Taking a realistic look at why we didn't sign the players that we lost in Free Agency (1 Viewer)

[srcampbell]

There's nothing wrong with shifting to the Steelers, Green Bay and Patriot way of doing things. Build through the draft, don't sign high priced FAs, keep the guys you want and let guys go one year too early as opposed to one year too late. We were headed that way not that long ago, but the end of Brees years shifted things slightly, it looks like we are headed back that way again and that's not a bad thing.

This is also the Saints way of doing things. Our biggest problem, unlike most teams, is that we draft too damn well. And when you draft well, you just can't afford to keep everybody you develop. Blame Jeff Ireland and the scouting department.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Onyemata at this point in his career is more run stopper than passrush threat. He was upgradable as a 3T.

Davenport was out once Kapp was resigned. He and Payton Turner can platoon the RDE spot just fine.

Ellis was a luxury but was still undersized and not Uber athletic for what Allen likes to do at the Sam position. Top backup at any position tho and cashed in rightfully. Saints have solid depth and some returning players who flashed.

Shy Tuttle also deserved to get paid but doesn’t fit what Allen’s prototype is at the position. He likes them over 310

 

[Wisco Steve]

According the 'comp pick guru' Nick Korte at OTC, we are looking at gaining the following;
A 4th for Davenport
A 4th for Onyemata
A 6th for Tuttle
A 6th for Elliss

 

[Snakehead]

This is also the Saints way of doing things. Our biggest problem, unlike most teams, is that we draft too damn well. And when you draft well, you just can't afford to keep everybody you develop. Blame Jeff Ireland and the scouting department.

I know. We really shifted that way when Ireland arrived and it's the best way to operate.

 

[madsaint1967]

What. I was with you until this bit of high fiction. The 3 1st round picks we have tied up into those 2 were outplayed by a former UDFA in Granderson.

Turner is a bigger bust than Davenport through 2 years and its not close. At least Davenport flashed potential.

From week 11 on, Granderson had 4 sacks, Davenport and Turner combined for 0. Hell, Turner only played in 1 game after week 11 and his stat line in that game is 0's across the board in the 10 snaps he played on defense.

I'd like to to see what Granderson can do as a starter. Had two 1st rounders that couldn't make a difference, maybe a hungry UDFA is the ticket. Don't forget Kpassagnon either. Get some DTs and a DE in the draft.

 

[jrdbrn]

The only player who was worth keeping was Ellis, and I don´t think that paying him 11 M for two years guaranteed was too much of a risk. When Davis hangs it up, the team will only have Werner as a viable option at LBer.

End of the day, Ellis was a backup. You don't pay him 11 million as a backup. If Werner hadn't gone down, he likely would be a backup this year.

 

[Westbank4Life]

What. I was with you until this bit of high fiction. The 3 1st round picks we have tied up into those 2 were outplayed by a former UDFA in Granderson.

Turner is a bigger bust than Davenport through 2 years and its not close. At least Davenport flashed potential.

From week 11 on, Granderson had 4 sacks, Davenport and Turner combined for 0. Hell, Turner only played in 1 game after week 11 and his stat line in that game is 0's across the board in the 10 snaps he played on defense.

Kentavious Street even found a way to came up with 3.5 sacks at DT (he was a DE) in rotation.

In the last six games, he was credited with six pressures and 2.5 sacks while gathering 16 total tackles in the last nine contests. 26 years old.

I think he's perfect to build around and keep in rotation. Not sure what Turner or Dav were doing the entire season.

 

[44slayer]

Kentavious Street even found a way to came up with 3.5 sacks at DT (he was a DE) in rotation.

In the last six games, he was credited with six pressures and 2.5 sacks while gathering 16 total tackles in the last nine contests. 26 years old.

I think he's perfect to build around and keep in rotation. Not sure what Turner or Dav were doing the entire season.

Right...

Turner was a healthy scratch in street clothes most of the season. I have no issues with Davenport heading north, but the only reason Turner is even on the roster is because he was a 1st round pick. And he has reached the end of that grace period. If we werent extremely short handed on the d line, I could see Turner getting cut in TC. But because we dont have the numbers, he likely will get another season of hope.

 

[SailorJerrysHorse]

Another consideration is that we have a new coach on the d line and a new DC. Fresh eyes and new perspective on our current roster may have yielded some ideas on who was worth keeping and where they needed to upgrade, regardless of how much they were asking for.

 

[BreesusSaves]

The Saints finished 29th in QB pressure percentage. So our eyes genuinely weren't deceiving us when we felt the Saints had no pass rush.

The Saints allowed 130.5 yards per game rushing (24th) and a 4.5ypc average (five way tie for 19th), so well below average there.

Losing Elliss hurts because he was great depth and showed himself to be a good blitzer, but outside of Elliss, there is just no way you can convince me losing Onyemata, Tuttle, or Davenport is a problem. They either never performed at a high level or were no longer performing at a high level. The defensive line needed to be retooled and rebuilt.

 

[Saint Spud]

It’s interesting listening back to the pre-FA pod from Monday morning here. Nick and Mike both agreed that Elliss would be the biggest loss if he left, whereas both viewed the DTs as kinda “meh” and not worth paying.

Obviously they come at this from a Saints FO point of view. But it seems pretty clear they were ok with the DTs leaving because of how they performed. And this was before it even happened.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

The simplest answer is the best answer.

The Saints don’t value the position with regards to 2nd contracts unless it’s a deal.

They’ll draft it highly, but won’t pay them…unless it’s a game changing talent or the aforementioned “deal”

Add Onyemata Tuttle and Davenport to the laundry list of Dlineman the Saints have allowed to walk or traded since Allen’s arrival

Akiem Hicks
Trey Hendrickson
Sheldon Rankins
Malcolm Brown

Conversely they’ve invested in LB a lot since 2015. 5 FA’s a 1st, 2nd rounder, two 3rd, 5th, and a 7th.

That’s a whopping 11 players. It’s up there with CB in how we value it.

Edit: this also puts into perspective why they allocated so many resources to Davenport and Turner. They were looking for an eventual Cam successor at LDE. Davenport flamed out. Now we get a chance to see how Turner develops I’m year 3.

Carl Granderson is going to get his chance to shine at RDE.

 

[RJS]

I don't mind the DT's leaving but it is frustrating that there is nothing in the pipeline. When you see that everybody is hitting free agency at the same time, there has to be a better strategy than we'll draft someone after they are gone.

 

[lilvipa221]

Regardless of what people want to believe. The reason we weren't able to keep any of them is because there is a limit as to how much money we can kick down the road. We can't afford real depth. Elliss is going to hurt in the depth department at edge and linebacker. He was our best pass rusher last season. People want to poke fun whenever you bring up our cap situation but it is a limitation doing business the way we do. Solid starting lineup but having to turn to 35 year olds as depth when our starters get hurt.

 

[Westbank4Life]

Right...

Turner was a healthy scratch in street clothes most of the season. I have no issues with Davenport heading north, but the only reason Turner is even on the roster is because he was a 1st round pick. And he has reached the end of that grace period. If we werent extremely short handed on the d line, I could see Turner getting cut in TC. But because we dont have the numbers, he likely will get another season of hope.

I hear ya. I like the bodies still at DE minus Dav and even Turner lol

Jordan, Granderson, Roach, Kppassangnoh(sp)...sign another vet and go draft body...let the chips fall with turner

get a vet DT and possible nice draft day DT ....DL is good shape...the rest is execution from there.