Free agency primer: fixing the Defense (7 Viewers)

Whodat GT

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I posted something similar in a different thread, but I guess this deserves a separate discussion:

The latest news is that Moore considers the 4-2-5 defense as the base defense (as some posters have already said). Here is a visual representation of the players the team is currently working with. This depth chart is based on last year's snap counts, the players in black being full starters and rotating players, and the ones in white being quality depth, or backups. The players in bold are the ones that played in 90 % of snaps and should be regarded as the core of the team. The players with a green outline are pending free agents. Note that the d-line was always in rotation, in the sense that the players in black played between 40 and 60 % of snaps per game. Not one player on the dline played more than 70% of snaps.

https://www.footballguys.com/stats/snap-counts/teams?team=NO&year=2024

Saints depth chart analisys D(1).jpg

The team has to make a decision on three starting caliber players that are set to hit the free agent market: Adebo, Young and Harris were key contributors last year (Harris and Adebo playing 90% of snaps when healthy), while Young was a key piece in the three man rotation at DE with Granderson and Jordan. Can they be upgraded, or can the team find players that better fit the new scheme? Hard to say in regards to the front seven, but the team has the opportunity to add different players for key depth and pass rush rotation, or even find a cornerstone piece (someone that can stay on the field for longer). They can certainly go younger by replacing Kpassagnon. It would suck to see Turner go and find success in another team now that he managed to stay relatively healthy, but the team has to first decide what to do with Young I imagine.

In any case, the team does not seem to have enough depth to withstand losing Turner, Young and Kpassagnon if they keep playing DE by committee, specially since Jordan is very close to becoming a liability because of age, and will certainly not be cut.

In regards to the secondary, the team has thrived the past years with higher level players at CB, so losing Adebo would be a huge blow, especially since they have no depth behind last year's starters. Will Harris could definitely be upgraded, although he took a leap last year from being a special teamer to an average starter. Howden hasn't shown he can take the leap to playing as a starter, and Mathieu is also very close to retirement.

I'm seeing a team that will have its hands full signing or re signing enough players to field a competent starting roster (not starting eleven, but 11 plus rotational pieces) with free agency.

What are your thoughts?
 
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New Strong Safety, New Defensive Tackle. Both through the draft. Resign either Turner or Young. Resign Adebo. Resign Gay
 

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