oodank
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With the firsts days of free agency approaching I took a look at the list of possibilities and came up with a few realistic prospects that the Saints could and should try to sign immediately:
1. WR Bryant Johnson - Big receiver with deceptive speed that has basically been in the shadows of two studs out in 'Zona. Good hands, big body and would not command crazy $$$. He could come in and fill the #2 spot, which would allow Patten(if re-signed) and Meachem to work the slots. Devery will not be re-signed, and Moore is under contract. I think the offensive system Payton employs would be very attractive to a guy looking to prove his worth.
2. WR Bernard Berrian - Ditto for him. Not a big body like Johnson but is rangy with great hands and top speed. I think the QB situation in CHI (or lack thereof) will help to persuade Berrian to take his skills elsewhere. He put up decent #s despite below QB play where he was basically the lone speed guy on a running team. He is young at 27 and would probably command more $$$ than Johnson but both are really attractive for a team in need of experienced playmakers at WR. One of these guys should be wearing the fleur next season....
3. CB Marcus Trufant - probably will command $50-$60mil but we need CBs in a bad way!!! Mckenzie's knee injury late in the season brings about the realistic possibility that he may not be ready to go come training camp and he aint getting younger. Even once he gets back he will not be the same player in terms of speed and confidence after ACL surgery. I truly believe this is the reason the Saints may go hard for Trufant. Freddy T is over, which leaves Craft, David, and Young. Need I say more???? Deangelo Hall is another possibility via trade but his attitude is volatile and probably not what Payton is looking for.
Being that the Saints will probably target a DT in the draft Haynesworth is not a realistic possibility given the amount of $$$ he'll command. DT Williams will most likely be re-signed by GB given his youth and playmaking ability.
The Saints biggest need at LB is in the middle and there aren't any "impact" guys in FA worth given good money to, which is why the draft is going to be the focus here as well. Briggs plays the weakside where Shanle was just extended last offseason. Danny Clark should not have been let go last season IMHO, he would have been decent in the middle until we groomed a replacement(TBD). Maybe Sam Williams from OAK but even he would be just a stop gap. Suggs is a proto-type 3-4 rush end/LB, and Fujita mans the SLB. Suggs also will command big $$$ at 26 yrs old.
There are some promising young OL guys ready to step in and play. Faneca will also command crazy $$$, as will Jamal Brown and Evans, so I don't think he lands here either. I'd look hard at signing Ruben Brown from CHI as a veteran OG, and if not my suggestion is that the Saints play Evans and Brown on the same side and create a "strong" side instead of splitting the best two OL. Stinch and Goodwin(or Alleman) could hold their own on the other side (maybe add a veteran for depth).
This is how I see it. We really need CBs, MLB, DT. A veteran WR would be nice and another veteran OL.
1. WR Bryant Johnson - Big receiver with deceptive speed that has basically been in the shadows of two studs out in 'Zona. Good hands, big body and would not command crazy $$$. He could come in and fill the #2 spot, which would allow Patten(if re-signed) and Meachem to work the slots. Devery will not be re-signed, and Moore is under contract. I think the offensive system Payton employs would be very attractive to a guy looking to prove his worth.
2. WR Bernard Berrian - Ditto for him. Not a big body like Johnson but is rangy with great hands and top speed. I think the QB situation in CHI (or lack thereof) will help to persuade Berrian to take his skills elsewhere. He put up decent #s despite below QB play where he was basically the lone speed guy on a running team. He is young at 27 and would probably command more $$$ than Johnson but both are really attractive for a team in need of experienced playmakers at WR. One of these guys should be wearing the fleur next season....
3. CB Marcus Trufant - probably will command $50-$60mil but we need CBs in a bad way!!! Mckenzie's knee injury late in the season brings about the realistic possibility that he may not be ready to go come training camp and he aint getting younger. Even once he gets back he will not be the same player in terms of speed and confidence after ACL surgery. I truly believe this is the reason the Saints may go hard for Trufant. Freddy T is over, which leaves Craft, David, and Young. Need I say more???? Deangelo Hall is another possibility via trade but his attitude is volatile and probably not what Payton is looking for.
Being that the Saints will probably target a DT in the draft Haynesworth is not a realistic possibility given the amount of $$$ he'll command. DT Williams will most likely be re-signed by GB given his youth and playmaking ability.
The Saints biggest need at LB is in the middle and there aren't any "impact" guys in FA worth given good money to, which is why the draft is going to be the focus here as well. Briggs plays the weakside where Shanle was just extended last offseason. Danny Clark should not have been let go last season IMHO, he would have been decent in the middle until we groomed a replacement(TBD). Maybe Sam Williams from OAK but even he would be just a stop gap. Suggs is a proto-type 3-4 rush end/LB, and Fujita mans the SLB. Suggs also will command big $$$ at 26 yrs old.
There are some promising young OL guys ready to step in and play. Faneca will also command crazy $$$, as will Jamal Brown and Evans, so I don't think he lands here either. I'd look hard at signing Ruben Brown from CHI as a veteran OG, and if not my suggestion is that the Saints play Evans and Brown on the same side and create a "strong" side instead of splitting the best two OL. Stinch and Goodwin(or Alleman) could hold their own on the other side (maybe add a veteran for depth).
This is how I see it. We really need CBs, MLB, DT. A veteran WR would be nice and another veteran OL.