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Look Back: A Lesson In Free Agency For Careless General Manager
Many of us here have been very critical, and rightfully so, in many of the free agency moves Loomis & Company have made in recent years...
Loomis has pretty much been bullet-proof after making perhaps the best free agency move in NFL history - Drew Brees as well as others that led to a Superbowl Championship in 2009 (e.g. Scott Fujita, Darren Sharper, Anthony Hargrove, Jabari Greer) and even some that didn't, but were still productive like in the case of Darren Sproles; Keenan Lewis signing initially looked very good, but the cornerback has stuggled to stay healthy the past two seasons and even when on an uncharacteristic Twitter rant for a Saint player, briefly exposing dirty laundry in public... But since that early success there have been flat out failures - Jason David, David Patten, Eric Johnson, Kevin Kaesviharn, Olin Kreutz, Shaun Rogers, Aubrayo Franklin, John Gilmore, Turk McBride, John Kasay, Korey Hall, Curtis Lofton, Ben Grubbs, Brodrick Bunkley, David Hawthorne, Chris Chamberlain, Elbert Mack, Victor Butler, Jairus Byrd, C.J. Spiller, and the premature contract extension of one Junior Galette; in fact, Loomis has more than his share of failures but those early signings and a surprise 2006 draft class offset was has been some pretty poor choices in free agency... And yet Loomis, bullet-proof in an aged owner's mind and his inner-sanctum of lawyer/accountants who want stability (i.e. no changes) so that everyone can continue to ride the wave on one singular championship that in some minds, demonstrates a failure to not have delivered at least three with the mind of Payton and his extension on the field in Brees... Some argue, and perhaps rightfully so, that Loomis is just executing the orders and decisions of Coach Payton; if that is the case, then any 'yes man' could actually do Loomis' job functions and duties; but it is the successful general manager that takes his head coach to task and questions requested moves and even presents alternate theories and plans; usually head coaches that are autocratic in personnel moves eventually fail - e.g. Chip Kelly in Philadelphia, Mike Shanahan in Washington D.C. Even Bill Belichick has had quality football men around him to question and advise in the team moves in New England. The one consistent Loomis seems to fail in the examination of proposed free agent candidates is in truly vetting the heart and mind of a player and how said candidate will fit in besides consult a blank rap sheet; in fact, Loomis has even failed to retain players who still had plenty in the tank and to offer the team as well has been high character and having importance in the locker room - e.g. Darren Sproles, Scott Fujita... Which brings us to the recent moves, and pending moves, Loomis has made in the last three years; moves that have proved very costly and restrictive to the teams success like that of Jairus Byrd, Junior Galette, C.J. Spiller Ben Grubbs... And in the case of some of these players, it would seem they like the fire and passion to contribute to making the Saints champions once again. And so, I looked back and found an article that reminds me of how not all NFL free agents are looking to win as well as get paid and so present a cautionary tale of what can happen when a General Manager fails, as Loomis has, to properly vet out a free agent candidate - the tale of Albert Haynesworth and the Washington Redskins; and how that signing crippled a franchise that has seemingly never recovered... Chris Cooley: Albert Haynesworth was an 'awful human being' - CBSSports.com Now the recent signing of James Laurinaitis has been encouraging from the standpoint that the 30 year old linebacker is a leader and has secured contact information of his new teammates from his coaches - something that only Keenan Lewis and Max Unger have done at the unit level among free agent signings the past few years. So there is hope. Now whether he still has enough physically to lead on the field will be discovered in the coming season. But Loomis had better look real close, and do his due diligence before bringing in a big defensive linemen who's impact could cause the fortunes of this franchise to turn around or continue the fall from grace. Equally important, it is time Loomis man up and really study carefully a Brees extension carefully before committing the team down a path that limits our ability to retain or recruit future free agents and cowardly hiding behind a Brees decline that is almost certainly to happen with the player at age 37. The difference in what the Saints have been and a dynasty, such as the 80's 49ers was that Bill Walsh and company were not afraid to make a move to secure a high level of play even at the most important position of the team rather than ride an old horse until it collapsed and then shrug it off to a fanbase as an excuse for not having made moves for continued success... If not, we will continue on a path of joining the Redskins in the purgatory of mediocrity and subsequent salary cap hell... |
Re: Look Back: A Lesson In Free Agency For Careless General Manager
I'm calling BS!!! The story could be written from several perspectives. I'm betting this guy is a pessimist and friendless as well.
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Re: Look Back: A Lesson In Free Agency For Careless General Manager
A lot of players he listed as flat out failures were not failures at all, and most were bottom of the roster guys at near vet minimum.
Pretty bad read. |
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:lol: |
Re: Look Back: A Lesson In Free Agency For Careless General Manager
The same genius that drafted Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham
Brought in Keenan Lewis, Sharper and Greer and made whatever tackles he had pro bowlers the number one FA signing in history - Drew Brees has been saddled with Guilette's ginormous dead money, Byrd, Spiller Let Sproules, Ivory and Khiry go and have Mark Ingram who is one dimensional Cooks is very promising but we need a #1 receiver to free him up from lock down coverage why can't we nail draft choices like Carolina does? |
Re: Look Back: A Lesson In Free Agency For Careless General Manager
The lack of finding starters and solid role players in the draft the last few years has been the main reason for having to reach/overpay for some FA's. The draft is the key. It's full of defensive talent this year. If he misses again this year, the talk of him being on the hot seat is understandable.
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He caught 50...Yes...50 passes for 405 yards and an 8.1 yard per catch average last year. A guy that recorded 1174 all purpose yards in only 12 games last year is hardly one dimensional! Ingram gets so much hate for no reason, he's never in trouble, he represents the team well and gives his all on the field. Plus the guy has averaged over 4.3 yards per carry over his career and has 26 TD's for us, I think people take him for granted an awful lot! |
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Re: Look Back: A Lesson In Free Agency For Careless General Manager
So who are we talkin about.
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Re: Look Back: A Lesson In Free Agency For Careless General Manager
I would point out that teams with the dynasty label, especially in today's NFL, let players walk and take that comp pick verses over paying them. They also do not go out and throw truck loads of money at FA till they absolutely know they have rebuilt their core and need those 1 or 2 piece to make the super bowl run.
This is what the Pats do. keep the main ingredients as best they can. Send a message early and often they will not be held hostage by a player. Players know this when they come to the Pats. It is the Pats way and the door always swings both ways. Mid priced FA and a huge number of draft picks is the way to rebuild a roster. It also keeps your cap in line. This is were the saints fail year in and year out since the super bowl. |
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The scouting department went through a shake up this year and we have new faces in the front office that should improve our odds of finding good players to fit the system. I'm feeling optimistic. :smile: |
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And several of these contracts had to be rolled over year to year to get under the cap... Though in the case of Franklin, he was 3-4 NT signed to play in Williams 4-3 front which was a poor fit from the start (i.e. round peg, square hole)... |
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Not sold on some of the new scounts, but Ireland will filter and manage... |
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Mark turned the corner last year Before that if he was in on a play the defense knew it was going to be a running play to him for short yardage |
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If the defense knew the play based on who was in, how is it the players fault. Mike Smith, 4th and 1 and WE ALL knew who was getting the ball? They didn't make it, remember?
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Sigh....Loomis doesnt choose the players. He just finds the money for the players Payton chooses. Loomis doesnt even have the authority to rein Payton in as some people like to believe. Its not a typical GM/Coach relationship in the Saints organization. Loomis is a great GM. His latest moves should throw any doubt out the window. Especially the Fairly deal.
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Still rolling about that "friendless" comment.
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If he doesn't have the authority to perform those functions, then he's not a true General Manager... So it should follow that if he's not a true GM then he's not a real general manager, which is the point that's being illustrated... |
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"Which brings us to the recent moves, and pending moves, Loomis has made in the last three years; moves that have proved very costly and restrictive to the teams success like that of Jairus Byrd, Junior Galette, C.J. Spiller Ben Grubbs... " I dont think he has anything to do with who those players are. He just finds money to sign them. Maybe he isnt a true GM, but that doesnt make him a failure. He does what he is supposed to do. Every year we have cap problems and every year he finds money to sign "big name" free agents. That is his job and his forte. The fault lies with Payton and the scouts when it comes to the players who are bought with that money. We dont know what happens behind closed doors. For all we know he could be begging and pleading with Payton not to sign these guys to no avail. |
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