New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com

The Saints are identified league wide as perhaps the most underacheiving team in proportion to the talent on the field. This points to coaching which there is plenty critique of to deservedly be found here. Just as vital and perhaps even worse though are the personnel decisions. The Saints have proven not to be afraid to make a bold move with free agents. Some have been solid if unspectacular (Brian Young) to very good (McKenzie). I think the 2002 draft was solid enough. Last year's draft less Henderson (could have had Donatarrious Thomas LB Minn or Michael Boulware S Sea there!) was productive too. More than making the spectacular finds whether in the draft or free agents I believe the most successful teams avoid the blunders of overpaying for washed up FA's or terrible draft mistakes. Good teams have deep due diligence before going after a player with question marks. Corey Dillon comes to mind... there was quite a bit of bad buzz on him but the Pats made the move and he is now Mr. Team going to the Super Bowl. (Why does Tebucky Jones make me think of this in reverse?) A Dale Carter signing and no payoff can hurt a team in performance and cap for several years. Fred Thomas resigned and not even able to keep a starting job on the worst defense in the league is a bad reflection. Hindsight is always 20/20 but the 2003 draft was a vital error for the franchise. The trade for picks was fair enough (17,18,54 to ARZ for 6,37,102). But the higher the picks the more the weight of the franchise rides on it. There doesn't seem to be much hope for Sullivan turning it around (as Dewayne Robertson did this year). You can only imagine what difference could have been if Trufant was taken there as expected. Terrell Suggs (the 2003 Defensive Rookie of the Year), Kevin Williams DT Minn, and Jordan Gross OT Car were also available. And then not only a #6 pick blunder but #37 (Stinch as in stinks) is a player who still cannot even make the grade to be active every week two years later. Rashean Mathis FS Jak or EJ Henderson LB Minn that were available at that point might have curbed the defensive errosion. Ryan Leaf is one of the most infamous draft picks in recent history. The #2 pick overall is assigned a point value of 2600 on most draft value tables. #6 is 1600 and #37 is 530 for a combined value of 2130 (almost a #3 overall). It may not be quite to the Leaf Hall of Shame level but it ain't far. They cost a whole lot more to feed too. The Erxleben debacle foreshadowed worse times. This offseason could be pivotal to see this team get past it's Leaf ala the Chargers. Any other personnel moves that gall you like those do me?