The defense is looking great, but we still have a need at LB (1 Viewer)

[Bespoke]

We do have this trend going where the starting DE opposite Cam goes on IR mid-season and can't make it the playoffs. 2017 - it was Okafor with an Achilles tear, 2019 - Davenport with a Lis Franc.

Rankins also has missed the playoffs the last two seasons.

It just seems we have to plan for / expect a starter along the D-line to not be available for the playoffs; it's been frustrating watching Cam get tripled by the Tackle, Guard or sometimes Tight End, and then a chip from the Back .. and no one else getting pressure against 1-on-1 blocks in the Post season.

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

I agree we need linebackers, badly actually. But I don’t get the DE or DT, I get the injury concerns but we have depth too...

DE- Jordan, Davenport, Hendrickson, Spence and Williams that plays DE and DT

DT- Rankins, Onyemata, Brown, Tuttle, Williams.

i mean how much depth do you want? If we spend more money or trade it better be for a LB, that’s the glaring hole.

I’m not thinking depth.
It definitely would be needed for backer more though, you’re right there. .

I do feel that with the injury to Marcus, two bad injuries to end the last two years for Sheldon...and Cam seemingly playing every snap of every game....we may want to invest in another edge if we can. I’m also excluding Trey as I think he’s a fringe player that gets abused in the run game.
Onyemata is a good young talent that is seeming to come into his own, and he’s been durable.
Hopefully Sheldon and Marcus come back fully healthy.

 

[Slaw]

to be honest, I dont get how people don't think we need another starting quality DE to create pressure based on the current DE depth listed.

It's Cam Jordan and that is all...if we're talking about double 5+ sacks from a DE. That's not good at all honestly. Plus, Cam's getting older too. It's time to get another starting quality DE.

SF had 4-5 DE close to double digit sacks last season (8+ sacks). That's how their defense was so good, it is because the DE was able to constantly get pressure on the opposing QBs.

We have Cam, jury is still out on Davenport, and a bunch of high motor/energy players who are rotational players (rarely gets to the QB), but not starting quality.

I'm with you on loading up on pass rushers. I've always wanted what Houston had when they started Watt, Clowney, and Mercilus. Cam/Watt and Davenport/Clowney have a lot of similarities, including measurables and style of play. All we're missing, imo, is that Whitney Mercilus type. That's where my boy Zack Baun comes into play. Dude is a Clay Matthews clone and can keep the offense guessing by rushing from different alignments and dropping into coverage.

 

[Bespoke]

It's all about the best player available. I don't think the Saints are opposed to drafting LBs.

He actually has a solid point, in the Sean Payton era, Stephone Anthony has been the only Linebacker selected in the First Two rounds, and that was the year they had two 1st rounders to spend.

The Saints under Payton and Loomis simply don't put a premium value on the Linebacker position in the Draft, they have felt atleast since '06 they can get them in the mid or later rounds, and they actually prefer to go after starting LBs in Free agency it seems.

Could this be the year that changes? Possibly, depends on how they evaluate Queen and Murray.. it does feel like Linebacker is the only glaring hole to address outside of depth on the roster.

 

[ThrowbackSaintXXL]

It's all about the best player available. I don't think the Saints are opposed to drafting LBs.

2019: Kaden Elliss, R7
2018:
2017: Alex Anzalone, R3
2016:
2015: Stephone Anthony, R1
2014: Khairi Fortt, R4

Yeah only 1 in the 1st n look how that went

BPA is good n all but if they have a choice between LB/QB or LB/OL I’d betcha they’d have the latters rated higher

 

[B_doggman47]

I doubt they draft an LB @ 24. They usually rely on FA when it comes to that position. And it ain’t like we don’t have a stud @ WILL n potential studs @ MIKE already. We need a SAM but they can usually be had in later rds. Besides it’s only a part-time position in our D anyway

LB'ers market in FA has dried up and what's left is no better or even worse than what we already have. We need to draft a LB, maybe not in the first round, but somewhere between 3rd & 5th rnds. We could use another DE to start grooming behind Cam. He isn't getting any younger. I wouldn't mind bringing in Clowney or Ansah.

 

[town123]

He actually has a solid point, in the Sean Payton era, Stephone Anthony has been the only Linebacker selected in the First Two rounds, and that was the year they had two 1st rounders to spend.

The Saints under Payton and Loomis simply don't put a premium value on the Linebacker position in the Draft, they have felt atleast since '06 they can get them in the mid or later rounds, and they actually prefer to go after starting LBs in Free agency it seems.

Could this be the year that changes? Possibly, depends on how they evaluate Queen and Murray.. it does feel like Linebacker is the only glaring hole to address outside of depth on the roster.

And in 2017 when we had two 1 st rounders and were about to select a LB at #32. (Rueben Foster) Thankfully that didn't happen. I'll take an OT who falls any time.

 

[Bespoke]

LB'ers market in FA has dried up and what's left is no better or even worse than what we already have. We need to draft a LB, maybe not in the first round, but somewhere between 3rd & 5th rnds. We could use another DE to start grooming behind Cam. He isn't getting any younger. I wouldn't mind bringing in Clowney or Ansah.

I don't want them to feel they have to make a pick out of need, drafting like that usually sets teams up to fail. (Although I do agree Linebacker is a spot that still needs to be addressed.)

19 Years of history shows still shows it's highly unlikely that Payton/Loomis take a Linebacker in Round 1. since '06
1 Linebacker taken in Round 1
0 Linebackers taken in Round 2

so just going off history it's more likely they take a LB in Round 3 or later, unless they have a really high grade on Queen/Murray/Baun enough to buck that trend. (Or they target a guy like Malik Harrison, or Willie Gay and trade capital from next year to get into Round 2.)

 

[Saint Taysom]

LB and CB depth are the 2 chinks in the defense

 

[town123]

So.... thoughts on trading back because the FO can't get enough information to solidify their big board the way they're used to? I wish Indy was desperate enough to give us 34, 44 for 24 and 88.

 

[Slaw]

He actually has a solid point, in the Sean Payton era, Stephone Anthony has been the only Linebacker selected in the First Two rounds, and that was the year they had two 1st rounders to spend.

The Saints under Payton and Loomis simply don't put a premium value on the Linebacker position in the Draft, they have felt atleast since '06 they can get them in the mid or later rounds, and they actually prefer to go after starting LBs in Free agency it seems.

Could this be the year that changes? Possibly, depends on how they evaluate Queen and Murray.. it does feel like Linebacker is the only glaring hole to address outside of depth on the roster.

I think that's just due to positional value and maybe valuing LBs slightly less than other teams, which leads to other teams "reaching" and taking the LB higher than the Saints value him.

QB, WR, OT, IOL, IDL, EDGE, CB are all viewed as more valuable positions than off ball LB. The only positions generally less valuable than off ball LB are RB and TE.

There just happened to be a handful of LBs graded as late first/early second rounders in 2014. Eric Kendricks, Stephone Anthony, Denzel Perryman, Shaq Thompson, and Benardrick McKinney were all picked between 25-48.

I'm seeing a similar cluster of LBs this year with Chaisson, Baun, Queen, and Murray. I could see them all going between 15-32. I could see a LB being the pick at 24 just as easily as a DB or WR.

 

[renegadewa]

I think we'll see a marked improvement on the back end of the defense with Malcolm Jenkins being brought back.

The kids back there have been good to great players but one thing that was missing was leadership and Jenkins will fill that role nicely IMO.

 

[Bespoke]

I think that's just due to positional value and maybe valuing LBs slightly less than other teams, which leads to other teams "reaching" and taking the LB higher than the Saints value him.

QB, WR, OT, IOL, IDL, EDGE, CB are all viewed as more valuable positions than off ball LB. The only positions generally less valuable than off ball LB are RB and TE.

There just happened to be a handful of LBs graded as late first/early second rounders in 2014. Eric Kendricks, Stephone Anthony, Denzel Perryman, Shaq Thompson, and Benardrick McKinney were all picked between 25-48.

I'm seeing a similar cluster of LBs this year with Chaisson, Baun, Queen, and Murray. I could see them all going between 15-32. I could see a LB being the pick at 24 just as easily as a DB or WR.

I can agree with that, definitely the point that the Saints seem to have a lower 'positional value' on Linebacker than other teams.

I guess a better way to phrase my point would be to say in a hypothetical: If the Saints don't make any trade moves in this draft and just stay put at #24, and #88.

They are more likely to take a WR, CB, Interior DL, OL, or Edge prospect over a Similarly graded Linebacker, and would wait until later in the Draft to address the position. (because as we've touched on they seem to put the higher value on those positions in the early rounds of the draft)

 

[Mississippi Saints Fan]

LB is definitely the greatest need on the team now, overall. People can say what they want, but Klein was solid and is definitely a loss, especially considering the injury issues with the others you mentioned.

 

[Slaw]

Yeah only 1 in the 1st n look how that went

BPA is good n all but if they have a choice between LB/QB or LB/OL I’d betcha they’d have the latters rated higher

All things being equal, QB and OL are more valuable positions. If talent is equal, go with positional value ahead of need.