Polian admits mistake drafting Hughes (1 Viewer)

[pmars64]

Unless I'm mistaken, didn't the Saints target Jerry Hughes, TCU DE, with their 2010 1st round pick, but were upstaged by the Colts who took him one pick ahead? Seems like the Colts did the Saints a favor in the end. And since the Saints upstaged the Vikings and took Patrick Robinson, who looks like he might be pretty good in the end, this looks like it worked out right in the end. Sometimes, but not always, it's better to be lucky than good.

http://www.stampedeblue.com/2010/12...afting-jerry-hughes-over-rodger-saffold-was-a

 

[Analyze This]

From what I read, they are not saying anything bad about Hughes and his potential/development. Polian is saying that they need OL help NOW (which they do in a major way) and if they had drafted Roger Saffold he would be playing NOW vs. Hughes who can not get onto the field due to Freeney and Mathis.

Sounds like the old theory of "Best Player Available" or "Draft/Address Needs". Polian took who they felt was BPA at 31 and now wishes he had address a need. He also hinted that he would prefer not to use a 1st round pick on a RT (that may change now). I think it's kind of hard to address a need at pick 31 which may not present itself until injury occurs in TC but?

As for the Saints and Hughes, one will never know. We do need a pass rusher opposite Smith and it is much easier to get on the field here vs. Indy at the DE spot. I like the P. Rob pick and I'm confident that Loomis, Payton & Williams do not have buyers remorse.

 

[bornnraisedwhodat]

Charles Brown for Hughes anyone?

 

[bergeaux]

Interesting! Thanks.

 

[Cuozzo67]

Too early to draw any conclusions regarding Hughes or Robinson.

 

[Rugger]

Charles Brown for Hughes anyone?

Couldn't they have had both?

 

[texasjefe]

With McDaniels and Chilly now removed from the active list of "not-head-coaching material," I'd say Jim Caldwell could be near deserving. Tony Sparano and Mike Singletary too.

 

[Lucketty]

It was just preseason, but Hughes looked ABYSMAL against 3rd-stringers. I'm a guy who would have loved to have him before the draft, but after I saw a player who probably isn't playing football right now hand Hughes his lunch for an entire drive, I kind of breathed a sigh of relief.

 

[Filaphill]

Hughes is built more for a 3-4 outside LB than a 4-3 DE.

 

[darkhornet]

Couldn't they have had both?

Sure, they could've. But they don't. And now they need him.

 

[guillermo]

Sometimes playes are lucky to be drafted by the right team. We have to remember how bad the offensive line of Indy currently is. Polian should have known better, he actually blamed the line for the loss of the Superbowl (whick is senseless, he should blame his coaching staff).

Polian outsmarted himself. He thought it was expensive to select an offensive lineman (not being a left tackle) on the first round of the draft, thinking he could have gotten a good one of later rounds, and he went DE (who was less needed) but is more a position of value.

We all knew Hughes was a player to be groomed, and his development has been slowed by playing behind Mathis and Freeney. I am sure that if the saints would have drafted him, he would not be starting, but Coach Williams would have find now packages to use his pure speed while learning the system and position.

And that is the difference my friends, the saints staff is talented enough to get the most of his developing players, and the Colts... the results are there to be shown...

 

[tenordas]

It serves him right for drafting out of spite rather than drafting to help his team. He ignored the glaringly obvious need of his team (with a player available there who would not have been a reach in any way) to take some sort of silly vengeance on New Orleans for beating his team in the Super Bowl. He denied us the player we had targeted (he knew it, of course) and shot himself in the foot in the process. Again, it serves him right for thinking with his emotions rather than his intellect.
Just my $.02

 

[Saintscuffy]

Charles Brown for Hughes anyone?

Or something similar. If we don't plan on keeping bushrod-he could be in the mix as well. Say Bushrod for hughes + pick or BUshrod for hughes+brown? or maybe pierre for hughes + something?

 

[draftfreak]

Charles Brown for Hughes anyone?

As much as I would love Hughes, Brown is going to be our starting tackle in the near future and will be a stud. So, no.

 

[WhoDATX512]

IIRC I think I read something shortly after the draft that said we would have taken P Rob regardless if Jerry Hughes was available.