New Orleans. Snead in many aspects is like former Saints and current Detroit Lions end Lance Moore and like Moore he has made his way into the NFL the hard way.
Snead was an undrafted free agent wide receiver coming out of Ball State. He was originally signed by the Cleveland Browns and made it through the preseason before he was released. He unsuccessfully worked out for the New York Giants before the Carolina Panthers signed him to their practice squad in 2014. The Saints picked Snead up late in the 2014 season, he was placed on their practice squad, but saw no NFL action.
While technically not a rookie, Snead is a 1st year player.
Take a look and compare his statistics to the top receiving players in their rookie and first season in the NFL in 2015.
Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders, 62 catches, 920 yards and 4 scores
Willie Snead, New Orleans Saints, 52 catches, 798 yards and 3 scores
Jamison Crowder, Washington Redskins, 49 catches, 461 yards and 1 score
Duke Johnson, Cleveland Browns, 49 catches, 446 yards and 2 scores
Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings, 44 catches, 638 yards and 2 scores
Follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeDetillier