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Torgo

I am Torgo
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...The Annual Saintsreport.com free agency meltdown has begun.

Every year, I see people getting their hopes up, thinking the Saints are going to go out and sign a bunch of big names in free agency. And every year, a few days in, after the big money, big name players are signed by other teams, almost the entire board goes into panic mode.

Frankly, I don't get it. I look around and see a team like Washington, who every year up until this one, would be big players in free agency, then end up being mediocre once the season starts. Look, I would have been excited to get Samuels or Briggs, but not getting them isn't the end of the world. I was of the opinion even before FA that Samuels was a product of the system he played in. He was a big-time gambler in New England. He could be that way because of the pass-rush and veteran safety play he had around him. If we had thrown all of our money at him, he would be the next Jason David. As for Briggs, it seems like Chicago was the only other team interested in him. Doesn't that tell you anything?

I know we have holes to fill and I know we want to upgrade, but history will show that over-paying to make a big splash in free agency isn't really the best way to win consistently. When New England was actually winning Superbowls, they weren't big players in free agency. Last year they were, and then lost the big game to a team that did little during free agency.

We will be okay. It's not the end of the world. We did get a stud MLB in Vilma. Let's have some patience.
 
It's not just New England. I think the only big free agent they brought in during their super bowl winning seasons was Rodney Harrison. And many teams thought he was done. They traded for some guys like Dillon and Ted Washington, but they didn't sign many.

The Bucs, Colts, Steelers, and Giants all didn't have significant free agent signings the year they won it all either. Several brought in key players through free agency, but not the year they won it. For the Saints, I don't think you need to look any further than at Brees for a significant free agent signing recently.
 
It's not just New England. I think the only big free agent they brought in during their super bowl winning seasons was Rodney Harrison. And many teams thought he was done. They traded for some guys like Dillon and Ted Washington, but they didn't sign many.

I honestly feel like this is the type of approach the Saints have been attempting to take since Payton got here. I think they're trying to build something, not just go out and impulsively throw money at big names looking for a quick fix. Brees was their biggest building block. I think they've gotten another with Vilma. It takes time to get the right players that fit what we're trying to build.
 
Good point Torgo. I wonder why people say this guy is a system guy but what about can that guy play in our system. Jason David did bad but i think he never had over the top help.
 
How can you possibly complain when we just got a future Top 5 (Pro Bowl) MLB, in Jonathan Vilma???
 
It wouldn't have happened if the FO hadn't told us that they would be 'aggressive in free agency.'

Seriously, why **** with us like that?



And I thought this was about FA? Vilma was not in FA.
 
How can you possibly complain when we just got a future Top 5 (Pro Bowl) MLB, in Jonathan Vilma???

"Future Top 5?" The guy was probably already in the top 3 before Mangini went to New York with his 3-4 defense. He was probably still near the top even after his first year in the new system. Vilma's health was the biggest concern, but like I stated in another thread, our staff has been pretty good about clearing players with injury histories.
 
Actually that Washington Redskins reference really is a misconception. They don't bring in big names every year. It's more like they bring in a LOT of free agents every year. I look at their roster, and don't see any big names that demanded a record contract or anything. Pete Kendall is the only one I see. Don't really consider Antwan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd big names.
 
You have to already have something in place or that Big Name guy is just gonna be that "a big name guy".


I believe once you have your core members in place you can select specific players in free agency to help you, not alot of teams have one superbowls by picking up big names, they won them by establishing a winner and then the big name guy puts them over the top...were not there yet...we just got our MLB (crossing fingers) Loomis did a great job getting Vilma, he did a great job not over paying for Gay...I have faith that his franchise will get it right more than they get it wrong this time around....I still expect some wrong though, cause the draft like free agency is a crap shoot.
 
It wouldn't have happened if the FO hadn't told us that they would be 'aggressive in free agency.'

Seriously, why **** with us like that?



And I thought this was about FA? Vilma was not in FA.




whats aggressive to you? signing 17 guys....or getting specific players or player?
 
I think you could make an argument for either, and that neither happened.

One playmaker could really help out since that's what welost in MM (for at least half the season), but then a solid CB, pass rushing DT, WR, and TE would have been great also.
 
Last year they were, and then lost the big game to a team that did little during free agency.

I'll take a SB loss!

I generally agree on wasting the big bucks. You have to spend cap monies wisely, mainly on linemen. You can't go out and blow 10 mil a year on little skinny people and expect to win consistently.
 
Actually that Washington Redskins reference really is a misconception. They don't bring in big names every year. It's more like they bring in a LOT of free agents every year. I look at their roster, and don't see any big names that demanded a record contract or anything. Pete Kendall is the only one I see. Don't really consider Antwan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd big names.

The reason you don't see them on Washington's current roster is because most of them didn't pan out. I'm also not just talking about recent history, though Randle El was a big name coming off a Superbowl win with the Steelers. However, look at their past since Snyder has been there. Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith, Brad Johnson, and even Lavernius Coles(yes I know he was acquired as a restricted free agent) were hot commodities when the Redskins signed them. You can say what you want about what happened to the players after they signed with Washington, but at the time they were the "name" players available. There's probably a ton of other names that are slipping my mind right now. I can't find them by scanning their roster because they didn't work out.

My point is that just spending money on name players just for the sake of looking aggressive is foolish. The Redskins are one of the teams that has a history of doing that. They have no plan, no direction. They aren't building anything. Maybe this year they're taking a different approach, but in the past they just impulsively spend just to look sexy. They do it with coaches and players. No continuity.

The Saints appear to be trying to actually put something together. Time will tell if they succeed, but I think they really have a plan and are sticking to it. I'm willing to be patient.
 
I understand being conservative with your front office moves. I just don't think it makes sense when you have as much cap space as we do. They are willing to trade away draft picks. If the Shockey deal had gone through plus the Vilma trade we would be down a 4th and a 2nd this year and a 4th that can turn into a 3rd next year. Not to mention it wouldn't shock me to see them trade away more to try to move up for Dorsey or Ellis. I think most of the top NFL FO's agree that draft picks are more important than massive amounts of cap money. Why not at least take a chance on one of these guys? I am not one of these people that think the world is ending because of our free agency this year, but I am questioning the decisions that were made until they show me otherwise during the season. Randall Gay is a great nickel corner, but don't we have like 9 guys who would be great playing the nickel? We only have one that I consider a worthy starter and we all know he may not be playing in week 1. Like I said, not the end of the world, but I had to vent. I don't think trading away draft picks is any smarter than backing up the truck for a proven player. That said, I do like Vilma and think he is one of the few guys worth the picks.
 
...The Annual Saintsreport.com free agency meltdown has begun.

Every year, I see people getting their hopes up, thinking the Saints are going to go out and sign a bunch of big names in free agency. And every year, a few days in, after the big money, big name players are signed by other teams, almost the entire board goes into panic mode.

Frankly, I don't get it. I look around and see a team like Washington, who every year up until this one, would be big players in free agency, then end up being mediocre once the season starts. Look, I would have been excited to get Samuels or Briggs, but not getting them isn't the end of the world. I was of the opinion even before FA that Samuels was a product of the system he played in. He was a big-time gambler in New England. He could be that way because of the pass-rush and veteran safety play he had around him. If we had thrown all of our money at him, he would be the next Jason David. As for Briggs, it seems like Chicago was the only other team interested in him. Doesn't that tell you anything?

I know we have holes to fill and I know we want to upgrade, but history will show that over-paying to make a big splash in free agency isn't really the best way to win consistently. When New England was actually winning Superbowls, they weren't big players in free agency. Last year they were, and then lost the big game to a team that did little during free agency.

We will be okay. It's not the end of the world. We did get a stud MLB in Vilma. Let's have some patience.

YES! I've been thinking the same thing. I was even going to start a thread on it. There were all these teams who went out last year and signed big name players and ended up not even going to the playoffs either.
 

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