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I've been thinking for while about the draft two years ago and how the Saints navigated drafting very good players and picking up veteran players in the process (Faine, Hollis Thomas). We were very active trading up and down. I have a feeling we will see that again this year, but we may have some players we can trade to pick up draft picks. Now I'm not saying that we have anyone that can give us great value like a 2nd or 3rd round pick, but we do have some guys that can get us a lower round pick or one that would help us move up 5 or 10 spots in a round to get a guy we want.
Now I'm not advocating that we trade all these guys. I would bet no more than two of these guys get traded if the offer works out. I'm just looking over the roster to see who may have value to other teams that could net us a middle to late round pick or a guy who could be thrown in to sweeten the pot for a trade up or to swap picks. I also didn't include guys that would be valueable (Will Smith, Colston, Bush) but I don't think we have any desire in trading. Below is my guess as who may be available.
DT Hollis Thomas
With Kendrick Clancy behind him and Thomas being 34 yrs old, he is expendable. I also think that his act has worn tiresome on the coaching staff. Yes, he was very affective in 2006 and in the middle of the year in 2007, but he came to camp last year terribly overweight and lost his job to Clancy. Problem is, he signed a 4 year deal in 2007 and will count agianst the cap $2.375 mil in 2008, $3.2 mil in 2009, and $3.4 mil in 2010. He will be 36 by then. I doubt he will see the end of that contract, but I bet we'd like to unload him for something before we have to cut him due to age. Maybe a 4th or 5th round pick.
DT Kendrick Clancy
Because H. Thomas may be untradable, Kendrick may be available. The only reason we got him in the first place is because the Cardinals had to cut him because of an inflated contact in 2007. His salary now is $1.85 mil for 2008 and $1.95 mil for 2009, which is more tradable and he's 29. DT's are at a premium right now and both he and Thomas are starter quality...I expect one will be moved on draft day. Frankly, I hope it's Thomas, but it will probably be Clancy. Maybe a 3rd or 4th round pick.
DT Antwan Lake
If Thomas or Clancy don't get moved, maybe Lake would be. At 28, he is a very servicable backup at both DT positions. He will make $900K this year and will be a FA in 2009. He will not get us a draft pick, probably, but could be used to move up in, say the 5th round or into the back end of the 4th round, much like the Eagles used Hollis Thomas to move up 11 spots in the 4th round in 2006.
OT John Stinchcomb
He is in the 2nd year of a 2 year contract that will pay him $1.65 in 2008. With Zach Strief waiting in the wings, it may be possible to move Stinchcomb to a O line poor team, like the Chiefs or the Rams. He is 27 and was a 2nd round pick in 2003 draft...maybe he gets us a 3rd or 4th.
OT Zach Strief
He is also in the last year of his contact and will get $445K this year, but appears to be able to start in this league. At worst, he is a very able backup at both tackle positions. Since he and Stich will be free agents at the end of this year, I doubt we resign both. It would be nice to get something for one of them. He is 24, so he may be a little young to trade and will probably not get much value. Possibly 6th or 7th rounder.
LB Scott Shanle
I think we only trade Shanle if we draft a Rivers in the first or a guy like Mayo in the second round. With Dan Morgan now the presumed starter at WLB, if we draft a WLB on the first day, then The Shanle is a man without a home. At 28, he is certainly more valueable then Simoneau, but he is signed through 2010 and will earn $1.5 mil this year. Were talking 7th rounder here, folks.
FS Josh Bullocks
OK, stop laughing. Like most of you, I don't see much value in Bullocks. But it appears the Saints coaching staff does, at least they have no problem saying that they do. So either they are completely blind, we are all complete idiots, or they are saying that in hopes that another coaching staff would hear that and not look at game tapes for the last 3 years. Nevertheless, he is just 25 and will earn $520K in 2008 and be a free agent after that, which may appeal to someone, right? Anybody? He was a 2nd round pick in 2005 for goodness sakes. Maybe a 7th rounder.
Now I'm not advocating that we trade all these guys. I would bet no more than two of these guys get traded if the offer works out. I'm just looking over the roster to see who may have value to other teams that could net us a middle to late round pick or a guy who could be thrown in to sweeten the pot for a trade up or to swap picks. I also didn't include guys that would be valueable (Will Smith, Colston, Bush) but I don't think we have any desire in trading. Below is my guess as who may be available.
DT Hollis Thomas
With Kendrick Clancy behind him and Thomas being 34 yrs old, he is expendable. I also think that his act has worn tiresome on the coaching staff. Yes, he was very affective in 2006 and in the middle of the year in 2007, but he came to camp last year terribly overweight and lost his job to Clancy. Problem is, he signed a 4 year deal in 2007 and will count agianst the cap $2.375 mil in 2008, $3.2 mil in 2009, and $3.4 mil in 2010. He will be 36 by then. I doubt he will see the end of that contract, but I bet we'd like to unload him for something before we have to cut him due to age. Maybe a 4th or 5th round pick.
DT Kendrick Clancy
Because H. Thomas may be untradable, Kendrick may be available. The only reason we got him in the first place is because the Cardinals had to cut him because of an inflated contact in 2007. His salary now is $1.85 mil for 2008 and $1.95 mil for 2009, which is more tradable and he's 29. DT's are at a premium right now and both he and Thomas are starter quality...I expect one will be moved on draft day. Frankly, I hope it's Thomas, but it will probably be Clancy. Maybe a 3rd or 4th round pick.
DT Antwan Lake
If Thomas or Clancy don't get moved, maybe Lake would be. At 28, he is a very servicable backup at both DT positions. He will make $900K this year and will be a FA in 2009. He will not get us a draft pick, probably, but could be used to move up in, say the 5th round or into the back end of the 4th round, much like the Eagles used Hollis Thomas to move up 11 spots in the 4th round in 2006.
OT John Stinchcomb
He is in the 2nd year of a 2 year contract that will pay him $1.65 in 2008. With Zach Strief waiting in the wings, it may be possible to move Stinchcomb to a O line poor team, like the Chiefs or the Rams. He is 27 and was a 2nd round pick in 2003 draft...maybe he gets us a 3rd or 4th.
OT Zach Strief
He is also in the last year of his contact and will get $445K this year, but appears to be able to start in this league. At worst, he is a very able backup at both tackle positions. Since he and Stich will be free agents at the end of this year, I doubt we resign both. It would be nice to get something for one of them. He is 24, so he may be a little young to trade and will probably not get much value. Possibly 6th or 7th rounder.
LB Scott Shanle
I think we only trade Shanle if we draft a Rivers in the first or a guy like Mayo in the second round. With Dan Morgan now the presumed starter at WLB, if we draft a WLB on the first day, then The Shanle is a man without a home. At 28, he is certainly more valueable then Simoneau, but he is signed through 2010 and will earn $1.5 mil this year. Were talking 7th rounder here, folks.
FS Josh Bullocks
OK, stop laughing. Like most of you, I don't see much value in Bullocks. But it appears the Saints coaching staff does, at least they have no problem saying that they do. So either they are completely blind, we are all complete idiots, or they are saying that in hopes that another coaching staff would hear that and not look at game tapes for the last 3 years. Nevertheless, he is just 25 and will earn $520K in 2008 and be a free agent after that, which may appeal to someone, right? Anybody? He was a 2nd round pick in 2005 for goodness sakes. Maybe a 7th rounder.
