How To: Transform Saints D in (1) offseason (1 Viewer)

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

First off allow me to say this is purely for fun. Its not to start an argument about why Spags needs to stay etc etc.

This is in my opinion a very cost effective way without even touching Free Agency except to resign a few of our own.

The Drafting is very plausible and i think some of you will be pleased with the results and thought process put into it. We end up addressing every NEED that we have/will have leading up to next offseason.

Lets Begin


A. Fire Spags



B. Hire anyone running THIS DEFENSE
Professor Wade Phillips, Texans DC, explains why his 3-4 defense isn

“First of all we play a different 3-4 than everybody else or most other people, although several of them play it the same one we do now because those guys have coached with me,” Phillips began.

“We had a guy here with the Houston Oilers named Elvin Bethea,” Phillips continued. “We said, ‘Wait a minute. We don’t want to do that with that guy.’ We started stunting the guys and moving them and let them do what they do well, playing a 3-4, but playing a different way, Phillips 3-4 if you want to call it that. I had another guy named Bruce Smith that wasn’t bad at in a 3-4 [Note: Yeah, he was OK]. You can do it with guys, if they have the abilities, then you let them go more. If they don’t then you play a two-gap and just hold your ground all you can and let the linebackers make the plays. It’s all about what kind of players you have and let them do what they do best.”

I put that in red because we have dynamic players....we just aren't playing them in the right positions and attempting to pigeonhole them.



C. Evaluate the defense
-worst defensive performance in Paytons Tenure
-Tackling is an issue
-cannot produce a pass rush(more on this later)
-hybrid players/scheme versatility
-lack of team speed (especially@ the LB position)
-has not been good against the run in Paytons Tenure
-Need to get bigger/more physical @ Corner. WR's in division are big.
-Need someone to provide inside pressure.

D. Identify Building Blocks (notice the young talent on every level of D)
+Malcolm Jenkins S/CB
+-Patrick Robinson CB
+-Akiem Hicks DT
+Curtis Lofton MLB
++Camron Jordan DE
+Isa Abdul Quddus FS
+Junior Gallette DE/OLB
+Martez Wilson DE/OLB

E. Identify Possibe Cap Casualties.

Will Smith(either cut and resign/or restructure)not against keeping him
Jonathan Vilma - Doesn't fit scheme. Free up money
Sed Ellis- Walks
Roman Harper- Trade to rams for 4th Rounder
David Hawthorne- Made absolutely no impact
Broderick Bunkley - We don't have any nose tackles so he stays

F. THE DRAFT

Now for my draft you will notice a theme. Im drafting nasty players on defense who play with an edge and and aggression. I also attempt to meet my(defensive) goals (inside pressure, bigger@ corner, outside pressure, team speed) Im operating under the thought that we won't be getting our 2nd rounder back so i pull the trigger on the Roman Harper to the rams (reuniting with 3G) for an extra 4th rounder.



Round 1 - Sheldon Richardson - 6'4 296 DT Missouri

Love his energy,disruptiveness, mean-streak, pursuit and handusage. He would be our JJ Watt Pick. He brings that explosiveness to knife inside and bring pressure right up the gut

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsAOTVjyBwE


Round 3 - Blidi Wreh-Wilson - 6'2 190 CB Conneticut

Love his size. He doesn't shy away from contact and has good ball-skills. You see how he whips his head around to look for the ball? I provided two vids. He looks comfortable in Press and Off Coverage. Did i mention hes physical. He attacks the line and in one play takes on a pulling guard/tackle and creates a pile.

http://draftbreakdown.com/blidi-wreh-wilson-vs-louisville-2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7ko5KCYFxA&feature=player_embedded





Round 4 - Shayne Skov - 6'3 242 ILB Stanford

Plenty of you know who this guy is. He's aggressive and he and Lofton would bring the wood in the middle. The kids intense. He seems to be Burficit without the baggage. He's also pretty decent in converage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieo_ansbJmA


Round 4 - Michael Buchanan 6'6 240 OLB/DE Illinois

He had an off year and im sure he will drop in the draft because of it. He is another guy that plays with fire. I love his hand usage. Many of us want Dion Jordan and he is similar in size and build. Even had similar production. He locates the ball well and if he can't get there he gets his hands up. It would also reunite him with another Illinois OLB/DE in Martez Wilson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsvsroYLrPU


Round 5 - Zach Sudfeld 6'7 255 - TE Nevadao

Another big TE with soft hands to add to the team. Tough and isn't just a pass catcher. He can block too. IT also helps that he came from a complicated system so jumping right in and being able to contribute shouldn't be an issue.

http://youtu.be/SnOPJrJkh1w




Round 7 - Marquise Goodwin 5'10 175 - WR Texas

One word. Electric. This is a ST pick more than anything but he would also bring another deep threat to the offense if he develops. At the very least he gives us a KR/PR and relieves sproles in the return game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOdsTm_dj2M




So that would give us a defense that looks like so


RDE- Cam Jordan- You move him to the RDE spot and let him be Michael Buchanans personal protector. He gets the inside push and also contains the run

NT- Bunkley/Akiem Hicks - I know a few people would like to see Hicks @ one of the DE spots but i like him in the middle. He can hold the double teams in the middle but he is able to disengage and move laterally very well for a big man. Thats they kind of dynamic guy i want in the very MIDDLE of the D. He sees all and can flow left to right in persuit.

LDE- Sheldon Richardson - He wont hold up on many double teams however being that hes so disruptive hes going to draw the attention of more than one guy. He will either free other guys up to make the play or hes going to make it himself. Either way his disruption is a welcome addition to our line.

LOLB- Martez Wilson/ - The stunts that you could run with he and Richardson on the same size. They would create instant havoc. We get some much needed speed and athleticism on the edge.

ILB - Curtis Lofton - Less space to cover the better. Hes a thumper but when asked to move sideline to sideline he isn't that fast and he isn't that good in coverage. Still hes a tackling machine and thats what you want here.

ILB - Shayne Skov- He along with Hicks/Bunkley and Lofton will form the Triangle of that run defense. He was in a 3-4 defense in college so the transition is seamless.

ROLB - Michael Buchanan/Junior Gallette.- Buchanan can get to the QB. He moves just as well as Dion Jordan. While not as good in coverage his passrush arsenal is more extensive.

CB- Pat Robinson - Another year and some time in the weight room and he should be better off. Has the tools but just needs to work on his consistency

CB- Jabari Greer- Another year removed from another groin problem. Still has it but could be on the decline

CB/Nickel- Blidi Wreh-Wilson/Johnny Patrick/Elbert Mack - Wilson could come and compete for the 3rd CB spot and possibly for the #2 spot. He has teh size to match up with the bigger WR's and would instantly be our most physical corner.

FS- Isa Abdul Quddus - Can ball. Hes what we thought MJ would be. HE takes much much better angles. If you watched the Panthers game you saw him around the ball all the time.

SS- Malcolm Jenkins - Move him closer to the line where he isn't exposed when/if he misses a tackle. He could also move to slot CB @ times. I wouldn't have a problem moving him back to Corner but he has a pension for making plays so i still think Safety allows him to show off his range. He can do everything Roman Harper did this year but for cheaper and he would be better in coverage.



There you go.

With THIS front 7 we should be better at stopping the run on 1st and 2nd down. Which is our main problem. In order to rush the passer you have to put offenses in predictable situations. You scare them away from the run and make them one dimensional and it becomes easier. However if a team is getting 5 yds a pop when they run even if they are down they will still try to run the ball because it nets positive yds.

We need deomoralize offenses and impose our will.



Well this was fun. Hope everyone enjoys. This is indeed my first crack@ doing a draft. I didn't add positions as this is more fantasy than anything as guys will slide and rise by the time the draft comes and goes.


Thoughts?

 

[whodatdb]

A lot of "Page not found".

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

still learning to embedd

 

[FatCitySaint]

Sorry, stopped reading after point A).

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Sorry, stopped reading after point A).

you would because u don't understand hypotheticals. Its ok. Its for enjoyment not to start debates on if Spags should be fired or not. So relax

 

[1badsailor]

Spags should def be fired.. his only good defense had one of the best dl the nfl has ever seen. You have to put your guys in position to make plays, spangola isn't willing to do that

 

[saintly179]

Doubt it happens, but it would b nice if Spags considered experimenting with a 3-4 alignment. We have more guys who could fit in it then some ppl realize

Btw Hawthorne had to adjust to a position that he's never played before. Give him a break...he actually did fairly well considering

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Doubt it happens, but it would b nice if Spags considered experimenting with a 3-4 alignment. We have more guys who could fit in it then some ppl realize

Btw Hawthorne had to adjust to a position that he's never played before. Give him a break...he actually did fairly well considering

Id keep him if it wasn't for the scheme switch and the fact that his salary rises nxt year.

Since spags will most likely be staying i see hawthorne here for another year manning the WLB spot after Vilma is released. If vilma isn't released then Hawthorne will be one unhappy camper.

 

[meily]

Any excuse to switch to a 3-4...smh...stop trying to recreate the Dome Patrol people, those days ate long gone....how does switching defensive coordinators and scheme, them playing players at unfamiliar positions supposed to improve the team defense? I think it be easier just to go into the season with the exact same players with a year under their belt in Spags D and expect better play than do all of what your suggesting.

 

[Goatman Saint]

Quickest, easiest way is to get a couple of guys who can consistently rush the passer and/or have a few moves other than latch on to offensive lineman and bull rush.

 

[saintly179]

Id keep him if it wasn't for the scheme switch and the fact that his salary rises nxt year.

Since spags will most likely be staying i see hawthorne here for another year manning the WLB spot after Vilma is released. If vilma isn't released then Hawthorne will be one unhappy camper.

Agreed. Luckily for Hawthorne, Vilma's release is a very doable option at this point

 

[WhoDATX512]

Any excuse to switch to a 3-4...smh...stop trying to recreate the Dome Patrol people, those days ate long gone....how does switching defensive coordinators and scheme, them playing players at unfamiliar positions supposed to improve the team defense? I think it be easier just to go into the season with the exact same players with a year under their belt in Spags D and expect better play than do all of what your suggesting.

This is the last thing we should let happen. I know the salary cap will make it unlikely for us to get any big splash players but we need to fix the personnel issue somehow.

We had a historically terrible defense this year and no way can we continue to be at the bottom of the league in defense. Staying with what he have right now will not make us a contender next season as great as it will be to have SP back...

 

[CantonLegend]

Any excuse to switch to a 3-4...smh...stop trying to recreate the Dome Patrol people, those days ate long gone....how does switching defensive coordinators and scheme, them playing players at unfamiliar positions supposed to improve the team defense? I think it be easier just to go into the season with the exact same players with a year under their belt in Spags D and expect better play than do all of what your suggesting.

thats kind of what happened this year anyway

after playing an extremely heavy man defense for the past 3 seasons under GW, the corners and linebackers were forced into playing almost the exact opposite style of defense

not only that but vilma, hawthorne, and martez wilson were actually required to play entirely new positions.

having half a season to digest a new scheme and a new position isnt exactly the easiest thing to do.

having a year under this defensive scheme, finally getting the linebackers coach back to coach the linebackers, and getting the head coach back to coordinate it all will have a huge impact on the defense as a whole all by itself

 

[scott88]

I think the OP has too much time on his hands

 

[Marlboro Man]

Sorry, stopped reading after point A).

lus-un2: