Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

Any heavy lifting in free agency for the New Orleans Saints is long gone. All of the long hours preparing for the NFL draft has come and gone as well. The only thing left for the Saints after all of the cap crunching, savvy contract signings and draft wheeling and dealing is to have all of the position battles play out starting in organized team activities later this month.

Maybe it's just me, but the Saints seem to hold more question marks at more crucial spots on the field than in seasons past for Coach Sean Payton. Shifting to a 3-4 defensive scheme opens position battles in and of itself considering you're adding an inside linebacker, giving different responsibilities to outside linebackers and searching for a true nose tackle.

Here's a look at some of the position battles we'll be monitoring throughout the offseason:

Tackle (left, and right?)

Every player striving to start at left tackle should keep repeating one color to himself again and again and again this offseason: gray. It's the gloomy nothingness that exists atop the magnetic depth chart in the Saints' offices going into OTAs.

There's all kinds of bodies in place to compete for the left tackle job, and Payton can't wait to fill in the gray area with a name. He hopes it's an easy decision in that someone like Charles Brown, Jason Smith, Terron Armstead or even Marcel Jones plays so well making the decision a no-brainer.

At the same time, could right tackle be up for grabs as well? Someone more than likely would have to unseat Zach Strief as the starter. It wouldn't be an unprecedented scenario, though, as Strief knows all too well as he unseated his good friend Jon Stinchcomb two years ago. Smith and Jones would receive looks at right tackle rather than Armstead.

Linebacker (outside and inside)

Curtis Lofton is the only sure thing at linebacker.

It's not that the likes of outside linebackers Martez Wilson, Junior Galette and Victor Butler are in some major danger of being let go. It's more of a matter of how much playing time they receive. A starting job is Butler's to lose. So where does that fit Wilson and Galette? Both have shown glimpses of pass-rushing ability, but all three players can't play at the same time.

Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said in a recent radio interview how Jonathan Vilma has been the talk of the weight room. He seems to be the front-runner for the second inside spot. But you restructured David Hawthorne's contract signifying he isn't going anywhere. Chris Chamberlain could also fight for time even though he's coming off a torn ACL and was brought in to play in Steve Spagnuolo's defense, not Ryan's defense.

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Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

Really? You don't say?!?!?!

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

And by numerous he means all!!!!

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

We're deep at linebacker with Lofton, Vilma, Hawthorne, and Wilson all able to play inside. Gallette and Butler outside, with Vilma and Wilson also able to play there too. We have a deep rotation. Relax. The Super Bowl is ours to lose.

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

Would anyone like to see Dwight Freeney in a Saints uniform? Could we even afford him?

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

We can't afford any big signings with back loading contracts or restructuring existing deals.The cap situation is bad enough next year with doing that as things stand.

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

OT is my #1 area of concern no matter who starts.
OC #2

Defense ILB is my #1 concern and the area i will be watching
DL rotation is #2

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

Heaven help us if a guard goes down..

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

Dwight Freeney is a 4-3 defensive end and wouldn't fit well in a 3-4. Another thing against him is his age with not enough speed to transition to OLB...

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

After last year's debacle, EVERY position on defense should be up for grabs...

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

I believe our tackle competition will produce and sustain a productive starter in our system look our offense is more of a step up in the pocket offense than a 7 step drop and power deep playaction "Bruce Arian like offense" sure we have some of that power playaction but closer to a west coast rythym and timing offense than an offense that has to have a successful run game or awesome Tackles to keep pressure off of the QB! So Drew needs a bigtime interior line or least an effective one to step up in! Look all our tackles need to be able to do most of the time is run the edge rushers up field and be able to handle a bull rush but they really don't even have to do anything but screen them they don't have to mirror them for 5 seconds more like 3 at the most!

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

Not saying I wouldn't mind a dominant Tackle just saying it isn't a must! I believe we need a tackle capable of making blocks down field and pulling in the screen and run game!

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

Our defensive Troubles have all been predicated on our roster "we have had 3-4 type of personnel since G Williams era! His system was a 3-4 disguise as a 4-3 so we've been drafting and signing guys closer to a 3-4 for a while now and we will get back to dominating well our form of dominating on defense "being able to hold them to 21 forcing turnovers and attacking with a lead with regularity" So we w"ere never going to have success with a soft zone cover 2 base D it isn't in our team build "you don't ask a 300a lb guy to be a jockey" so yes Sean made a mistake and hired Spags "who was uncooperative and lack of adaptability and communication to try to be effective" We have talent but Greg Williams's had his whole defense around a disguised safety as a OLB "Harper" and an OLB as a safety "Fujita and mainly Shanle" Shanle or Whoever was the better cover OLB or "will" to fool the QB and allow Harper to hardly ever get picked up or blocked "sack and tackle production" sure he made the plays but it was the scheme that made it successful not.Harper's ability really all he had was Williams's good graces and his willingness to make Harper the rover or it was just the position that they fell into because Harper is that bad in coverage where a "Will" LB can out cover a safety that in itself should be a big time red flag! THANK-YOU VACCARO the strong safety has been my main concern because of all the struggles or just plain failure in the secondary and all the things they have done to make it work in the past!

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

So much talent that no job is safe is a great thing to have. It also alludes to not having a major drop off in talent during a rotation or if someone gets hurt.

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

Our OTs in our majority west coast scheme have less importance that that of a Bruce Arians type "power run game / playaction deep passing" sure we have some of that but it isn't predictable so it can't be taken advantage of unless they know it's coming! Our Offensive Tackles need to be able to block downfield or pull sure they need to be able to run their guy upfield and stop a bull rush but Drew's pocket presence and footwork allows him to hardly ever get sacked from edge rushers unless it's an injured Strief is out there hurting the team because he can't even run them upfield #st_louis_game" So as long as we have a decent DECENT Tackle we will be alright but I worry more about Strief and him starting "because they always are sliding to help him but I hope that was due to injury but that 1 I question but we'll see plus elite pass rushers are starting to be on the right side more often to take advantage of weaker RT!

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

How does Cameron Jordan fit into this new scheme, is he a down lineman or an outside LB? anyone have any thoughts on this?

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

That would be a Levon Kirkland sized LB :)

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

He's a prototypical 3-4 DE. Most scouts projected him as a 3-4 DE from the very start.

He probably fits the 3-4 transition better than any player we currently have, including the new signees and draft picks.

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

I knew he was 6'4" but Didn't realize he was 287 lbs, stupid question, moving on.

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

i do not see a an major personnel changes outside of moving players around to fit the 34. OT is the only spot i see up for grabs

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

My biggest worry is still LB and OT. Just because you have a lot of competition doesn't mean they're good.

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

OT for sure. But I am hopeful that the WRs behind Colston & Moore step up

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

LT is my biggest concern, but I do think we will have an able start in Armstead or Brown...and while I still have some questions about our secondary, all we really need to return to our former glory is a functioning defence that doesn't haemorrhage points.

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

He wants over 5 mil a yr plus he is old and we got young studs that would suffer "not get valuable experience they have to get as an OLB plus Freeney is an undersized 4-3 DE who didn't like to play OLB last year"

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

Trust the competition "We've been hampered by entitlement, complacency, and lack of accountability" So competition for guys who haven't got the big payday is perfect for what our team needs! Expect a few probowlers this year on defense! Our only problem on Defense was "ROMAN HARPER"!
Greg Williams built his entire scheme around Roman Harper's Weaknesses and covered them through unpredictable blitz schemes because Roman actually was doing "will OLB assignments while Fujita or Shanle covered the Strong Safety assignments! GW turned Harper into a rich and productive player but it was only because the OC's and QB's didn't know what GW and the defense were going to do because they disguised so well by switching will LB alot and Showing a 4-3 base front, but we were actually playing a blend of a 3-4 when we had that extra will LB on the field! It was brilliant UNTIL the weaknesses were exposed over the last few years of Williams's tenure! The problem with Roman is that his tackling ability left him! That is the only thing that he had going for him besides instincts and blitz timing!
I never liked a safety that couldn't cover especially in today's pass happy league! So there is no use for him because there is nothing he can do better than Vaccaro or Jenkins! Jenkins's Struggles were almost always about him being out of position because he was overcompensating for all of Harper's Weaknesses So basically Jenkins was out there by himself!! I am very happy about this pick! BYE BYE HARPER!
Roman should have been willing to take a paycut like Vilma and Smith! heck he should have offered! What Got thinking they were done with him his said the saints didn't contact his agent during that week of restructures and he said this "I am just going to be playing golf everyday and relaxing" I mean if I was Him I would be in the weight room and conditioning before and after Golf! I know he doesn't stay in shape because about 3 or 4 years ago we were playing and he picked up a fumble on the opposite goalline and he picked up the ball and he had a 10 yd headstart to take it to the house and he got caught before he got to the their 30 BY "SAM BRADFORD" This is absolutely crazy for a safety with a 10 yd headstart to get caught by a QB and he didn't just get caught he ran out of gas and it was just plain sad it was the start of me seeing Roman for who and what he is on the field!!!

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

We will dominate! We will compete to the very least until the NFC Cham. Game this year! We will have a remarkable and unbelievable turnaround to the point of like seriously HOW were we that bad last year? "our D was setup to play around 1 person weaknesses and it caused others to neglect theirs and their assignments so instead" See when you scheme around 1 person; what are you going to do if the OC's and QB's figure out your scheme and why your scheming the way your scheming "covering Roman's lack of ability to play safety by using a "will" OLB that is unbelievably better than a safety Harper that is insane a LB better in coverage" but why do you think they did it not just to fool the QB it is that they had to to have any type of success on defense! Remember when you scheme like that and get figured out that you have to scheme like that your done! Rob Ryan will have these guys busting it and breaking their back to the Team we've grown to know and love! We just need to stay true to Competition and Team "not just one or two players the entire defense and with the offense setting the tone"= Success!

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

wow nice write up. Harper as i have said before is a old school SS stuck in the new era. Traditional SS are pretty done for in the NFL with the rule changes to make this a:

high flying
high scoring
highly rated
highly profitable

for the owners and the players. They do not care about wrecking the game it is all about money. Thus a true SS is all but dead and buried in football

Vaccaro was drafted to replace him. Probably not this year but next. kid still has to take to the field.

Now Jenkins we will see what happens. I see Jenkins and Vaccaro as the same style players. Vaccaro is a bit more of a SS in his play than Jenkins so strong side safety is probably going to be his home,

So draft a FS in the early rounds of 2014?

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

Wow, I could not disagree more with this assertion

Entitlement? I don't see any entitlement on this team.

Complacency? Where? This defense may have been bad, but complacent is the last word I'd use to describe it.

Lack of accountability? Steve Spagnoulo disagrees, as does Sedrick Ellis, Scott Shanle, Johnny Patrick, Turk McBride...

And lastly this little piece from fantasyland...

"Our only problem on Defense was "ROMAN HARPER""

Wow, for anyone to even remotely think this obviously either didn't watch a single Saints game or knows very little about football.

I've seen some ridiculous statements, and quite a lot of them recently, but that is about as absurd as it gets.

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

Couldn't agree more.

Re: Analysis: New Orleans Saints will have numerous positions up for grabs
 

It just goes to show that if someone doesn't like a player, they'll go to any means necessary including absurd statements like the one above to rationalize their dislike.

It takes much of the enjoyment out of reading the board. All I can do is just shake my head and ignore it. I wouldn't have even seen it if someone hadn't quoted it.