Saints picking a front seven player isn't a "sure thing" (1 Viewer)

[scott88]

Draft insider Tony Pauline says the New Orleans Saints picking a front seven player is "not a sure thing."


Pauline instead suggests that the Saints, along with the 49ers, "will look hard at defensive backs in the early rounds of the draft." Since a specific position wasn't given, both safeties and corners appear up for grabs. The Saints are moving to a 3-4 base defense and seriously lack pass rushers.

Post-Combine Notes 1.0

per: rotoworld

this makes me think Kenny Vacarro & Xavier Rhodes could very well be the picks should they be on board at 15

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Makes sense....guys forget tht coaches like 3G and ryan r capable of manufacturing pressure.

Using overloads shifts matchups....but with so much going on u need corners tht can cover just incase theres a breakdown or the pressure doesnt get there.

Remember how we talked about the corners being less important in spags sxheme???

Complete opposite in this one

 

[st.randy]

And.... of course free agency will play a major role. I could see them drafting a cab early.

 

[treeduck]

We may have no choice but to pick one of these guys if all the best 3-4 OLB's and NT's are gone.

 

[NOFALCONS10]

I don't even think going defense alone early is a sure thing.

After some of the combines that Tavon Austin and Lane Johnson just had, it wouldn't surprise me if payton went with either one of them in the first, even after fielding the worst defense in history. It certainly wouldn't be the first time that they've made a pick like that.

I love the DBs and OLBs early but I would not be shocked to see a few offensive players taken in this draft either.

 

[JackDiesel]

Free agency will be telling. If we pick up an OLB like Victor Butler than it's possible.

They might decide that they need time to evaluate our front 7 in TC and choose not to add any high picks to it if they like potential fits of our players. Meanwhile, it's no secret that our entire secondary is a mess so a DB would seem like a safer choice.

 

[bclemms]

I'm one of the few that thinks the front 7 is the strength of our defense. I'd prefer to see us go with a player in the secondary if one of the elite OLB's or NT aren't on the board.

 

[RiverRat]

I'm fine with a DB. A player with 10 INTS is more important that a player with 10 SACKS.

 

[cdogg]

Vaccaro in the first, Mathieu in the third?

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Also put it in perspective.

Our gop 3 guys are

Jabari Greer
Pat Robinson
Corey white
;
While many of us feel greer has a lot left...truth is his peak is behind him. Injuries and age have resulted in a decline the last 2 years. Hes only getting older..

Patrick has been inconsistent. Has the tools but cant put it together.

1 week hes all over steve smith..the next week he cant locate a jump ball against dez bryant

White...well i watched the vids citysaint posted and it appears most of his breakdowns were in zone...but man he looked to b ok



Obviously our DBs r a weakpoint.

The thing about the 1-gap is the pressure doesnt just come from OLBs...

Everyone sees a draft filled with olbs and feel as though we need one with our 1st pick....

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

I'm one of the few that thinks the front 7 is the strength of our defense. I'd prefer to see us go with a player in the secondary if one of the elite OLB's or NT aren't on the board.

I agree our front 7 is stacked...after the switch. 2 guys in hicks n jordan on the line.

Lofton hawthorne tez junya vilma @ lb

Tom johnson...i mean we arent hurting in the front 7.....but our dbs are another question.


Take this with a grain of salt..but Harper hasnt been asked to restructure yet....hes also obviously not worth his salary...vs his production.

Not so sure greer has been asked yet either and his cap hit is significant for a 32 year old corner.


Just food for thought.

 

[NOFALCONS10]

Vaccaro in the first, Mathieu in the third?

High tackle #'s and average to below average ball skills?

We already have Vaccaro on the roster in Malcolm Jenkins.


Malcolm Jenkins, DB for the New Orleans Saints at NFL.com



If you want a safety who can catch an INT look for Baccari Rambo and Rashard Hall.

 

[WxM]

One of the whole points of a 3-4 is that you can get capable edge rushers inexpensively. Trying to pick one for the sake of need in the first round defeats that. If he's the best player, sure, we should take him. But otherwise, no. Between Jordan, Hicks, and Bunkley, we have a quality front. Depth is needed, but you don't draft in the first for depth. At linebacker, Lofton and Hawthorne are here to stay, and Wilson is a wild card, with Galette on the edge. Plus, the staff seems hellbent on keeping Smith (DE?) and Vilma against better judgment.

Our safeties were atrocious and corners not a lot better. It makes the most sense to draft a secondary player in the first round, all other things being equal.

 

[Javon7143]

High tackle #'s and average to below average ball skills?

We already have Vaccaro on the roster in Malcolm Jenkins.


Malcolm Jenkins, DB for the New Orleans Saints at NFL.com



If you want a safety who can catch an INT look for Baccari Rambo and Rashard Hall.

Yup. Give me Tavon Austin. Though intrigued by these pass rushers, I think we need more depth of LB's that fit the 3-4 than anything.

 

[SaintsJunkie]

good corners in FA cost a fortune, revis wants 16 mil a year, and since we have to sign Bushrod or similar , 8 mil a year, we should draft the corner high

 

[scott88]

good corners in FA cost a fortune, revis wants 16 mil a year, and since we have to sign Bushrod or similar , 8 mil a year, we should draft the corner high

the CBs that could go in the 1st are Dee Milliner, Xavier Rhodes, and maybe Desmond Trufant. Jonathan Banks dropped out of the 1st