Best Free Agents for the Saints
 

Allrighty folks, I'm new here, but not a new Saints fan...

With the June cap cuts coming down, who do you guys think we'll go get (if any)?

My vote is Trotter. We need speed with discipline at the edges and he qualifies. The man racked up 204 tackles and assists over the last 2 "injury-plagued" seasons on a team that had Arrington, Smoot, Ohalete and Bailey all hawking the ball. I think a healthy Hodge will continue to grow and evolve as one of our outside LB's, but who else is a qualify outside LB? Ruff, not smart enough. Darrin Smith, too many miles on 32 year old legs. Roger Knight, he'll be lucky to stay of the practice squad. Derrick Rodgers, maybe.

I really think that Courtney Watson and Cie Grant are going to battle it out for the MLB starting job and both Ruff and Smith will end up on the bench (or somewhere else). Put Sedrick Hodge at SLB and Trotter (if we get him) or Rodgers (for now) at WLB.

Best Free Agents for the Saints
 

Sounds like you know your Saints, SaintShreve. Welcome to the board.

I think the only player we might go after is Mike McKenzie. Loomis and Meuller said they weren\'t interested in Trotter. Of course, with those guys you never know.

SaintShreve = Shreveport La? My old stompin\' grounds... ;)

[Edited on 3/6/2004 by GumboBC]

Best Free Agents for the Saints
 

The impression of Jeremiah Trotter as a Saints seems to get mixed reviews in here. I know that alot of members on here refer to him having speed. Now I haven\'t watched alot of him,but I have seen my fair share of him and I don\'t recall him having exceptional speed or range. I do remember him being very instinctive and a good reader of an offensive play set. From what I recall, I saw him consistently line up, shift to a specific hole or zone, and then make a play. That doesn\'t constitute speed, it defines smarts. Very similar to Zach Thomas. He\'s not fast, he gets to the right place. He\'s not a Ray Lewis \"reactionary\" player. Lewis sniffs out the play and then comes from wherever he is to make it. Trotter needs to be there to make it. Would I want Trotter covering a RB or TE, or in pursuit of a player...probably not. He\'s 260+ pounds. I think people are being misled referring to him as a speed upgrade for our defense. That\'s just my opinion. I believe Watson or Cie Grant are upgrades on Trotter in terms of athleticism, but one thing you can\'t teach is instinct. Trotter definitely has that.

I wouldn\'t like us to break the bank on him, but for the right price he would be a great guy for Watson or Grant to learn from.

Best Free Agents for the Saints
 

Yep, Shreveport is right. Grew up there, played to prodigal son a few times and will be moving back in 3 weeks to finish my training at LSU Medical Center...

McKenzie huh? I\'m not sure he\'s all that, but we\'ll see. He made that INT to save the Pack against Seattle, but I just don\'t think Hasselbeck same him. I don\'t think he\'s got the speed to survive in the Dome (new turf or not).

I agree we need CB\'s though. Freddie T\'s just too small to handle the Terrell Owens\', Michael Claytons and Peerless Prices (thinking tall strong WRs) of the league and Craft is only an inch taller. Ambrose is no longer starting material, but should be a solid nickle against possession-type guys like Ricky Proehl, Jurevicious, Antonio Bryant, etc.

One day we will draft a shut-down corner and keep him... one day

Best Free Agents for the Saints
 

One free agent cut that intrigued me (on a position that me and B-n-B agree lacks depth.....safety) is Zack Bronson. He\'s a veteran player and at 30 years old, isn\'t too old for the position. He\'d be a capable player, especially if we have a health problem like last year (Mel Mitchell). If we can possibly sign him to the league minimum or something low cost, I\'d like to see them go after him. I\'m not really seeing the need for Trotter. I believe, if healthy, our linebackers are sufficient enough to improve over last season. Mike McKenzie would be nice to have, but I have the feeling that the Pack is really inflating the value of him. IMHO, he\'s not worth a first rounder. If we can get him for one of our 2nd\'s next year and possibly a 5th rounder, then I say make the move. If not, go with what you have. If we get him, look for the Saints to utilize a cover 2 scheme in the defense (another thing me and B-n-B agree on). If we can get Bronson, it adds depth. If we get McKenzie, we add an instant starter. All we can do is play the waiting game to see where the Saints go with what is out there.

Best Free Agents for the Saints
 

Damn, it\'s about time I hear about some Shreveport Saints fans somewhere!!! I\'m from PA but at graduate school at LSUHSC in Shreveport. Now my Dad\'s family is from New Orleans so that\'s how I got into the Saints and LA. Anyway, I like to see Saints fans from Shreveport because most of these idiots think they are or are from Texas and cheer the Comboys. Hell, after the Cowboys season last year we\'ll be lucky to see a Saints game this year. And one more thing....why does the Pierre Bossier Mall have a COWBOYS OFFICIAL STORE BUT NO SAINTS ONE IN SIGHT!!!!!!! That\'s all, my point is made. Here\'s to a great playoff run this year!

Best Free Agents for the Saints
 

The owner of the Fox station in Shreveport is a Cowboys fan, so you might as well get used to it.
And the Cowboys stores are all owned by the Cowboys, and Benson hasn\'t followed suit, hell, not many teams in the NFL have as many merchandise stores as the Cowboy\'s have. It\'s called- mail order.

Best Free Agents for the Saints
 

Don\'t they have a similar issue with the station in Lake Charles?

Best Free Agents for the Saints
 

I dealt with the Cowboys on FOX issue in medical school by going to the Phillin\' Station on Kings Hwy. They dedicated the side room to Saints Fans and there was usually a good turnout, but it\'s been 3 years.

Tell you what alsaints113, if there\'s no big screen actions for our boys at the P-H-illin\' this fall, I \'ll bust out the NFL Sunday ticket and we\'ll have a weekly Saints party at my place.

I grew up in S\'port and HATE the Cowboys. Always have, always will. If Jerry Jones, Michael Irvin, Deion and Charles Haley went down in a plane crash, I\'d weep, but only for the plane... :)

There\'s more NW LA Saints fans than you think, it\'s just the schmoos at FOX give us a skewed slant on coverage.

Best Free Agents for the Saints
 

I agree with D it up 2.

I think that Zach Bronson is an intriguing cut. We still, IMO, need a backup safety. If we take an injury there, we are instantly much worse - this is the same problem with CB, but at least there we have Ambrose and Brown!