The last time a Saints #2 WR had a less productive season than Ted Ginn did this year.. (1 Viewer)

[Deucewildin]

How much would one be willing to play for? Teams on average spend between 11.8% of the cap on the WR position. If the cap goes up to $200M which would be $23.6M for the WR position in 2020. Thomas eats $15M of that $23.6 leaving $8.6 to pay 4-5 more WRs while only Harris, TQS and Hogan are under contract for next season totaling about $2M between them and $6.6M or so to sign 2-3 more WRs. Obviously that is if we do not restructure Thomas and we stay at the average which I don't see why we would go over considering all of the positions that still need to be paid. I think we'll bring in an affordable FA and draft a WR and resign Kirkwood. Butler is a wildcard here b/c we don't know what we have with him.

We see where bringing in affordable FA and UDFA has gotten us over the past 3 years right? This isn’t Brees of 2011 we need talent mediocrity isn’t going to cut it . We have the same thing in mind exect you rather a Avg FA receiver instead of a dominant one correct ? You keep worrying about Cap that isn’t a problem especially with Mickey. You go sign a Latimire, Funchess , Agholor we do better with the group we have . Go big or Go home !!! Our teams biggest weakness over the past 3 seasons combined have been in this order :
Wide Receiver Production
Cornerback Play/Secondary
Consistent Pass Rush

We need to hit on all 3 areas in FA and draft !

 

[Stalwart385]

Yes, I know. The real point is MT eats up a huge % of the $ to be spent on WRs so getting another high salary WR is more than likely not going to happen. It will probably be an affordable veteran WR and at least one rookie while keeping/resigning a few of the current WRs on the roster.

No doubt. I'm thinking 8m/yr is the high end. Thats considering a typical contract where you pay 5-6 mil the first year. That would probably be our splash signing for the year too.

 

[TribuneUK]

We see where bringing in affordable FA and UDFA has gotten us over the past 3 years right? This isn’t Brees of 2011 we need talent mediocrity isn’t going to cut it . We have the same thing in mind exect you rather a Avg FA receiver instead of a dominant one correct ? You keep worrying about Cap that isn’t a problem especially with Mickey. You go sign a Latimire, Funchess , Agholor we do better with the group we have . Go big or Go home !!! Our teams biggest weakness over the past 3 seasons combined have been in this order :
Wide Receiver Production
Cornerback Play/Secondary
Consistent Pass Rush

We need to hit on all 3 areas in FA and draft !

Sorry, but even if I agreed with your short term thinking on overspending on another WR (I don't), I wouldn't agree with any of those three names you've suggested. All three drafted far too early, all major disappointments. Probably indicative that it's not that easy to just plug and play an available vet FA at the position.

I think it's going to be another draftee and a FA name none of us particularly favour, or an injured one a la Meredith.

 

[los226]

Sorry, but even if I agreed with your short term thinking on overspending on another WR (I don't), I wouldn't agree with any of those three names you've suggested. All three drafted far too early, all major disappointments. Probably indicative that is not that easy to just plug and play an available vet FA at the position.

I think it's going to be another draftee and a very none of us particularly favour, or an injured one a la Meredith.

Lol those were the worst three WR examples to make the case.

 

[jasonsw]

- Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, setting in motion what would be the first Gulf War

- Tim Berners-Lee publishes his formal proposal for the World Wide Web during November. Berners-Lee’s proposal outlined a plan for a system that would use hypertext, web pages, browsers, and web servers to share documents across the internet.

- The first episode of the Simpsons aired

- East and West Germany were united and the Berlin wall was demolished

- "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips was the #1 song of the year

- A pound of ground beef cost 89 cents

- The average house cost $123,000

- "Ghost" starring Patrick Swaye and Demi Moore was the top-grossing movie of the year

- Taysom Hill was four months old


That is all.

hard to believe ground beef was 89 cents a pound. now its 6 bucks

 

[Snakehead]

We see where bringing in affordable FA and UDFA has gotten us over the past 3 years right? This isn’t Brees of 2011 we need talent mediocrity isn’t going to cut it . We have the same thing in mind exect you rather a Avg FA receiver instead of a dominant one correct ? You keep worrying about Cap that isn’t a problem especially with Mickey. You go sign a Latimire, Funchess , Agholor we do better with the group we have . Go big or Go home !!! Our teams biggest weakness over the past 3 seasons combined have been in this order :
Wide Receiver Production
Cornerback Play/Secondary
Consistent Pass Rush

We need to hit on all 3 areas in FA and draft !

I think you totally missed the point. A big name WR is not going to fix the issue and it may actually compound other issues. It's a skillset, not a name that is needed. Where you get that skillset from doesn't matter whether it be the draft, UDFA or FA. There are probably 10-20 WRs in this draft class that will perform equal to or better than the 3 examples you gave at a fraction of the price.

 

[No2DC]

The 09 WR group just makes this current group look so bad and it was about the group more than one guy. I honestly don't know who the 2 was but both guys could take the top off the D.
Colston
Devery
Meach
Shockey

 

[renegadewa]

None of this is going to make the Saints draft a WR in the first round. In fact as deep as this draft is at the WR position taking one at 24 would be a wasted pick.

Too many other holes that could be filled at 24!!

 

[dutar76]

None of this is going to make the Saints draft a WR in the first round. In fact as deep as this draft is at the WR position taking one at 24 would be a wasted pick.

Too many other holes that could be filled at 24!!

Then again, if we could somehow unearth another gem like we found in Mike Thomas... I wouldn't be mad.

 

[texasjefe]

I think it was dutar who had for me a memorable preseason thread accurately predicting that only CGM, Kamara, and Cook were going to catch the majority of the passes this past season.

I've long said that for FA WR's in offseason or in-season (Sanu, E. Sanders in 2019) that the Saints are not attractive destinations for them because with Drew having his pet receivers, and, with Payton's famous personnel shuttling on downs -- they won't get enough targets and stats to justify getting paid as much as they would like.

 

[DaveXA]

Our receivers not named Michael Thomas are not good. IMO.
Ginn was decent Father Time just caught him.

I really think this was the issue. We didn't have a reliable 2nd and 3rd WR. Hopefully that will changed next season. Was disappointed we didn't get one of the potential trades during the season.

Hopefully we address the WR position in the draft or through FA.

 

[Bespoke]

I think if there were another veteran in the Offense that could gain separation quickly, and early in the route they would see targets.

Kamara receives a large volume of targets in part because he's force fed a lot of them, a large portion of his touches are designed plays schemed to get him the ball quickly and let him work YAC. The screens, swing passes with blockers, H - Choice option routes, and Texas routes.

All those plays worked brilliantly in 2017, and 2018 as AK was a magician after the catch with his brilliant balance after contact, but with the combination of injury and just teams having a good 2 seasons of film to study AK's usage, and tendencies those same plays became much less effective. Kamara had his lowest broken tackle Percentage this season. A lot of time Linebackers, and Safeties were reading the bubbles, and swings and beating Kamara to the point of the catch on a lot of those plays.

Jared Cook is probably this Offenses' 2nd best mis-match weapon after MT and we saw him really feast down the middle seams of a Defense in the second half of the season, He can abuse some of the weaker Nickels in the league, and teams with slower Linebacking groups.. but at the end of the day he's still a Tight End and doesn't substitute a true viable second Wide receiver threat because the team's with Elite speedy coverage Linebackers can match up well with him as we saw.. (Vikings, Cowboys, Falcons with Eric Kendricks, Barr, Jaylon Smith, Vander-Esch, Deion Jones) all limited Cook as the #2 passing option and the Offense stagnated if MT could be held in check.

What is the quick-fix solution? Probably sign an Emmanuel Sanders, or AJ Green; proven guys who know how to win quickly in the NFL... but they will both probably command a hefty price tag as they are looking for their last contracts most likely so it's unlikely the Saints will be able to sign either of those.

The next step would be for Drew to hold organized throwing sessions over the Off-season specifically with the younger receivers Tre'Quan, Kirkwood, Butler. To go over route progressions, timing throws, and specifically to get the young receivers to understand what the QB is seeing and visualize how to adjust their routes based on what the QB wants them to do.

Peyton Manning did this when he first came to the Broncos. Peyton flew out, and paid for Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, and Julius Thomas to board up in the off-season and get multiple throwing practices in the off-season to get on the same page, establish chemistry, and really hammer down the mental reps of the Offense to build a foundation and get a jump start on training camp. Will Drew actually do this in his 20th season? It's highly unlikely as that is a lot of effort, and it's dependent on the receivers actually being willing to do this in their free time in the Off-season.

Other than that there won't be a short term fix and this is just an area that the team will have to hit on a Draft selection, or two and work integrate them into their system and by then the Saints will have a reliable second Wide receiver option in 2-3 seasons. (who knows maybe they will get extremely lucky and nail their WR pick who can come in and have an AJ Brown, Deebo Samuel like rookie season right off the bat, unlikely but hopeful.)

 

[insidejob]

And if you want to talk 'one year, prove it deal' don't even bother replying... ?

This really made me laugh out loud. Didn't want you to think I was clowning your entire post.

 

[insidejob]

(All can be cut before June 1 for no cap hit)

June 1 cap hits don't apply this year. (Apologies in advance if someone else already commented on this…)

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

I really think this was the issue. We didn't have a reliable 2nd and 3rd WR. Hopefully that will changed next season. Was disappointed we didn't get one of the potential trades during the season.

Hopefully we address the WR position in the draft or through FA.

I hope we do too Dave. WR is very very deep this year in the draft, imo.