MatthewV
MRV
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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.
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.