The "Get Over They Didn't Draft a Guard" Thread (1 Viewer)

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The most frustrating meme of this year's draft is a repeat of last year's "why didn't they draft a guard?" for every pick from Round 2 to Round 7 when the Saints made it clear through their actions that they didn't plan to address that hole with a rookie. You can't blame them -- do you really want to entrust Drew's safety to a rookie they don't believe in?

With the team in "win now" mode with old Drew, the simple answer is that the Saints clearly didn't see a candidate their scouts thought could reasonably be counted on to make a bigger Year 1 impact than UDFAs.

Since at least Round 2, the Saints did not intend to address their guard issues in the draft. They clearly did not see any big diamond-in-the-rough Evans or Nicks types on their board. Complaining that they didn't pick just any old guard in Rounds 2-7 is willfully ignoring this reality. With players like Evans, Grubbs, Vasquez, and Troutman available, I'd expect the Saints to pick up some cheap veteran free agents and try a trade.

After Round 1, Sean Payton indicated they were concerned to see a run on guards start. In retrospect, it appears they may have been targeting Ifedi/Garnett, or maybe it was a smokescreen and the scouts didn't see any Guards they loved to come in and compete to start on Day 1.

Regardless, in Round 2, the Saints made moves with the pick of Day 1 contributor Thomas (over Whitehair and others) and trading for Day 1 Contributor Vonn (eliminating Round 4 pick) that there was not a guard they had rated high enough to merit targeting with a draft pick in the rest of the draft.

Also, given that their first 3 picks are all Day 1 contributors at need positions, it is clear the Saints are still in "Win Now" mode, and it made no sense for them to just draft a body that they didn't think would reasonably start this year.

I can understand the frustration given the Saints reluctance to invest recently in guards, but judging this draft on the fact that they didn't reach for a prospect they didn't believe in as a Guard is a really simplistic way to look at it.
 
I am with you. I understand the frustration but also understand why we didn't just draft a guard because he's a guard.

We'll bring some vets into camp.
 
We can't fix all the problems with the draft this much is true. But I don't have a problem with folks being distressed over the fact the interior OL has been a problem a couple of years running now. It was bad last year and on paper has only got thinner and worse. Quality of the starters aside I don't even want to think of what the situation is going to be like if there is an injury or two on top of it. I get the willies just thinking about it ... like I just mentioned the name of that which should not be named .... Anyway there is nothing wrong with folks believing in investing in the line before skill players. Running backs need holes to run through and receivers need time to get the ball.

I was hoping we would be rebuilding both the O and D from the inside out wether through free agency or the draft. I think we certainly made an attempt at shoring up the DL in both free agency and the draft. But the OL appears to only be getting weaker and thinner. It is a legit concern. Not reasonable to expect world peace out of the draft but maybe settling for not having a gun pointed at your face with someone's finger on the trigger would be a bit more comforting.
 
No one's debating that it is a huge need, the biggest need on the team in my opinion.

I'm simply saying that insisting that this hole be filled by the draft, and criticizing the Saints for not drafting guards they didn't believe in, is silly.

Besides, now the Saints signed Landon Turner, a mid-round Guard prospect, as a UDFA. If they had picked him in the 5th instead of trading, some critics would be cheering this draft.
 
So we over the guard thing then????
 
No one's debating that it is a huge need, the biggest need on the team in my opinion.

I'm simply saying that insisting that this hole be filled by the draft, and criticizing the Saints for not drafting guards they didn't believe in, is silly.

Besides, now the Saints signed Landon Turner, a mid-round Guard prospect, as a UDFA. If they had picked him in the 5th instead of trading, some critics would be cheering this draft.

Super stoked about landing Turner really, but to make a point. You have to understand many of the people talking about addressing the guard position were saying the same things last year. And the argument was the same, trust the FO, we will bring in some one, find someone. Well guess what It didn't happen and was a major achelis heel for the Saints offense.

Forgive those of us that are really concerned with that happening again.

That being said it looks like we are doing better than last year already, I really like the Turner kid, and it really changes this entire draft for me, just a concerned fan who wants to see the black and gold go marching in!
 
we got Turner so the whole uproar is done. I didn't want to see our best chance to win get creamed because of lack of talent with the guard position. position is filled and got more depth coming. we are very thin in depth with the offensive line talent and now it just got better. Good draft.
 
Super stoked about landing Turner really, but to make a point. You have to understand many of the people talking about addressing the guard position were saying the same things last year... That being said it looks like we are doing better than last year already, I really like the Turner kid, and it really changes this entire draft for me, just a concerned fan who wants to see the black and gold go marching in!

I hear ya dude -- I agree it's the Saints' biggest weakness, and it concerns me.

My only point was that the Saints clearly didn't buy that there was a prospect heads-and-shoulders above what they could get as an UDFA as far as the 2016 impact, and that judging the draft on the fact that they still didn't just draft *someone* was silly. The Turner signing if anything proves that true.
 
I wouldn't be completely shocked to see us sign Jahri Evans. He had a couple visits with teams but no contract offers that I'm aware of. We can probably get him back for the veteran minimum at this point.
 
I thought the O Line played well the last part of the season.
 
I think Allen and Young make the final 53; Landon I hope makes it, but he's so athletically limited that it's hard to see him being trusted to hold up in pass protection, which is essential for our guards. That said, Payton has been saying for years that he wants more of a power run game and Landon is so strong that, in obvious running situations, he'd really be able to contribute. 4th quarter, protect the lead, run the clock mode, he's that nasty road grader you want, so I hope he makes it and that we're in that situation a lot.
 
Something that is important to note is the benefit of NOT drafting a guard in relation to udfas.

There were several udfas that chose us because they thought they had a better chance to start here. If we had drafted one in the middle rounds, that might make some udfas take pause since they see the team as invested in one player over a udfa.

Maybe the saints figured after round 2, the talent was all close enough that they'd rather attract a handful of the good ones left instead bank on one middle rounder?
 

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