PFF Ranked the Saints Defensive [Front Seven] 28th (1 Viewer)

[Saint Kamara]

oh män why did we ever get rid of Bill Johnson?

 

[sammymvpknight]

Surprised by Robertson. I thought he played pretty good for just being thrown in there.

Robertson played average...but was significantly above average compared to the typical Saints LB over the past couple decades. It speaks loudly of the rest of our LB corp since the Dome Patrol. It should be no surprise that our defense has been historically bad over the Payton era.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Robertson played average...but was significantly above average compared to the typical Saints LB over the past couple decades. It speaks loudly of the rest of our LB corp since the Dome Patrol. It should be no surprise that our defense has been historically bad over the Payton era.

Agreed. It speaks to the point that Underhill made in one of his earlier articles this season.


Sometimes going from Bad to Average can look just as good as going from an Average player to a good player. Robertson performed well but it looked a lot better because of the poor LB play we'd been subjected to the last few years. Even when Curtis was here there was a lot to be desired from our WLB in Hawthorne who is now out of the league.

Coaching up Anthony and finding a WLB who can platoon with Ellerbe(as he's aging) are #1 and #2 as far as improving the LB unit. Also getting Robertson back on ST's improves that unit as well as SP mentioned too many guys that were meant to play ST's were getting regular starter snaps and that also caused a problem.

Best case scenario for us is Week 1 next year Anthony is MLB, we've got a new young WLB, Robertson is a high end backup/ST's captain, Ellerbe is a sub package player, and Stupar is primarily a ST's player

 

[Taker597]

Didn't we mainly play in a a front six.

 

[SaintsJunkie]

Reuben Foster would make a nice pick

 

[DoMePaTrolleR]

Jamie Collins! He instantly changes our front 7 from bad to very good. He is exactly what we need opposite Cam as a pass rusher. He also has the versatility to play all over the front 7 which a DA defense covets. You add Collins with an improving Rankins and Anthony our front 7 could be a top 10 group. IMO Collins has been misused not rushing the QB enough and that wouldn't be the case with his role here. DA loves to blitz from all over and Collins in that guy you can move all over while he can just put his hand in the dirt opposite Cam and flat out get after the QB. Every time I watched him and he rushed the passer he disrupts something.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OEl6vpyXINc
SEASON highlights
Tell me this guy doesn't instantly change our front 7. A stud who is a flat out baller entering his prime playing our biggest position of need and more!? Yes we need to make him priority #1 and sign him.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nbrVlCJ6wc4
BROWNS highlights
Just look at this guys versatility. He is the exact player we need in our front 7. Signing him would be no different then us having had drafted him and is the time for his extension.

 

[DoMePaTrolleR]

Reuben Foster would make a nice pick

Draft Reuben Foster and sign Jamie Collins! Those 2 moves along with signing a CB like Gilmore/Johnson would put our defense in the top 10 IMO. Foster/Collins would be so huge for this defense. Man those 2 would change everything.

 

[St. Geezy]

Every time I allow myself to become convinced that we can cure the defense by plugging a few holes with free agents and then take another offensive toy in the first round or two, it is stuff like this that brings me back down to earth.

We absolutely have to find a stud pass rusher, LB, or DB in round 1. Enough is enough. This defense needs a significant talent injection.

 

[TurboWhoDat]

really hope loomis doesn't break the bank for fairley. like him, but if we're talking about giving him 8 figures or near that, i'd rather take my chances with davison and spend real money on an edge rusher.

 

[natedog]

Can't rely on PFF to tell you how well our line played

Cam is a stud, Fairley played at almost a pro bowl level, rankins looks like the beast DT we needed and Kruger played well in kikahas absence

Kruger played better towards the end of the season, but you don't expect much if you want him back next year. Pretty well everyone who knows this team figured we would be attacked at that position and for the most part we were. . . . . even though it all seems like a haze in my mind at this point, thank goodness for my short memory.

It's been a while since we have had to good DEs, I think this is the year that we at least try that experiment again. Add in a couple of serviceable lbers and we might move up to the mid 20s on defensive rankings. . . .Expecting Kikaha to be healthy and the guy is kind of like betting the farm on Ellerbe's health, not their fault, but it just seems to be annual with those two.

 

[Jvititoe]

Can't rely on PFF to tell you how well our line played

Cam is a stud, Fairley played at almost a pro bowl level, rankins looks like the beast DT we needed and Kruger played well in kikahas absence

those scores are about dead on from what was put on tape this year.

Cam had another great year as a 1 man wrecking crew. Nick played well but not pro-bowl level.

kruger was a ghost for the most part.
rankins showed flashes of greatness but was very very inconsistent and missed half the year.

out side of cam "170 total QB pressures on 2,202 pass rushes. That’s awful, considering that the Saints blitzed more than any other team in the NFL (41.3 percent of snaps)." thats a woeful 7.7% thats really really bad. we were 6th from last in sacks and we were middle of the pack in rush def.

to be fair on craig's part his grades started nose diving after his shoulder injury, and during the game you could see him not using that arm on some plays.

 

[GameBreaker]

Man Cameron Jordan had almost 80 QB hurries. Could you imagine if we had a decent RDE??

Yes! If we had a LDE (which is what you meant) or a strong side edge rusher who was decent and the QB had to be aware of in the pocket then Cam would have doubled his sacks. He was close so many times, within a half second. He's the total package too.

Edge rusher on the strong side (LDE) in FA and/or draft is a must.

 

[Rdanderson91]

Yes! If we had a LDE (which is what you meant) or a strong side edge rusher who was decent and the QB had to be aware of in the pocket then Cam would have doubled his sacks. He was close so many times, within a half second. He's the total package too.

Edge rusher on the strong side (LDE) in FA and/or draft is a must.

Jordan rushes from the left side

Guess it depends on your point of view though. From the defense's pov, he's the LDE