What positions do we have to make improvements to this offseason? (2 Viewers)

[Snakehead]

In order:

1. A tackle, guy who plays either left or right as both spots are currently open. Peat got hurt the last the last game of the season, given his history I'm sure that will roll over plus he's an impending free agent. Ram is most likely going to retire, and even if he doesn't, he can no longer be relied upon. So, technically, we have holes at both positions and unfortunately they're the 2nd and 3rd most important positions on an offense. We have to get Penning up to speed, sign someone in free agency, and spend draft capital. We cannot walk into another season limping on our offensive line. Teams don't let their tackles walk, so if you look at the list of impending free agents, it's pretty weak. It won't be sexy because of Penning but pick 14 should be a tackle.

2. Pass Rush - I think we finished 28th in pressures/sack rate in the NFL. Yesterday showed, you give a college level QB too much time, they'll find the wide open guys eventually. Desmond Ridder is probably the furthest thing away from an NFL caliber QB you'll find in today's NFL and his stat line was insane. Peyton Turner, Granderson, and Cam Jordan can't be the guys we rely upon in 2024. Baun had a nice stretch but he is not the answer. There are a lot of FA pass rushers who will be available, but I'm not sure how we get in the fold when all of them will be looking to break the ceiling for highest paid at their positions. I think you have to spend more high picks on an edge guy. Josh Allen or Daneille Hunter will be too expensive in my book.

3. Nose tackle/run stuffer - We spent money in free agency and drafted Breese. However, we still got gashed in the run game, especially after the bye week. In 2017 - 2020, we won games because our defense was impossible to run against. Week 12 against the Falcons, the Lions, and Rams generated an insane push against the Saints and virtually ran away with those games. Saunders and Breese were nice adds, but they did not solve our issue from 2022. I would love to see us go after Daron Payne or make a trade with the Panthers to acquire Derrick Brown. I think the Panthers will be looking to overhaul on offense and their defense is loaded with young talent we should see as commodities. Brown just finished the season with 100 tackles at the DT position. He's insane.

I agree with your assessments and even order, although I could go run stuffer higher than Pass Rush, but run stuffers are easier to find.

Pick 14 should be a tackle. If Penning ends up a dominant OG, that's okay.

Derrick Brown is insane. I have him in 2 fantasy leagues that use DL or DT positions and he owned it in both.

Sweat out of Texas is who I would put next to Bresee.

With the development of Perry, Olave and Shaheed, I'd almost go best OT at 14 and Sweat in the 2nd depending on who is on the board.

 

[Treybad]

OL DE TE these would be my top priority
I would also try trading back and accumulate some more picks this year and next... my thinking is the more draft picks we have the more enticing it would be for a new HC/GM....
We need to start thinking about the next 2 or 3 seasons and stop the gambling for just the next season..

 

[silverbullet]

It really doesn't matter.

Adding the best LT or DE won't make this team a contender.

To win anything of significance you need two things.

1. A top 5-10 QB (usually top 5 and mostly top 2-3)
2. A top 10 HC

The Saints have neither.

They have the worst HC in the league and a very average to mediocre QB with zero intangibles.

Against a trash schedule that was good for 9-8. Against a good schedule, that's probably a 5 win team.

 

[lilvipa221]

Everything still begins and ends with finding the Quarterback of the future, drafting well to get younger on the o line, d line and linebacker. But you still have to find a dynamic game changing quarterback to take over in a year or two.

The only way this Carr era can work is if we hang around .500 and get the cap right and find the next quarterback. If we go all in on Carr and ignore the future quarterback then this franchise is doing itself a disservice.