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

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 agree with you - killer problem to have, though!
 
Think of it this way...in the modern NFL, a good chunk (60% or so) of all players are rentals. Free agency and the salary cap simply prevents most players from staying in one place their entire career.

I think the Saints had a great run (when they were winning) keeping most players onboard despite cap challenges. Well, with two losing seasons, a team needs to attempt to get better up and down the roster.
 
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.
Have patience. The Draft is DT heavy this year. We've got 5 picks in the top 146 with 4 more picks after that. We are positioned to improve.
ROUNDPICK (OVR)PLAYERpiece of workSCHOOLHTWT
129 (29)---
29 (40)---
38 (71)---
413 (115)---
511 (146)---
530 (165)---
611 (188)---
710 (227)---
740 (257)---
 
So, in the end, we lose 2 starters on defense. Davenport and Onyemata. Davenport's health has been an issue every year. Ever since we gave up a lot to draft Davenport, who at the time was a physical freak who played at a small school and was a project guy, he was always under a microscope. This board showed a lot of frustration with his development and injuries. The team knew they were not going to re-sign him, and we already had players ready to replace him. (Turner and Granderson) Now, Onyemata leaving was also expected, although we are not as well stocked at the DT position as we are at DE. Production did slip for the entire group of tackles, and it looks to be a good time to refresh that group. Now we have to.

The back-ups ... Losing Kaden Ellis hurts me a bit because I have been pulling for him and he finally got healthy. He still has a brighter future than the tackles at this point. But he was a backup and with the defense we play, he was not going to get enough playing time because of Davis and Werner. He mentioned playing time as one of his factors in determining his decision regarding staying or leaving. If he had been healthy all along, we probably would not have drafted Werner. Hate to see him go, but this is life in the NFL. With Shy Tuttle, we got our money's worth out of him. He was an undrafted guy who has put together a good career as a backup and has some memorable moments on film. But he too was expendable.

All teams lose players every year. Superbowl contenders lose them as well as cellar dwellers. We have signed two FAs from other teams, with the biggest signing at QB. Don't expect any other splash signings. I hope we finish the draft with at least the nine picks we have if not more. Trading back instead of up would be nice unless there is a player they love at #29/30. not a "body type".
 
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.

Depth is loss when you constantly trade away picks to move up. We should have drafted a DT last year with our 3rd.
 
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we already had players ready to replace him. (Turner and Granderson)

Another example of what gets us in trouble. By what metric is Turner ready to replace anyone? Theres no numbers or stats to back that up. His best tape is still from college. When he isnt a healthy scratch, he is in the tub. So whats that based on? That he uses oxygen like a DE? He was a healthy scratch most of last season. We have some serious, serious work to do on the DL. And this isnt about Onyemata and Davenport leaving - I expected them to go. We had work to do before they officially left.

But we have to hit home runs on the DL in the draft, and make some kind of move to bring in a FA. If you planned on giving Carr the defense he never had with the Raiders - the DL has to be heavily addressed.
 
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
If only we'd known what we had in Trey before we blew two firsts on the Davenport busted flush
 
80
 
If only we'd known what we had in Trey before we blew two firsts on the Davenport busted flush
Trey isn’t a Cam Jordan. He’s someone the Saints would let walk. When I say a game changing talent you think Michael Strahan (who Davenport was compared to in “potential”) or Jordan. Someone with 1st round athleticism + the ability.

That’s why the spent a total of 3 1st rounders on guys with that potential + size + length.
 
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 actually meant Granderson.

My bad.
 
They ended up more expensive than we were going to afford and I guess that's ok as long as there is a plan to somehow at least get the same production from somewhere else for less money or to somehow actually upgrade. But if their plan was to let these guys go and get worse on an already shaky D line, then I'm going to be critical of the front office. It's too early for that though. Free agency hasn't even really started yet and they might have their eyes on some players that are good fits that I can't see.

A lot of people will point to the draft, but the long term Saints strategy has been to fill needs in free agency and take the best player available in the draft. We'll see of they stick to that this year.
 
Losing Onyemata and Tuttle only hurts because we don't have anyone else to replace them at the moment, so it seems like that's a huge position of worry, even though they didn't perform like we wanted them to last year.

As far as Ellis, I would have liked to have kept him but it may speak volumes for what we have behind him. D'Marco Jackson has the opportunity to really step up now after basically a redshirt rookie year, as does Dowell and Sewell. This draft is relatively deep with DT's and I would love Mazi and Sia both being drafted. Then a running back in the 3rd, and bpa from there on out, including a safety at some point.
 
Well at least we all know what were are doing at #29 now.

DT
Definitely DT.

and Linebacker at 40.
 
Street is a FA as well, correct?
Yes, all of our DT’s (Onyemata, Tuttle, Street, Roach, Huggins) are free agents this year. Roach and Huggins are RFA’s but we didn’t give them a tender offer, so they are free to sign with anyone.

I know we offered Roach a contract, did not see anything about Street.
 

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