I love the job Loomis and Co. are doing. (**Merged**) (1 Viewer)

St. PJ

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I do. The last two drafts have given us eight starters: Faine, H. Thomas, Bush, Harper, Evans, Colston, Weatherford, P. Thomas, and also a handful of guys who may become starters this year: Allemon, U. Young, and Meachum; and also guys who may become starters in a few years: Bushrod, Strief, Mitchell- who at the very least are young depth at a low cost who all contribute. That said, our front office evaluates talent well, especially on the offensive line in later rounds.

By next year, Evans will be a probowler and inking a big contract from us. By the time that contract is up, he will have just passed is prime and will still be underpaid, and we will have another 4th round guard out of nowhere ready to take his place on the cheap. This is how you build a team. By the time we pay Evans and Colston, they will have already earned it. By the time we let them go, we will have someone else waiting in the wings. The money available to keep them in between those times is there becuase we aren't acting like Cleveland or Washington. We have a great balance of youth and veterans and money to keep the people we need to keep.

New York had Aaron Ross, a very old and injured Sam Madison, journeyman RW McQuarters at CB, no superstar LB, but a good Pierce and overachieving Mitchell, and a solid DLine. They shut down the most prolific passing offense ever. Previous year, Indy didn't really have any shutdown corner, were playing their 3rd and 4th corners in the SB, had very average LB's who played well in their system, and a good DLIne. The year before, Pittsburg, well I can't remember who their corner is, their LBs were good but not great, but their DLine was good. Same as Pats the year they played the eagles. No stud CB, hell Gay was starting and he is a Nickle, no superstar LB at the time, but an awesome DLine. Do you see a pattern here??????

Good teams build from the LOS out. They place a priority on the offensive and defensive lines and other key positons. They would rather pay a DT who is a 7/10 big money as opposed to a CB who may be a 9/10. The reason is becuase if you have a the value needed on the defensive line, smart LB's with one playmaker, and decent safeties, you can get pressure and win a superbowl with a corner like Gay playing for you as a starter and going up against TO. I would never pay Champ Bailey money to anyone not named Champ Bailey. Same goes for Ed Reed money. What good is it to pay a position top money if you don't have the top player? Would you like to pay Madeiu Williams as much as Ed Reed when he will never be that good, and in the process hinder yourself from ever getting someone like Reed while you have Williams under a huge contract? I can understand Grants contract, but at any other level on our defense, that would not happen. Would you have liked to pay the 49th ranked CB like the 20th ranked corner in Drayton Florence? Florence got benched last year, and only wound up starting in the end and during the playoffs becuase of injury. Add to that the pressure San Diego's front seven brings, and Florence looks a lot better than he is.

We should not be going after players like Florence, but rather a front seven like San Diego's. Most of San Diego's defensive talent has come from the draft. Now that our offensive line is stable and solid, we can began to focus on doing the same thing. I love the fact that most guys we have drafted are still on the team and progressing and developing. You can't say it is so becuase to cut them would be to admit mistake, becuase Antonio Pittman blows that theory out of the water. Vilma was our big splash and I am afraid you guys don't understand how big it is. His affect will be comparable to the effect Drew Brees had on offense.

Free agency is in its third day. There are still solid contributers we can add at a relatively fair price. We are drafting in a great position and our FO has proven with Payton that they are good at drafting as well as adding quality undrafted free agents. Not every team can say this. The fact that we haven't panicked and mortgaged our future for a one year shot should tell you that we understand great things don't happen all at once. I love the job and direction Loomis has done. Many of you will be eating crow this time next year.
 
Well thought out, sensible post...I've enjoyed reading your posts, especially the last few days. Thank you!!!

We picked second in the draft a couple years ago, everyone...it will take time to rebuild to be a true picture of what our 2006 season turned out to be. I think Loomis, Peyton & co. have a vision in mind, and I like what they're doing. I'm sure they're disappointed also in not signing Briggs or Samuel, but I'm glad they're not throwing a ton of money around simply to "make a splash" in FA, especially looking at who we need to sign to extensions next year.

Who cares if Vilma was a trade or a FA -- we didn't have to give up a lot for him, AND we didn't have to get in a bidding war with other teams.
There's a big upside to trading vs. signing big name free agents! I don't want to be the Yankees...overpay for a bunch of mid-to-late career veterans, and ignore building through the draft. If there's a key opening AND a quality player is available AND he fits your system AND he's available AND he's willing to talk to the Saints...then you take the plunge and pay the bucks. Frankly, I don't think any of the big name FA's met all of those criteria this year. They solved a HUGE piece of the puzzle with Vilma -- he seems to be a FIT with the Saints in so many ways. But honestly, I didn't get that feeling with any of the others...and that's before the Saints didn't get them.
 
IMO we'll make another interesting trade happen before it's all said and done. Free Agency is great when there are lots of free agents. When the market is dry, draft and trade.
 
Since I have posted this, the Saints have signed both Randall Gay and McCray. Both very solid underated moves. McCray gives us legit depth at DE, after all, he started on one of the best defensive lines the past few years. Gay, if anything is a very good Nickle corner. That's great, becuase some corners make a niche for themselves at Nickle, and it can be more of a challenge at times than the #2 corner.
 
I am glad to see this kind of post. Just last night I must have scrolled through countless posts of..."Why aren't we signing anyone?!?!?!?"...and..."No one want to play in New Orleans..." Loads of crap! Nice post PJGAYJR.
 
Hey Loomis! Good Job!

Everyday i find myself on SR and i must say, i hope you don't read these things, because some people can be mighty harsh!!! Ya Know, i think i might have even said a few things about ya throughout tha years, but the truth is this!!!!

Since the hurricane you can turned this Team and ORG. together wonderfully, regardless of what anyone says, from getting Payton, i think that our last 2 drafts were very successful, to many people want to look at the players picked and not the players gained on draft day trades!!

I don't want to get off onto a rant of any kind, but let me say this!!!! This offseason you Actually have seen a weakness and attacked it... 3 starters on defense in 3 days!! and we still have all but one draft pick!!!

In Closing....

Hey Loomis, Good Job!!!

p.s.

Go get Troupe and i will lose my mind!!!
 
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Thanks guys for all the nice words and praise. It is nice being agreed with for a change, lol.
 
... 3 starters on defense in 3 days!!

I agree that Loomis deserves praise.

But I must have missed something -- 3 starters in 3 days? OK, Vilma will start at MLB and Gay could start, but will likely start only in nickel packages. Who is the third starter? McCray isn't going to start over Smith or Grant. Three starting-caliber players in three days, maybe. Still, I like what he has done so far.
 
I too, love our off season moves. We got three starting level talents, Vilma being the cream of the crop. When He's healthy, he's one of the top 3 MLBs in the league. Bobby Mccray and Randell Gay are starters in this league. Gay can automatically come in a play. I love it, and Troupe's in town for a visit, the draft is coming up, it looks like a big off season for us!
 

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