Saints at the top of Davante Adams’ wish list [“Saints might just be the favorite” per Fowler; Saints not agreeing on draft pick comp yet] (64 Viewers)

[SonOfNOLA]

Outside of Sheed and Olave who do we have to count on to make a catch?

 

[St. Widge]

Outside of Sheed and Olave who do we have to count on to make a catch?

Kamara and Hill.

 

[NatureBoy]

Would you like them to pay for his airfare also?

And meal coupons.

 

[SystemShock]

And meal coupons.

... to Chipotle.

 

[SoggyBottomBoy]

Wouldn't that make four Fresno State Bulldogs on the roster if he's signed?

I'm on the fence about this move. Devante expressing an interest in the Saints kinda makes me a little more interested, because he may help negotiate a friendly deal. But I'm still leaning on passing on this move.

And if this would be an either/or situation, I'm investing in our in-house elderly Kamara instead.

(And I haven't read this rapidly moving thread. Will do so later.)

 

[Dallas_Saint73]

This type of thing never tends to work out in our favor.

 

[St. Geezy]

It is not debatable. The Saints scored the 3rd highest point total in the first 2 games in NFL history. They'd have scored more if they let off the 4th quarter.


Because a "top 5 WR" (top 5 in what?) doesn't make the team better, when the QB has 2-3 defenders on top of him, and the team primarily runs the ball.

I get that and they do need a contested catch guy and redzone threat and that Adams can be that guy. But that doesn't mean it makes sense to give up significant future draft assets, add more dead money to the future on the cap, and expend significant cap space over the next 3 years for a 32 year-old WR even if he fills an immediate need.

If I thought the Saints were a Davante Adams away from the Super Bowl then sure, go for it. But, I don't think that's the case. So I think they need to compile draft capital and save cap space to build to the point that they are a player or two away from making a run and need the cap space and draft capital to acquire those guys.

So, again, if the price isn't too high, say a 4th or something close to that and you can find a way to do it that won't kill the future cap, then do it. But I don't want to see Loomis pretending that we are the later years Drew Brees teams that might have been just one player away from making a run.

And, I felt the same way about Simmons both when they tried to trade for him and when they tried to sign him as a free agent. If the price was right, do it, but I though the price rose too high. And, clearly the Saints also felt that there was a point where such a move for an older player didn't make sense.


I mean people constantly cry on here about how the Saints handle the cap and how it has cost them having any depth on the team and can't sing impact free agents. A move for Adams is exactly the kind of move that puts us in that situation. I think it's worth it if he is the final piece to make a championship run. But, I don't think we have the OL, pass rush, or depth to make that run.

My concern is that Adams could cost us the draft capital and cap space we need to fix the OL and provide depth and starters at other spots in the next 3 years or more if they have to push a bunch of dead money forward.

I guess that's worth it if you think that Adams turns this team into a Super Bowl contender, but I don't think he does.

And as already mentioned, we had plenty enough weapons to score 40 points the first two games and 24 against Atlanta. So, I don't think it's lack of weapons holding this offense back.

I guess overall I am just not understanding the narrative (or perhaps mental block) with a select few posters that this team isn't in or at least very-near title contention territory.

We have one of the best running games in football currently and one of the best defenses, along with an efficient passer...those three things alone at least make you a threat.

I get it we are injured and need to get healthy, but I am really perplexed as to how a team that was 2-0 and riding high, scoring at will, is suddenly not a contender after two very close, injury-ravaged losses. Is it because of Dennis Allen? Is it because people can't envision us winning with Derek Carr?

We are merely relying on McCoy, Ruiz, and Davis getting healthy to return to form, and if you add a Davante Adams to that mix, we suddenly become extremely dangerous. The 49ers are having an injury-riddled season, and are beatable. Who exactly in the NFC is far and away better than us, and in this context, who exactly in the NFC is far and away better than us with a healthy McCoy, Ruiz, Davis, and a Davante Adams added?

Draft capital is important but at the same time, I am not going to fret giving up a second or a third, especially knowing how hit or super miss our drafts have been as of late. That single draft pick isn't guaranteed to even be used on the positions being pointed out as current needs, and even if it is, it isn't guaranteed to be the immediate answer.

I will also add that I am just not understanding what "State of the roster" some are looking for us to achieve in order to be a title contender or to merely be worthy of being a player in a Davante Adams sweepstakes. Most Super Bowl rosters have weaknesses, but it seems like many are looking for a near flawless, all-star laden 15-2 level roster before finally believing we can do these sorts of things.

 

[SonOfNOLA]

Kamara and Hill.

It’s really just Kamara as the only other consistent receiver with significant targets. In terms of reaching the first down or big gain, his catches always requires his YAC and ability to make a defender miss after the catch since he usually has shorter routes from the backfield. Defenses can contain those shorter reads at times.

Taysom is a very effective receiver but TH catching passes may be a luxury now based on the injuries he’s had lately. It increases his chances to take on significant contact as he welcomes it a lot.

We don’t really have anyone else after Olave and Shaheed to consistently execute a 10+ yard route for a big catch. It should be Tipton but they aren’t giving him many snaps right now. It’s Kamara when he runs longer routes but he’s not lined up as a WR on long passing downs as much as #12 and #22. When 1 of the 3 of AK, Olave, and Shaheed has to miss plays, we have 2 consistent receivers and hoping someone else finds a way to step up series to series.

 

[B4YOU]

Adams won’t have to take an immediate paycut. He’ll restructure his 2024 salary to fit under the team’s 2024 salary cap. Then after the season he’ll either restructure his 2025 salary or get an extension to bring down the 2025 cap hit. He could agree to a new contract when a trade happens.

Agreed on not extending too many older players. But we definitely should extend Kamara. He’s the NFL’s best RB in 2024 and the life force of the offense. I think the Saints were preparing to choose between Lattimore and Adebo in long term cap plans for a while now. Two top 5 CB cap hits didn’t seem likely. That decision could come to a head soon.

“Then after the season he’ll either restructure his 2025 salary or get an extension to bring down the 2025 cap hit. He could agree to a new contract when a trade happens”

The first option is a no. That is how you get stuck with 35M on IR and part of why LVR is moving on. Any trade deal with us has to involve a new contract the protects the team’s future before comp provided.

 

[SWJJ]

If Carr has no time to throw and has Carter under his chin strap 2 seconds after taking the snap, which is what happened when we tried to throw against Philly, then it doesn't matter who you have at WR.

And frankly, it it were as easy as just put 3 good WRs out there and you win, then everyone would do that. But, it takes more than that to win. And it's not like we don't have a guy in Shaheed with blazing speed that can get open for chunk plays.

Adams helps, but I don't see how he's really going to make a huge difference for this team.

I disagree.

Carr LOVES throwing jump balls to Adams, and Adams gets them

They didn't have a very good oline in oakland and Adams lead the league in TDs.

 

[kcirdor]

We don't know if Tipton or Perry are any good in this offense because we don't run more than 2 WO at a time.... So we do not know, and can't claim to know otherwise. We don't need an expensive WR.

 

[kcirdor]

the Raiders wont trade him to the AFC. He'll be traded to the NFC. Do we want him or do we want to face him, is the question.

Not scared of him.

 

[St. Widge]

It’s really just Kamara as the only other consistent receiver. In terms of reaching the first down or big gain, his catches always requires his YAC and ability to make a defender miss after the catch since he usually has shorter routes from the backfield. Defenses can contain those shorter reads a lot of times.

Taysom is a very effective receiver but TH catching passes may be a luxury now based on the injuries he’s had lately. It increases his chances to take on significant contact as he welcomes it a lot.

We don’t really have anyone else after Olave and Shaheed to consistently execute a 10+ yard route for a big catch. It should be Tipton but they aren’t giving him many snaps right now. It’s Kamara when he runs longer routes but he’s not lined up as a WR on long passing downs as much as #12 and #22. When 1 of the 3 of AK, Olave, and Shaheed has to miss plays, we have 2 consistent receivers and hoping someone else finds a way to step up series to series.

I'm not saying those guys are perfect options as #3 and #4, although there was a time that Kamara probably could have been the bets Slot WR in the league, I'm just saying that we do have other options. But, I'm not honestly sure how much a #3 WR would be used given how the read progressions work in this scheme.

Still, this team could certainly use another WR. But, they really haven't much tried to use the other WRs that they do have. Even in 11 it appears that the #3 WR doesn't get many targets. I suspect some of that is based on game plan and how the offense works with straight progression on reads, but maybe some of it is lack of talent at WR and Adams is a better and more complete WR than Shaheed.

It just comes down to the present and future cost to me.

 

[St. Geezy]

I did.

Whether there is an available player in a position of need or not is irrelevant.

What's relevant, a "top 5 WR" (again, top 5 in what?) is not going to improve anything if the QB doesn't see him because 2 players who blew past the center are running straight at him and he's running for his life, and a primarily running team can't run the ball.

You may have missed my question from before, but I was serious about it...

Is it your contention that because there are weaknesses that can't be fulfilled, that we should just sit on our hands and try no contingencies to mitigate the situation?

It seems like your overall take here is "We have a bad o-line = quit trying."

You don't believe that adding a player like Adams would put pressure on defenses, that it wouldn't help prevent reckless blitzing, or wouldn't help open up the running game even more with less stacked boxes, etc. while also giving us a go-to type guy we can just "Throw it up to" at certain moments on quicker passes?

A top-flight WR could in many ways help a faulty o-line, a faulty o-line that again, seemed perfectly fine up until we got a couple of guys injured that should be back in a month.

 

[kcirdor]

I mean, 3 1/2 of those sacks are from a blitzing Slot CB and 3 of those 3 1/2 were in one game. But, it was clear against Atlanta that the pass rush isn't good enough. If you can't get pressure against Cousins against that banged up Atlanta line, you have issues.

I was wondering.... "good enough pass rush" what games are we watching here. Payton Turner finally makes a play and suddenly our Pass rush in Atlanta was a "success".